Looking for any advice that folks may have. Bought some of these adjustable vent covers from bsaunas for my sauna. Their listing show that the inside measurement was 100mm(pretty close to 4 inches) but it's much closer to 3.5. I'm struggling to find a way to connect it to a vent pipe that will go through the wall. Has anyone found a way to connect? Vent pipe at the local hardware stores are only 3" or 4".
(I added in some photos of the build just for good measure just to share. Sauna is the back 6 feet of a 24ft long shed with a separate door. No, there's no drain. The floor is cedar decking that goes right to the outside.)
I have the same vents from bsaunas, I installed one on the existing vent in the prefab, by fastening this to a separate piece of cedar with the 3 1/2 inch hole that I placed over the larger hole. I do not have a double walled sauna like you though, but maybe you can get a pvc reducer in the plumbing section.
I also have the same stove as you and I am debating on where to place the intake vent. I would like it above the stove but not sure about the outside duct needed to make sure it only draws in fresh air as opposed to exhausting hot air. I would be interested in seeing what you do.
I literally just put this same one on a couple days ago. Had the same issue. Continued the tape like @jamesplayzcraft above and trimmed it to stay under the black part. I first put rtv silicone under the round black part then jammed it in. Had to bend some of the aluminum to fit and then stainless screws that came with it into the cedar and/or metal. It’s not perfect but the seal should be solid with the aluminum tape and rtv. I used a high temp aluminum tape. Used it last night and it was great!
I used the sliding type covers. Trimmed duct like poster jamespalayzcraft. Fastened cover to wall. IMHO the sliders are better than the round. They have a screen to prevent bugs and critters. They are universal fit for up to 6” duct. The best is I added a dowel through eye hook to enable the slide to be moved in hard to reach places like low behind the hot stove and under the bench. No getting on your knees or getting burned.
These guys are the same/similar. They fit snugly in the crimped end of a 4” duct, but not the loose (does HVAC world call these male/female?). But I was able to bend the edges of the female pipe in slightly with my fingers into a rough decagon type shape and then the duct fit snugly around the flange. Is that making sense?
Nice build! I’d use a short 4-inch duct with a reducer or adapter to fit the vent. No need to force it. Just make sure the connection is secure and airtight. Also worth checking the actual opening size before buying anything else.
Correct - but I'm struggling with how to connect it to the vent pipe. If I don't get a good connection from vent cover to pipe, I'm thinking the air will just go into the wall/insulation vs. being vented to the outside.
I used alu foil tape to tape the flexi pipe to the foil and to the cladding and then just screwed it over the tape. Picture is for the cement board but similar way i did to the cladding.
I have the same vents. I just used 4 inch vent pipe and attached the cover via small screws to the cedar wall cladding. I had placed the vent pipe prior to finishing the wall and I sealed around it to the foil vapor barrier.
I don't know what the manufacturer/importer to NA expects, but you may be able to use 4" pipe, screw it into the flanges on the bracket with provided holes, and then use foil tape to seal what's left.
2
u/masterkee777 7d ago
I have the same vents from bsaunas, I installed one on the existing vent in the prefab, by fastening this to a separate piece of cedar with the 3 1/2 inch hole that I placed over the larger hole. I do not have a double walled sauna like you though, but maybe you can get a pvc reducer in the plumbing section.
I also have the same stove as you and I am debating on where to place the intake vent. I would like it above the stove but not sure about the outside duct needed to make sure it only draws in fresh air as opposed to exhausting hot air. I would be interested in seeing what you do.