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Author Topic: Blowers: Rooftop or in-booth? David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 04-04-2010 08:48 PM                        Now that warm weather is upon us, I need to exhaust the lamphouses outside. The way the equipment was left by previous management had a Dayton blower literally laying on top of the projector vent stack. Not bolted, just depending on gravity, though from the amount of dried adhesive around the collar, it looked as though the had it duct taped at some point. The ceiling duct is clear, though the cap on the roof top needs replaced. What are people's thoughts on the types of blower installations? I long for the day when I don't have a blower in the booth itself, just from a noise perspective. But if a rooftop unit fails, I'm sure repairing it would be more of a hassle than a ceiling mounted one. I need to have electrical run either way, so looking for opinions. -David  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 04-04-2010 09:03 PM                     See this thread for useful info. Being that far north I would go with the indoor units so you don't have to worry much about clearing snow from around a rooftop unit.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-05-2010 12:43 AM                     ..If you're going in-booth, have the blower away from the machinery so the motor vibrations doesn't resonate into the console or lamphouse.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 04-05-2010 01:14 AM                        I've never had any issues with snow on top of the rooftop units here in Colorado.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 04-05-2010 01:42 AM                     I recently installed a new lamphouse, and the exhaust blower on the old one was "mounted" (or, more accurately: "sitting") on top of the lamphouse vent stack in much the same way David described his installation. Fortunately, I had access to the attic space between the booth ceiling and the theater roof, so I simply moved the blower from on top of the lamphouse up into the attic above the booth by screwing it to a base and then screwing that into the metal ceiling joists above the booth. I also slightly re-routed the flex duct from its' original path and in doing so I was able to remove two 90deg bends which greatly improved airflow. The blower is not entirely "out of sight, out of mind", since I occasionally have to go up into that attic for other maintence issues. That will give me a chance to periodically check it. Here's A Picture Taken When I Was Working On The Installation: Another thing you might want to consider is an "Inline Exhaust Fan". I used one of these at a theater last year whose ancient roof exhaust system finially rusted out. They're relatively inexpensive and come in a variety of duct sizes and CFM's. It came with brackets which made it easy to mount it to the booth ceiling above the projector. They're very quiet, and I got it (new) on e-bay for around $100 including shipping. Here's what one looks like: This worked out so well, they had me install a 2nd one in another booth since it was only a matter of time before that exahust system failed too. Search e-bay for "inline exhaust fan" and you'll find quite a selection. Good Luck!  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 04-05-2010 12:58 PM                     We have rooftop blowers at my location. They were installed in 1984, and all ran fine until the last couple of years. I am replacing them one at a time as they go bad. Even with all the snow we have had here on the east coast this winter, I have never had a problem with snow blocking the ventilation system.  |  IP: Logged Michael Voiland Expert Film Handler Posts: 219 From: Naperville, IL US Registered: Aug 2009 posted 04-05-2010 04:12 PM                     We are at an old GC from the 1980's the hvac guys keep saying they pull 200 cfm i have yet to believe them.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-05-2010 04:23 PM                     ..and in all due actuality, 200cfm's is a bit too low. If you can get it up double the flow past 400cfm's, the bulbs will like you much better...  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-05-2010 08:19 PM                        Cost is worth it in bulb savings. Louis  |  IP: Logged Michael Voiland Expert Film Handler Posts: 219 From: Naperville, IL US Registered: Aug 2009 posted 04-06-2010 05:36 PM                     They say 200 i say BS i opened one up today to find the belt was falling apart like totally delaminating or splitting to a point were at some parts it was a quarter the thickness. we have 2 projectors that share a roof top can you say cook an egg on top of the lamp house. They are all 2k bulbs to. Trust me I look at the cost of bulbs vs new vents and shake my head they cut our hours back recently.  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 04-07-2010 05:50 PM                     My blowers are all rated 300 cfm. I get 3000 hours from my 2K lamps.  |  IP: Logged Michael Voiland Expert Film Handler Posts: 219 From: Naperville, IL US Registered: Aug 2009 posted 04-08-2010 05:30 PM                     Consider yourself lucky. Some of our theaters get a dark spot on the bulb in the first few weeks it just fades dark at the top of the bulb.  |  IP: Logged Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 04-11-2010 06:16 PM                        Is there a reason to not install these inline blowers on the lamphouse? They do not seem to cause any vibration to the lamphouse.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-11-2010 07:21 PM                     The only issue is if there is an existing blower elsewhere on the line as you could cause a change to the overal system draft  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-11-2010 10:02 PM                        You will notice with in line blowers that eventually the Ozone will cause failure. It looks like corrosion. In line is absolutely no good except for a shurt time. Squirrel blowers are not hard. Louis  |  IP: Logged

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