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Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek


#271946 3-Jun-2020 01:02
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I recently, after much investigation and some discussions on this awesome site.. Installed a VERY simple ventilation system in my 80+ year old bungalow on the chilly west coast - south island. and I have a couple of questions of your ventilation experts.. :-) 

 

I had a Weiss fan that I was previously using in the shed as an extractor for dust.. but now having less need for it there, I decided to use it to ventilate the house.. 

 

I took an inlet in through the highest point in the gable end. under a 4-500mm soffit. I just used a mesh as a filter.. and then ran ducting into the middle of the house.. about 7 mtrs.. and placed the fan midway.. strung between a couple of rafters.. There is also a non-return flap thingy.. on the inlet side of the fan to stop air escaping from inside the house. 

 

I placed the one ceiling diffuser in a dining area which is as I say about the middle of the house.. and the middle of a large open plan lounge/dining/kitchen area.

 

Around the time I completed the job. I had the inside temp up to about 20 degrees.. through a combination of heating and lovely sunlight coming into the open area, and even though it was only about 10-12 degrees outside. I was keen to see what would happen when I turned on the fan.

 

Expecting the inside temp to drop pretty quickly, I assured 'the boss' that I would turn it off before the nice inside temp dropped too drastically.

 

And so here's the weird thing, not only did the inside temp NOT drop, as I had expected.. it actually went up, a couple of degrees. to about 22.. 

 

So here's my question, and sorry for the long explanation, but I thought it might be helpful for others also, WHY?? 

 

My assumption is that the colder air coming in has pushed/redistributed the much warming air that would have been hugging the ceiling, and this has raised the overall temp in the room. But why didn't it reduce the overall temp in the room?? 

 

The second issue is: Because it gets really cool outside and in the mornings it's often zero.. I'm thinking I would still like to move that really hot air on the ceiling down, but was planning to install a small ceiling fan for this purpose. But I like how the diffuser brings in the air and moves it gently off the ceiling as opposed to blowing it down hard..

 

So here's my second question, do I put another small fan above the second diffuser and cover it with a box, so as not to draw in the cold air from the ceiling space?? But then I'm thinking the fan will not work properly with no flow of air above it..

 

Or is there some kind of diffuser/fan type that will suck the warm air in from the room and redistribute it back through this second diffuser?? 

 

Sorry for the long diatribe, if you have got this far I appreciate it, and would love to get your feedback. And also I hope I have inspired others to just go for a simple option like this. 1 Fan, 1 anti-blow-back thingy, 8 mtrs of ducting, and 1 diffuser. Less than $100. The fans probably worth a couple hundred, but I scored it for $10 at a garage sale. 

 

And I am really pleased with the way the system is working, I just switch it on manually for about 5-6 hours during the middle of the day and in just over a week it has dried the house out amazingly, gone are the weeping windows and it seems the house is so much easier to heat and keep warm now. 

 

Click to see full size

 

Click to see full size

 

 


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  #2497170 3-Jun-2020 06:50
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where in the room are you measuring the temperature? is it at the ceiling height or at chest/head height?

 

there can be quiet a temperature gradient from the floor to the ceiling in a room




timmmay
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  #2497172 3-Jun-2020 07:04
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Nice work :)

 

I'm not sure I'd put in a ceiling fan, while it may increase the temperature down low it may make it feel colder because of the draft. I wouldn't put in a second fan either, not entirely sure what you're talking about there though.


Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek


  #2497384 3-Jun-2020 14:09
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Hi thanks Jase and Timmay, Thanks for your interest. I have temp gauges set at light switch height.

 

Regarding the fan.. I used one in a previous home with a woodburner.. it worked well to move the hot air off the ceiling.. but the fans do tend to create a little draft.. even on low setting.. That's why I noticed with the diffuser it seemed to move the warm air more slowly along the ceiling. and it definitely makes the room feel warmer also.. I  have one of those infrared thermometers with a laser that I play with to see where the heat is going. 

 

What I was referring to was to be able to achieve the same result as the diffuser does during the day.. but also at night.. or when it's really cold outside.. :-) But can't use the existing system because it brings in the air from outside..

