Power Vent Converstion to All Fuel Chimeny

ylabblab1 · Post by **ylabblab1** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2015 2:59 pm

Hi All.

I currenty have a Rheem oil fired hot air furnace and a bock 32e oil fired water heater going into a tjerlund sideshot ss1 power vent. I would like to get rid of the pv and connect both appliances to 6 inch all fuel ss pipe. I was told this is not allowed? I really do not want 2 chimenys? I could run the oil fired wh off the pv but it would be difficult to get the chimeny pipe through the foundation as it would need to exit under the pv and then elbow around it. any suggestions? why can I not vent 2 oil fired apps into one chimeny?

thx
Rich

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2015 6:21 pm

Because it can kill you or the next owner of the property.

You can do it, but you'll kill yourself or someone else.

oilman · Post by **oilman** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2015 6:27 pm

You will have no problem doing that Rich, it's done all the time. The only stipulations with this sort of thing is related to solid fuels which doesn't apply in this case.

ylabblab1 · Post by **ylabblab1** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2015 9:02 pm

so I have 2 questions and thank you both for the reply. oilman yes I agree with you and now davidmcbeth please tell me why you replied this? because it seems you either don't understand or you think you are smarter please explain you answer? do you have any code violations? do you not want a qualified person to do work ? please explain your answersir.
why would it kill someone?

ylabblab1 · Post by **ylabblab1** » Thu. Feb. 05, 2015 9:05 pm

david if both burner controls are working then if one of them did not fire within45 seconds then it would lock out so please tell me and oilman why you say this?

davidmcbeth3 · Post by **davidmcbeth3** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 12:58 am

ylabblab1 wrote:david if both burner controls are working then if one of them did not fire within45 seconds then it would lock out so please tell me and oilman why you say this?

I would contact your local bldg inspector .... systems can fail...so the premise goes.

Your local bldg inspector is a good resource .

Post by **Rob R.** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 7:56 am

You can do it, but you'll kill yourself or someone else.

Not sure how you came up with that. It is very common to vent an oil fired water heater into the same flue as an oil boiler or furnace...Bock describes how to join the flue pipes in the water heater manual, and the local code officer should be familiar with the requirements.

http://www.bockwaterheaters.com/Portals/0/Enginee ... 028-32.pdf

Post by **coaledsweat** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 8:04 am

What are the odds the chimney will fail?

Post by **Rob R.** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 8:09 am

coaledsweat wrote:What are the odds the chimney will fail?

Much less than the odds of a power vent failing.

ylabblab1 · Post by **ylabblab1** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 11:57 am

I am thinking the stainless steel all fuel pipe will not fail at all unless it falls off the house and I don't see that happening. I see that in the bock install manual oilman that you can tee into another pipe at a 45 degree angle.. The tech guy at duravent told me I could not do it because it was against code. When I installed the power vent in 1996 when I built the place venting both with 1 pv was not against the building code. I did all of the electrical work in the house all of the plumbing and all the mechanical back in 1996 it all passed inspection and I have never had any issues safety wise or failure wised. I recently had to replace the pv proving switch during a blizzard last week and a few years ago replaced a failing pv motor so I obviously have the skill and qualifications. thank you very much all of you for your input

Post by **coaledsweat** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 12:13 pm

I maintain a rental property that has four boilers and four water heaters piped into one thimble and has had no problems in 90+ years. It will work fine if the chimney has the draft to support it.

ylabblab1 · Post by **ylabblab1** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 12:25 pm

thank you I just read NFPA 31 and it states that it is allowed which now answers the question also the draft should be fine I will put a baromtric on each pipe and then connect them to the 6 inch flue and that will lead out through the wall and then vertical up. I feel better knowing I can get rid of the pv comepletly

thanks again everyone much appriciated

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Fri. Feb. 06, 2015 12:29 pm

So , had you of read NFPA 31 first we would of never heard from you.

Vampiro · Post by **Vampiro** » Sat. Feb. 07, 2015 1:33 pm

Your water heater has a BTU input of 104,000. You didn't specify the BTU input of your furnace. It seems they range from 85500 to 175K BTU/HR input. 6" b vent ratings for 6" are 229K BTU @ 20 ft and 266K BTU/HR @ 30 ft chimney height. So if your furnace input is 130,000, and the water heater is 104,000 = 234,000 BTU when both appliances are running which would exceed chimney capacity @ 20 ft. You would actually need around 27 feet of chimney.

The important thing to Figure out is the BTU/HR input of your appliances before deciding to slap a 6" chimney to the wall and saying "the draft should be fine". Your appliances might require an 8" chimney.

Good luck with your install.

ylabblab1 · Post by **ylabblab1** » Sat. Feb. 07, 2015 10:19 pm

wow thank you some one who actually makes sense my hieght will be around 26 to 28 feet