ceiling fans...WOW!!!

well...we learned something today...

it's 90 degrees and we're finally moving into "fan season"
we checked the 15 fans we have in service...

we metered the fans to see how much electricty they actually use...
since we are TOTALLY solar "WE NEED to KNOW"!!!

The "cheap" fans made by HUNTER BRAND ($80 usa) bought at home depot in ensenada, use
5 WATTS at the middle speed

Our "expensive" fans HUNTER BRAND ($180 usa) bought at home depot in ensenada, use
1 watt at the middle speed

We NEVER realized how efficient these "ceiling fans" really were!!!

NOW...susan can run the fans in the casita
ALL NIGHT LONG without me "whining"!!!

Maybe Bob & Susan or someone has experience with this earth-shattering issue: clockwise or counterclockwise? We have tall ceilings, and if we run the fan in a clockwise direction, it's supposed to push the air down. But that's precisely where all the hot air collects. Counterclockwise presumably brings the air up from the floor, where it's cooler (cool air descends). But the manufacturer suggests the opposite. So which way should I run the fans?

Bajamigo,

You have it backwards. The fans blow downward in the counterclockwise direction and suck upward in the clockwise direction.
Unless you have a " special " fan.

Very cool story

our fans run counter-clockwise for air...

there is a switch on the fans that do let them spin the other way
(clockwise)

3 of the fans were turning the WRONG way and were not pushing air down
we corrected that

we think the more expensive units have better motors and thus use less electricty

they probably last longer too

Quote:

Originally posted by vandenberg Bajamigo, You have it backwards. The fans blow downward in the counterclockwise direction and suck upward in the clockwise direction. Unless you have a " special " fan.

I do. It's mounted in the middle of the floor.

that's a BIG blender

counterclockwise looking up at it or looking down at it from balcony

Cool

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert Quote: Originally posted by morgaine7 EnergyStar website[/url], among others, recommended counterclockwise for summer. Kate counterclockwise looking up at it or looking down at it from balcony

And are you below the equator?

Seriously, the canting of the blades can change everything. Is there a standardized direction of canting in the fan industry?

Good info on watt usage Bob.
For people like me...if I stand under it and I feel cool air, then the world is spinning the right direction...

Quote:

Originally posted by morgaine7 Errrr, huh? What balcony? Bob will know the correct answers. <deep breath> In my house (above the equator), when the fan (hanging from the ceiling) is rotating counterclockwise (as viewed from below), the leading edge of the blade (measuring from the widest part of the blade) is higher than the trailing edge by about 4 cm. [Is that cant or pitch or something else?] The fan appears to be pushing air down, and indeed, I feel air (from my position on the floor beneath it) within a radius of about 200 cm, and with the fan on medium speed. I've not tried hanging from the ceiling above it, because one of the workers is using my ladder to prop the sheet of carton that he is using as a sunshade.

ok..."deep breath"

the fan (hanging from the ceiling) is rotating counterclockwise

the leading edge of the blade (measuring from the widest part of the blade) is higher

the trailing edge is lower

Clockwise and Counterclockwise

When it is going clockwise (or counter clockwise as the case may be) , your perspective does not change the direction.

Looking up clockwise is the same as looking down.

Your perspective does not change the description of the fans rotation.


Respectfully submitted,

CaboRon

doesn't a "bano" flush differently down there???

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob and Susan doesn't a "bano" flush differently down there???

Yes,
And at the equator, your scheisse hangs on to the bowl more, since there's no swirling motion. Everything goes straight down. Lots of double and triple flushes.

Just an answer to your question, not a hijacking attempt.

[Edited on 4-30-2008 by vandenberg]

You guys are letting Bob off easy, do you really think a ceiling fan used that small amount of wattage:

How Much Energy Do Ceiling Fans Use?
Fans use no more electricity than light bulbs. Typical wattages for various ceiling fan sizes are:

* 36" = 55 watts
* 48" = 75 watts
* 52" = 90 watts
* 56" = 100 watts

For example, a 48", 75-watt fan used 10 hours a day at half speed or less would cost $.50 to $.90* a month to operate. For a 1,500-square-foot house with air conditioning using two ceiling fans and raising the thermostat setting could save about $70 to $200* over a six-month cooling season.

Otherwise did you have the right button on your KillOwatt meter pushed or did you read it right, also your supposed to use it over a period of time.

[Edited on 4-30-2008 by comitan]

Comitan, if your figures are correct, what you have just proven................is that Bob is an incredible tightwad.

I'm alerting Susan immediately and telling her to run the fan to her heart's content.

BTW, I assumed that was 5 watts at 12 volts which would be similar to 55 watts at 120 volts, not counting loss from the inverter.

[Edited on 4-30-2008 by Hook]

i'm taking the CHALLENGE...

tomorrow pictures of the "test"

the lightbulbs are the BIGGEST users of elecricty in a fan NOT the fan

[Edited on 5-1-2008 by Bob and Susan]

Quote:

Originally posted by vandenberg Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan doesn't a "bano" flush differently down there??? Yes, And at the equator, your scheisse hangs on to the bowl more, since there's no swirling motion. Everything goes straight down. Lots of double and triple flushes. Just an answer to your question, not a hijacking attempt. [Edited on 4-30-2008 by vandenberg]

soooo...
those fans use 4.8 watts at 12 volts
but it doesn't say at what speed

and...
they are ULGY!!!

part of having a fan is how it looks when OFF!!!


i haven't retested for comiten yet

here are the results of the retest

baseline data
7 watt compact bulb
13 watt compact bulb

both in a normal desk lamp

test 7 watt compact bulb

test 13 watt compact bulb

i wired the fan to a plug

fan on medium speed

fan on high speed

it goes back and forth between 9 and 10 watts
so i say it would be 10 watts

Bob is right! as a resort operator he knows ambiance is key.
when i am seeing his fans i am reminded that i could be lounging in the south pacific.

Cools law:
1. if they look cool
2. and if they help to keep you cool, ergo...
3. then they are "cool"

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike Bob is right! as a resort operator he knows ambiance is key. when i am seeing his fans i am reminded that i could be lounging in the south pacific. Cools law: 1. if they look cool 2. and if they help to keep you cool, ergo... 3. then they are "cool"

here is a closer look

i ALWAYS thought like comitan that ceiling fans took much more power than they actually do...

there doesn't even seem to be a start-up surge like on the dryer

the lights you use in the fan make it use more electricity

and YES morgaine7 we check everything for wattage usage...

we have a "forced parcipitation" policy here when using "power"
if there is a plug...susan uses it

we have a toaster oven that draws ALOT of electricty but not for along time...susan likes her toast lightly toasted

the electric deep frier used 3500watts and was given away
too much power needed for the french fries
now we just use the stove
i still get in trouble for giving away the deep frier

lencho
"You're testing fan motors here, which I suspect have a power factor of .75 or less. Would that not mean you're drawing more from your batteries than you might think from just the plain watts figure?"

why would running a fan motor be different from running a lightbulb continually?

lencho...i really don't know...

gull

we are entirely solar and battery powered

no electricty here "on the bay" in mulege

the kill-a-watt "gizmo" runs between $25-$30 usa
quite a "gizmo"
(i like that word)

more reasearch!!! thanks lencho