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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Direct Vent Heater Cap
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paulz
Member
# Posted: 29 May 2021 01:14pm - Edited by: paulz
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Since I put my wall heater in a couple seasons ago, I have been using the vent cap in what looks to me like an upside down position, see photo. It's under a large eve so no rain gets in. The exhaust air exits through the smaller (inside) of the two pipes, and if I have it the other way around that hot air is trapped in the outermost (triangular) section. Is that proper?
20210529_095336.jpg
20210529_095336.jpg
20210529_095539.jpg
20210529_095539.jpg


gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 29 May 2021 02:15pm
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Probably should be mounted in the way the manufacturer intended.
My 1st thought about 'trapped hot air' is that the intake would be using 'pre-heated' air thus not requiring as many btu's to bring it to temp.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 29 May 2021 03:04pm - Edited by: ICC
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Does that heater use a blower-assisted forced air combustion burner unit? I am thinking that it may. But even if it does not I trust the manufacturer knew what they were doing. To me that does seem like an odd vent configuration as all others I have seen use a omnidirectional vent cap system.

In any event, the way you have it mounted, upside down, is wrong and in driving rain or snow it would act more like a funnel than a chimney.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 29 May 2021 03:23pm
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Quoting: gcrank1
...the intake would be using 'pre-heated' air thus not requiring as many btu's to bring it to temp.


Those are made with concentric pipes, the hot exhaust exiting in the center and the incoming air cooling the inner pipe as air enters for combustion. It is made that way more for the cooling effect than raising the inlet air temperature, but yes the system does have that effect.

Drawing in a lot of the exhaust air would increase the liklihood of CO generation as the exhaust laden intake air could be short on sufficient oxygen. I believe the theory is though that the hot air will rise and get out of the way of the incoming air.

The design of the hood is such that the hot air is ducted further out; should freely move away and up. There also appear to be side vents in the intake air section as well as a bottom (when oriented correctly) inlet.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 29 May 2021 03:28pm - Edited by: ICC
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from instruction manual
diagram for round vent
diagram for round vent


paulz
Member
# Posted: 29 May 2021 04:19pm - Edited by: paulz
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I dug up the manual, it does show an omnidirectional cap nothing like this. I bought the unit from a private party, it was new, and it's the cap it came with, fits the pipes perfectly. Odd.. It's under a 2' eve, been that way for two winters now, I'm just tired of looking at it knowing it's not right.

Thanks guys

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