About to buy an AEG vented tumble dryer and am considering the options
for vertical positioning of the vent outlet through the nearby outside
wall. Am using the Screwfix tumble dryer vent kit.

Two options, low down (30cm) or high up (2.5m) on the wall. The
outside of the wall is onto the street, so I'm slightly concerned
about the possiblilty of small animals (squirrels etc.) getting in
(despite the vent louvres) or kids messing with it if it is low down.
On the other hand, if it is high up then it looks more conspicuous
(not really a problem), but more seriously is there a potential
problem with condensation running back down the pipe? I'd have thought
that so long as the dryer runs it's cool phase at the end to hopefully
evaporate any condensation and also making sure that the wall vent is
installed with a slight downward slope to the outside then there would
be no problem.

If I went for the 'high' option then the total run length would be
around 3.5m (as the vent outlet on the dryer is right at the bottom).
I'm aware that this is slightly beyond the recommended maximum run
length of most manufacturers (2.4m), but believe that this maximum is
specified due to the friction against the air of the corrugated
venting hose causing the dryer efficiency to drop off. I could run
instead with smooth plastic pipe which should alleviate this if
necessary.

Any thoughts, specifically about the condensation issue?

Cheers.

Bill wrote:

> About to buy an AEG vented tumble dryer and am considering the options
> for vertical positioning of the vent outlet through the nearby outside
> wall. Am using the Screwfix tumble dryer vent kit.


Have you considered a condensing one? I *love* our Miele condensing 
drier - it's magic.




> Two options, low down (30cm) or high up (2.5m) on the wall. The
> outside of the wall is onto the street, so I'm slightly concerned
> about the possiblilty of small animals (squirrels etc.) getting in
> (despite the vent louvres) or kids messing with it if it is low down.
> On the other hand, if it is high up then it looks more conspicuous
> (not really a problem), but more seriously is there a potential
> problem with condensation running back down the pipe? I'd have thought
> that so long as the dryer runs it's cool phase at the end to hopefully
> evaporate any condensation and also making sure that the wall vent is
> installed with a slight downward slope to the outside then there would
> be no problem.


I don't have direct experience, but several people have posted about 
condensation in long vertical runs. Apparently as the warm, wet air hits 
cold air at the top, you get so much condensation that some of it can 
run back down.



> If I went for the 'high' option then the total run length would be
> around 3.5m (as the vent outlet on the dryer is right at the bottom).
> I'm aware that this is slightly beyond the recommended maximum run
> length of most manufacturers (2.4m), but believe that this maximum is
> specified due to the friction against the air of the corrugated
> venting hose causing the dryer efficiency to drop off. I could run
> instead with smooth plastic pipe which should alleviate this if
> necessary.
> 
> Any thoughts, specifically about the condensation issue?


Have you considered a condensing drier ;-)



-- 
Grunff

"Grunff"  wrote in message 
news:4345165f$0$24647$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk...

> Bill wrote:
>> About to buy an AEG vented tumble dryer and am considering the options
>> for vertical positioning of the vent outlet through the nearby outside
>> wall. Am using the Screwfix tumble dryer vent kit.
>
> Have you considered a condensing one? I *love* our Miele condensing 
> drier - it's magic.
>
>
>
>> Two options, low down (30cm) or high up (2.5m) on the wall. The
>> outside of the wall is onto the street, so I'm slightly concerned
>> about the possiblilty of small animals (squirrels etc.) getting in
>> (despite the vent louvres) or kids messing with it if it is low down.
>> On the other hand, if it is high up then it looks more conspicuous
>> (not really a problem), but more seriously is there a potential
>> problem with condensation running back down the pipe? I'd have thought
>> that so long as the dryer runs it's cool phase at the end to hopefully
>> evaporate any condensation and also making sure that the wall vent is
>> installed with a slight downward slope to the outside then there would
>> be no problem.
>
> I don't have direct experience, but several people have posted about 
> condensation in long vertical runs. Apparently as the warm, wet air hits 
> cold air at the top, you get so much condensation that some of it can run 
> back down.
>
>
>> If I went for the 'high' option then the total run length would be
>> around 3.5m (as the vent outlet on the dryer is right at the bottom).
>> I'm aware that this is slightly beyond the recommended maximum run
>> length of most manufacturers (2.4m), but believe that this maximum is
>> specified due to the friction against the air of the corrugated
>> venting hose causing the dryer efficiency to drop off. I could run
>> instead with smooth plastic pipe which should alleviate this if
>> necessary.
>>
>> Any thoughts, specifically about the condensation issue?
>
> Have you considered a condensing drier ;-)
>
>
>
> -- 
> Grunff


 Hi I have a tumble drier that was vented up through a window and it failed 
after 18 months. It was the over heat protector fuse. The repairman said 
that it was caused by having the vent too high and as the window faced west 
and it was very windy when it failed that was most likely the cause of 
failure. I now have it venting straight through the wall and the clothes 
actually dry 10 minutes quicker, or so my wife says.
Ron

> Have you considered a condensing drier ;-)

Buy a condensor box, or make one. The outlet vent goes into a "cold"
box, so that
it condenses. Could be little more than a square box. Would work better
if surrounded
by cold water, like a tin within a tin.
Simon.

