I finally received my GF unit on the 29th. I have been lurking here forever, enjoying everyone’s beautiful work and great advice. I haven’t posted yet, because I can be somewhat private while learning a new skill.
But…
I had to post here because I knew folks here would understand my frustration.
I find I am unable to work today, because our streak of sub zero temps is finally reversing (hello from Minnesota, btw)! Unfortunately, that means we’re experiencing 16mph wind directly from the south, pushing 10’F air back in, making it impossible to vent
Our current vent system is a block of pink R-10 foam duct taped into the window opening with a plastic vent frame in place and the vent hose duct taped into that, with towels stuffed around the edges of everything. We already live in a drafty farm house, so we’re making up the difference by plasticing a few other windows that we normally don’t seal
Anyway, I think we can fix this by adding a directional vent thing on the outside of the foam so the exhaust isn’t wide open to the wind.
Also: I unplug the exhaust from the GF unit every time I’m not using it, so it’s not sitting here sucking in sub zero temps. I just put the open vent end in a basket of fabric scraps so the cold air is absorbed.
Any other northern folks here have awesome exhaust systems? Our built-in air filter unit can’t come soon enough (but, having said that, I’m super thrilled to finally have the GF!!!).
Hi;
I’m another MN recent owner. I have a similar set up but house next door blocks wind so I don’t have “unable to use issue”. To block cold air when not in use I went to menards and got $6 plastic louvered dryer vent cover.
In White Bear Lake it will be 29F Sunday!
I’m just on the southwest side of the Twin Cities! I’m super excited for that warm air coming! I just wish it didn’t come from our exposed side of the house
A temporary fix might be to put an ‘awning’ of sorts long enough to block direct wind, or depending on how high off the ground the vent is park something a few inches in front of it.
To have waited 2 years for it only to have the weather deny me wouldn’t work. At all.
I would find a way!
My husband and I are brainstorming fixes and will not the hardware store if needed tomorrow (rural life is great, until you need something from a store…). It’s the second story over a concrete walk out, so the fix will have to be attached to the window insert.
I have played with my baby every day (including today, before realizing the issue) since it arrived, so I’m using this down time for some more design work
I did just walk into the room and look at her wistfully, tho
I have nothing constructive to contribute, but I will think of you all the next time I want go complain about 50 degree weather. Stay warm, kids. Stay warm.
I have a similar setup as I too am waiting for my filter ️
I have a louvered dryer vent (Home Depot) with attached hard pipe that’s about 8"long coming through the hole in the pink foam board (2" board). I attached a blast gate to that and sealed both with foil HVAC tape (also Home Depot). My hose is clamped to the back of the blast gate.
Blast gates are used for shop dust collection setups so you can slide the door shut and it seals the run off from the rest of the system so the dust collector suction isn’t wasted on a machine that’s not running. If you get one try blowing through it with the door shut so you can be sure it’s not a terribly leaky kind.
The louvers outside drop down when not in use and the balst gate slid shut just to keep cold air from dropping into the forge. Slide the gate open and turn on the forge and the exhaust pushes the louvers open.
It’s been sub-zero here and winds gusting to 40mph most days the past two weeks.
I only stick it in the window when the glowforge is running.
I haven’t had any issues the last two weeks, but that side of the house is pretty sheltered. Mine arrived in August, and was kinda expecting a filter by now, but also kinda not. May have used pink foam board instead of cardboard if I had received it last week.
That’s the same vent I use! I had some flat styrofoam and some foamcore in the basement, so I made up a somewhat insulated insert. Also got a quick-disconnect plastic thingy at HD, but:
It’s been subzero with high winds this weekend in VT, so one of the tabs on the quick disconnect broke off. Don’t know if I can just tape over it…
May be a bit late as you are already heading out. I was going to suggest a temporary solution of a small box taped to outside with the bottom cut out. It would keep the wind from directly hitting the exhaust.
This is what I have. Either they’re is snow built up in the front, or the louvered works better than I thought. It’s been single digits out, but there is no/minimal draft coming through the exhaust. Glowforge and all components are a nice room temp.
Edit to add: installed and back to work! Needed something that wouldn’t kill someone if it fell from the second story window that is directly above the back door, and this feels safe enough for my standards (currently at level: paranoid mom).
One thing that can’t hurt: get an in-line Fan booster and an in-line backdraft damper. Even if you don’t need the fan for venting distance, it can help fight against and backdraft from strong wind.
Also, think about your whole house as part of the vent design: if the house is drafty in another area it can suck air from the room the Forge is in, and if your vent is the only place air can come in, it’s gonna do it. Solution can be as simple as keeping that room’s door shut while the Forge is hooked to the vent, blocking the negative pressure.
