© MINOTAIR Ventilation Inc. - www.minotair.com
25
(PENTACARE-V12-OWNER'S MANUAL-2019-Rev-014)
I
NSTALLING
F
LEXIBLE
D
UCTS
•
Generally, flexible ducts should be avoided because they produce a lot of
restriction which leads to a higher static pressure (air restriction) inside the
ductwork. The higher the static pressure, the more the fans will have to rotate to
compensate, which in turn increases ventilation noise and energy consumption.
•
If and when you install flexible ducts they must:
o
Be of the highest quality and capable of sustaining a negative static
pressure of 1.5" of water column for the return ducts and the fresh air
intake,
o
Be as short as possible,
o
Be stretched enough to reduce the internal roughness caused
by the duct’s
natural folds,
o
Not be crushed, and
o
Not have a bend radius inferior to the rigid elbows’ bend
radius when
changing direction. If this is not possible, replace the curved portion by its
rigid equivalent and isolate it as required.
•
IMPORTANT
: Only use acoustic flexible ducts capable of withstanding a negative
static pressure of 1.5 in H2O to prevent the extraction ducts liner from imploding.
Moreover, if the flexible duct must move moist air (humidifier, bathrooms), the
insulation must be protected by a vapor barrier located between the liner and the
insulation. The Minotair
AcoustiCare
© series of flexible ducts and prefabricated mufflers
are products that meet all these requirements for peace of mind installations.
V
ALIDATING THE
D
UCTS
I
NSTALLATION
•
IMPORTANT!
To avoid problems caused by too much air restriction in ductwork,
make sure that the static pressure does not exceed 1.6 inches of water column
(400 Pa) when operating in Air Exchanger and Recirculation modes with the unit
running at full capacity, depending on the previously selected maximum airflow
setting. Use the last screen of the "Ventilation" menu to get the static pressure
reading.
•
If you get a static pressure greater than 1.6 inches of water column (400 Pa), you
must identify the causes of this excessive pressure and apply remedial actions.
Possible causes mostly comprise the improper installation of ductwork. For
example, the use of undersized conduits, crushed flexible conduits and their non-
compliance with the minimum bend radius.
