Need your opinions on this used insert..fireplace xtrordinair 33

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

It's a 6 inch stainless steel flex liner, it is not double wall or insulated. The cap had to be caulked on so if I ever decide to clean top down, then I have to cut it and then recaulk it. Having a hinged cap makes sense, go for that.

 

[timcab]

Couldn't help but to go out to the garage and clean up the insert a little and see what I'm working with. All the welds look great and from what I can see it will just need some new door gaskets and 4 fire bricks. Won't know about the blowers until I take them off and grease them up. Sorry about the crappy pics, they were taken with my iPad. All firebricks are removed in pics. Please let me know what you think and also if you see anything alarming.

 

[timcab]

 

[timcab]

Ok so I got a chance to get up on the roof today and measure the terra cotta lining to see what I'm working with and to see exactly how much ss liner I need. I lowered a flashlight down and it bottomed out at 22 feet to what looked to be the smoke shelf. I couldn't be 2 places at once and see from the bottom but it measures up. Ok so now that I know I need a 25 footer I measured the I.D. Of the terra cotta. It's 6.5 x 10.5 so the 6" liner will just make it. Can't make it with insulation wrap so now what should I do for insulation? And this might be a dumb question but is the 6" liner exactly 6 inches to the outside?

 

[webby3650]

And this might be a dumb question but is the 6" liner exactly 6 inches to the outside?

It can be ordered with 6" OD, but 6" ID is standard. It measures more like 6 1/4" on the outside.

 

[timcab]

Ok just making sure. I just don't want to order a 6" liner and then it not fit. Are other brands different od? 6 1/4 I can work with. I'd rather not go down to 5.5 if I don't have to. Worst case if I have to get 5.5 would that make it draft drastically different with a 25ft length?

 

[webby3650]

Worst case if I have to get 5.5 would that make it draft drastically different with a 25ft length?

Probably wouldn't. Unfortunately there is only 1 way to find out!

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

It's paper thin, not really but you get the point, anyways, I had a difficult time trying to get mine down the chimney, it had to be banged down little by little, I had a guy helping me that didn't give up, we got it done, near completion, I was on the bottom with pliers trying to pull it down..... That was the worst part of the install......

 

[webby3650]

I was on the bottom with pliers trying to pull it down

Did you have a nose cone on the liner? Sounds brutal!

 

[BrotherBart]

Both of my liners are 5.5". Both draft like vacuum cleaners including the 21' one. The other one is over 30' and the draft is outrageous in that one.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

S

Did you have a nose cone on the liner? Sounds brutal!

Sorry, don't know what that is, but we did get it done, I was nervous though....

 

[webby3650]

I was nervous though....

I bet! Been there done that!

A nose cone is a tapered fitting that goes on the end of the liner. It noses the liner down glancing off of ledges and such. It also allows a rope to be attached to it to help pull it down.

 

[BrotherBart]

Lower a paint can down the chimney on a rope. Most of them are the same diameter as a six inch liner. If it won't make it, a liner won't either.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Great info guys, hopefully the right guys read and learn this....

 

[Dave A.]

A nose cone is a tapered fitting that goes on the end of the liner. It noses the liner down glancing off of ledges and such. It also allows a rope to be attached to it to help pull it down.

I made up something like that using a wide 6.25" plastic funnel taped to the end of the liner. Ran a knotted rope through the spout in the funnel for pulling. Worked well.

 

[timcab]

Thanks for the info guys. I finally got a chance to call the guys over at chimney liner depot and after speaking with the rep for a few he said I should really get a 5.5 inch liner instead of a 6. Said that it will draft perfectly fine and won't notice the difference at all. Brotherbart why did you go with a 5.5? Just curious. Would you have gone with a 6 if you could?

Ok so as long as a 5.5 turns out to be good enough what about 1ply vs 2ply. The 2 ply pro is a smooth interior which Is great but is $160 more then then single ply non smooth interior. Is the 6 inch just a more common liner because the 5.5 is more expensive, especially the pro. It just doesn't make sense to me how a smooth wall 5.5 is $80 more then a smooth wall 6". Those with the smooth wall please chime in. Going to order the liner as soon as possible and don't know which route to go.

