Shop fan

jaybee · July 05, 2011, 09:25:49 PM

I built my garage without windows. At the time it seemed like a great idea because no one can break in on a side where I can't see it. From that point of view it's been a great success, but...

Thirty feet from the front of the building there's no air moving AT ALL. Bet you've experienced the same thing. In January that isn't a big deal. In July it's oppressive. I've tried putting a fan near my work, which helps, but you're just moving hot air around. I've tried putting a blower just outside the front of the garage, which is better, but of limited usefulness. I'm ready to try something new.

For that I have a Dayton 2 speed, reversible fan that's been used previously in a gable end vent. Effectively it's just a heavy duty box fan, with metal blades, a flange for mounting, and a grill only on one side. My plan is to put it in the shop rafters and build a plenum to the soffit, with a screened opening there. I'll make it so that it can be sealed off in the winter or perhaps even reconfigured to circulate the warm air that tends to collect high in the building during the heating season.

I have a pretty good handle on what I want to do, but need to start with a basic question about the fan motor. Does the motor need to be oriented with its shaft horizontal or close to horizontal? Ideally I'd like to place the unit on its back with the blades on top, rotating in a horizontal plane. If that's going to compromise the life of the fan I can make it work, but it'll take a little more work.

Fift4fe · July 05, 2011, 11:27:49 PM

Before A/C my whole house fan was mounted with the shaft vertical. You may want to look at one of them and compare.

Crosley.In.AZ · July 05, 2011, 11:46:53 PM

In the early daze of my shop completion, I used a evap cooler on wheels. worked fine if you were in front of it.

5 tons of heat-pump solved my problem in the shop. I set thermostat at 84 and it keeps the humidity out. On weekends the thermostat may be set lower. LOL

Tonight , We have a big dust - wind storm roll in: "Haboob"" is what they call these... rolling thru still. Temp dropped from 104 to 76 in a few minutes.

Mikej · July 06, 2011, 08:57:09 AM

It depends on the motor design. Different motors are made to mount shaft up, down or side ways. Furnace blower motors should be able to go either way. A single shaft motor would require the right one.

GPster · July 06, 2011, 10:01:35 AM

Quote from: "Mikej"It depends on the motor design. Different motors are made to mount shaft up, down or side ways. Furnace blower motors should be able to go either way. A single shaft motor would require the right one.

As far as the motor goes if it is a shaded pole motor (if that's the description?) it would be OK. If it is a motor that has a start winding in it that depends on a centrifugal switch to activate it, it will lead to problems. The weight of the fan blade will make the armiture run against it's thrust washers which may cause the starting switch to not engage or not release by the action of the centrifigle switch. Shaded pole motors will have the magnitism of the fields try to electronically center the armiture while it's running. With the verticle armiture and the horizontal fan it any motor type you will be looking at the weight of the fan as a factor plus the force of the fan trying to suck/push the air. You've got the fan use it but if you ever plan on needing to move a lot of air a big fan mounted verticle with a horizontal armiture on the motor to belt drive the fan would be better. GPster

wayne petty · July 06, 2011, 12:47:26 PM

one might also want to search out some belt drive blower assemblies removed from forced air furnaces...

i have noticed that grainger wants over 400 bucks for them.. so searching out used one...

without restriction on the outlet they seem to blow cooler air without cooling fins...

being creative... one might also want to have a look at this site..

http://www.bigassfans.com/ i am not telling you to write a big ___ check.. just for ideas...

there is nothing stopping one from creating their own fan using automotive parts..

i have seen chevy water pumps bolted to the lag bolted to a post. with a flex fan mounted in a conventional way.. 1/2HP electric motor spinning the water pump pulley..

electric radiator cooling fans have also been used.. putting the battery charger to use when not charing batteries...

jaybee · July 06, 2011, 04:27:54 PM

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I should've known to be more specific from the beginning. The motor looks very much like this one; http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-HVAC-33-In-Diameter-Motor-3M547?cm_sp=IO-_-Home-_-VTV70300505&cm_vc=HPPVZ3

wayne petty · July 06, 2011, 04:32:24 PM

thats a nice small motor.. won't set you back when it comes time to pay the power bill..

but looking at the motor.. its a NON standard.. OEM replacement at 1/20 th of a horsepower.. thats not going to move a LOT of air...

are not those used in squirrel cage fans?

i sure like these also..

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DART-CONTROLS-Adjustable-Speed-AC-Motor-Control-5JJ60?BaseItem=3M547

i use a 10 amp variac to control my fan speeds.. but they cost over 150 bucks..

enjenjo · July 06, 2011, 04:39:51 PM

As long as the fan is not too heavy, it should work fine. I have an old furnace blower, squirrel cage type, that moves a ton of air. It was free. opening is about 16 by 16.

jaybee · July 06, 2011, 04:45:48 PM

Aluminum blades, I'm going to start setting it up that way. Will post pics as I do the work. Thanks.

Bruce Dorsi · July 07, 2011, 01:52:15 AM

Another source for a reliable fan is from a central a/c outdoor unit. .....Most of these had decent cfm, and vertical-shaft motors.

A lot of a/c units are replaced in their entirety if the evaporator, compressor, or condenser fails. ....The fan & motor are usually still good.

Most, I believe, are capacitor-start, capacitor-run motors, so if you can get one for free, make sure you get the capacitors & wiring diagram.

Also, check for suitable voltage & phase of the motor.

Mikej · July 07, 2011, 09:20:09 AM

Quote from: "jaybee"Thanks for all the feedback so far. I should've known to be more specific from the beginning. The motor looks very much like this one; http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-HVAC-33-In-Diameter-Motor-3M547?cm_sp=IO-_-Home-_-VTV70300505&cm_vc=HPPVZ3

You will notice in the motor descricption it says all angle. So it will work. A/C condenser motors are 220 volt.

jaybee · July 07, 2011, 11:13:31 PM

Today I had time to do a little clean up, a drop of fresh oil to each of the oiling tubes, reassemble, and slip it up between the roof trusses. After that a piece of hardboard fills the space between the trusses to make the bottom of a plenum. Still need to build the rest of the plenum and a screened soffit vent. I have a couple of pics but no time to resize and post them tonight.

wayne petty · July 07, 2011, 11:24:27 PM

by the way... this works much better on electric motor bushings and bearings....

http://http.cdnlayer.com/ec1images/raw/products/1/12054_022609i_au.jpg

available at most hardware stores... usually 3 bucks...

taxpyer · July 08, 2011, 03:15:07 AM

I have the same as enjenjo,,,

an old furnace fan and boy does it move the air. I have a 30x60 shop and you can feel the air moving at the other end of the shop.

Crosely, how much does it cost to heat your shop with the heat pump and how big is your shop?