Protect attic ventilator fan motor?

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ritelec

ritelec

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Jersey
Hello. I've installed a few attic ventilators and have also replaced several attic ventilator motors that have burnt out in the past. I've never given it much thought as they are thermally protected however I read an article last year about an AC contractor I use to do work for. Turns out, he (his company) installed a new attic ventilator for a customer, 10 years later it caught fire and he was being sued by the old costumer for setting his house on fire.
Does anyone here put another fuse on it or just hook them up and walk away?
If I were to put it on a fuse how much larger than the motor fla would you think it needs to be, 125% to 150%?
Thank you.
 
From what I see attic ventilator fans are a big source of fires because they are usually out of sight and never maintained. True, you would think that the thermal protection means something but apparently in some cases not.

I'm not sure a fuse would do anything given that a stalled shaded pole motor doesn't draw much more than when it is running.

-Hal
 
ritelec said:
Hello. I've installed a few attic ventilators and have also replaced several attic ventilator motors that have burnt out in the past. I've never given it much thought as they are thermally protected however I read an article last year about an AC contractor I use to do work for. Turns out, he (his company) installed a new attic ventilator for a customer, 10 years later it caught fire and he was being sued by the old costumer for setting his house on fire.
Does anyone here put another fuse on it or just hook them up and walk away?
If I were to put it on a fuse how much larger than the motor fla would you think it needs to be, 125% to 150%?
Thank you.
Click to expand...
10 years later I would let my insurance company handle it.
 
I too have seen some catch on fire.
I set the temp at near the highest rating it can go. In NC an attic can stay pretty hot. Even with the fan running.
 
We have one big new house that these motors keep burning out on.
I have replaced the same motors 2X over the last 6 years, the roof gets lots of south facing sun, and its just a really hot attic.
We ended up running dedicated circuit to the fans just to be sure it was not voltage drop, 2 years later motors burnt out again.
I did some reading up on attic fans and they also require 'make up' air.
If a lot of stuff is stored in the attic or the intake vents are blocked it could make the motor burn out quicker.
I'd love to find a more commercial grade motor that is rated for lots of heat and dust, that will fit.
 
Not sure how not having make up air would shorten the life of the motor. If a fan moves no air the the load and current decreases. Those motors don't have cooling fins either so Its hardly for cooling.
 
mikeames said:
Not sure how not having make up air would shorten the life of the motor. If a fan moves no air the the load and current decreases. Those motors don't have cooling fins either so Its hardly for cooling.
Click to expand...

No makeup air means the attic gets incredibly hot. It’s the makeup air that cools the attic - the whole reason for having the fan.
 
When the fan runs there should be air moving over the motor. There should be sufficient venting from the outside so that the air will be at a reasonable temperature.

-Hal
 
Re: Fire, the defense is did the homeowners get a copy of the instruction manual, where the maintenance requirements were covered?
 
mikeames said:
... Those motors don't have cooling fins either so Its hardly for cooling.
Click to expand...
"Air over" motors rarely have cooling fins. They still rely on air flowing over the motor to keep its temperature within limits.

hbiss said:
... Probably hot enough to smoke it.
Click to expand...
Apparently, hot enough to ignite ten years' worth of dust & dander accumulation.

Attic fans are just a bad idea. Out of sight, out of mind, never maintained. No performance monitoring. Never installed behind a filter, despite the dusty environment. And in a properly-designed attic, with adequate passive ventilation and a radiant barrier, they just aren't needed.
 
Besides keeping it clean How would you maintain it?

I’m in a dilemma installing one for a friend.

I have to cut in a bunch of eave vents ( eaves are plaster and metal lathe. Not looking forward to it.

The roof. I have a choice between cutting in ONE attic ventilator or 13 passive vents.

I’d rather do the passive vents but.not comfortable with 13 roof penetrations


Decisions decisions
 
4 or 5, maybe 6 - 3 or 4" round hockey pucks. One centered in the soffit on each of the 4-6 six sides of the house.



GAF... also been checking out other brands and other calculations but as on now it looks like this may be the way to go.


2625 sq' attic space

Attic Ventilation Calculator: Proper Roof Ventilation | GAF

To calculate the amount of attic ventilation you need for your home, visit GAF's Ventilation Roofing Calculator now.
www.gaf.com www.gaf.com

says it needs 630 sq" nfa in and 630 sq" nfa out.

translates into 13 - 16x8 metal soffit vents at 65 sq" nfa (at 65 = 845, not sure why the calculator has that)

11 (not 13) SSB960 roof vents at 60 sq" nfa ( = 660 sq" nfa)

or one ERV6 ventilator fan 1500 cfm for 2800 sq '
 
ritelec said:
... 2625 sq' attic space

Attic Ventilation Calculator: Proper Roof Ventilation | GAF

To calculate the amount of attic ventilation you need for your home, visit GAF's Ventilation Roofing Calculator now.
www.gaf.com www.gaf.com
says it needs 630 sq" nfa in and 630 sq" nfa out. ...
Click to expand...
Keep in mind that the 1/150, 1/300 and 1/600 recommendations are minimums. Short of a tornado ripping off the roof, you can never have too much attic ventilation.
 
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