 

[webby3650]

5.5" is uncommon, therefore it's more expensive.
I clean dozens of flex liners each year, there is never any "excessive" build up that is caused by the corrugations, and they always come clean. If your chimney is on the short side and your going with the 5.5" then the smooth might improve draft. Otherwise I wouldn't spend any extra money on it.

 

[BrotherBart]

Went with 5.5" in both flues because with 7X11 ID tiles it was a pain in the butt to install six inch. In fact I installed a six inch double wall in one of them first and had to oval the thing. Even before ovaling it the separations in that inside strip bugged me. I pulled it out after one season and tossed it in the woods and put the 5.5" in both flues. One 21' and one 33' foot and they almost suck splits up into the chimney. Major draft. I am convinced that there is higher velocity in the smaller diameter liner. Of course they have only been in use seven seasons now.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

5.5" is uncommon, therefore it's more expensive.
I clean dozens of flex liners each year, there is never any "excessive" build up that is caused by the corrugations, and they always come clean. If your chimney is on the short side and your going with the 5.5" then the smooth might improve draft. Otherwise I wouldn't spend any extra money on it.

I was told by someone that..." Not much creosote will stick to the stainless steel liner" he said it is slippery and it will not adhere that much, I do have those corrugated lines running through mine, but what do you think about what he said....thanks

 

[webby3650]

I was told by someone that..." Not much creosote will stick to the stainless steel liner" he said it is slippery and it will not adhere that much, I do have those corrugated lines running through mine, but what do you think about what he said....thanks

He's exactly right. Even the dirtiest corrugated liner comes clean with minimal effort. In fact most of it will fall off during the summer and land in the stove.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Thanks Webby, I hope to do an inspection in January...

 

[timcab]

Thanks again everyone. Decided to go with the 5.5 liner and just got it and the deluxe terra cotta rain cap in the mail today. I have pretty much everything figured out for the install tomorrow but I have one question. I have the appliance connector that came with the kit but how do you secure that to the insert? It sits in the hole in the insert but I wouldn't call it a tight fit? How exactly do you secure it? Screws with l brackets? What's the normal procedure

 

[RockyMtnHigh]

FPX is a winner, I have always loved Travis products. Good score! You can use L brackets. I have installed liners without them in fact I put in my mothers Lopi Revere (made by the same manufacturer) without any secure brackets at the bottom. I sweep it twice a year and the liner never separates from the stove. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you use self tapping screws I'd go with stainless 5/16. The little 1/4 screws snap heads off pretty easy if you crank em too hard into that heavy of steel.

I'd forgo them myself

 

[webby3650]

You absolutely need to attach that liner to the stove!
Travis Industries uses 1.5"x1.5" angle brackets that attach with 1/2"x1/4" SS self drilling screws. They will go into the stove with troubles, they are simply screwing through the outer metal jacket, not the heavy plate. You will likely need to pre-drill the adapter with an 1/8" bit, that SS is pretty tough.

Did you get any elbows for the liner or just the appliance adapter? Typically a 30 degree elbow ends up being used at the bottom, sometimes you get lucky and the straight adapter works.

 

[timcab]

Update: so I went with the 5.5 liner and am so glad that I did. It took me and my brother about a half hour pushing and pulling to get it down the chimney. No way would the 6 have fit. After getting it down we stuffed the newly open space by the damper with roxul and put in the block off plate. Then put the appliance adapter on and pushed the unit in. Wow was it tight getting it all connected and screwed in. I had like 3 inches between the top of the unit and the fireplace which my hands and arms really didn't want to fit into. But after some shoving and yelling I got it in and secured with the L brackets you guys suggested. We then went up on the roof to cut off the excess liner which like 4.5 feet. Glad I went with the 30' liner instead of 25. Cut off the excess, shoved more roxul down until I couldn't then sealed up the flue with high temp sealant and put on the deluxe terra cotta cap and tightened it up. So after like 5 hours total the install was a success

Now for a little snag, I went to light a small fire and make sure everything works...and the one blower is shot. The other works perfectly after oiling up. Does anyone know where I can get a new right side blower model number 228-10070? The only place I found was stove king which was just over $100. That is a decent price but I called and I can't get it for like 3 weeks :0 any help or advice where to look would really help. Pics to come tomorrow after I finish putting on the surround