Squirrel Cage Blower Project Ideas

[Loose Ctrl]

This is a weird project and I was unsure where to put it.



My mother finally replaced the old oil furnace in her house I posted about earlier this year. She went full HVAC! I was given the old squirrel cage blower off the furnace. I have ideas about what I could use it for. However, I'd like to have more ideas. Maybe something more useful than what I can think of. My shop is 12ftx16ft with a 8ftx16ft expansion and a 6ftx6ft bathroom. All concrete floors. I'm still working on redoing my building and adding the 8x16 expansion and 6x6 bathroom. I also have a 20x20 carport I am going to enclose this spring. It will have a gravel or asphalt millings as a floor. I do mostly small engine and motorcycle repair. I dabble in woodworking a little.


What ideas do you have for this blower? She's a big one at almost 2.5 cubic feet in size.

 

[karoc]

First thing is to cover the opening on the side without the mounting bracket.Since those require air over the motor to cool it and will not over amp. They are nice for the shop but those does not kinda broadcast the air, so you will only feel it while in line with it. But what is nice is if you have a work bench then direct the air towards it. You could also build a box for it and put a filter on suction end and on the discharge side maybe hook up couple runs of 4" or 6"duct to your favorite spots in shop. So the ideals will come from your needs and imagination and something nice for the shop

 

[Snap-shawn]

Fabricate a shroud and plumb it into your attic ventilation system. Run it at low/medium speed, you can even pick up solar panels to power it so you will be saving money on electricity in the summer!

 

[Loose Ctrl]

First thing is to cover the opening on the side without the mounting bracket.Since those require air over the motor to cool it and will not over amp. They are nice for the shop but those does not kinda broadcast the air, so you will only feel it while in line with it. But what is nice is if you have a work bench then direct the air towards it. You could also build a box for it and put a filter on suction end and on the discharge side maybe hook up couple runs of 4" or 6"duct to your favorite spots in shop. So the ideals will come from your needs and imagination and something nice for the shop

Really? This side was connected to the air intake inside the house.

 

[Loose Ctrl]

Fabricate a shroud and plumb it into your attic ventilation system. Run it at low/medium speed, you can even pick up solar panels to power it so you will be saving money on electricity in the summer!

That's kind of the idea I had. Use it as a whole shop ventilator fan, only I don't have windows. A 6'wx7'h door all I have. My friend had one on a cheap HF dolly. He rolled it around and used it for various things. He plumbed it so he could quickly convert it to route car exhaust thru it and direct it outside.

 

[couch67]

you mentioned occasional woodworking. An air cleaner might not be on top of your list but mine comes in handy especially in winter once everything is closed up. Hangs from ceiling, and has a dual stage foam and bag filter on the intake.

 

[yeldogt]

I have one that I put into a box (plywood) --- I use it as a dust filter. Google -- there are examples. Mine has a slot for the filter to slip in .... it's very simple.

There was a tread about the control not long ago ... about $20 to have the three speeds that most can do

 

[TriumphFan]

I've got one of these taking up space as well. Don't know what to do with it just yet...
Subscribed

 

[y'sguy]

I've had one for about 20 years now that a friend gave me. I just put it on a roll-around pallet. It is really handy to move it around to where I am working or to point it at the front of a car that is producing a lot of heat from just coming into my shop. I've also rigged it up as suggested as a air filter too. Sure would miss it if it was gone. And no need to get fancy with it. It also quickly dries the floor after I wash it down.

 

[Mike Folks]

A motorcycle cooling fan when doing running tuneups (Carb sync.)? Wire in a three position electrical switch, for the speeds.

 

[justanengineer]

I had one kicking around for a few years that I was given free. The best thing I ever did was give it away. They don’t move enough air to be worth a dam as a shop air filter, BTDT and finally spent $50 on a used shop filter, nor for cooling air-cooled engines or drying floors, BTDT and upgraded to a box fan, nor anything else I could think of.


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[givemethewillys]

Wheeled leaf blower....

 

[andyvh1959]

I have one too, from the old furnace in my house. Still runs smooth and quiet. I think I might mount it up near the ceiling in my new cycle shop garage, set up pulleys to run it slow just to move air around in the shop without it really blowing like nuts. With it at the back of the shop, blowing out toward the OH door may also reduce the number of bugs and mosquitoes hanging around me on summer days on the shop.

