Fan / Fan Box in acoustical ceiling tiles

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iand74

Member
anyone ever mount a fan in a drop ceiling?

i'm imagining i'll install channel strut across the trusses and then drop 3/8 rod down into the fan box....

i know that there will be enough support but i'm wondering if the box will wobble...


anyone have any experience or thoughts?
 
renosteinke

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
About the only reliable method is to replace half a ceiling tile with a piece of plywood.

Even that I'm not happy with; apart from the cord whip, there's the matter of the ductwork. Flex duct is the devils' spawn of the HVAC trade, and best avoided. Far better to mount a fan to the hard ceiling, and just ducting to an inlet grill in a tile.

But that's more than the customer usually wants, imagining just mounting a bath fan on a tile. Well, that's usually the equivalent of peeing in your pants - it might make you feel better, but it stinks. That flex duct has a very limited application, before the internal resistance essentially stops all air flow. All you're left with is a noisy fan that you think is doing something.
 
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iand74

Member
renosteinke said:
About the only reliable method is to replace half a ceiling tile with a piece of plywood.

Even that I'm not happy with; apart from the cord whip, there's the matter of the ductwork. Flex duct is the devils' spawn of the HVAC trade, and best avoided. Far better to mount a fan to the hard ceiling, and just ducting to an inlet grill in a tile.

But that's more than the customer usually wants, imagining just mounting a bath fan on a tile. Well, that's usually the equivalent of peeing in your pants - it might make you feel better, but it stinks. That flex duct has a very limited application, before the internal resistance essentially stops all air flow. All you're left with is a noisy fan that you think is doing something.
Click to expand...

thanks for the thoughts, i didn't mean an exhaust fan. it will be a ceiling fan.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
iand74 said:
thanks for the thoughts, i didn't mean an exhaust fan. it will be a ceiling fan.
Click to expand...
I wish I had read that before I scanned the whole Arlington link, looking for something new for exhaust fans. :roll: (No biggie :grin:)
 
L

la2151

Member
Location
california
fan box

fan box

I have used the arlington boxes & they worked great..It was a Tbar ceiling. supply house should be able to get them for you..
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Use a fan bracket kit designed for the ceiling type or use a piece of plywood cut to fit in the grid above the tile. Attach 2x4 to back side of plywood straddling fan box cut out. Attach fan box to the 2 x 4 in same way you would a wood framed ceiling. Now support the 2 x 4 that is supporting the fan box with tie wire to structural ceiling. The tie wire supports the weight, the plywood inside the grid prevents twisting action from acceleration of the fan.

Either method works. Bracket kits save time unless you need to run to supply house just for that item or have no wood on the site to use for the other method.
 
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220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
iand74 said:
anyone ever mount a fan in a drop ceiling?
Click to expand...


I have found that the best method is a tile sized piece of plywood on top of the tile and a fan/pan box with 1/4 x 20 bolts/nuts/washers.

Run a slack wire and attach to the box 1/4 20's via L bracket for seismec support.

The grid is designed to hold a troffer so it can certainly support a fan.

Cut the ply to fit exact (2x4 or 2x2)
 
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