In Duct Fan


  #1  
Old 11-25-00, 06:58 PM
Kemo
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I looked through the history in this forum and found a few message regarding in-sufficent air flow to certain rooms. A 2nd floor bed room doesn't get enough air flow because the duct run is too long. Has anyone had any luck/experience with installing an "in-duct" booster fan. Looks like I can pick up a small one for about $30 and install it in the 6 inch round duct in the furnance room of the basement. Will it add enough air flow? There is currently none (a little tiny bit but not enough to do the job).

Thanks in advance for you help!!
 
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Old 11-27-00, 06:04 PM
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Kemo-
The in line duct-fans are .... well .. let me put it this way-your going to garner no more than $30.00 worth of results. As an HVAC designer I have had little luck with these, the only possible exception being on a long flat{Horizontal} run with little to no vertical lift.

TIM
 
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Old 11-27-00, 07:44 PM
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Hi:Kemo

TIM G expresed it very well. I totally agree.
In duct fans aren't really of much benefit.

Suggestions:
You might check for seperated ducting.
Close up <about half way> the registers in the lower level rooms. Same for the warmer rooms on the second level, if there are any.
Check the furnaces fan speed. It may be adjustable to a higher speed.

You just may have to use an electric room heater to avoid the costs of installing an upper level seperate forced air heater.

Good Luck,
TomBartco
Natural Gas Energy Technician and Consultant
 
  #4  
Old 11-27-00, 08:28 PM
Kemo
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Thanks for the responses guys. It actually is on a long horizontal run and then it goes straight up with a wall vent near the floor on the first floor and the same directly above it on the 2nd floor. During the summer I closed over the first floor vent with some card board, but that didn't get much AC upstairs. Unfortunatley, I can't really close off my vents on teh first floor very well because they don't have dampers on them.

There are no disconnected vents anywhere (I did find one in the wall in a bathroom, above a register, that I already closed off). I have also installed a small piece of sheet metal where the duct meets the main branch (one of two) off the furnance to try to direct some air in to the duct to no avail. It just seems like some added force would really help move the air.

Where can I check the fan speed? It seems to blow pretty hard already.
 
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Old 11-28-00, 10:44 AM
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Hi:Kemo

Suggestion in reply to your first paragraph in your second posting. Buy a register with closeable louvers/dampers for the first floor. If not, remove that register and block it with cardboard covered with foil. Whatever it takes to stop that heat from entering the lower level room will allow more to go upstairs.

The furnace fan speed control, if equipped with one, will be located on the furnace. Depending on it's type, you may need to remove the fan access panel or the front decorative panel. Should be a toggle type switch if furnace is an older model. Very old furnaces, the switch could be located directly on the fan motor.

Good Luck,
TomBartco
 
 

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