Autovent Lifespans

[Guest]

Just after grapes opinions/ experiences on how long their autovents have lasted please?

I bought a bayliss (which a couple of grapes rated) last May however it is now cream crackered. I am not completely barmy - my gh has been reaching over 20 degrees during the day and when it was working it was triggering around 18. I have had a tinker but it is just lifeless. Is this normal.....after just one season?

[alldigging]

Did you take it out when it was winter?

[Guest]

^^^No. I just checked their fitting instructions before I answered Bayliss claim in the fittings pack there is no need to remove it should not be damaged by low temps.

I will have another play tomorrow hopefully.I emailed the person I got it from and they sent me to Bayliss and I have now emailed Bayliss to see what they say (fingers crossed)
It is meant to have a two year guarantee

[WendyC]

I've never removed the autovent over the winter and from memory have replaced once or twice in the last 15 years. So probably 5 years for each tube. Can you see grease leaking out?

[Muddy_Boots]

I've replaced one in the 10 years I've had my greenhouse, I think it was damaged by a really cold spell and I left it connected to the window. After that I've always disconnected it so it doesn't try to close too much during a really cold spell as I suspect it could be damaged if its against resistance, well that's what I think damaged the other after 5 years of fault free operation.

[greenishfing]

I have 4 and the 2 oldest were secondhand when I bought them with their greenhouses years ago. No idea of the make. I don't disconnect them. The only "servicing" they get is a good greasing with Vaseline twice a year and they are still going strong.

I would complain strongly about the one you have bought.

[Guest]

TY all. I am glad (in a bizarre way) that this isn't a common thing for them to die on a seasonal basis. I might get to give someone an earbashing soon - I haven't done that for a while

[greenishfing]

TY all. I am glad (in a bizarre way) that this isn't a common thing for them to die on a seasonal basis. I might get to give someone an earbashing soon - I haven't done that for a while

If you fail to get joy from their customer service at your first attempt warn them that you intend to highlight their inferior product on every possible forum etc online.

There is no excuse for bad customer service when a product is faulty.

[bearded bloke]

The one on Mrs.BB's greenhouse lasted 12 years

[Guest]

I thought I better just do an update. E-mailed baylis and they asked about was there any visible grease and to have some pics of it in situe. The outcome was they sent a new powertube and it is all hunky dory with minimal fuss. Fingers crossed it last a fair few seasons this time.

[veggiechicken]

Just seen this - good result.
I have 2 Bayliss autovents - no problems with either. I've changed the tube on one - once in 30 years Never taken them out for winter.
Hope yours works as well!

[Bigmallly]

Good news NG & great customer service.

[Convolvulus]

Just after grapes opinions/ experiences on how long their autovents have lasted please?

I bought a bayliss (which a couple of grapes rated) last May however it is now cream crackered. I am not completely barmy - my gh has been reaching over 20 degrees during the day and when it was working it was triggering around 18. I have had a tinker but it is just lifeless. Is this normal.....after just one season?

FWIW, I recently bought a S/H greenhouse (no idea of make of greenhouse or autovent) for �20 from the Bay of Evil which looked like this when I went to collect it;



After a fair bit of hard graft it now looks like this;



Apart from showing off my new (to me at least) greenhouse which I am ridiculously proud of, the point of posting this is that judging by its condition, I'd hazard a guess that the previous owner did not carry out any routine maintenance on the vent mechanism. Despite this, I'm very pleased to say that after a bit of tinkering it now opens and closes in synch with that on the greenhouse on the neighbouring allotment plot. So as others have suggested, the autovent mechanism should be fairly robust.

My query (happy to post a new thread or be redirected to an existing one on the topic if more appropriate), is what is max temperature I should be looking for when things get a bit warmer outside?

In addition to the autovent, my greenhouse came with a double set of (non-auto) louvres and I'd rather work out now how to regulate the temperature before cooking what Mrs C has planted in there (likely to be mostly tomatoes but also chillis etc.) on a sunny day.

Thanks,

Mr C.

[Guest]

^^^I am not very knowledgeable in regards to GHs and vents but for what it is worth. My one with the autovent gets silly hot so the auto vent triggers at 18 degrees and I often have the door open. This year I am going to try whitening. As much as toms like the heat they are not fans of stoopidly hot.

Is your GH in sun all day or is there anything to interrupt it i.e. hedge etc?

[MarkPelican]

Mr C.

For tomatoes, I would suggest you want to aim for a maximum temperature around 30-35C. However, my experience is that you can't do that with venting alone, you'll have to shade the greenhouse as well and water inside to use evaporation.

Chillies can stand it hotter.

Again, the issue isn't usually the outside temperature but the amount of sun. My greenhouse is partially shaded by a local oak tree and its at its hotest in May/June when the leaves aren't out fully.

I stand my Chillies in the hottest place I can find.