Bathroom Exhaust Fan?

[Clyde Baumwell]

I have a large, noisy free standing exhaust unit. I recently moved to an environment where the exhaust unit is probably going to be too loud. I think I can get access to an unused bathroom exhaust fan. Has anyone ever tried this for removing odors from the laser engraver?

[Joe Pelonio]

Seems like it would be far too weak, if your manufacturer requires 400 CFM the bathroom fans only run about 1/4 of that. Many of the lasers, including mine, depend on that air also for cooling so it's risky to go too low on the air flow.

[Mike Null]

I agree with Joe.

[walter hofmann]

Hi there
thats the one I am using and it works perfect and is pretty quite
ebaydotcom/itm/New-6-Inch-Inline-Hydroponics-Exhaust-Tube-Duct-Fan-Blower-Sucker-440-CFM-/320935888861?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3 D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D283010062453610609%26pid%3D 100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26[/URL]
greetings
walt

[Gary Hair]

and if you start growing pot all you need is a co2 generator...


Hi there
thats the one I am using and it works perfect and is pretty quite
_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3 D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D283010062453610609%26pid%3D 100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26[/URL]
greetings
walt

[Mark Sipes]

Not sure about the "pot" but the inline fan is what I use and it works great!

[AL Ursich]

I installed a inline fan for a Radon system in my last house and it had a great suction for the radon.... I wonderd if that would work for the laser...

AL

[Craig Matheny]

Not sure about the "pot" but the inline fan is what I use and it works great!
Mark what size fan are you using and what size is the exhaust port on the laser?

[walter hofmann]

Hi craig
I know you did not aske me but I use the 6 inch inline and reduced it to 4 inch what is the exaust port of the laser and with 440 CFM its enought to suck all the fumes away I evemn have to be carfull that it does not suck stuff away like a 1/2 inch strip of granite . I had to put a screen in front of the intake .
greetings
walt

[Jiten Patel]

Ooh this is just what I need - moving to a new house where I need my blower to be extremely quiet! Seen these - but not sure if they are going to have the pulling power.... it's the ones at the bottom of the page - the metal encased ones....any thoughts?

http://www.progrow.co.uk/acatalog/extractors-brackets.html

My blower is 500 CFM which equates to about 14m3 so in theory the 1200m3/h one should be more than enough?

[Bob McGinn]

Might want to consider the laser utilization time and the impact on HVAC cost (generating negative pressure)...

[Clyde Baumwell]

Thanks all...I think the inline duct fan is a great solution to my situation. I am deducting that it has to be at least 400CFM? I mostly engrave and vector cut wood and plastic and some paper...very fume producing stuff.

[Mark Sipes]

The in-line fan I have is 4" I believe... I only have to move the air 6-7 feet out through an exhaust vent. More than enough suction to keep the inside free from fumes.........No great friction loss in the tube at that distance. I do have to disassemble the fan every 2-3 months to clean the caked up junk that sticks to the fan blades.. 15 minute job. exit hole in laser is also 4".

[walter hofmann]

Hi there
like I sayd the inline is the best I have try I had all kinds of exaust systems on it the most are ether to rediculous noisy or not enough suction.
you will be surprised how quite these fans are and with 400 to 500 CFM it pulles I tell you. and if you need they also have a matching filter system with a carbon filter this brings better air out then you would have in a normal houshold.
greetings
walt

[Greg Bednar]

Does anyone actually have any sound pressure levels or sone ratings for these fans?

[Mark Sipes]

I can't hear the in-line fan the four laser tube cooling fans are louder........and when they are off, the florencent light "buzz" is louder...........

[Greg Bednar]

I can't hear the in-line fan the four laser tube cooling fans are louder........and when they are off, the florencent light "buzz" is louder...........


OK - now that's a very clear and concise answer without hard numbers. I can relate to that - thank you very much. Now to find a reducer from 8" to 4" to maintain the CFM requirement of the laser. Thanks Mark.

[Mark Sipes]

http://www.guttersupply.com/p-tile-adapter-8-to-4-Reducer.gstml

WOW that is a large volume of air. hope your material will stay on the table....LOL

[Nick Foley]

Does anyone have experience regarding the lifespan of an inline exhaust fan when used for laser fumes? I just purchased an S&P TD-150S fan to replace the noisy blower that came stock with my Shenhui SG-570. It is spectacularly quiet - with no other background noise, it's hard to even know its on. And though it's only rated for 333cfm, it seems to be doing an excellent job evacuating my (relatively small) machine.

