# A new problem with our Vermont castings stardance stove



## k0wtz (Oct 31, 2018)

OK the V/C propane stove is up and now running as it should except its throwing off a smell sort of like unused gas.  It s hard to explain I used b-vent pipe up about 12ft.

Some questions?

1. Should the b-vent sections be sealed?  I read on a site they should seems a lot of work but who knows!

2. Where we joined the b-vent to the stove its fit with an adapter and a clamp to the start of the stove flue
    should this be sealed.  What sort of seal will I use?  This gets really hot by the way I am supposing it
    should..

3. According to literature on the stove its about a 51% efficient stove?

4. I wonder what sort of chimmey cap I should have?  The less the restrictive the better?  We used Amerivent
   B-vent pipe also..

5. Looking at the stove when its running I see lots of blue flame with a yellow flame

6. The glass is well sealed to the front of the stove.

7. I have checked all connections and there are no gas leaks this smell occurs when the stove is lit I am not
   sure it is throwing off the smell when the pilot is lit or not yet.

Many questions I am sure Bob and some of the other experts will chime in here and all comments appreciated.

Bob the novice

I forgot to mention there is an air curtain that can be moved up or down directly in the back of the stove.  you have to remove everything to get to it.  start there maybe to create more draft?


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## k0wtz (Oct 31, 2018)

k0wtz said:


> OK the V/C propane stove is up and now running as it should except its throwing off a smell sort of like unused gas.  It s hard to explain I used b-vent pipe up about 12ft.
> 
> Some questions?
> 
> ...





k0wtz said:


> OK the V/C propane stove is up and now running as it should except its throwing off a smell sort of like unused gas.  It s hard to explain I used b-vent pipe up about 12ft.
> 
> Some questions?
> 
> ...


Well after thinking about the door problem i di


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## k0wtz (Oct 31, 2018)

k0wtz said:


> Well after thinking about the smell problem i decided to move the plate in the back of the stove..  Everything is good now I guess it wasn't getting enough air for good combustion!  Nowhere in the manual did it cover this!?  Very interesting!


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## Mucknort (Nov 17, 2018)

Dear Kowtz, please elaborate on what you mean by adjusting the plate on the the back of the stove. Our Stardance gas stove has stunk since we bought it.
Thanks


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## wooduser (Nov 18, 2018)

You keep referring to B vent,  but this seems to be a direct vented gas fireplace.

Unfortunately,  the complexity of setting up this fireplace properly seems to make the troubleshooting you are doing a tough proposition.


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## k0wtz (Nov 21, 2018)

wooduser said:


> You keep referring to B vent,  but this seems to be a direct vented gas fireplace.
> 
> Unfortunately,  the complexity of setting up this fireplace properly seems to make the troubleshooting you are doing a tough proposition.


If you read the instructions to the stove you can also convert from a direct vent to a b-vent which is double pipe running up through the roof


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## wooduser (Nov 23, 2018)

k0wtz said:


> If you read the instructions to the stove you can also convert from a direct vent to a b-vent which is double pipe running up through the roof




Indeed!  Never heard of that before!

I guess that's the new thing I'll learn today.


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## k0wtz (Nov 23, 2018)

D


wooduser said:


> Indeed!  Never





wooduser said:


> Indeed!  Never heard of that before!
> 
> I guess that's the new thing I'll learn today.




Sir I don't know what your problem is or your attitude?  I don't think you can read  or understand your manual.  A direct vent means vented out the back of the stove directly to your wall behind your wall and directly outside.  If for some reason you cant vent to the back then you must run your pipe called b-vent up through your ceiling and up through your roof.  There was a kit available from Vermont castings to do this on a later direct vent stoves. 

 My stove is an early Stardance which is made b-vent only?  Get it?  Apparently you do not know what a b-vent pipe is?  Go to your local Home Depot for your b-vent lesson. B-Vent has a liner inside the outside it is used for gas water heaters still today its the only safe way to vent a gas water heater and it must go up through the ceiling out the roof!

Hopefully you now know what b-vent is and a new thing maybe now how about respect?  I certainly try to respect everyone on each board I get on!


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## k0wtz (Nov 23, 2018)

Mucknort said:


> Dear Kowtz, please elaborate on what you mean by adjusting the plate on the the back of the stove. Our Stardance gas stove has stunk since we bought it.
> Thanks



on the back where your first log sets against there is a plate you can move up and down.  i did have some odor i moved that plate up a tad and it helped a lot.  it may be difficult for you to do or understand you take the front off, then the glass pull the logs to get to it you will see it directly in back of your stove...


