Pellet Vent Pro Pipe and smoke

[Tired-n-dusty]

I recently installed a used Whitfield T300P stove and used DuraVent Pellent Vent Pro pipe. We are getting a strong smoke odor in the house so I went looking to find it. Suspecting it was coming from a joint in the pipe or more likely from where the appliance adapter slides over the outflow pipe on the stove, I used soapy water on all of the joints with the stove turned on. No bubbles, but what I found was smoke coming out between the two walls on the appliance adapter.

I am not sure what to do. I went to call DuraVent but they are closed for the weekend. I could use the hi-temp RTV sealant around the gap (1/8") but am not sure this is the best approach. Thoughts or recos from anyone??

Thanks in advance

Tired-N-Dusty

 

[Dr_Drum]

I don't use PelletVent Pro but I can tell you that I was directed to completey fill the gap in the stove adapter with 500 degree minimum RTV then slide the adapter on and smooth over the RTV that gets pushed out. I took the stove flange off the stove and did this on the table, then bolted the whole thing back on once the RTV was cured. You should definitely seal that adapter to the stove. My Excel pipe has rubber-like gaskets so no sealing of the elbows or pipe sections are needed.
Mike -

 

[Tired-n-dusty]

Mike,

Thanks for your reply. In my case I did seal between the adapter and stove outlet with RTV and got a good seal as evidenced by the soapy water test. With the Dura Vent adapter, there is an open gap of about 1/8" between the inner pipe sleeve that goes over the stove outlet and the outer pipe sleeve, on the stove end of the adapter. This space is where I saw smoke coming out of. Apparently somewhere in the adapter, smoke is passing from inside the inner sleeve into the gap between sleeves. So my debate is whether to take apart everything and look over the adapter (I hate to do this as I already have a good seal between it and the stove outlet) or to try and fill the gap between the sleeves with RTV while it is present on the back of the stove. This will be a challenge due to the tight quarters. Any other thoughts?

Tired-n-Dusty

 

[kinsmanstoves]

I recently installed a used Whitfield T300P stove and used DuraVent Pellent Vent Pro pipe. We are getting a strong smoke odor in the house so I went looking to find it. Suspecting it was coming from a joint in the pipe or more likely from where the appliance adapter slides over the outflow pipe on the stove, I used soapy water on all of the joints with the stove turned on. No bubbles, but what I found was smoke coming out between the two walls on the appliance adapter.

I am not sure what to do. I went to call DuraVent but they are closed for the weekend. I could use the hi-temp RTV sealant around the gap (1/8") but am not sure this is the best approach. Thoughts or recos from anyone??

Thanks in advance

Tired-N-Dusty

Any joint or conection inside the house needs silicone.

Eric

 

[Dr_Drum]

Oh, I misunderstood. Can you unbolt the whole exhaust flange from the stove, made it easier for me. I would take it all apart and do it again. I'd fill up that gap if it's open on the stove side, but I wouldn't try to fill up the entire adapter if that gap is consistent from stove side to pipe side all the way through the adapter, just a 1/4" to 1/2" deep. After you connect the vent pipe to the adapter, run a bead of rtv right on the joint. Don't put the rtv on the adapter and then push the vent pipe on, you will never get them apart again. Put them together and cover the joint over with RTV. You will then be able to scrape it off to dismantle the parts for cleaning.
Mike -

 

[slls]

I had the same problem, you have to remove the pipe from the adapter. Seal it on the inside, if you only seal it on the outside it will leak out through the air gap. Don't seal the air gap at the stove end, it defeats the purpose of the air gap.

 

[Dr_Drum]

He said it is sealed well on the inside. Maybe the adapter is defective? Maybe my pipe just works different. Excel pipe is air insulated and the air gap on the adapter is not open on the end from the manufacturer. It doesn't cycle air through that gap. On Excel pipe the rubber gasket actually gets compressed and seals within that air gap space.
Mike -

 

[slls]

I think it is hard to explain, you seal the inside of the pipe and outside where where it contact the outer adapter. Both are inside, I wish now I had taken pictures. The pipe has an inside seam that will leak through the air gap. I found this in my papers.

 

[Tired-n-dusty]

I did pull apart the joint between the appliance adapter and the T. From there, I saw a small gap in the distal end of the adapter where it inserts into the T. I sealed this gap with RTV and reduced smoke leakage by about 80%. I have not been internally sealing the joints between pieces of Pellet Vent Pro pipe as I understood there are internal seals making it un-necessary. Also, if I sealed internally between joints, this would make it very difficult to break apart for cleaning as described in other posts.

AT this point I am wondering if the seal between the adapter and T is defective, thus, allowing the residual smoke I am detecting. Should I use RTV internally on this joint and give up on cleaning the initial horizontal 5"-6" associated with the adapter and T? Can I apply RTV externally on the related joints?

I did call DuraVent today but have not received a call back as of yet.

Thanks all for your insight and help

 

[Dr_Drum]

At this point I'd probably wait and talk with DuraVent, or seal from the outside only.
Let us know how you make out.
Mike -