Hi everyone,
I am making a vent system for my L&L e18m-3 kiln, which is a small kiln, 3.2 cubit feet. I am making a downdraft vent similar setup to the L&L and Skutt vents (it was over my budget to buy one which is why I'm making my own).
The fans sold with the pre-made vent kits are about 130 CFM, but the fan I have is 230 CFM. Does anyone know if this would be too powerful for my small kiln? My understanding is that the amount of air bring drawn out of the kiln will be determined by the number of holes in the kiln lid and floor, and that the amount of fresh air being brought in to mix with the air from the kiln will be determined by how far I have the draft slide open on the bypass box. I am sure length of duct pipe between the kiln and the fan will also make a difference. I'm planning on about 6-8 feet.
I was thinking of starting off drilling one hole in the base of the kiln and adding more if needed.
As for where the outlet vent goes, the easiest for me is to make a detachable board that can be placed over a window located about 8 feet away above the height of the kiln, rather than make a hole in the garage wall, but I will do the latter if needed.
So, for those who may have built their own vents or know a little more about it, I have several questions!
- is the fan too powerful to the point where I can't reduce the airflow enough using the methods I mentioned?
- is it necessary to drill holes in both the lid and the base or just in the base?
- does it make a difference whether the outlet for the vent (a dryer vent in my case) is mounted above or below the kiln?
Thanks!