Outside Combustion Air/Backdraft Damper question

[dogwood]

My Solo Innova Manual calls for a six inch outside combustion air opening. The opening will be on the outside wall of my boiler room, five feet from the boiler. My boiler room is roughly 8' by 10'. It has no windows and only one door leading directly outdoors.

I came across a product, an Aldes spring loaded backdraft damper, I thought might help limit cold air infiltration into my boiler room through the combustion air opening when the boiler isn't running. Here is it's specs: http://www.ntsupply.com/files/products/BDD_Backdraft_Dampers_Brochure.pdf. The specs say the damper will begin to open when there is between .04-.08 w.g.

I don't know anything about w.g.'s and I don't know how to read the chart in the above link to know whether the damper would open or not when the the induced draft fan on the Solo Innova is running. Does anyone know what w.g.'s are and could figure from looking at the above linked chart if this damper would allow combustion air into the room when the fan was running.

I was thinking of maybe getting the 8" version (on the principle of bigger is better) . I'm trying to avoid the use of a motorized damper or louver, fan in a can, or the more expensive Tjernlund Air Inforcer units. I was thinking this damper might be an alternative to a cold air trap, or other low tech solutions to limit cold air infiltration when the boiler isn't running. What do you think?

The damper pops right into the end of a standard round duct. It runs only $32.66 plus shipping at http://www.iaqsource.com/product.php/american-aldes/99-026/?product=173855#pr-header-173855. I am hoping it will do the trick. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mike

 

[711mhw]

My Solo Innova Manual calls for a six inch outside combustion air opening. The opening will be on the outside wall of my boiler room, five feet from the boiler. My boiler room is roughly 8' by 10'. It has no windows and only one door leading directly outdoors.

I came across a product, an Aldes spring loaded backdraft damper, I thought might help limit cold air infiltration into my boiler room through the combustion air opening when the boiler isn't running. Here is it's specs: http://www.ntsupply.com/files/products/BDD_Backdraft_Dampers_Brochure.pdf. The specs say the damper will begin to open when there is between .04-.08 w.g.

I don't know anything about w.g.'s and I don't know how to read the chart in the above link to know whether the damper would open or not when the the induced draft fan on the Solo Innova is running. Does anyone know what w.g.'s are and could figure from looking at the above linked chart if this damper would allow combustion air into the room when the fan was running.

I was thinking of maybe getting the 8" version (on the principle of bigger is better) . I'm trying to avoid the use of a motorized damper or louver, fan in a can, or the more expensive Tjernlund Air Inforcer units. I was thinking this damper might be an alternative to a cold air trap, or other low tech solutions to limit cold air infiltration when the boiler isn't running. What do you think?

The damper pops right into the end of a standard round duct. It runs only $32.66 plus shipping at http://www.iaqsource.com/product.php/american-aldes/99-026/?product=173855#pr-header-173855. I am hoping it will do the trick. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mike

I wonder if they mean w.c. for water column?

 

[dogwood]

You were right. I looked it up. Its another way of saying one inch of water column. Unfortunately I have no idea what w.c. means in terms of whether this damper will open up when its supposed to. Its yet another plumbing mystery. Thanks.

Mike

 

[711mhw]

You were right. I looked it up. Its another way of saying one inch of water column. Unfortunately I have no idea what w.c. means in terms of whether this damper will open up when its supposed to. Its yet another plumbing mystery. Thanks.

Mike

Do you have the ability to "pipe" fresh air directly to something on your boiler? On my Woodgun there is a 5" round air inlet that you either have to turn down and pull air off near the floor (to avoid a chimney effect if there was a problem and the air inlet damper could not shut and properly) or pipe it directly to qutside air. I did the later and there is a common wood stove type damper in line for fine tuning, but if I follow your thinking, you don't want a bunch of (or excessive) cold air entering your toasty boiler rm? On my boiler, there is no air moving thru the pipe when the unit is off.

 

[Fred61]

I don't know what is being used now but my WG 140 used a quite powerful gear motor that opened the damper in the combustion air line. Power was applied when the fan started which opened the damper and stalled the motor in the open position and when the power was removed it had a spring return that closed the damper. These make a good simple actuator but be careful because not all motors will stand up to the stalling.
Get a WG owner to look at the data plate on their's and get one online.

 

[dogwood]

711mhw, the Tarm Solo Innova cannot be direct vented. I wish it could. Fred61,Tarm Biomass, from whom I purchased the boiler, strongly advised against using a mechanical damper, I'm assuming because of the possibility of the motor on it failing. I thought the spring loaded damper would be low tech enough not to have to worry much about mechanical failure The other possibity I came across is a normally open spring loaded motorized damper, that a motor keeps closed when the boiler's fan is off. When the boiler fan comes on the motor shuts off and the spring opens the damper. I'd prefer going the simpler route though of the Aldes spring loaded backdraft damper if I can figure out if is workable. Maybe I'll call the manufacturer. Thanks for your thoughts.

Mike