Now my concern is how long it will survive without any sort of pre-filter. Do inline fans get clogged with soot? I don't think I'd be able to get inside this thing to clean it.

[Michael Hunter]

My in-line fan needs cleaning about twice a year. 5 minute job.

Occasionally it sucks stuff off the table which can lead to unplanned maintenance, though it normally throws things into the field behind the workshop.

[Mike Null]

I bought mine 15 years ago and at the time I called the factory and got the info from an engineer. I don't recall any of it but it's quiet and has worked well on both lasers I have owned. I got it from Grainger for around $300.

[Jiten Patel]

So are you guys saying it cannot handle bits going through it - lots of little bits - like little pieces of card that I cut? - well that's a bummer!

[Michael Hunter]

My in-line is the type with lots of curved blades.
It handles small bits of paper with no problems - they end up in the field.

The type of in-line sold for hydroponics appear from the pictures to have fewer, larger blades, so these should be even better at passing small bits through.
I would **assume** that this type would be a bit less efficient and rather more noisy.


PS

What does catch in mine -

Tissue paper (wraps around the blades)
Bigger bits of transfer paper (if it has not stuck down properly)
Bits of PU foam too big to fit between the blades

[walter hofmann]

Hi there
I use a hydrophonic in line fan with 500CCfm since 2 years now and I did put a 1/4 kind of chicken wire in front of the inlet in the machine.
this prevents any pieces ofbeen suckout.
greetings
walt

[Clyde Baumwell]

walt
is it quiet?

[Jean Forgues]

I've had my laser since June and am using the fan that came with it, however I thinking of moving to a very quite place myself and I was thinking of installing a prefab chimney so that the noise would be dissipated hither up but not sure if this is better then a good inline fan. What do you think?

Jean

[Walt Langhans]

I'm going to build a air filter system like Dan did http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?143725-DIY-air-filtration-unit-for-lt-200&highlight=diy+filtration

And I've been looking for fans as well and came across thishttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Inline-Booster-Fan-4-6-8-100-240-400-CFM-High-Flow-Cooling-Vent-Hydroponics-/230843131162?_trksid=p2045573.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555001%26algo%3DPW.CURRENT%26ao%3D 1%26asc%3D146%26meid%3D3323180757291298909%26pid%3 D100034%26prg%3D1079%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D320889296069% 26

It's a heck of a lot less expensive I'm just wondering if it would work ok. Thoughts?

[Chuck Stone]

I picked up a squirrel cage fan at a yard sale. It was for a bathroom.
Not sure if I paid $5 or $10. Hooked it up with some parts I already
had around the shop, cut an adapter with the laser and sat it atop
a 5 gallon bucket.

Very quiet.. I have to go put my hand on it to feel if it is running.
Can't hear it over the laser or even the fan inside the computer,
although if everything is off except this fan and I'm right beside it,
then I can usually tell that it is on.

It was rated at 630 cfm and 613cfm (horizontal/vertical makes a
difference) but with the 4" duct I'm sure it is lower than that.

Been running it now since August with no problems, even running
a lot of production lately. (knock wood!)

[Mark Johson MN]

Chuck, is the bucket there more or less to hold the fan? I see that this is an older thread but looking for some venting options. Thanks!

Mark

[Bert Kemp]

Ooh this is just what I need - moving to a new house where I need my blower to be extremely quiet! Seen these - but not sure if they are going to have the pulling power.... it's the ones at the bottom of the page - the metal encased ones....any thoughts?

http://www.progrow.co.uk/acatalog/extractors-brackets.html

My blower is 500 CFM which equates to about 14m3 so in theory the 1200m3/h one should be more than enough?
Not sure how it would work for the laser but something to consider down the line is cleaning it out. If you do any amount of cutting wood or mdf eventually the fans blades will get bogged down with resin and soot and will need to be cleaned off.

[Chuck Stone]

Chuck, is the bucket there more or less to hold the fan? I see that this is an older thread but looking for some venting options. Thanks!

Hi Mark
Yes, the bucket is just for support. I could built a stand, but this was there and it works.
I did change out the motor (since I had another one) because when cutting cardboard it
didn't clear fast enough for my liking. That motor is louder and vibrates, so I took some
'craft foam' sheets and cut them up to absorb the vibration.
It moves a LOT of air now. Still sitting on the bucket because I can't poke holes in the wall
and have to go through the window. So it gets moved a lot.