How to secure air cleaner to ceiling? (w/pic)

[David Eisan]

Hello everyone,

I am still in the process of setting up my new shop at the new house. Yesterday I hung the new air cleaner. I used chain that has an overkill factor of about 16x, 100lbs hanging from four chains rated for 400+ lbs. I have the hook eyes screwed into the joists/trusses in the ceiling.

http://www.federatedtool.com/david/img/newaircleaner.jpg

My concern is for the little "turnbuckles" I used. I am not sure if I used the correct ones. They look like little horse shoes with a rod that passes through a hole in one end and screws into a threaded hole on the other side. I am worried that if anything comes loose I will have a 100 box of steel come crashing down.

I was thinking adding aircraft cable with crimped ends to act as a backup should one of the little chain to eye bolt connectors fail.

How do most people hang their air cleaners?

Thanks for looking,

David.

Every Neighbourhood has one, in Mine I'm Him

[Gary Keedwell]

Hey looks just like mine. I used those "S" shaped hooks."
Gary

[Jim Becker]

Dave, I have one of those locking loops like you describe holding up the second floor of my shop, more or less :D ...I like them much better than "s" hooks. And remember you have four of them splitting the load.

[Phil Thien]

One additional thought is, if there is living space above or if the vibration of the unit transfers to the ceiling and is noisy in the shop, I've seen a nifty solution (in a magazine some time ago).

A user left the chains in place, but placed strong bungee type cords between the ceiling and air cleaner such that the chains were slightly slackened and the weight was carried by the rubber bands. If the rubber fails, the chain grabs the unit. But in normal use, the rubber provides some vibration dampening.

[Chuck Lenz]

David, the chain connectors you used are usually drop forged steel. Depending on what size of chain you used, you should use that size in a chain connector also and you should be fine. Maybe locktite the threads if your really concerned about them comeing unscrewed. As far as isolating vibration I may have found a solution. If I would go with this type of isolated suspension mount I would think the chains would have to hang straight down, I'm not sure how they would work on a angled chain. http://www.vibrationmounts.com/Products4.htm

[ROY DICK]

David,

I agree with Chuck on the loc-tite.
However if you have concerns, install a secondary saftey system.
Better peace of mind.

Let us know what you did.

Roy

[Bob Justin]

David, I recently put up the large Jet air handler unit using the four bolt mount tabs that came with the machine. One of my concerns was to keep it as high up as possible. I went with a 1" birch plywood strong back screwed to three joists to spread the weight. I used extra fender flat washers and a rubber washer on each side of each connection to cushion the connection with four #10 x 4" screws per joist. Along with the carriage bolts mounted hanging down to the mounting clips with the same double washer and rubber washer set up. I also double nutted the bottom most nuts and a touch of lock-tight. On the high speed setting I can't hear a thing (from the air handler) coming through the floor upstairs.

[Chris Zenda]

If your worried about the chains holding try Home Depot for some Uni strut channel with allthread.

[Dick Bringhurst]

You're only talking about 25# per connecter. It's more than adequate. Dick B.

[Chris Barnett]

Seems to perhaps not be a turnbuckle but a clevis at the top of the chain, but the picture is rather low resolution [even enlarged it, but not much help]. If the pin is the diameter of the metal rod that makes the links in the chain, you should be fine. I do agree, and would rather emphasize, that you apply loctite to the threads on the pin. If one lets go, you probably have embarassment; if another goes, you might have trouble, but then again, those chains are strong. But, whatever, nice setup. However, how deep did you screw those screw eyes?

[Rick Gooden]

You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Move on to another project.

[Bruce Page]

Due to light fixtures, attic access, cabinets, etc., I was limited to where I could mount mine. About the only place available was directly above the door runners. I used ¼ -20 all thread through Unistrut bars in the attic. I made a simple cardboard template to locate everything.

[Steve Clardy]

Plan on doing mine the same way. I have 4 of them to hang up.

Clevis's are fine. Just tighten them up.
I plan on using S hooks

[Christof Grohs]

I use Sammy connectors into joists and threaded rod to the unit.

http://www.sammysuperscrew.com/

[Dan Forman]

My ceiling is so low, I "hang it" on a table off to the side of the shop. :D

Dan

[Denny Rice]

David I own a jet air cleaner and I used 4 eyebolts in the ceiling then attached eyebolts to unit. Then to attach the unit to the ceiling I used 4 carabines (atleast this is what I think they are called) its the hooks used my rock climbers. to attach it to the ceiling. The unit sits about 5" from the ceiling and I do not need any tools to remove unit if I ever need to take it down. I bought my hooks and eyelets at Lowes. Each hook has a 250 lb weight limit. Got the idea from an old woodworking book I own.:D

[Steven Wilson]

My concern is for the little "turnbuckles" I used. I am not sure if I used the correct ones. They look like little horse shoes with a rod that passes through a hole in one end and screws into a threaded hole on the other side. I am worried that if anything comes loose I will have a 100 box of steel come crashing down.

David, move on. You're using shackles, I use shackles to attach a 30,000lb strap to my truck for vehical recovery (ok, they're bigger). Chain and S hooks are sufficient for this use,

[Keith Beck]

I've got the same JDS air cleaner as Bruce, which has eyebolt holes in the cabinet at 16" apart. Since I also suffer from low ceilings, I just drove some long screws through those holes and into the ceiling joists. I don't think it's going anywhere.

Keith

[David G Baker]

I use Sammy connectors into joists and threaded rod to the unit.

http://www.sammysuperscrew.com/
Christof,
I had never heard of Sammy connectors prior to your post. They look like they would have taken care of several mounting issues that I had in the past. Thanks for posting the link.