Industrial-type ceiling fans?

[chazzz]

Summer is coming. I am looking for a big diameter industrial-type ceiling fan for my garage. Somewhat similar to BigAss ceiling fan, but a bit smaller and affordable (BigAss ceiling fans are priced around $3000+ each. Yikes).

If you have one in your garage, please post your picture here. thanks.

 

[tjdux]

Im familiar with big *** fans and from the moment i first saw one ive looked for something similiar to no avail.

Sadly even if you bought 10 or 15 regular ceiling fans it wouldn't be as effective or cool as a pair of big *** fans.

3k doesn't sound wrong but last i checked their site they were doing some smaller stuff and wall mount things that are a little cheaper but still plenty pricy...

Sadly making a great big homemade fan AND getting it well balanced seems pretty challenging and not cheap either.

A few alternatives ive been looking into is finding junked air conditioner condenser fans or big squirrel cage fans from HVAC units, and just big used 24+ inch diameters. Floor fans. Sure they are eating up valuable floor space which i know i cant afford to lose and i imagine you either but its better than slow cooking to a nice tender fat guy stew or spending my yearly tool budget (or 2) on something i dont need but 5 months a year.

Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703

 

[Stuart in MN]

Grainger has a pretty good selection of ceiling fans, take a look at their website.

 

[walrus]

Instead on one big expensive one, why not go with several cheap ones. Plain white ones.

 

[cowboy73]

How about this one: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Cascadia-L...door-Commercial-Ceiling-Fan-3-Blade/100006013

2 or 3 smaller, less expensive fans would be my preference. What if the $3,000 fan quits after the warranty runs out? How much is another fan motor? A $200 fan dying doesn't hurt quite so bad. I would bet that the motor for the expensive one is more than $200.

 

[IowaDon]

I like the looks of this 84" one from Home Depot:

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Home-Decor...iling-Fan-YG491-BN/205718225?keyword=Fenceham

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[tjdux]

I like the looks of this 84" one from Home Depot:

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Home-Decor...iling-Fan-YG491-BN/205718225?keyword=Fenceham

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Hey nice find there with that 84 inch. That from a visual standpoint appears to be close to a big *** fans clone or at least knock off.

Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703

 

[tjdux]

How about this one: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Cascadia-L...door-Commercial-Ceiling-Fan-3-Blade/100006013

2 or 3 smaller, less expensive fans would be my preference. What if the $3,000 fan quits after the warranty runs out? How much is another fan motor? A $200 fan dying doesn't hurt quite so bad. I would bet that the motor for the expensive one is more than $200.

OP was saying that the 3k fan is probably out of his price range anyways but look up big *** fans website and just look at how awesome they are. Then look at their 15 year warrenty for the power foil line... Its serious stuff for warehouses and factories.

Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703

 

[tjdux]

Big *** fans go up to 24 ft diameter for, whati beleive, is their largest fan. Super awesome. Heck their logo is a donkeys rear end

Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703

 

[IowaDon]

Hey nice find there with that 84 inch. That from a visual standpoint appears to be close to a big *** fans clone or at least knock off.

Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703

I didn't find them originally, a user named Repsolracer22 here has a couple and posted pictures of them. For $219 they look to be a pretty nice substitute for a B.A.F.

Myself, I just have a couple solid white Emerson fans I picked up for $5 each on craigslist.

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[isb cornbinder]

I have two 36 inch, five blade fans in my 865sf shop. I bought both of them off Craigslist. One was free and the other was $15. Both fans have been in service over two years.
My main reason for having these fans is to circulate the heated air and keep it from becoming stratified.
Fans do not cool the hot summer air, in fact a running fan will add heat from the electric motor and the friction of the air molecules being pushed around by the fans will cause some minor amount of heating. If a person feels cool it is because of sweat evaporation.

(both of my fans are domestic fans)

 

[astrohip]

There is nothing like a Big *** Fan. They move a ton of air, far more than two or three smaller fans. They are whisper quiet. They even self balance every time they start.

Worth every dollar.

 

[chazzz]

I like the looks of this 84" one from Home Depot:

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Home-Decor...iling-Fan-YG491-BN/205718225?keyword=Fenceham

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

$219 for that fan? That's not bad. Mmmmmmm...

 

[Dragfluid]

Spending that kind of serious money on ceiling fans is ridiculous, IMHO. Plus, if you look at the weight of those things, they need more than just a simple "fan box" in the ceiling.

In my Shed, I have 3) 52" industrial metal fans. (see my build thread)
They move a lot of air, and air going across the body does make you feel cooler. The sweat evaporating on you is natures air conditioning.

