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Tumble dryer condensor box in loft
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AlanC
Jun 5, 2016, 3:33:18 PM6/5/16
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My brother recently asked me to take a look at his bathroom ventilation as it didn't seem to be working very well.
He has 2 light/vents fitted above the shower which are each attached to in-line fans. The output of the fans are then joined together using a Y piece connector which is then connected to a tumble dryer condenser box.
Connecting the output to a tumble dryer box doesn't strike me as a good idea. Am I right or is it normal practise?
The actual problem was one of the in-line fans not working very well. I replaced this (and its associated light/vent fitting which he broker when trying to change the bulb) and suction improved.
I also noticed that suction was further improved when the flexible hoses were not connected together via the Y piece. I assume that there was a degree of "conflict" with the air flow and that if 2 vents need to be connected, it would be better to have a single fan positioned after the Y connecter pulling air through rather than 2 fans before it, pushing air through?
Thanks
Alan
He has 2 light/vents fitted above the shower which are each attached to in-line fans. The output of the fans are then joined together using a Y piece connector which is then connected to a tumble dryer condenser box.
Connecting the output to a tumble dryer box doesn't strike me as a good idea. Am I right or is it normal practise?
The actual problem was one of the in-line fans not working very well. I replaced this (and its associated light/vent fitting which he broker when trying to change the bulb) and suction improved.
I also noticed that suction was further improved when the flexible hoses were not connected together via the Y piece. I assume that there was a degree of "conflict" with the air flow and that if 2 vents need to be connected, it would be better to have a single fan positioned after the Y connecter pulling air through rather than 2 fans before it, pushing air through?
Thanks
Alan
Tim+
Jun 5, 2016, 4:44:31 PM6/5/16
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Chris Hogg <m...@privacy.net> wrote:
> Why on earth has he got a condenser box on the end of his vent pipe?
At a guess, he's had condensation problems in the pipe due to either too
long a run of pipe or too little insulation. Adding a condensation trap
isn't the right answer though!
I had a similar problem when I temporarily had to put a dryer in a garage
with a double length of hose. It was amazing how much water collected!
Tim
--
Trolls and troll feeders go in my killfile
At a guess, he's had condensation problems in the pipe due to either too
long a run of pipe or too little insulation. Adding a condensation trap
isn't the right answer though!
I had a similar problem when I temporarily had to put a dryer in a garage
with a double length of hose. It was amazing how much water collected!
Tim
--
Trolls and troll feeders go in my killfile
newshound
Jun 5, 2016, 5:30:58 PM6/5/16
to
On 6/5/2016 9:11 PM, Chris Hogg wrote:
> On Sun, 5 Jun 2016 12:33:15 -0700 (PDT), AlanC
> <al...@mullen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> On Sun, 5 Jun 2016 12:33:15 -0700 (PDT), AlanC
> <al...@mullen.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Why on earth has he got a condenser box on the end of his vent pipe?
> Is he attempting to recover heat or the water for some purpose (not a
> serious question BTW). Just let the extracted air exhaust to the
> outside. Our shower-room/toilet (probably smaller than your BIL's
> bathroom) has a single ventilation fan, is fitted with a one-way flap
> valve and vents directly outside.
>
> As to the fans working better if not joined at the Y piece, this is
> presumably because you have two airflows being compressed into a
> single pipe, so there'll be a bit of back pressure (think motorway
> roadworks and tailbacks). Using a larger pipe beyond the Y should
> solve that problem.
>
Presumably to avoid having to find a way to take the duct outside? Mine
goes out just under the tiles, I might have had to remove a bit of soffit.
Agree with your analysis on flow. As OP says, single fan after Y might
be better.
Brian Gaff
Jun 6, 2016, 4:43:36 AM6/6/16
to
Yes this does sound like some crazy idea to me.
I'd also be a bit wary of all the moisture in the loft leading to some
nasties like mould etc.
Brian
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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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"Chris Hogg" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:pk09lb5b2d2n4r38v...@4ax.com...
