Fans

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rigby
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rigby

I am in the process of installing fans in my canopy on either ends (4")and as always I started thinking and my question is to get the heat out should they be blowing out, in, or out and it?
 
Rigby,

The answer depends on which school of thought you subscribe to. I think there are two main camps.

1.> Both fans pointing inward. This will keep the salt creep off of the fans. It will allow for extended fan life.

2.> One in and one out. Theoretcially more air movement as the fans are working together, and not against one another.

I definately would not point both fans out, as you need fresh air from somewhere, and you would get the creep on both fans.

I personally have one in and one out. I'll replace the fan when it needs it.

JOMO
-ignatz
 
Ah yes, the old in or out debate. This has spawned more than one flame war on the usenet newsgroups. Here's my theory on it:
Unless you have a LOT of lighting in your hood that will produce a ton of heat, I find that one fan blowing in, with the other hole just left open with no fan mounted in it at all, works the best. If you do use two, I would vote for them both blowing in. But, like the man says, there are many different schools of thought on this, and they all will work to some degree. The above is just my personal opinion.
Larry
 
I think they should face inward also, provided you have enough of an opening for venting. When finished, my canopy will have a 1" opening running the length of the top along the back with the fans placed slightly above the water level. Heat rises so the 'pressure' from the fans should help to push the heat out.

------------------
A mind is like a parachute, it only works when its open.
 
Just an update. Like I said before I have one fan pointing in and one pointing out. This morning the one pointing out actually froze up from the salt creep. You should probally go both in.
smile.gif


-ignatz
 
FWIW...I've had really good luck using bathroom fans to actually vent the hood out of the room. When I put my hand on the output of the vent I smack myself for not switching to this system sooner. The exhaust is shockingly warm. The room stays cooler, and so does the tank. I was lucky enough to be able to run the vent through the wall out of the house. Without this option, you'd have a lovely 4" shiny metal duct running across your wall...not my idea of aesthetics
smile.gif
Also, beware of fan noise...I had to take back the first cheapy fan I got. I'd like to try rotary blowers, but have yet to find them.

Anyway, when you get fed up of fans heating your room up, try this
smile.gif
 
I doubt there is an advantage to in-out but have no data to support that position. In case its any help, we had a professional tell us how to most effectively vent a long narrow greenhouse. While a greenhouse is orders of magnitude larger than a canopy, they are the same basic shape and some of the principles may be the same. Heat will collect at the highest point. The goal is to get the heat out with the least amount of horsepower. For the aquarium, less horsepower may equate to less noise. In the greenhouse, we were told to put all fans high on one end pointing inward and put a vent high on the other end. The object is to maintain as much laminar flow as possible and concentrate that flow at the top where the heat collects.

SH
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top