Plus, running them in the other direction in the winter, helps put the heat that's up there down where it will do some good.

 

[Jeff Scott]

These are what I plan to use: http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/fans/ceiling-beam/industrial-ceiling-fan-white-60

46,000 cfm if you need that much air movement. Hundred bucks, plus a separate fan controller which is like $40.

 

[Dragfluid]

These are what I plan to use: http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/fans/ceiling-beam/industrial-ceiling-fan-white-60

46,000 cfm if you need that much air movement. Hundred bucks, plus a separate fan controller which is like $40.

That's the brand of mine. That controller works really nice, too. It controls all 3 fans. Forward and reverse with the flick of the switch on the controller.
Just remember to run either 14/4 w/ground, or 2) 14/2 with ground (much cheaper).

 

[Dr Stan]

I have three 52" ceiling fans equally spaced and two 20 inch high velocity floor fans mounted upside down on the trusses at the halfway point on the long dimension of my shop. Three sky lights also help a lot.

When I raise my roof I'll need to make some changes, primarily to the floor fans. In Kentucky the combination of these makes AC in the shop necessary only a few days each summer. Also helps get the welding fumes/smoke out of the shop. BTW, my shop is 24 X 48 and has a 6ft wide man door on the west end (short side) and a 10' wide overhead door on the east end of the north wall. I can get a very nice cross wind and believe my multiple openings are key to keeping my shop cool.

 

[My Old Tools]

Hunter has fans up to 96" for around $900 Big Air has a 96" for around $800. Minkaire has a 96" for $900. There are a few more on Amazon as well.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I like the looks of this 84" one from Home Depot:

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Home-Decor...iling-Fan-YG491-BN/205718225?keyword=Fenceham

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if it's real nickle, it will probably will rust in a year in a garage...


Tommy

 

[bzinsky]

These are what I plan to use: http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/fans/ceiling-beam/industrial-ceiling-fan-white-60

46,000 cfm if you need that much air movement. Hundred bucks, plus a separate fan controller which is like $40.

I have a tough time believing that little fan moves 4x the air as the 84" home depot one.

The 7ft, $2600, Big *** fan moves 29,000 cfm

 

[astrohip]

I said it above, but it bears repeating. BAF are so quiet, you have to strain to hear them. Maybe in some settings noise isn't an issue, but to move that much air, and not add to the background noise, that's part of why people buy a BAF.

 

[bzinsky]

I said it above, but it bears repeating. BAF are so quiet, you have to strain to hear them. Maybe in some settings noise isn't an issue, but to move that much air, and not add to the background noise, that's part of why people buy a BAF.

Oversized ceiling fans are quiet by design. I'm sure BAF's are very high quality, but I'm pretty certain an 84" fan from home depot for $200 and a $2500 BAF 84" fan will be very similar in noise level.

Considering I've never seen a BAF, only a few large big box store fans which made no noise at all, I suppose it's possible the BAF fans spin a lot faster and if you were to spin the home depot fan that fast it would start to make noise.

 

[ctgoodman]

The noise comes from the blades manipulating the air. In order to move the same amount of air the smaller fans run a higher rotational speed. A BAF will spin at a much lower speed and is nearly silent. I have been in large shops with them. They are impressive but big money.

 

[nsula_country]

I have worked at a facility that had BAF's. I also replaced several VFD on them (Mfg defect) not BAF issue. They are impressive, they are massive. The big ones have 3-5hp motors on them driving a reducer. An issue with a BAF is if there are lights above the blades, they make a shadowing strobe effect.

I just installed 4, Emerson HF1160 fans in our 2400 sq/ft 40x60x17 shop. They are 60", 3 composite blades and put out a little over 10,000 CFM on high. I had also used these on my porches when we built our house about 5 years ago.

They are mounted about 18' from the floor. Low speed would probably be good for pushing heated air down. On medium speed, they are quiet and can feel a light breeze. On highest speed, they will part your hair and blow loose objects around with noticeable blade sound, but not excessive. Controlling them Lutron Toggler fan controls. Available in black, white or brushed steel.

I have pictures on my build thread.

CT

 

[rustyjames]

I have two of the same Emerson's and am very happy with them, they are quiet and move a lot of air. They can be used in damp locations as well.

 

[dw1]

I put my fans up a couple of years ago, but they were the HD deal of the day (online) I bought 2 Westinghouse 56" fans with 5 speed controllers, they were like $52 each, they are metal blades, nickel finish. They work just fine.