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## wooduser (Nov 23, 2018)

k0wtz said:


> D
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I worked as a gas appliance repairman for a gas utility for twenty years,  and operated my own gas appliance and gas fireplace repair service from 1994-2007,  when I retired.

Never heard of a manufacturer that permitted their direct vent stoves to be converted to B vent until you suggested it.

I simply thanked you for exposing me to something I hadn't heard of before.  I had no intention to be antagonistic..


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## Millbilly (Nov 23, 2018)

k0wtz said:


> D
> 
> 
> 
> ...


With "all do respect" you are wrong


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## wooduser (Nov 23, 2018)

k0wtz said:


> Sir I don't know what your problem is or your attitude? I don't think you can read or understand your manual. A direct vent means vented out the back of the stove directly to your wall behind your wall and directly outside. If for some reason you cant vent to the back then you must run your pipe called b-vent up through your ceiling and up through your roof.




Actually,  a direct vent appliance is a two pipe system,  usually a pipe within a pipe.  In the two pipe system that's common,  fresh combustion air is drawn in through the outer pipe and into the appliance,  where it's burned. The burned combustion gasses then go out through the inner pipe to be vented outside.  Direct vent appliances can be vented through the back of the appliance through a vent in the sidewall of a building,  or verically through the roof.  "two pipe system,  that's the key."

 B vent vents burned combustion gasses from a gas appliance vertically through the roof.  Combustion air to burn the gas is usually taken from the room air surrounding the appliance.  "one pipe system for venting gas appliances,  that's the key."

While I originally gave you credit for understanding what you were talking about,  further consideration suggests that you don't know what you are talking about.

<<If you read the instructions to the stove you can also convert from a direct vent to a b-vent which is double pipe running up through the roof

B vent is a double WALL pipe,  with an air gap between the two pipes to reduce clearance to combustible materials.  But it's not a two PIPE system like direct vent,  which provides air for combustion to the appliance from outside AND disposes of burned combustion gasses through the inner pipe.

So I would again be very interested to see you provide a reference to your claim of a Vermont Castings "Stardance" manual that can be converted between a direct vented and B vented stove

The following reference describes the Vermont Castings stove as a direct vented stove:

https://blazingembers.com/vermont-castings-stardance-direct-vent-gas-stove/


Perhaps this mistake of yours is related to your mistaken understanding that direct vent stoves can't be vented vertically through the roof (they can)  and that therefore if they ARE vented through the roof they must be vented with B vent.  That's not the case.

Unfortunately,  it seems I must look further to learn something new today,  unless you can show me a reference to this Stadance model stove actually being convertible between direct vent and B vent.


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## wooduser (Nov 23, 2018)

Mucknort said:


> Dear Kowtz, please elaborate on what you mean by adjusting the plate on the the back of the stove. Our Stardance gas stove has stunk since we bought it.
> Thanks




This thread is confused with mistaken terminology  --- confusion between b vented stoves and direct vented stoves.  My suggestion is to start a new thread and to describe the concerns you have about your stove.


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## wooduser (Nov 23, 2018)

*WHAT IS DIRECT VENT? *A system designed and built to exhaust gas burning appliances listed as Direct Vent decorative gas appliances. The venting is part of a sealed and balanced system with an air intake and exhaust designed into the venting.This type of venting system is a component of the appliance manufactures listed system.



*Type B Gas Vent Systems Give You These Important Advantages*
*Safety* of the Hart & Cooley® system is assured by the double-wall, air-insulated design and locking joints. Properly installed, the vent cannot come apart through vibration, and offers protection against vent failure or fire hazard. Type B Gas Vent is designed for negative pressure applications and flue gas temperatures not exceeding 400°F above ambient for Category I appliances.



I hope I have explained the difference between B vent and direct vent enough times and in enough different ways that people can understand that these are different systems.for venting gas appliances.


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## k0wtz (Nov 26, 2018)

wooduser said:


> *WHAT IS DIRECT VENT? *A system designed and built to exhaust gas burning appliances listed as Direct Vent decorative gas appliances. The venting is part of a sealed and balanced system with an air intake and exhaust designed into the venting.This type of venting system is a component of the appliance manufactures listed system.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


there certainly are.  takes some reading to figure them out and determine a direct vent can be changed to a b-vent with adapters furnished at a cost by the manufacture of the stove!  The direct vent stove systems i have seen vent straight out the back of the stove with a sheild on the outside for protection.  B-vent uses air from inside your house Direct vent uses outside air.  Both systems have approppiate applications!  B-Vent pipe comes in a variety of locking mechinisms also to prevent the piping from coming undone for safety reasons.


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