More Fan Follies
September 11th, 2007 by Editor BTo my utter astonishment, Mike finally got a crew back to our house yesterday.
When I came home for lunch they were working away on a number of different loose ends.
I drew their attention to the whole house fan. It was installed in July and wired up in August.
It’s blowing the wrong way, much to the amusement of all my friends and co-workers.
One of the guys on the crew had what seemed like a brilliant idea: How about we just reverse the blades? Simply remove the blade assembly from the crankshaft, flip it over, and put it back on.
“By Jove,” I exclaimed, “that’s ingenious! The blades will still be turning the same way, but the air should move in the opposite direction.”
Unfortunately, we failed to properly visualize the topological reality. Radial symmetry dictates that when flipped, the fan blades are still tilted in the same direction.
So that didn’t work.
Never fear, later in the afternoon they reversed the entire fan. Problem solved at last.
I have been convincing myself that I could get started doing some work downstairs myself if only the fan was working. It’s just too hot without some air movement.
Now I have no more excuses.
They got a lot done yesterday. Many of the electrical tasks have been waiting for months and months. Some of the other stuff has been on hold even longer.
This morning the crew was back. I was amazed this morning to see they were scraping up the sheetrock mud from our tile floor. Those glops have been there for six months, at least, and I figured I would be chiseling them up myself soon.
Later in the morning Mike called and mentioned we wouldn’t be charged for the work today or yesterday.
He didn’t explain why, and I didn’t ask.
I just said, “Thanks, I guess this means I don’t have to kill you after all.”
September 11th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Can you reverse the polarity of the connection - i.e., swap the hot and ground leads? IANA electrician but some appliances will run backwards when you do this.
September 11th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Well, as I understand it, no, the polarity cannot be reversed without a phase-shifter because it’s a multi-speed fan. However, the point is moot anyhow because the fan is now pointed in the right direction. (Hooray.)
September 12th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Wow–this is the first time I’ve seen “IANA.” This is perhaps the new height of laziness. I guess two and three letter words are far too long to be typed out fully.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:42 am
Here’s another for you, Garvey: STFU.
September 12th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Am I seeing it right b, is the fan located under your stairs? Is this a common installation point in NOLA? Ours is installed in our ceiling.
September 12th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Yes, it’s a basement fan. Our “basement” is, of course, entirely above ground. The fan is not under the stairs, but it is downstairs. No, it’s not a common arrangement. Most such fans are installed to suck air up into the attic.
September 12th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Not to point out a flaw here, but wouldn’t that be a prime entry point for a would be thief?
Does it suck or blow…….(girlish laugh)
September 12th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
A burglar would certainly have his work cut out for him seeing as how there’s a fan bolted into place there. He’d have to remove the fan to gain entry.
September 12th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Gee, I thought the reason you wouldn’t run for City Council was because you were too busy finishing your house.
But you only watch it being finished by someone else !
September 12th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
RCS: at least you cracked the four letter barrier that time. Good job. Your parents are proud, I’m sure.
September 13th, 2007 at 11:07 am
When does the humidity settle down in N.O.?
September 13th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Spab, the humidity never settles down here. In the summer it’s hot and humid. In the winter it’s cold and humid. Humidity exaggerates both cold and hot and makes both feel more extreme. We catch a break in the fall and spring, but there’s a very narrow comfort zone.
Actually the weather’s quite pleasant much of the year, but summer here is kind of like winter up north. Not the most hospitable season.
September 14th, 2007 at 9:15 am
What’s great about NO weather is the potential for a 75 degree day in January–and they’re not infrequent, either.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:03 am
You do realize that a whole house fan is supposed to suck air out of the house (blow air to the outside). You must open windows in the rooms you want air flow through. They work great, thay are all we had before the mid 60’s.