Strange contraption in kitchen blasting out cold air. Wtf is this? Electrician possib

JackieChang

Moved into a new place. There's a box up at the ceiling blasting out cold air. Feels like air conditioning level of cold. No switches to turn it off.

The air is coming out of the hole at the top.

strange contraption photo:


https://iili.io/3fFSIt.jpg

Outkast_IRE

Looks like its providing your ventilation . Is there a model number or manufacturer on it ?

Does your apartment have any of the other traditional ventilation methods such as the hole in the wall in each room and a grille ?

JackieChang

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

Looks like its providing your ventilation . Is there a model number or manufacturer on it ?

Does your apartment have any of the other traditional ventilation methods such as the hole in the wall in each room and a grille ?

Well if it's for providing ventilation, it's only in the kitchen so it's a pretty bad system. How is it supposed to ventilate the living room at the other end of the house?

It's freezing cold air. The kitchen was literally like a butcher's walk in freezer when I went for me tae this morning.

There are no grilles as far as I know. I've just moved in.. so maybe there is. Will check after work.

Also.. no model number from the view I took the photo. I will check the back of it later.

Last resort is to ask the landlord. Just wanted to figure this out myself if possible and turn it off. (if it's safe to do so)

Pkiernan

It looks like cooler.

Where does it vent to?

JackieChang

Pkiernan wrote: »

It looks like cooler.

Where does it vent to?

Do you mean is there something on the exterior wall linked to this? Will have to check after work.

But is venting cold air INTO my kitchen, not out. Like forceful blast of cold air from a fan into the house.

swampgas

Looks like an old MVHR system. I have an identical one in the place I just bought.

https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/information-hub/heat-recovery-ventilation-mvhr/

emeldc

Is the lower part of that a control of some sort like a dial. It looks to have some faded numbers on it.

JackieChang

Update: some new photos:

looks like a "thermistor" attached to the hole.

https://pasteboard.co/JvT6nKl.jpg

Photo of the internals. Looks like there's a heating element inside. That is also a belt constantly spinning just under the heating element.

https://pasteboard.co/JvT6CvA.png

It's connected to the outside by a pipe: https://iili.io/3qpEvt.jpg

I don't know what the heating element or the thermistor is supposed to be doing. The air is freezing cold coming out of this thing.

JackieChang

emeldc wrote: »

Is the lower part of that a control of some sort like a dial. It looks to have some faded numbers on it.

That's just a bare motherboard or something with transistors on it.

swampgas wrote: »

Looks like an old MVHR system. I have an identical one in the place I just bought.

https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/information-hub/heat-recovery-ventilation-mvhr/

Ok , we're getting somewhere now. How do I make it stop? Have you figured out how they work?

emeldc

JackieChang wrote: »

That's just a bare motherboard or something with transistors on it.

Ok, and is that a big black knob in the middle of it.

JackieChang

emeldc wrote: »

Ok, and is that a big black knob in the middle of it.

Haha.. yes it is. I haven't tried to twist it yet. Was afraid to break something. Literally have no idea what this thing is so it could explode if I touch it who knows.

emeldc

JackieChang wrote: »

Haha.. yes it is. I haven't tried to twist it yet. Was afraid to break something. Literally have no idea what this thing is so it could explode if I touch it who knows.

Give it a twist anti-clockwise. What's the worst that can happen.

listermint

Was this room used to store meat? It looks awfully like something youd see in an old cold store.

JackieChang

swampgas wrote: »

Looks like an old MVHR system. I have an identical one in the place I just bought.

https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/information-hub/heat-recovery-ventilation-mvhr/

Just had a read of that link:

"MVHR works quite simply by extracting the air from the polluted sources e.g. kitchen, bathroom, toilets and utility rooms and supplying air to the ‘living’ rooms e.g. bedrooms, living rooms, studies etc. The extracted air is taken through a central heat exchanger and the heat recovered into the supply air."

The thing is it's not extracting any air. It's blowing cold air into the kitchen. I live in an apartment block if this makes any difference.

Ray Palmer

It appears to be an old heater/fan that is broken. The fan would push the heat around if the element was working. What ever it is you can simply disconnect it and block up the vent assuming another vent is in the room.

The dial indicates it is from 30s-50s.

Outkast_IRE

I wouldn't advocate taking off or blocking anything if you are renting. Talk to the landlord about it . There is a chance that the place had condensation and mould issues and this was installed to keep it under control.

JackieChang

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I wouldn't advocate taking off or blocking anything if you are renting. Talk to the landlord about it . There is a chance that the place had condensation and mould issues and this was installed to keep it under control.

Ok, will send an email. But I am definitely disabling it at the fuse box tonight. I am not waking up on my day off tomorrow with cold air blasting into the kitchen from outside.

swampgas wrote: »

Looks like an old MVHR system. I have an identical one in the place I just bought.

https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/information-hub/heat-recovery-ventilation-mvhr/

Any chance you could tell me how to work it? I guess the heating element is broken? Does yours give out warm air?

MarkR

Ray Palmer wrote: »

It appears to be an old heater/fan that is broken. The fan would push the heat around if the element was working. What ever it is you can simply disconnect it and block up the vent assuming another vent is in the room.

The dial indicates it is from 30s-50s.

The 1930's? Don't I see computer chips there?

JackieChang

MarkR wrote: »

The 1930's? Don't I see computer chips there?