 

 

 

 




duckDecoy
896 posts

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  #2497406 3-Jun-2020 14:28
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Can anybody recommend what sort of fan would be good for this type of homemade setup?  We're considering doing something similar.  Basically info like brands, size and/or diameter, type of fan, what Db rating we should be looking to get under etc.  Any info will be useful as we don't know anything about fans.


timmmay
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  #2497413 3-Jun-2020 14:35
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A woodburner makes heaps of heat, pushing it down can really help. If you just have a heat pump or anything I wonder how much it'll help. What's the temperature up high say 15cm from the ceiling as opposed to 15cm from the floor?


kitfromoz
11 posts

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  #2497421 3-Jun-2020 14:57
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I used a ceiling fan in the living room where the fireplace was in my last house in a cold part of Australia.

 

In winter I would slide a switch on the fan to reverse the direction. It would blow air up instead of down.

 

The main benefit was that although we had a partially open plan layout, too much heat was kept in the living room where the fireplace was, and not enough in other areas of the house.

 

With the fan on low speed it would circulate warm air throughout most of the house.


Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek


  #2497434 3-Jun-2020 15:20
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timmmay:

 

A woodburner makes heaps of heat, pushing it down can really help. If you just have a heat pump or anything I wonder how much it'll help. What's the temperature up high say 15cm from the ceiling as opposed to 15cm from the floor?

 

 

Generally when the room is about 20 at chest height.. it's about 18 at the floor and 23 on the ceiling.. We have an old house but it is pretty well insulated .. We put polythene on the ground under the house.. then Polystyrene insulation between the floor joists and new 6 150mm pink batts over the somewhat shrunk 100mm batts that were there already.. 


 
 
 

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Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek


  #2497447 3-Jun-2020 15:38
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duckDecoy:

 

Can anybody recommend what sort of fan would be good for this type of homemade setup?  We're considering doing something similar.  Basically info like brands, size and/or diameter, type of fan, what Db rating we should be looking to get under etc.  Any info will be useful as we don't know anything about fans.

 

 

Hi DD.. Here's the one I used, only because I had it.. https://www.weiss.co.nz/accessories/fv05cp

 

It's pretty quiet up in the ceiling and moves: Free Air Fan Performance: 362m3/hr / 100.6l/sec We are home most of the time so I just switch on and off when I want it.. could easily just put a time on it if needed.

 

Our house is about 120m2 with 2.8 mtr ceilings = 336 m3 so that's better than 1 complete airchange per hour.. I think the minimum in new houses is .3 So 3x's that.

 

There are a few manufacturers you can get all the bits from.. and seriously it is pretty easy to DIY.. cut a few holes in ceilings.. small jib saw in one hand and vacuum cleaner in the other as you go :-) 

 

I had thought later I might add a couple more diffusers in other rooms but for now it works fine. 

 

Click to see full size

 

Click to see full size


Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek


  #2497449 3-Jun-2020 15:42
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kitfromoz:

 

I used a ceiling fan in the living room where the fireplace was in my last house in a cold part of Australia.

 

In winter I would slide a switch on the fan to reverse the direction. It would blow air up instead of down.

 

The main benefit was that although we had a partially open plan layout, too much heat was kept in the living room where the fireplace was, and not enough in other areas of the house.

 

With the fan on low speed it would circulate warm air throughout most of the house.

 

 

Yep.. exactly what we did. the winter and summer settings...  accept I had to switch the wires around...  but to be honest never needed to use it to cool.. hell when does it ever get that hot in NZ.  :-) 


Stephendnz

51 posts

Master Geek


  #2498387 4-Jun-2020 16:40
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duckDecoy:

 

Can anybody recommend what sort of fan would be good for this type of homemade setup?  We're considering doing something similar.  Basically info like brands, size and/or diameter, type of fan, what Db rating we should be looking to get under etc.  Any info will be useful as we don't know anything about fans.

 

 

Hey DD.. thought you might be interested in this.. came across it on Trademe..

 

https://www.tradedepot.co.nz/weiss-extractor-fan

 

I'm sure that's the same fan I have.. add a bit of extra ducting and you got yourself a home ventilation system. And personally I would go with the diffusers that direct the air horizontally long the ceiling rather than what looks like straight down as that one looks like.

 

I also fitted a Backdraught shutter to the fan.. cost me about $35 from the local electrical wholesalers.


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