I installed a Mr. Heater in my garage. It is suspended from the ceiling above my workbench. For the last several weeks I noticed a small puddle of water every now and then on the workbench directly below the heater. As I looked into where it was coming from, I noticed it seems to be coming from the only elbow on my B vent pipe. The pipe comes directly out of the heater into an elbow, travels through the ceiling in the garage, through the attic and then outside. The garage and attic are not very well insulated yet and get very close to the outside temps. I was wondering if this could be condensation build up on the inside pipe. It seems the only time the water appears is when there is a change in temperature, such as when it starts to get warm out or when I fire up the heater. Anyone else have this issue?
condensation?
- Thread starter tc_rain
- Start date
Sheriff245
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2013
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- 88
It is most likely the air moisture condensing when you turn the unit off, then dropping when you turn it on again.
AndyA
Well-known member
Burning propane creates water vapor. C3H8 + 10 O2 = 3 CO2 + 4 H2O
When the hot exhaust from the heater goes out the vent and cools off, the water can condense.
You can either provide a drain for the condensate, or insulate the vent so the exhaust temperature is still above 212F when it exits the vent.
Ever try running an unvented propane heater in a uninsulated metal building? The walls will just drip with water
When the hot exhaust from the heater goes out the vent and cools off, the water can condense.
You can either provide a drain for the condensate, or insulate the vent so the exhaust temperature is still above 212F when it exits the vent.
Ever try running an unvented propane heater in a uninsulated metal building? The walls will just drip with water
pseudorealityx
Well-known member
The combustion of any hydrocarbon creates water vapor.
It's the same reason that when you first start up a car, you get some water out of the exhaust pipes.
It's the same reason that when you first start up a car, you get some water out of the exhaust pipes.
Chetter
Well-known member
My heater did the same thing when I was running just the single wall vent pipe. I switched over to the B style vent, which is double wall and that helped my problem go away. I believe that is what they call that style exhaust venting, but I know that it is double walled. I used that from the elbow at the back of the heater all the way up through the roof, problem solved.
It is natural gas and I am running the double wall vent pipe so I will just have to write it up as condensation. Too bad it is right above my workbench. Especially since I am a woodworker and will have to make sure I don't leave any projects on it. Thanks for the input.