 

[txvwnut]

First thing is to cover the opening on the side without the mounting bracket.Since those require air over the motor to cool it and will not over amp. They are nice for the shop but those does not kinda broadcast the air, so you will only feel it while in line with it. But what is nice is if you have a work bench then direct the air towards it. You could also build a box for it and put a filter on suction end and on the discharge side maybe hook up couple runs of 4" or 6"duct to your favorite spots in shop. So the ideals will come from your needs and imagination and something nice for the shop

For the record that is a center flange wheel and draws air from both sides. I used the blower from my old furnace as an exhaust fan in the shop.

 

[Legion Prime]

You could make up an enclosure, toss in a water pump and make a swamp cooler out of it.

 

[Terranova]

I built an air filter like a few of the other guys but incorporated it into a rolling clamp rack as well. I can move it around or closer to work projects as needed.

 

[pepi]

I use mine to control over spray.

A paint booth

Then again painting, never have paint on the floor, very handy for all spray painting. Think portable down draft

 

[Loose Ctrl]

You guys have given me a lot of ideas. I'll have to keep pondering and see where I end up when I finish my little shop of horrors.

 

[johnnyradiant]

I cut a hole in my woodshop wall and have one blowing out. When doing something where my dust collector struggles to catch the dust, or something fumy, I turn it on. It is opposite my door and with the door cracked open it moves the air/dust in one direction - away from where the majority of where my actual working is.

 

[karoc]

For the record that is a center flange wheel and draws air from both sides. I used the blower from my old furnace as an exhaust fan in the shop.

Good point, when we change out peoples furnaces I would always pull blower section and put 1/4 plywood over the open side so that all the air would enter on the motor side to keep it cool. Mount a handle on top and install a cord cap then sell them for 25.00 each. Those were days, tough and hot.

 

[Shootinok]

There’s an older thread on this.

What to do with old HVAC squirrel cage fans?
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=419291

These things can move a LOT of air.

The restriction is the key. I blocked mine while running and measured the amp draw. When it was 15 amps (which is listed on the motor) I marked it then attached the plate in the front. Covers about 1/2 the opening.

Restriction IS necessary and can be achieved on the input or output, but without it the motor will burn up.
In the house the air was restricted by the size and length of the duct work and a filter.


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[Shootinok]

Adding to my previous post...

When I first set this up, I had it on a small furniture mover. The fan would simply push itself backwards as the force of air was too much to stay on wheels.
I took it off and added rubber pads. A single back leg with rubber foot for a 3 point stand. That works great.

It is still to much air to be pointed at anything in the shop. I typically place it at the door facing out to pull air, dust, fumes (must be non combustible) out.


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[Bigblockyeti]

You could make a fume extractor for welding or painting.


Run suspended solvents in this side to safe(ish)ly ventilate paint fumes.

Run suspended paint solvents in this side to make a bomb.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

First thing is to cover the opening on the side without the mounting bracket. Since those require air over the motor to cool it and will not over amp.

That is not true. It will not stop an overcurrent condition, but it can cause overheating. Blocking off the inlet reduces the load on the motor and it overspeeds. Eventually it will overheat. Having no restriction on the outlet causes overcurrent due to excessive load. Fabricate a discharge plenum or partially block the discharge side. That puts some load on the motor and stops overspeeding. You can try blocking different amounts until the motor runs at the rated FLA.

Tommy

 

[Nowater]

you mentioned occasional woodworking. An air cleaner might not be on top of your list but mine comes in handy especially in winter once everything is closed up. Hangs from ceiling, and has a dual stage foam and bag filter on the intake.

I did what he did, except mine does not look as nice. Mine came from an AC unit and was 240 volts and two speed, not including off.

I use two filters for mine to help with dust. The high speed is too fast for my shop.

A woodworker close by uses his to blow air to cool down. You could also use it to exhaust air from one of your shop areas.

Find out the voltage first, and number of speeds first. That will guide you in the speed selection switch if you opt for multiple speeds.

 

[Loose Ctrl]

Thanks guys for the ideas. I don't do any painting or welding inside my shop. I may use it to help move air to cool it a little in the summer or maybe use it to extract exhaust fumes during the winter while I'm running stuff inside. My initial thought was to remove my attic door in the shop and put a grill in and have it pull air through the shop to prevent any moister build up and hopefully stop mold or mildew. I've not had any problems before. I live in an area that's very humid and warm almost year round.

There’s an older thread on this.

What to do with old HVAC squirrel cage fans?
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=419291

These things can move a LOT of air.

The restriction is the key. I blocked mine while running and measured the amp draw. When it was 15 amps (which is listed on the motor) I marked it then attached the plate in the front. Covers about 1/2 the opening.

Restriction IS necessary and can be achieved on the input or output, but without it the motor will burn up.
In the house the air was restricted by the size and length of the duct work and a filter.


Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app

Thanks. I'm checking that thread now.