No it is not normal. A tip I learned from a post on this site was to use a flashlight to inspect the vent pipes with the lights out. You would be surprised how the smoke is totally visible using this technique. look for the smoke just as the pellets are starting to ignite, when there is lots of smoke. Otherwise, there is a good chance you will not see it.
We had a leak at the factory seam on a 45* right out the back of the stove we found this way. A bit of hi-temp silicon, and the leak is gone.
We had a leak at the factory seam on a 45* right out the back of the stove we found this way. A bit of hi-temp silicon, and the leak is gone.