Proper louver installation in metal building

[snrusnak]

Hello everyone. I made a thread last year about the ridiculous heat and humidity in my 30x40 metal building shop in the summer. I couldn't afford AC and was considering a wall mounted fan. I received a lot of great feedback in that thread but fall soon came and I never did anything about it.

Now being that spring is around the corner, I want to get a fan installed. I decided I may condition the shop down the road but can't currently afford it. I got a nice fan for free, so it will be minimal cost to install anyway, and is a good starting point. Even if it doesn't solve my problem, it will be nice to have a fan in there.

I received a lot of advice from one particular person, even continuing to email advice after the thread. I don't remember their username but you know who you are if you read this and I thank you.

The fan I received is a 3 phase fan, 1/3hp, off an old electrical transformer, and is 24" with aluminum blades. I intend to buy a cheap VFD to convert the single phase to 3 phase, and gain reversible option and variable speed.

My question for this thread though, is I'm struggling to understand the proper way to install (primarily flash) the fan. I will frame (2x4s) out the wall to support the fan, but after I cut the opening in the R panels, how do I install a louver (do I need a wall sleeve, etc)? I tried googling some info and even searching the site with limited results. I've seen remarks to "self flashing" louvers. I am trying to find something that really shows how to install. I looked at my man door and it has J channel of some sort as the trim, but with the insulation on the inside I can't very clearly see how it's lapped/installed either.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. I also don't really want to seal it with a bunch of caulking, which is why I ask the "proper" way.

I want a manual louver, maybe one that will blow open by the airflow of the fan, but also something I could tie a rope to or something to manually lock open if I decide to reverse the fan. Motorized would be good too, but I need to keep cost as low as possible.

Thanks in advance. I can provide pictures if needed.

 

[jgorm]

Just flash it the same way they do the windows and doors on metal buildings. I think your fan is a crazy choice, but it seems like you want it. I'd just by a whole house fan and mount it vertical.

 

[wnstwolf]

^^^^x2

Cut out and trim as if it were a window. This is the unit I used.

http://s3.supplyhouse.com/images/products/zoom/2she36d1-1.jpg

 

[snrusnak]

Why is the fan a crazy choice? I'm not being a smart mouth I don't understand...?

Do you think one of those whole hose fans would be as good as this one? What hp, cfm, how many amps, rpm, etc? The fans I was looking at purchasing online were very expensive to get a good fan.

I may have been a little vague I guess on my question... I have never done any work on a metal building and don't know how the regular windows are flashed. That's why I'm asking for help. I tried to look at my door to see how it's flashed but with the insulation I can't really see anything...

I found this video but it doesn't get detailed...I don't see how that window would be water tight...

 

[jgorm]

Why is the fan a crazy choice? I'm not being a smart mouth I don't understand...?

Do you think one of those whole hose fans would be as good as this one? What hp, cfm, how many amps, rpm, etc? The fans I was looking at purchasing online were very expensive to get a good fan.

I may have been a little vague I guess on my question... I have never done any work on a metal building and don't know how the regular windows are flashed. That's why I'm asking for help. I tried to look at my door to see how it's flashed but with the insulation I can't really see anything...

I found this video but it doesn't get detailed...I don't see how that window would be water tight...

Going through the complication and expense of a phase converter for a "wimpy" 1/3hp fan seems crazy to me. How many years was it continuously run?
I would just buy this one. Same 1/3hp with 30" blades and louvers for $318
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-F...hole-House-Fan-with-Shutter-30BWHFS/202067896

Yeah, flash it like the video and caulk it.

 

[snrusnak]

Ok thanks for explaining. I appreciate any input I can get. I think for now at least I'm going to stick with the fan I currently have, as I got it free, it has greasable bearings, and I can buy a VFD (with phase converter) for about $150. With that I gain reversible ability, variable speed potentiometer, and probably a million other features I'll never use. It is old and surely has a lot of use, but it's a really heavy duty fan and really nice. I don't know much about fans but was told by someone else on here that seemed extremely knowledgeable that this fan would move a lot more air than the ones at the big box stores.

But anyway, this thread was really about mounting it. How do you lap the "j trim" at the corners? I don't quite understand that. It seems like the top would lap in front of the sides, but how do you do it at the sill? My door and over head door trim isn't caulked anywhere but are watertight. I assumed you could do a window/louver this way. My father in law did a window in his shop and caulked it but I know a couple years down the road he'll be pestered with leaks.

 

[lakeroadster]

Here are some details of how the trim is installed on my building...

Might help you with your installation

Man Door Trim

________________
Overhead Door Trim

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Ok thanks for explaining. I appreciate any input I can get. I think for now at least I'm going to stick with the fan I currently have, as I got it free, it has greasable bearings, and I can buy a VFD (with phase converter) for about $150. With that I gain reversible ability, variable speed potentiometer, and probably a million other features I'll never use. It is old and surely has a lot of use, but it's a really heavy duty fan and really nice. I don't know much about fans but was told by someone else on here that seemed extremely knowledgeable that this fan would move a lot more air than the ones at the big box stores.

But anyway, this thread was really about mounting it. How do you lap the "j trim" at the corners? I don't quite understand that. It seems like the top would lap in front of the sides, but how do you do it at the sill? My door and over head door trim isn't caulked anywhere but are watertight. I assumed you could do a window/louver this way. My father in law did a window in his shop and caulked it but I know a couple years down the road he'll be pestered with leaks.

You could replace the motor with a single phase motor. (variable speed and reversible are still possible). I don't know why you want reversible. I'd just use it to exhaust air and have simple louvers that are blown open. (Does the unit you have include louvers?)
Remember that any air you blow (in or out) has to come or go from somewhere.
Seems like you are making this a lot more complicated (and expensive) than it needs to be.

 

[snrusnak]

Thanks lakeroadster that helps a little bit. Looks like your panels are slightly different design than mine but the concept should be the same I'd assume.

Leaflessshadetree, I don't know that I'll need reversibility, but it's a feature of the VFD so if I go that route I'd have that option. The fan I have does not have a louver, which is why I need to install one separately. I've found several louvers online for well under $100, and I can buy the VFD for about $150, so still the cheapest route, and I believe the best (most flexibility and options). It's not clicking for my why this would be a more expensive path...although yes maybe slightly more complicated. But wiring in a VFD is not complicated. I also like the idea of mounting the fan separate from the louver as I could change the fan if need be.

I intended to mount two louvers on the opposite side of the shop to allow airflow when the roll up door is shut (I intend to use the VFD to control with a humidistat or possibly thermostat during the hot summer days when the roll up door is shut). When the shop is in use the door will be open so no issue there.

If I went with a different single phase fan or replacement motor I wouldn't buy the VFD as I probably wouldn't be able to afford it. I'd like to install the louver first, then purchase the VFD and mount the fan/VFD. I can then use the fan when I'm in the shop with the door open. Then mount the other louvers and humidistat/thermostat so I can program it to run as needed even with the door shut.