soj
Well-known member
I got this idea from member MTW, in this thread, post #3 & 4. Thanks MTW for the idea.
I have this 36", two speed exhaust fan close to the peak of the shop. It moves enough air to reduce the heat on hot days, but with a roll up door all the way open, I can not feel a breeze. I can close the door to about 5' from the floor and create a nice breeze in a work area about 10' into the shop. If I am using it while creating dust, it pulls the dust through the shop, most of it settling before it gets sucked out.
After reading MTWs ideas on using an exhaust fan as an intake fan, I realized that was a better way to go. Those posts are from 2013, but I only found them this summer. I have since been considering the best way (for me) to reverse my fan. The housing has a cone shaped shroud around the blade, so the housing is directional. The only way to reverse the airflow was to remove and turn the whole fan around. That leaves the outside exposed, since the shutters would now be inside. It also places the motor, pulleys and blades closer to the outside. I moved the shutters back to the outside to protect the motor.
MTW used a reversible motor with magnetic starter, a timer and a shutter control to open the shutters before the fan starts. Since I only going to run the fan in one direction, I decided to go lo-tek and reverse the shutters as well, letting the fan pull (instead of push) them open. I also put a sheet metal hood over and on each side of the fan (outside) to keep rain out.
Got it all finished yesterday, and it works great. With the roll up door open to 5', and working close to it, dust gets pushed out the door. I used it some today, while it was raining hard, and no water was sucked in.
I am very pleased with the result. Something to consider if you are thinking about installing an exhaust fan for next summer.
jp
I have this 36", two speed exhaust fan close to the peak of the shop. It moves enough air to reduce the heat on hot days, but with a roll up door all the way open, I can not feel a breeze. I can close the door to about 5' from the floor and create a nice breeze in a work area about 10' into the shop. If I am using it while creating dust, it pulls the dust through the shop, most of it settling before it gets sucked out.
After reading MTWs ideas on using an exhaust fan as an intake fan, I realized that was a better way to go. Those posts are from 2013, but I only found them this summer. I have since been considering the best way (for me) to reverse my fan. The housing has a cone shaped shroud around the blade, so the housing is directional. The only way to reverse the airflow was to remove and turn the whole fan around. That leaves the outside exposed, since the shutters would now be inside. It also places the motor, pulleys and blades closer to the outside. I moved the shutters back to the outside to protect the motor.
MTW used a reversible motor with magnetic starter, a timer and a shutter control to open the shutters before the fan starts. Since I only going to run the fan in one direction, I decided to go lo-tek and reverse the shutters as well, letting the fan pull (instead of push) them open. I also put a sheet metal hood over and on each side of the fan (outside) to keep rain out.
Got it all finished yesterday, and it works great. With the roll up door open to 5', and working close to it, dust gets pushed out the door. I used it some today, while it was raining hard, and no water was sucked in.
I am very pleased with the result. Something to consider if you are thinking about installing an exhaust fan for next summer.
jp
