PDA

View Full Version : Laser exhaust setup with outside deck box



Barb Becker
07-11-2018, 11:11 AM
I thought I'd share some photos of the setup I ended up with for our Speedy 360. Many thanks to all those that have provided photos and details of their setups so I didn't have to start from square one!! The laser is in our garage, I decided to exhaust out a window rather than a permanent wall cutting, so we used a thick piece of acrylic that we had laying around here, took the screen out of the window, and I just open the window and put the acrylic sheet in the window tracks, then hook the hose on the outside to the fan in the deck box.

Went with the 1hp Harbor Freight dust collection fan which works great, have the plug switched with a wireless remote so I can turn on and off easily. I have more of a dip in the exhaust tubing to reduce any water running back into the deck box if I'm using it in rainy weather and the power cord plugs are in the deck box too (they just needed to go through the hole before the exhaust tubing).

Guess you could say this hobby crafter is all :D !!!!

Thanks again to all that have shared their setups, experiences, and advice!!

Kev Williams
07-11-2018, 11:52 AM
Very nice setup, those patio boxes work great, ay? :)

I have but one suggestion: The blower motor is probably okay as is, but the air inside the box is going to get very warm because of the motor. I have 2 motors in my box, sitting 90° to yours- with TWO running I was really concerned about heat so I pushed the motors as close as possible to the motor-side of the box, and cut 4" holes so the fans on the ends of the motors can draw in outside air...
389489
389490

I have these boxes stuffed with insulation, except for around the motors. It's been in the 100's the past week, my blowers run nearly constantly and they run quiet and cool...the box is hardly air-tight so the incoming cooling air finds its way out :)

I'm not sure it's necessary but it sure can't hurt! In your setup, a hole opposite the end of the motor and a short piece of 6" duct between the hole and motor will supply fresh outside cooling air...

Barb Becker
07-11-2018, 2:29 PM
Good idea! Seems I'm spending more time designing than lasering at this point, but adding an extra cool air intake should be easy enough. Thankfully that side of the garage only gets early morning sun, but running for extended periods will get toasty.

Fred Britt
07-11-2018, 3:14 PM
Barb did you change the 4" HF inlet to a 6"?

Kev, are you running 2 lasers or just one with 2 blowers?

Fred Britt
07-11-2018, 3:14 PM
You have a part number on the HF blower?

Kev Williams
07-11-2018, 4:02 PM
One blower per machine is all I've ever found necessary!

One blower, to the GCC, I have a 3" Y pipe in the middle of the 4" pipe, the 3" goes to my fiber laser....

Last blower I got was the 31810 model, it's motor spools up fast, and it runs dead quiet. The 61808 model is a bit different, and I think those are the in-store versions- the two I have the motors spool up slow, like 4 seconds to full speed, and they both have a slight imbalance that creates a rhythmic hum. I got the 'good' one online. The both work the same.

Having said that, models change so often that who knows what you'll get- my advice is to test-drive an in-store model- if it takes 4 seconds to reach full speed, buy the other model online! If it hits full speed in about a second, take that one home! :)

Fred Britt
07-11-2018, 4:40 PM
I got one machine that requires 2 blowers.

Bruce Volden
07-11-2018, 4:44 PM
Barb,
When the winter months come and you exhaust the warmer air from the inside through the fan (in the cold) outside check for frost build up on the fan!
I had my exhaust fan mounted outside and the vanes froze from condensate leaving them VERY unbalanced and resulting in a loud "funny" noise that only took me a couple hours
to find--I'm not a very smart man.
Maybe it doesn't get as cold where you are as it does here in SD?

Bruce

Barb Becker
07-12-2018, 10:18 PM
You have a part number on the HF blower?


Here's the one I got - 13 gal. 1 HP Industrial Portable Dust Collector #31810 and I'm using 4" ducting.

Barb Becker
07-12-2018, 10:22 PM
Barb,
When the winter months come and you exhaust the warmer air from the inside through the fan (in the cold) outside check for frost build up on the fan!
I had my exhaust fan mounted outside and the vanes froze from condensate leaving them VERY unbalanced and resulting in a loud "funny" noise that only took me a couple hours
to find--I'm not a very smart man.
Maybe it doesn't get as cold where you are as it does here in SD?

Bruce

Thanks, I'll keep a watch for that, Bruce!! No way as cold here in Maryland, although it looks like you're in a better place for retirement per the 2018 listings I just heard today, SD is #1.

Robin Croen
05-19-2020, 10:01 PM
Apologies for resurrecting an old thread!

@Barb, can you tell me where you sourced the clear hose outside and quick disconnects? I want to set this system up as well but I need to control volume due to neighbors. Does the box reduce the volume of your fan in any appreciable way?


Thank you!