Yes it's not a dial it's a motherboard of some sort with transistors and stuff.

Thoie

I suspect that it was a dial, but the paper bit with temperatures has fallen off, exposing the circuit board behind it.

If it was my house I'd turn the knob all the way clockwise, then back a little, on the basis that if it's temperature, usually in Ireland cold is on the left and hot is on the right.

If it's actually the control for the doomsday clock, well, then we're doomed. So be it.

dudeeile

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

There is a chance that the place had condensation and mould issues and this was installed to keep it under control.

That's what it's for alright, better not **** with it too much but there may be some adjustments to be made, speak to the landlord and explain how cold it is and that you would like it looked at.

GHOST MGG

It could be providing air to a secret underground bunker that is holding the decomposing corpses of all the old tenants!
Been halloween and all soon....i would leave it well alone:-)

emeldc

Thoie wrote: »

I suspect that it was a dial, but the paper bit with temperatures has fallen off, exposing the circuit board behind it.

If it was my house I'd turn the knob all the way clockwise, then back a little, on the basis that if it's temperature, usually in Ireland cold is on the left and hot is on the right.

If it's actually the control for the doomsday clock, well, then we're doomed. So be it.

Yep, turning it clockwise would probably make it warm up assuming the element works. Turning it anti-clockwise will probably turn it cold and maybe ---shock, horror --- switch it off. But I guess we'll never know

un5byh7sqpd2x0

JackieChang wrote: »

Yes it's not a dial it's a motherboard of some sort with transistors and stuff.

Resistors not transistors

JackieChang

So I'm finally home. Here's a detailed look at the options. Image gallery here:

https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/iROUjV3g50qh

The black knob is twistable. It seems to only change the speed of the fan. From light gust to full gale force blast.

There are some options at the bottom. Says <19 and > 19 and > 25

I'm guessing this could be temperature. But the knob doesn't twist to those areas. It only changes the power of the fan.

I have no idea which fuse it is.

Here's the list: https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/d2O6nm21I14V

It could be the "convector". Anything that says storage is for a storage heater (another nightmare those things).

Could a convector refer to anything else?

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Does the knob press in as well as twist?

JackieChang

Eduardo Little Watermelon wrote: »

Does the knob press in as well as twist?

Nope. Doesn't pull either.

Btw turning off the "convector" fuse just turned off the fridge.

Could it be an old model of a drimaster?
https://smartheat.ie/product/flatmaster/

MrMusician18

JackieChang wrote: »

So I'm finally home. Here's a detailed look at the options. Image gallery here:

https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/iROUjV3g50qh

The black knob is twistable. It seems to only change the speed of the fan. From light gust to full gale force blast.

There are some options at the bottom. Says <19 and > 19 and > 25

I'm guessing this could be temperature. But the knob doesn't twist to those areas. It only changes the power of the fan.

I have no idea which fuse it is.

Here's the list: https://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/d2O6nm21I14V

It could be the "convector". Anything that says storage is for a storage heater (another nightmare those things).

Could a convector refer to anything else?

The device isn't from the 30's or 40's, its from the year 2000. Its a product of a UK company now called Envirovent (Formerly Farmer Controls PLC).

If you contact their support, one of their staff should be able to tell you what exactly its meant to do. They provide all sorts of ventilation products so they would be best to advise without any further info from yourself - such as the identification plate.

salamiii

black knob on front is switch

JackieChang

Found the exact unit: http://a-lande.co.uk/web_documents/bba_certificate.pdf

Looks like the heating can't be controlled.

If the outside air temp drops below 10 degrees, it activates the heater when drawing in the cold air.

So if the outside air temp is 11 degrees, it will just blast this cold air into my house, in turn cancelling out any heating we may have on. Piece of shyte. I've taken the fuse out and turned it off permanently.

Manion

why would anyone need such a device?

Strumms

Just get onto the landlord and ask him to get it disabled.

killbillvol2

I'm just wondering how you didn't notice it before you moved in. It looks like a monstrosity.

Outkast_IRE

Manion wrote: »

why would anyone need such a device?

Positive input ventilation can help prevent or reduce issues with mould or condensation by improving ventilation. There may not be wall vents in the rooms currently.

JackieChang

killbillvol2 wrote: »

I'm just wondering how you didn't notice it before you moved in. It looks like a monstrosity.

I thought it was just the fuse box.

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

There may not be wall vents in the rooms currently.

Correct. There are no vents anywhere.

Vestiapx

The amount of people that are causing mould in their homes in Ireland is crazy. There is actually a woman I work with who smells musty because she lives in a mouldy home. She told me once that they have an issue with mould on their walls and I told her what was causing it and how to improve it and she basically has decided to love in a health hazzard rather than spend a few quid reheating the air because of ventilation.

JackieChang

Vestiapx wrote: »

The amount of people that are causing mould in their homes in Ireland is crazy. There is actually a woman I work with who smells musty because she lives in a mouldy home. She told me once that they have an issue with mould on their walls and I told her what was causing it and how to improve it and she basically has decided to love in a health hazzard rather than spend a few quid reheating the air because of ventilation.

I agree, I hate mould. But this machine is blasting 10 degree air into the kitchen constantly 24/7. Meanwhile the radiator is fighting against it trying to warm the air. I might as well burn a wad of 50 notes. Had to turn it off.