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From: (no name) (no email)
Date: Fri Aug 01 2003 - 00:26:46 EDT
In a message dated 7/31/2003 7:17:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:
> I didn't want to punch a 3" vent pipe hole through my deck and add a 6'
> stack... Apparently the new model detailed on the brochure has some sort of
>
> oxygen or CO sensor and shuts the unit off if it detects a problem.
>
I have used a propane tankless water heater on board for two decades. I do
have a 5 inch mushroom vent on it, but not a six foot high stack.
I think the "dangers" of these tankless heaters is quite overblown. The
fires are no different in nature from the burners on a cooking range, they
actually are smaller flames than the burner on my stove, and most of the heat is
absorbed by the water inside the heat exchanger. Someone on the list mentioned
"500 degree" stack gas. I just don't believe it. I can easily put my hand on
the stove pipe when the heater is in operation. The biggest reason I have the
pipe is to keep the stack gas from cooking my ceiling and to get rid of the
moisture.
If the fire on a propane cook stove is not particularly dangerous, then the
fire in the water heater is not particularly dangerous. It would not be a good
idea to discharge the waterheater stack close to the ceiling any more than it
would be safe to have a range burner a few inches from the ceiling, and that
is a good reason to use a vent system. But other than that, I can see no
reason that a propane water heater is seen as dangerous.
I would not operate a large unit without a vent for the above reasons, but a
small one, with a baffle to keep a steady stream of hot gas from impinging on
a small area overhead might be fine. I have one such in my laundry room but
have not yet fired it up.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying Gloucester MA
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