>
> Chris
I'd also be a bit wary of all the moisture in the loft leading to some
nasties like mould etc.
Brian
--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...
bri...@blueyonder.co.uk
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Chris Hogg" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:pk09lb5b2d2n4r38v...@4ax.com...
> Why on earth has he got a condenser box on the end of his vent pipe?
> Is he attempting to recover heat or the water for some purpose (not a
> serious question BTW). Just let the extracted air exhaust to the
> outside. Our shower-room/toilet (probably smaller than your BIL's
> bathroom) has a single ventilation fan, is fitted with a one-way flap
> valve and vents directly outside.
>
> As to the fans working better if not joined at the Y piece, this is
> presumably because you have two airflows being compressed into a
> single pipe, so there'll be a bit of back pressure (think motorway
> roadworks and tailbacks). Using a larger pipe beyond the Y should
> solve that problem.
>
> --
> Is he attempting to recover heat or the water for some purpose (not a
> serious question BTW). Just let the extracted air exhaust to the
> outside. Our shower-room/toilet (probably smaller than your BIL's
> bathroom) has a single ventilation fan, is fitted with a one-way flap
> valve and vents directly outside.
>
> As to the fans working better if not joined at the Y piece, this is
> presumably because you have two airflows being compressed into a
> single pipe, so there'll be a bit of back pressure (think motorway
> roadworks and tailbacks). Using a larger pipe beyond the Y should
> solve that problem.
>
>
> Chris
Dave Liquorice
Jun 7, 2016, 4:20:21 AM6/7/16
to
On Mon, 6 Jun 2016 09:43:32 +0100, Brian Gaff wrote:
> I'd also be a bit wary of all the moisture in the loft leading to some
> nasties like mould etc.
Presumably the tumble dryer box (not a condensation trap, that's
> I'd also be a bit wary of all the moisture in the loft leading to some
> nasties like mould etc.
something different) is some ones half thought through idea of not
dumping the warm damp air from the bathroom into the loft. Air goes
through box dampnes collects in box not in loft. But what then
happens to that water? Is there a drain from the box or does it just
evaporate into the loft...
Be much better to vent each fan individually outside, either via
soffit or tile/ridge vents.
--
Cheers
Dave.
AlanC
Jun 7, 2016, 8:06:40 AM6/7/16
to
I spoke to my brother again, to get a bit more background info.
He paid a builder to install this ventilation about 3 years ago. The builder said that this solution would be fine and that any water that collects in the tumble dryer box would evaporate. My brother confirms that he has never emptied the box in that time and he has never noticed any water in it when he has been up there.
I think the builder did it because it would require a long vent pipe run to get to the external wall (about 6 meters). The house is semi detached so one direction is a no-no. The bathroom is at the front of the house (on the neighbor side). The roof is a single pitched roof but there doesnt seem to be any access out via soffits (doesnt have any soffits).
Looks like the best course would be to exit via a vented roof tile (as suggested). Second best would be a long rigid vent pipe run to the external wall with a suitably powerful fan.
It did strike me as being a bit of a bodge but I thought I would double check in case its a standard thing. From everyone's responses its not a standard thing!
Thanks all.
He paid a builder to install this ventilation about 3 years ago. The builder said that this solution would be fine and that any water that collects in the tumble dryer box would evaporate. My brother confirms that he has never emptied the box in that time and he has never noticed any water in it when he has been up there.
I think the builder did it because it would require a long vent pipe run to get to the external wall (about 6 meters). The house is semi detached so one direction is a no-no. The bathroom is at the front of the house (on the neighbor side). The roof is a single pitched roof but there doesnt seem to be any access out via soffits (doesnt have any soffits).
Looks like the best course would be to exit via a vented roof tile (as suggested). Second best would be a long rigid vent pipe run to the external wall with a suitably powerful fan.
It did strike me as being a bit of a bodge but I thought I would double check in case its a standard thing. From everyone's responses its not a standard thing!
Thanks all.
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