Stove pipe -is this supposed to happen?

[confused of chalus]

Our beautiful new stove pipe (exposed throughout the ground and first floor) is now in and we had our first fire in the bargain second hand Godin stove last night. All worked well, lots of heat, no smoke leaks.

But this morning my pristine stainless steel pipe is black, then purple then yellow, with a heat bloom.

Is this just what happens and we learn to love it, or does it signal something wrong?

I just know someone out there will be able to answer - you haven't let me down yet!

Kathy

[idun]

Our stove pipe was black to start with and has never changed in colour. I can imagine that some metals will get a bloom with the heat.

[Quillan]

If its a Stainless steel type and it's not double skinned then yes.

[confused of chalus]

Thanks. I thought so! The double skinned and insulated 2 metres at the top and through the roof have stayed nice and bright. I wont try and clean it then, just hope it settles down to a more even colour.

[Patf]

We had a stainless steel one first and had the same problem, so now have a black one.

If you decide to change it, I think you can get special heat resistant black paint.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Patf"]We had a stainless steel one first and had the same problem, so now have a black one.
If you decide to change it, I think you can get special heat resistant black paint.
[/quote]

Smart move...go black...cant get enough black bodies in winter.[:P]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_body

[Théière]

[quote user="confused of chalus"]But this morning my pristine stainless steel pipe is black, then purple then yellow, with a heat bloom.[/quote]

Perfectly normal except you seem to have got the pipe a bit too hot!

Details HERE

If your flue pipe is exposed through the two floors should it not have been insulated double skin?

[AnOther]

I'm with PPP, black enamel every time:

This is mine but a friend has the same Godin burner but with SS and it has settled down to a rather unattractive looking patchy brown.

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/flue.jpg[/IMG]

[idun]

Mine is like AnOthers but 'matt'.

[confused of chalus]

Same stove too AnOther! Can we use the black heatproof paint on the SS?. No question of replacing it, it's already cost a bomb with all the fittings and pipes - more than the bargain stove!

In case anyone else is worried the room is double height and the pipe double skinned and insulated where it goes through plasterboard and roof.

But thanks again for advice.

[Théière]

The dark blue colour shows you have achieved around 600c and that is passed the point even high temp paint can take. Ernst's pipe is vitreous enamel and can take higher temperature.

EDIT:

Just found THIS, may help

[AnOther]

I never really considered any other option for mine, and definitely not SS, but it was a bit of a runaround finding the black enamel. From memory it cost me about €300, including the inox insulated section above the register plate, but it is only about 3m long in total.

All DIY of course [;-)]

[confused of chalus]

Very interesting link, thank you Theiere. We'll give it one winter, see how it looks and if necessary (and I think it will be) I'll do the job in the summer.

[idun]

We have no idea what our pipe is made of, but it is matt and no discolouring.

[Devon]

Posted by Théière
Just found THIS, may help

I called into a large woodburner dealer today in North Devon and that is what they recommended and sold me a tin of. Apparantly it is what they use themselves to black SS flues.

[confused of chalus]

Thanks Devon. My OH is a bit alarmed that I got very excited at all the different colours - but I'm fairly sure I'll calm down and go for black!

Good to hear that a professional recommends the product. It was so cheap that I was a little concerned. But then I'm conditioned to French paint prices.

Good of you to add this perspective to the thread

[woolybanana]

Pink is a good colour!

[John Brown]

I choose gloss black enamelled from stovesonline to compliment the gloss enamelled green of the stove.

It's a 30 degree offset with an inspection window, back to back with another 30 degree offset to allow the fire to stand further away from the wall.

With a straight length up past the register plate under £140 delivered to France. Cleans with a damp cloth

[IMG]http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h415/Granddad23/pbupload008.jpg[/IMG]

[confused of chalus]

for what? (that was a reply to the pink suggestion = not the one above)