Exhaust from codenser boiler

oldyouth

Sorry if this has been covered already.

I've just had a new Grant condenser boiler installed, which is located in an external boiler house. There is an exhaust outlet to the side of the unit and it is letting out a hell of an amount of a steam like plume of vapour

I'm asking if this is normal and what level of exhaust should be expected. The boiler is primarily designed to burn kerosene but I had an adaptor nozzle fitted as an interim measure to burn off the diesel that was still in the tank.

Any advice appreciated and please excuse my ignorance on the subject

gizmo555

oldyouth wrote: »

I've just had a new Grant condenser boiler installed, which is located in an external boiler house. There is an exhaust outlet to the side of the unit and it is letting out a hell of an amount of a steam like plume of vapour

The clue is in the name - a condenser boiler gets its improved efficiency by condensing the steam in the exhaust gases into liquid water. When steam condenses into liquid water, heat is released. By recovering this heat, the condenser boiler achieves greater efficiency than a conventional boiler. However, steam itself is invisible - the plume you are seeing is minute droplets of condensed liquid water suspended in the air, exactly the same as the clouds in the sky. It is normal.

Google "latent heat of condensation" for more info.

oldyouth

gizmo555 wrote: »

The clue is in the name - a condenser boiler gets its improved efficiency by condensing the steam in the exhaust gases into liquid water. When steam condenses into liquid water, heat is released. By recovering this heat, the condenser boiler achieves greater efficiency than a conventional boiler. However, steam itself is invisible - the plume you are seeing is minute droplets of condensed liquid water suspended in the air, exactly the same as the clouds in the sky. It is normal.

Google "latent heat of condensation" for more info.

Thanks Gizmo555. The outlet is approx 2ft from the kitchen window and the plume would cover the window itself on occasion (5ft by 3ft). So this is normal?

gizmo555

I was looking into condensing boilers when it was suggested as a possible improvement to the energy efficiency of my house. I decided not to go for it yet, so never having seen one in action, I can't say whether your plume is typical or not. However, it is a well known "feature", as described for example here, in article which has lot more general info on these boilers:

the exhaust will appear as a continuous plume of steam which can be off-putting in some positionings and gives less flexibility in placement options

http://www.envocare.co.uk/condensing_boilers.htm

For what it's worth, Grant are well regarded in this area of technology - e.g., their condensing boilers have been very favourably rated by Which magazine in the UK.

MicktheMan

oldyouth wrote: »

Thanks Gizmo555. The outlet is approx 2ft from the kitchen window and the plume would cover the window itself on occasion (5ft by 3ft). So this is normal?

Yes!

Gtec

Apparently you can get a "plume kit" that vents this away from the windows etc.

Yes it's completely normal, and the plumber who fitted mine warned me, casue apparently lot's of people get him back thinking it is broken!

oldyouth

Gtec wrote: »

Apparently you can get a "plume kit" that vents this away from the windows etc.

Yes it's completely normal, and the plumber who fitted mine warned me, casue apparently lot's of people get him back thinking it is broken!

Just had a brief look on Google. That looks like a solution

Thanks for all the replies:)