Author Topic: Venting the Dryer  (Read 6025 times)

Offline ZooCity

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Venting the Dryer
« on: April 10, 2012, 10:13:36 PM »
I'm just full of questions today I guess.  I've had zero luck getting AWT to send me schematics and specs on my American TexAir 410 EEE - 48" belt, all electric, 3 IR panels with calrod heated air knives in the middle -but my HVAC guy was trying to get a handle on flow on the unit.  We planned on solo venting the dryer itself straight up through the roof with no assit, adapting from the weird 9x9 square duct output to round.  We have another, separate, central ventilation plan for general ventilation, the back/front end dryer hoods (i.e. the 'fume suckers') as well as various spot vents I want to stage up over the flashes, etc. and then a louvre for make up air in the winter.  It's just the dryer's stack that I'm unclear on. 

Anyone have a handle on some golden rules for doing this?  I should probably ask Winston, just spoke with him yesterday and don't know how I spaced that one out...  It all seems fairly straight forward but I don't want to screw it up. 

My goal is that whatever goes in now is plug in play with a newer gas dryer down the road. 


Offline mk162

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2012, 10:31:35 PM »
the biggest thing is get it out of the building as close as you can.  Don't run it to the other end of the building because you will more than likely have to put a booster in.

Offline Prosperi-Tees

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2012, 01:49:00 AM »
I didn't want to thread jack this so I posted somewhere else but I'm looking at doing the same thing except more temporary and not thru the ceiling.

Offline Printficient

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2012, 08:29:08 AM »
Guys guys...  Winston Strickland.  904-343-0848
Shop-Doc "I make house calls"
Procedure Video Training
Press Inspections
Tips and Tricks Training
404-895-1796 Sonny McDonald

Offline RICK STEFANICK

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2012, 10:29:24 AM »
straight up is always best. one thing for sure is you will need double wall like the firsts 6 ft.up.if your getting it inspected.
Specializing in shop assessment's, flow and efficiency

Offline Screened Gear

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2012, 12:34:09 PM »
This is all I know about venting. You only really need to vent the end of the dryer. Use as large of duct as you can. I have about a 16 foot straight up 8 inch rigid duct (don’t ever use flex duct) with a booster fan and it does a good job with my 52 inch belt. The fan is a inline fan I got off of some pot growing website for around $40 about 2 years ago here it is http://www.ebay.com/itm/8-DUCT-FAN-500-CFM-Booster-Inline-Cool-Air-Blower-Vent-Blower-Grow-Light-inch-/400274581202?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d323966d2. It runs all day every day and I have not had a problem with it. I would suggest installing the booster where you can get to it. They need cleaning every year or so. (lint and oils from the off gassing can make a mess of the inside of the vent. This is why you should go with as big of a duct as you can.) I still need to vent the rest of my shop but just venting the end of the dryer has taken care of 90% of my issues.


Offline ebscreen

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2012, 12:46:44 PM »
Straight up is best. Two 45's are better than one 90.

Also dedicated outlets are better than sharing so that your exhausts are not fighting
eachother.

I really need to get a range hood for the end of the dryer and a a couple for the flashes.
It's amazing how much certain fabrics smoke up, especially with forced air flashes.

Offline ZooCity

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2012, 12:59:27 PM »
Thanks guys.  So you do need double wall then?  I figured the air was cool enough to not require it.  I am going to have this installed to code and inspected. 

I had heard in the past to never run your fume hoods on the front/rear of the belt into the same exhaust run as the dryer chamber and my guy, unprompted on this, pointed out that if there was any obstruction you'd be pushing the exhaust vent from the chamber right back down and out the fume hoods.  I'm presuming this is why you don't do this?

Quote
I really need to get a range hood for the end of the dryer and a a couple for the flashes.
It's amazing how much certain fabrics smoke up, especially with forced air flashes.

That's what my second system is going to do.  The place has a very steep pitched roof and a sort of attic to it.  We're essentially running a big ass 22" piece of round above the ceiling and in the 'attic', sticking a gable fan on the end of that 3-5k cfm and then dropping 90deg down from the round piece through the ceiling as a general intake grate for exhaust, which is conveniently right around where the presses and dryer converge.  Along that piece of round we're stubbing out three 'zones' that I can then hook up my various jerry-rigged exhaust hoods, etc. for spot ventilation.  I'd like to have a small flash hood on each press that can be arranged as desired.

If there's any budget left I'd also like to install spot make-up air ports so we can setup a good air exchange around where we're working as needed.  For now, we'll just put a chain pull on the front wall to let in fresh air when the big door isn't open. 

The heat exchanger project is likely going to have to wait.  I feel like you need to kinda go all-in with those to make it worth it and I don't have the cash at this second to do that. 

Offline ZooCity

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2012, 01:02:20 PM »
Wow, I would imagine that little heat mover inline fan isn't really doing much at 250cfm but maybe.   I use those for other stuff like fume venting at back of the dryer and venting the exposure unit right now, they're great.  I should look around for some, we have quite a few grow shops here.

Offline mk162

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2012, 01:11:48 PM »
you do not need double wall, our oven did not call for it.  it just has to be insulated.  It's hot to the touch, but you can't burn yourself on it unless you held on to it for a while.

Offline Screened Gear

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2012, 01:14:18 PM »
Wow, I would imagine that little heat mover inline fan isn't really doing much at 250cfm but maybe.   I use those for other stuff like fume venting at back of the dryer and venting the exposure unit right now, they're great.  I should look around for some, we have quite a few grow shops here.

250 CFM is more than enough. That’s 250 cubic feet of air moved every min. The inside of my dryer is maybe 50 cubic feet. The booster is only venting the gases that escape the end of the dryer. They work good. Don't get me wrong bigger is better but many shops don't even have a booster. They just let the hot air rise up the vent.

Offline ZooCity

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Re: Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2012, 01:21:17 PM »
Wow, I would imagine that little heat mover inline fan isn't really doing much at 250cfm but maybe.   I use those for other stuff like fume venting at back of the dryer and venting the exposure unit right now, they're great.  I should look around for some, we have quite a few grow shops here.

250 CFM is more than enough. That’s 250 cubic feet of air moved every min. The inside of my dryer is maybe 50 cubic feet. The booster is only venting the gases that escape the end of the dryer. They work good. Don't get me wrong bigger is better but many shops don't even have a booster. They just let the hot air rise up the vent.

Thats what we're doing, no boost. But the tex air has a big exhaust fan built in that pushes all the air to the vent port so my guy didn't think it needed anymore help.

Sent from my intelligent phone-a-majigger.

Offline mk162

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2012, 01:27:03 PM »
they must have a booster if they are pushing it over a certain distance or with so many angles.  Talk to winston, he would know

Offline Prosperi-Tees

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2012, 01:29:17 PM »
I looked some insulated pipe and it says max temp rating of 250. Is that enough?

Offline ebscreen

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Re: Venting the Dryer
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2012, 03:08:01 PM »
Double wall for anywhere with chance of human contact.


CFM is subject to SP, static pressure.