 

[Richard D]

My dad has Big *** Fans in his living room(it's not typical, he lives in a 20' high metal building), and I wasn't impressed. Couldn't even feel the air moving. Maybe they are variable speed and were turned down?

In my shop I have several attic or "Whole House Fans", that I have built wooden boxes aroung and put on casters. They have belt drive motors ranging in size from 36", 1/3 H.P. to a 48", 8 blade, 1-1/2 H.P. monster.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306644
I just got a 1-1/2 H.P. 3400 RPM three phase motor/VFD package to run it, variable speed will be nice because this thing moves so much air it will blow a beer can off the roof of the car.

Another I mounted on a swivel:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=242703

 

[bzinsky]

The noise comes from the blades manipulating the air. In order to move the same amount of air the smaller fans run a higher rotational speed. A BAF will spin at a much lower speed and is nearly silent. I have been in large shops with them. They are impressive but big money.

yeah that's basically what I'm saying

a $200 84" home depot fan should have pretty similar noise levels to a $2500 84" BAF. I just don't think noise is the reason the buy BAF. Pretty sure that comes along with the territory when you have blades that large.

 

[Andy_GTS]

Man you guys spend some serious coin on fans.

I don't have nearly the needs of most of you, only 720sq/ft. I was wondering if this would meet my needs? On sale for about $42, but is it junk?

https://www.menards.com/main/lighti...4438412460-c-7486.htm?tid=8885366938566645159

 

[rburke65]

It don't look bad fo $42! But it's an inexpensive fan. This thing may last you 10 years! I have box fans that are 40 years old....still working.

 

[nsula_country]

Man you guys spend some serious coin on fans.

I don't have nearly the needs of most of you, only 720sq/ft. I was wondering if this would meet my needs? On sale for about $42, but is it junk?

https://www.menards.com/main/lighti...4438412460-c-7486.htm?tid=8885366938566645159

For 720 sq/ft (assuming less than 10' high) any fan would probably work. The fan you listed should provide some comfort will probably last a long time.

The fans that I mentioned, Emerson HF1160 are serious fans and about $200 each. Emerson says to not install them without a minimum of 10' between floor and blades. So it would take an 11'+ mounting height to use them. At 40' they cover 3500 sq/ft each!

CT

 

[nsula_country]

Emerson HF1160

http://ceilingfans.emerson.com/shop/en/fan/60-industrial-fan-hf1160ww

Been building fans for over 125 years!

CT

 

[mike in tucson]

Fans are super sensitive to the resistance to flow. A common beginner mistake is to mount the fan 18" from the ceiling and then wonder why the flow ***** in either direction. Of course, mounting the fan too low results in hair oil on the blades as the fan scrapes the top of your head.....Most 8' ceiling houses aren't made for a fan to operate properly....builders don't give a rat's *** if the fan is mounted properly.

 

[DpSyChO]

I got two of these and happy with them so far EXCEPT the four speed switch that came with them.
The switch is slide style and goes up/down. All the way at the bottom is off, all the way up is slowest speed. So your switch is off (all way down) and you slide it up to go to: speed 4 (fastest), speed 3, speed 2, speed 1 (slowest, all way up).
Why the heck does it not go from off - slowest to fastest.
They work so I wont change them out unless I find some replacements really cheap. I just dont like going from off to the fastest speed in order to go to a slower speed.
HD fan

 

[Jeff Scott]

I have a tough time believing that little fan moves 4x the air as the 84" home depot one.

The 7ft, $2600, Big *** fan moves 29,000 cfm

That's what they have in their specs, idk. I'll report back when i get one to try.

 

[Kalefan]

Do you have an idea of using big hvls fan to ventilate and cool in garage? Like this

 

[astrohip]

Do you have an idea of using big hvls fan to ventilate and cool in garage? Like this

I'm not getting any images.

 

[HAP]

My 10' Big *** Fan used in my 40x60 is awesome. All others simply produce noise and heat. A heavy but high quality fan. Reputable company as well. Tricky mounting it by yourself...
R,
HAP

 

[Krzewinskibe]

I considered a BAF but couldn't justify the cost. Fan noise wasn't a concern so I went with a pair of 56" envirofans. Pretty nice at $230 each and I can have them wired in parallel to a wall mounted switch to easily control direction and speed of both fans. On high, each fan is rated at 2100 sqft and 34,500 cfm. They do "whoosh" pretty loudly on high LOL

 

[Richard D]

What kind of speed/direction control do you use?