VMC

[John]

Would it be possible to fit the unit behind a stud wall (with a trap door entry) and exit through the wall to the outside, are the units noisy as this unit would be behind a wall in a bedroom (directly above bathroom and toilet).

I take it it just needs a electrical point to connect to (electrics are being done upstairs now and a point could be added no problem). I have read on another thread that this should help with a small damp problem we have. At the mo we also run a dehumidifer when not there (holiday building site/home) sometimes for months on end. This does stop the damp and also removes the musty smell. But the electrical bills are heavier than we would like.

Thanks John

[Chancer]

Yes you can fit it in the way you describe, i have done several in that way, the units themselves are not noisy if you suspend them from cords to the lugs provided.

what can be noisy is the exhaust, not usually a problem unless near an open window and also the inlets in the rooms, the nearer these are to the fan the noisier they can be, I think they transmit the noise from the fan blades.

I have just done one a fair way from the inlets with the piping in 100mm pvc with a couple of bends in each and the extraction noise is very minimal, the one in my flat where the VMC is directly above the extraction buche is very noisy by comparison.

If you find in a couple of years thart it sounds quieter it will be running at idle or stop due to the capacitors drying out, they cost a couple of quid to replace, much cheaper than a new VMC, I have had to replace all of mine.

[Anton Redman II]

They are meant to be supplied via a dedicated 2 amp disjointer unless more power is required in which case the disjointer can be more powerful.

[John]

Thank you guys for taking the time to reply.

I will require a basic model not an all singing one, any ideas which model and make is a good one and where to buy. I have all the sheds within an hours drive from me.

Do they sell sell the items in kit form ie in a box or do I have to purchase everything seperate.

Apologies for being a pain.

Thanks John

[idun]

Our first VMC was expensive and lasted about 15 years. Our second one was simply from Castorama and as far as I remember about 650ff at least half the price of the first one and it was still working well when we sold the house.

The cheaper one was not any noisier than the first either.

We have gone down the heat recouperation route now. Seems a pity to chuck all that hot air out of the house.

[nemltd]

I've had a VMC fitted, it extracts from 3 bathrooms, a WC and the kitchen.

But I have to confess, it was advised we have it by the plumber/electrician. I invisaged having extractor fans that worked off the lighting circuit, so when you enter the room the fan comes on with the light.

The VMC has 3 modes...........Off, and 2 speeds.

Could you advise me on why the VMC and not the typical UK system of working off the lighting circuit?

My wife said we wouldn't need a kitchen extractor because we have this VMC?

Do we leave the VMC on, when we are not at the house?

I'm a bit confused!

Tony

 

[Théière]

[quote user="nemltd"]

I've had a VMC fitted, it extracts from 3 bathrooms, a WC and the kitchen.

But I have to confess, it was advised we have it by the plumber/electrician. I invisaged having extractor fans that worked off the lighting circuit, so when you enter the room the fan comes on with the light.

The VMC has 3 modes...........Off, and 2 speeds.

Could you advise me on why the VMC and not the typical UK system of working off the lighting circuit? Constant low level air flow using barely any electricity

My wife said we wouldn't need a kitchen extractor because we have this VMC? Maybe however cooker extractors are far more powerful because they need to be an you don't want to draw oil/fat into the VMC

Do we leave the VMC on, when we are not at the house? Yes if you have a damp/condensation issue

I'm a bit confused!

Tony

 

[/quote]

[dave21478]

[quote user="Chancer"]Yes you can fit it in the way you describe, i have done several in that way, the units themselves are not noisy if you suspend them from cords to the lugs provided.

what can be noisy is the exhaust, not usually a problem unless near an open window and also the inlets in the rooms, the nearer these are to the fan the noisier they can be, I think they transmit the noise from the fan blades.

I have just done one a fair way from the inlets with the piping in 100mm pvc with a couple of bends in each and the extraction noise is very minimal, the one in my flat where the VMC is directly above the extraction buche is very noisy by comparison.

If you find in a couple of years thart it sounds quieter it will be running at idle or stop due to the capacitors drying out, they cost a couple of quid to replace, much cheaper than a new VMC, I have had to replace all of mine.[/quote]

Interesting - mine might have to go back to the shop / in the bin as it sounds like a helicopter in trouble and the suction at the outlet sounds like an industrial wet vac.

Its a slightly odd setup in that I am using it only as an extractor for a bathroom, but the brief here is that there must be no noise at all in the area due to some rather rare wildlife that lives in the building and can't be disturbed, so rather than use a normal extractor, I bought a basic VMC with hygrostat. The inlet is in the bathroom wall, and there is a meter or so of the flexy tubing through the wall and up to where it joins some 80mm pvc tubing, which runs for maybe 4 meters, then another length of flexi perhaps 3 meters long which twists through to a disused room which is now the woodshed. The unit itself hangs from cords from a beam, with the exhaust going outside from there.

even on the low speed, there is a huge amount of suction in the bathroom. I have tried every combination of conecting the tube to the smaller nozzles or the main kitchen one, having the others open or blocked etc but nothing seems to help. The machine noise is loud enough to be intrusive despite it being as far away as possible from the area, and there is a definite rushing noise through the pipework which goes right through the nesting area, so not acceptable.

[Théière]

Dave the only thing I can think of is some of your other vents must be obstructed in someway, somewhere in order for the whole vacuum to be directed through the bathroom to produce that result.

[dave21478]

Sadly not, I only have this one tube connected to it and the other ports are free. I have tried blocking them and then leaving the open with no real difference. I had the bloody thing to bits and nothing looks amiss internally, I just seem to have accidentally bought a turbocharged version.

[Théière]

Got any pictures? the only thing that could increase the air speed (apart from a two speed version) is some kind of obstruction and that would make more noise than low speed air, puzzling

[idun]

nemltd, always leave it on, keeps your house aired. It is not the same function as a cooker hood though and I always have both going when I am cooking. I love VMC's and would always have them. As it happens we have gone one further in this house and have a heat recouperation system.We have put a system in that works as a VMC in summer and the rest of the year, puts the warmed, cleaned air back into the rooms we want.

Dave, I would go and have a chat with the people you bought it from. Sounds very odd, and the pipework isn't twisted and pinched either.

[Loiseau]

I must say, mine is pretty noisy, especially at Mach2. I wouldn't like to have it anywhere near my bedroom.

It was installed when the house was built, and dangles from cords in the hall cupboard. The builder said it had to have outlets (or do I mean inlets?) above any sources of water/damp, so he fitted one in the ceiling above the sink, another in the top of the bathroom wall, and a third in the cloakroom. The instructions were to leave it running all the time, and to put it on double speed if the heating was on.

It's in a residence secondaire, and I must say that the house can still feel a bit damp on arrival. But I presume it would be worse if I didn't have the VMC.

Anyone know what it costs to run one, by the way?

Angela

[Théière]

Maybe the fan needs a bit of lubricant if it's noisy motor sound, they only use around 35 watts on slow so just a few euro's a year.

[Loiseau]

Thanks for that, Teapot. I thought it must be very little consumption, but it's good to have that confirmed.

I am not sure I dare meddle with its internal workings. As it's in the hallway, it's not too bothersome.

Angela

[nemltd]

Theiere

Sorry for going off on a tangent, but I have to congratulate you on your Tag line, it makes me chuckle every time I read it!

Quality!

Tony

[Théière]

Cannot take the credit, I got it from a Greene King beer mat [B][:)]