Oil Fired Pool Heater in Pool Shed

Romel

Greetings from NJ USA!

I live in a rural part of NJ where we do not have access to natural gas. I finally decided to scrap my old oil fired pool heater and for a couple of reasons decided to go with a new Thermo-dynamics oil fired pool heater OTF 1600(350k btu). The old heater was not vented and simply worked in the shed with upper and lower doors on each side of the shed venting and letting in fresh air. Needless to say this worked but was not ideal.
 I am going to install the new heater with a flue to make it a little safer and closer to code. My questions are:

1. Do you guys think I still need to keep those side doors open or can I just add some kind of vent or louvers?
2. Does this setup need a barometric damper?

I added a picture of the flue setup I was considering minus the T barometric damper I was also considering.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Jon_blaney

You will need combustion air. The install directions will tell you what is required for combustion air and venting. The manual is probably available on line so you can read before you buy.

Romel

Hi Jon Blaney.
The installation instructions simply state that it needs a standard 8 inch flue if installed in a pool shed. It seems to me that it has plenty of combustion air with the side doors open (you can see the burner through the lower side door). But do you think I can just install a large louver vent in place of the door? That way I could keep the shed closed.

And because it’s open to outside air does it still need a damper?

bburd

Another issue: the flue pipe needs to rise well above that window on the second story, and several feet above the roof as well, per code and the manufacturer’s instructions. You don’t want oil fumes getting into the house.

Romel

True, but that window is never open. There is a chimney right next to the stove (used for an oil furnace.) Can they share the chimney?

EdTheHeaterMan

You know that the "Code" is written based on insurance claims. Insurance companies pay claims and they get reviewed by underwriters. If some one is injured, property is damaged, or someone dies, the insurance company pays a claim. If there is a trend of payouts for some reason, there are people who try to figure out what went wrong, and what can be done to prevent it from happening again.

So the idea of leaving a door open or having a chimney higher than a window that never opens is not for anyone to decide that it does not apply to them. You need to remember that you will not always be there to make sure that the door is never closed, or the window is never open. Some day when you are visiting a friend, or in the hospital for a broken hip, your friendly neighbor will doo you a favor and open that window or close that door and the reason for the code rule will become quite apparent when you experience property damage, injury to a loved one or even a death.

If the window never opens then remove the window. That way it won't be there to mistakenly be opened by persons other than you. The Code is written for us smart people to follow because there are lots of stupid out there.

And the chimney hight has nothing to do with the window, it is for proper drafting.

illustration from a previous post

Mr.Ed

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Romel

I guess you can install this any way you want....it's your house. If It was mine I would want it to meet code. What do you do in the worse case scenario is to have it cause a fire and have your insurance company deny the claim because it wasn't installed in accordance with the mfg. instructions or worse cause serious injury?

Saying "the window is never open" doesn't count.

To be right you have to follow the mfg. instructions and any local code.

The chimney must run up higher than anything within 10' of the chimney and you need a permanent combustion air opening. Opening and closing a door doesn't count. Doors and windows can be open and shut by anyone.

I would think I would consider maybe power venting it

HVACNUT

You should run this by the pointy heads at Thermo Dynamics. Because it will have draft issues unless the chimney goes above the upper roof, as @bburd mentioned. At least 3 ft, within 10 if the peak. I don't know if T.D. specs that. The boiler was manufactured to be outside, without obstructions. Same with venting into the brick chimney. What's the maximum allowable length with elbows does T.D. allow? Can that chimney handle the BTU's?
If the venting somehow works out and the boiler can stay in the shed, Beckett offers a fresh air kit that gets piped to outside. But you probably won't be able put the front boiler door on. That does require barometric relief. 
Sorry to say, but I think you put the cart before the horse on this.

STEVEusaPA

Just because it says 'standard 8 inch flue' you still have to respect distance to combustibles, and NFPA code. So you just can’t poke it thru the plywood. You’ll need a double wall, and you’ll need to get it up past the second floor, 2.5' higher than anything within 10'.

pecmsg

Romel said:

True, but that window is never open. There is a chimney right next to the stove (used for an oil furnace.) Can they share the chimney?

It  can be opened so the chimney needs to go higher!

Jon_blaney

I would contact the manufacturer tech support with these questions. You may want to think twice about this brand if the instructions are so weak. I am also not sure that your burner location is really in what most people would consider a pool shed. I am thinking a free standing structure, not attached to a house.

KingEdward

If you need a 7" draft damper ill send you one free.  I have a few extras. Ed