Vaillant ecoTEC plus, open vent condensing boiler

Just moved into a house, and changed the boiler (same horizontal flue
position) to the Vaillant. The flue goes horizontally through the wall,
which outside the wall is then about a foot from the property boundary,
and then the neighbour's garden. The neighbour has mentioned that on a
cool, still day (autumn?), he is getting a large plume from the flue
coming across his garden. I don't know what happened with the previous
owner/occupant/boiler, but part of me thinks that the boiler/flue was
always there. However, he is correct, and I don't want to fall out with
him just as we've arrived, and we're getting on fine so far. The boiler
is in the garage, underneath a pitched roof, so I suppose I could put
the flue vertically, but I don't suppose it'll make much difference on
the cold, still day: the plume will still spread, and it'll mean moving
the flue (horizontal to vertical, assuming that's possible), and
knocking a hole in the roof (which will no doubt have its own issues and
costs).

Any suggestions on how to manage the plume?

TIA

Allan

On Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:41:35 +0000, Allan wrote:

The neighbour has mentioned that on a cool, still day (autumn?), he is
getting a large plume from the flue coming across his garden. I don't
know what happened with the previous owner/occupant/boiler, but part of
me thinks that the boiler/flue was always there.

Undoubtly but was the previous boiler a condensing one? Flue gases from a
non-condensing boiler are hotter than those from a condesnsing one so the
water vapour is far less likely to form a visible plume as they will have
dissipated before getting cool enough.

I suppose I could put the flue vertically, but I don't suppose it'll
make much difference on the cold, still day: the plume will still
spread, ...

The major part of the problem is that the plume is being blown (by the
boiler fan) out of the flue horizontally across your neighbours garden.
If you shot it into the air vertically and higher up it would greatly
improve things.

How one arranges that I'm not sure. Have a google to see what flue kits
are available for your boiler. It might be possible to put a vertical
extension onto the existing through wall flue. How big any eaves are
might make things trickier.

FX Google There is a 52 page .pdf flue installation guide on the
valliant web site.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:41:35 +0000, Allan
wrote:

Vaillant ecoTEC plus, open vent condensing boiler

Just moved into a house, and changed the boiler (same horizontal flue
position) to the Vaillant. The flue goes horizontally through the wall,
which outside the wall is then about a foot from the property boundary,
and then the neighbour's garden. The neighbour has mentioned that on a
cool, still day (autumn?), he is getting a large plume from the flue
coming across his garden. I don't know what happened with the previous
owner/occupant/boiler, but part of me thinks that the boiler/flue was
always there. However, he is correct, and I don't want to fall out with
him just as we've arrived, and we're getting on fine so far. The boiler
is in the garage, underneath a pitched roof, so I suppose I could put
the flue vertically, but I don't suppose it'll make much difference on
the cold, still day: the plume will still spread, and it'll mean moving
the flue (horizontal to vertical, assuming that's possible), and
knocking a hole in the roof (which will no doubt have its own issues and
costs).

Any suggestions on how to manage the plume?

TIA

Given my own experience of this I suggest that to a degree it is a
question of perception. Both of our immediate neighbours have boilers
in garages. It occurred to me last winter that whilst I noticed the
plume from the horizontal flue because it is within my normal field of
view, I had never noticed that from the vertical flue although,
height-wise, the outlets are only a bit over a metre apart.

As you indicate, it is on cold but relatively still days that the
plume is apparent. Luckily we live in a rather exposed location so
very still days are few and far between.

Re-positioning the flue would certainly show good intent, it is a
question of balancing goodwill against cost and inconvenience.
--
rbel

On 16/11/2012 08:58, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:41:35 +0000, Allan wrote:

The neighbour has mentioned that on a cool, still day (autumn?), he is
getting a large plume from the flue coming across his garden. I don't
know what happened with the previous owner/occupant/boiler, but part of
me thinks that the boiler/flue was always there.

Undoubtly but was the previous boiler a condensing one? Flue gases from a
non-condensing boiler are hotter than those from a condesnsing one so the
water vapour is far less likely to form a visible plume as they will have
dissipated before getting cool enough.

I suppose I could put the flue vertically, but I don't suppose it'll
make much difference on the cold, still day: the plume will still
spread, ...

The major part of the problem is that the plume is being blown (by the
boiler fan) out of the flue horizontally across your neighbours garden.
If you shot it into the air vertically and higher up it would greatly
improve things.

How one arranges that I'm not sure. Have a google to see what flue kits
are available for your boiler. It might be possible to put a vertical
extension onto the existing through wall flue. How big any eaves are
might make things trickier.

+1

For the avoidance of doubt, don't be tempted to bodge it yourself with
drainpipe or something; the output characteristics of the flue
(apparently) impact on the overall safety of the boiler etc; so just use
whatever kits are available.

I had a plume issue with a very early model condensing boiler (early, as
in there were no flue extension kits available as the plume problem had
not really been identified) and I positioned a flat piece of aluminium a
couple of inched away from the output at 45 degrees, to divert the plume
sideways. Wasn't even touching the flue output, but when a CorgiGuy saw
it a few months later he threw a wobbler and removed it

David

On 16/11/2012 08:41, Allan wrote:
Vaillant ecoTEC plus, open vent condensing boiler

Just moved into a house, and changed the boiler (same horizontal flue
position) to the Vaillant. The flue goes horizontally through the wall,
which outside the wall is then about a foot from the property boundary,
and then the neighbour's garden. The neighbour has mentioned that on a
cool, still day (autumn?), he is getting a large plume from the flue
coming across his garden. I don't know what happened with the previous
owner/occupant/boiler, but part of me thinks that the boiler/flue was
always there. However, he is correct, and I don't want to fall out with
him just as we've arrived, and we're getting on fine so far. The boiler
is in the garage, underneath a pitched roof, so I suppose I could put
the flue vertically, but I don't suppose it'll make much difference on
the cold, still day: the plume will still spread, and it'll mean moving
the flue (horizontal to vertical, assuming that's possible), and
knocking a hole in the roof (which will no doubt have its own issues and
costs).

Any suggestions on how to manage the plume?

There are a multitude of flue options, however the simplest would seem
to be the Variable Terminal Kit:

http://www.vaillant.co.uk/stepone2/d...0instructs.pdf

(search for part number 303942) and section 3.7




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/