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 13:09:49 +0100, Bill  wrote:


>About to buy an AEG vented tumble dryer and am considering the options
>for vertical positioning of the vent outlet through the nearby outside
>wall. Am using the Screwfix tumble dryer vent kit.
>
>Two options, low down (30cm) or high up (2.5m) on the wall. The
>outside of the wall is onto the street, so I'm slightly concerned
>about the possiblilty of small animals (squirrels etc.) getting in
>(despite the vent louvres) or kids messing with it if it is low down.
>On the other hand, if it is high up then it looks more conspicuous
>(not really a problem), but more seriously is there a potential
>problem with condensation running back down the pipe? I'd have thought
>that so long as the dryer runs it's cool phase at the end to hopefully
>evaporate any condensation and also making sure that the wall vent is
>installed with a slight downward slope to the outside then there would
>be no problem.
>
>If I went for the 'high' option then the total run length would be
>around 3.5m (as the vent outlet on the dryer is right at the bottom).
>I'm aware that this is slightly beyond the recommended maximum run
>length of most manufacturers (2.4m), but believe that this maximum is
>specified due to the friction against the air of the corrugated
>venting hose causing the dryer efficiency to drop off. I could run
>instead with smooth plastic pipe which should alleviate this if
>necessary.
>
>Any thoughts, specifically about the condensation issue?
>
>Cheers.


I'd agree with Grunff.  We have a condenser dryer and have been very
very happy with it.


Mike

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 13:20:21 +0100, Grunff  wrote:


>
>
>Have you considered a condensing one? I *love* our Miele condensing 
>drier - it's magic.
>
>


Yes, I've been toying between the two. Initially I'd plumped for a
condenser, but have since been reconsidering vented for the following
reasons.

Condensers are...

More expensive to buy (about 350 quid as opposed to 270 for the vented
model I'm considering)
Not (quite) as quick at drying.
More expensive (a bit) to run
Need to empty the water frequently (though I could get the drain kit
for the  model I considered)
Need to clean out the condenser module sometimes.
Noisier in operation

But the advantage is they are 'fit and forget' (optional drain kit
notwithstanding)

Whatever I buy will be going in the garage, so any increase in ambient
temeprature and /or humidity is not a problem.

My only direct experience of tumble dryers in the past has been 2
washer/dryers (useless at drying, I know!) and my mum's 25 year old
creaky 'Servis' model. I imagine that efficiency has moved on since
then.

I'd appreciate any feedback from anyone about how much slower or
noisier (if at all) condensers are. I'm still willing to change my
mind. The screwfix vent kit was only a tenner wasted if I don't use
it!

Cheers.

Bill wrote:


> My only direct experience of tumble dryers in the past has been 2
> washer/dryers (useless at drying, I know!) and my mum's 25 year old
> creaky 'Servis' model. I imagine that efficiency has moved on since
> then.
> 
> I'd appreciate any feedback from anyone about how much slower or
> noisier (if at all) condensers are. I'm still willing to change my
> mind. The screwfix vent kit was only a tenner wasted if I don't use
> it!



Our condernser is not at all noisy (certainly no noisier than vented 
models I've seen at friends' houses). It does a full load in 45-60 mins.

As for the slightly higher running costs, we have it installed in the 
unheated utility room, so for 9 months of the year the heat it dumps 
into the room is very welcome.

I have it draining to the nearby sink trap, so no emptying. I would buy 
another without hesitation.


-- 
Grunff

Bill wrote:

> Two options, low down (30cm) or high up (2.5m) on the wall. The
> outside of the wall is onto the street


I would not appreciate a faceful (shinfull depending on height) of
tumble dryer fumes so if your vent MUST be to a public street does it
not have to be a certain height?  If the dryer can be vented onto
private ground, animal/insect interest is not a problem with the proper
one way flaps (only time these flaps are open hot/moist air is actually
coming out ). Condensation doesn't seem to be a problem with our set-up
however the prevailing wind is not into the vent and ours (vents into
the back garden) is only 10~20cm above the outlet on the machine.

  Thinking out loud :- Will a small s bend in the hose not allow any
condensate to gather and not travel back to the machine.  This
condensate will only gather over the last few "puffs" of the tumble
drier and these "puffs" should be of virtually ambient moistness anyway
so will condensate in the evacuation tube be a problem.
-- 
This post contains no hidden meanings, no implications and certainly no
 hidden agendas so it should be taken at face value.  The wrong words
may be used this is due to my limitations with the English language .