Fitting flexible metal gaine to a VMC unit

[JohnRoss]

Bought a VMC unit to suck air out of our cellar and am having trouble fitting the 125mm flexible metal gaine to the 125mm port of the VMC unit. The bloke in the shop implied you could just slide it on and clip it into position but I am having trouble sliding the gain on. It looks as though it needs to be slightly larger than it is so anybody have some tips on how to do it please. Can you stretch it or are there special adaptors? It looks as though the metal film stuff might tear...............JR

PS The unit is an HBH Simple Flux Primo

[dave21478]

cut a slot in it, slip it on, wrap duct tape around to make it air-tight again and fit a big jubilee clip to hold it tight (or several smaller clips joined together if you dont have a big one).

Its only a VMC, not the bilge pump for a cruise liner, so just do whatever works.....

[Chancer]

I prefer the plastic gaines they are actually the toughest and also cheaper, the metal ones are just tin foil wrapped around a spiral of wire and as you have found will tear if you as much as look at them.

Try twisting the diameter against the direction that the wire is rolled, one way it will contract the other will expand, but only slightmy before tearing.

If that doesnt work make a few cuts in the spiral which should allow you to ease it on the spigot, then fix it in place and plug any gaps with the aluminium tape.

[JohnRoss]

It has been suggested in another place that the foil gaine is for exhaust from hot appliances and would be used with cooker hoods for example and that the plastic flexible gaine is the one to use supportingyour view so thanks. I gather the plastic gain is 127mm which would make it easier to get on to the VMC as well............JR

[Loiseau]

My VMC has plastic gaine. The cooker hood also did originally, until the mice started to chew into it in the attic! So that one is now metal...

Angela