DuraVent 12" pipe

(Looking for an uninstalled spare appliance adapter here now, and a ruler.)

 

Nah, I was wrong, the Appliance adapter only sticks out 2 1/2 inches from the exhaust pipe on the stove - the part that extends from the stove is the female (rope gasket) twist-lock connector. (Total length of the adapter is just shy of 4 inches.)

It must either be a 6" straight pipe (which they sell), or one of the 'adjustable' length pipes they sell, cut & sized to your install.

Edit: just working on the 1st cup of coffee here, will try to get a pic and post it after regaining conciousness.

 

Thanks.
It sounds like the appliance adapter (based on what Lowes told me on the phone) is about 3.3/4"

I know I really need to remove all that foil to get a good idea, then go to Lowes and get the needed parts. I am just hoping that adapter won't be a PIA to twist off and remove..!!! If any tricks please share...!!

 

Sure, be happy to Geek.

Everyone posting is correct - depending on the model of DuraVent pipe you have, it's important to get the same SKU line / model series to ensure good fit. That's due to the sizing / fitting being slightly different between model series, just enough to prevent good seal / cause leaks.

Understanding how the DuraVent pipe works on sealing helps to ensure it's installed properly: simply put, there is a piece of rope gasket material stuck in the female end of the pipe, between the inner and outer pipe walls.

When you insert the male end of the pipe, ideally the male end will make contact with the edge of the rope gasket, catch it, and turn -> compress the rope gasket in the channel, creating a good seal. That's it. No different than the rope gasket being used on every wood stove or pellet stove door on the planet.

* If the rope gasket is pushed down too far in the channel, the male end will not contact the gasket. If the rope gasket is worn, frayed, or otherwise in poor condition, the male end will not contact for good seal.

The rope gasket is literally just a piece of rope gasket. It is not a 'ring' gasket, etc., just rope gasket, cut and sized to fit the pipe wall channel, and hopefully inserted not too far down at the factory to allow good seal contact.

How to ensure a good seal:

If you suspect the gasket is pushed too far down in the pipe channel, simply take an automotive pick tool, grab the gasket, and raise it up in the channel, evenly, then insert the Male connector so that it seats all the way down: it will push the gasket to the correct length. That's it.
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Issues above prompt lots of folks to use alternate methods of sealing the pipe, including High Temp Aluminum tape, Silicon Tape, or High Temp RTV sealer.

On the install here, no RTV is used, the only (2) places High Temp Aluminum tape are used are at the Appliance Adapter, securing it to the Exhaust outlet of the stove, and a few short piecies covering the elbow joints on the 90 degree elbow, more on that below.

If you are going to do a retrofit / replacement install, -and- expect to remove the pipe occasionally, you will need to leave a method of doing that, -so-, you want to be able to unlock the pipe from the end of the stove (Appliance Adapter) <-> and the 90 degree Elbow (or Tee), and on the other side -> venting out, either the Elbow (or Tee) -> up to the nearest joint before exiting the wall thimble, to disconnect inside.

Appliance Adapter: every stove is different - IF the stove has a hole located in the Exhaust exit pipe (where the Appliance Adapter attaches), that means you will need to fit the Appliance Adapter securely to the stove, -and drill a hole- through Appliance adapter using the hole in the stove as a template, and -secure the Adapter to the stove- using a standard sheet metal screw. * The Appliance Adapter stainless is tough: using a high speed Dremel tool, with Diamond cutting bit, will allow you to start a pilot hole quickly. Start the hole, then switch to a regular drill w/ titanium bit to complete.

If the stove does not have a hole to secure the Appliance Adapter to the stove, then RTV or Tape are your friends here, individually, or in combination.

Elbows, 45 and 90 degree: They all leak when new. Period. Any wood burner can tell you this, especially if single walled pipe is used.

If we were burning a wood stove, we would just let the natural smoke and soot from the first fire (or two) accumulate naturally, enough to seal the slip joints in the elbow -> plug up the gap and seal it, call it a day, and don't mess with the elbow. That's it.

Pellet stoves burn cleaner than wood stoves, so that natural soot / ash buildup takes longer. We are only taping the elbow joints on the outer pipe wall to contain smoke / soot within the elbow, and promote that buildup sooner. That's it.

How to tell the DuraVent pipe is locked: There are raised ridges on the Male end that slide into the Female (rope gasket) side of the pipe. There is a channel under those ridges to allow the pipe to be rotated to lock the Male and Female ends in place. Insert the two ends together, and turn the -Female- (rope gasket) side of the pipe two (2) inches until it is firmly locked in place. Done.

* Now take a permanent (Sharpie) marker and -draw a line- across the throat of -both pipes-, now you know the 'locked' position of the pipe. After taking the pipe apart for cleaning, etc., simply match up the marks, and re-attach so the marks line up. Simple.

A few quick notes:

If I needed to de-comission installed DuraVent piping that was Aluminum Taped, I would be using Cardboard cutter w/ new razor blade, and wearing the heavy-duty leather work gloves here.

If I needed to de-commision installed DuraVent piping that was RTV'd, I would be using the high temp. Heat Gun directly at the pipe joint to try to soften the RTV up some, and using (2) of the largest pipe wrenches I could find: (1) to stabilize / lock one side, the other to turn the 2" to unlock the other. Depending on the mess, I would consider whether it would be worth my time to try to remove the excess RTV / re-gasket and re-use the pipe, vs. purchasing new.

