My 50 gallon Power Vent water heater has a fan on top that sucks in room air and mixes it with the hot exhaust gases before sending the mixture down the pvc pipe to the outdoors.
When the unit is not running, I can feel hot air coming from the fresh air intake port. This port has the same diameter as a 3 inch PVC pipe.
I am concerned that I am losing money via the thermo-siphoning effect and I am wondering if anyone has ever attached a PVC pipe and elbow to that fresh air intake port to stop the heat loss.
It would require an 8 inch horizontal extension pipe, then an elbow pointed towards the floor, then maybe another 4 to 6 inches of pipe. Not much of a restriction on that short of a pipe.. I could probably also go to a 4 inch if that was thought to be an issue.
Anyone?
When the unit is not running, I can feel hot air coming from the fresh air intake port. This port has the same diameter as a 3 inch PVC pipe.
I am concerned that I am losing money via the thermo-siphoning effect and I am wondering if anyone has ever attached a PVC pipe and elbow to that fresh air intake port to stop the heat loss.
It would require an 8 inch horizontal extension pipe, then an elbow pointed towards the floor, then maybe another 4 to 6 inches of pipe. Not much of a restriction on that short of a pipe.. I could probably also go to a 4 inch if that was thought to be an issue.
Anyone?