Hopefully the above makes sense - lots going on today, but will try to get some pics up later for everyone's benefit.

 

Just got home, removed bunch of tapes around inside pipes, here's what I see:

-appliance adapter+6 inch+45 elbow+then into wall and out which seems like a 1-footer. All Simpson Dura Vent.
The appliance adapter doesn't have any screws to the stove, the screws plus old caulk are on the other connections.

 

That's not unusual - some stoves have the hole on the exhaust outlet for the screw to secure the Appliance adapter, others don't.

From the pics it sure looks like DuraVent twist-lock double-walled pellet pipe - I dunno why they would have used screws to secure the piping, heck, that's the purpose of using DuraVent, so you don't have to do that.

If the person doing the previous install used sheet metal screws and pierced both the outer and inner pipe walls, that would explain the caulk and all the Aluminum Tape you found.

To reverse-engineer that install here, I would start from the outside -> back inside: cut the outer RTV caulk at outside Wall Thimble / pipe so the outer pipe run can rotate freely, use the T as leverage and twist to disconnect the outer pipe run from the 45 elbow.

Then I would just have the 45 elbow, 6 inch pipe run, and Appliance adapter attached to the stove, much easier to work with, and if I planned to keep the current Adapter on the stove, I would disconnect the 6 inch pipe from the Adapter, leaving the 45 elbow on / using it as leverage if needed.

If I was going to try to clean up / re-use the piping, I would be using tools that afforded the least amount of damage to the pipe, namely some fine-grit sandpaper, steel wool, plastic scrapers, the heat gun, and some acetone to remove tape residue as needed. I would probably also touch up / re-paint the outer galvanized pipe with high-temp (automotive/barbeque) rated silver paint.

* But at the end of the day, seeing as your install only requires a limited run & piping, I would consider purchasing new replacement parts, vs. the time & effort required to recondition the piping. If the current DuraVent twist-lock piping was secured by screws, I would just purchase new, anyway.

If I knew the existing pipe was borked / beyond saving, then I would just grab the Reciprocating Saw (aka Sawz-All) w/ a new metal cutting blade (or hacksaw w/ new metal blade if investing sweat equity), -not- disconnect anything, and cut the piping on either side of the elbow.

If the previous install had at T outside beyond the thimble, and a section of pipe that went up to create a chimney to afford some draft, I would consider leaving the same:

But if planning on changing to a horizontal / direct-vent termination, just make sure you follow the guidelines for the stove & pipe / have the ouside clearances needed to do so properly & safely.

* IMPORTANT: *
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If your local town and/or state require a licensed installation, and permit -> inspection of venting, follow those, don't try to 'cowboy' the install.

- Your insurance company may (will) require proof of proper install to insure the home. -

Nobody here, including me, will advocate that you try to bypass any local or state code requirements to safely install your pellet stove venting:

my -only- purpose posting above is to give a description & explanation on how the DuraVent twist-lock pellet pipe system works, some common issues / what to look for, and some help & tips on installation, because you asked.

Most important: Common Sense applies. If unsure, ask questions, seek professional advise.

Link to DuraVent PelletVent pipe page (and install PDF) on manufacture's website:
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M&G DuraVent : PelletVent® for multi-fuel

http://www.duravent.com/docs/product/L502_W.pdf

 

Thanks for the time you took to write this down, yeah I rather trash those pipes and put new ones.
Just went to Lowes and they don't have the 6" pipe and the 2-foot pipe ....
Home Depot has both but delivery to the store over a week from now and my plan is to haul stove to the yard tomorrow with a friend....

 

Aubuchon Hardware, if local, may have what you need. Local Ace Hardware may also carry the pipe.
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I'll put it this way: -if- the installation was existing, and the Insurance Co. knew about it / it was on the books, -and- I suspected issues w/ a sloppy install, and provided I had the time / skill / ability & resources to properly duplicate & improve that installation: if that would improve my own personal comfort level so I would sleep better at night, heck ya, I'd have no problem doing that repair.

 

Thanks much for the tip, Ace Hardware seems to have them listed (although not available online), I need to call the store to see if they have it:

Duravent 6in x 3in Pellet Stove Vent Pipe (3PVL-06R) - Fireplace & Stove Accessories - Ace Hardware
Duravent 24in x 3in Pellet Stove Vent Pipe (3PVL-24R) - Fireplace & Stove Accessories - Ace Hardware

 

You're Welcome Geek. Good folks at both stores in our area here, anytime I need a part not carried locally, only takes a day or two to arrive, if in stock at another area store. Hope the stove cleaning & venting re-install go well!

 

That's good info Dex, learned something new today.

 

If you can't find local, try Amazon. I got some of my black pipe from there as I was not paying the elevated prices everyone around wanted for them (really, black is the new gold apparently )

 

PVL is MUCH (1/2 ish) less expensive than PVP pipe. I ordered most of the PVL pipe I needed online from Home Depot with free shipping to my door. PVL has the rope gasket, PVP has the silicone gasket. I didn't know that until I had purchased both and saw it for myself.

 

I wonder if that is the reason why peeps here say that the Simpson Duravent leak and you have to have and use lots of silicone when putting them together?

I ordered the PVL also from HD this morning, less than half the price I got quoted from a local dealer for their "Olympia" brand.

 

I won't be able to my pellet stove in action since I need to wait for a 6" section pipe....grrrrr