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Posted: 3/7/2024 10:45:25 AM EDT
I have a hail protector cover that inflates.
They used 4 radial fans dc powered to inflate this thing.
after 6 years, either the fans are going bad or the material is too breathable.
I realized I don't need it to be dc powered, so was looking at a/c powered radial fans and then realized why replace it the same way.
I could just use 1 big one.
The original specs show each one does about 22 cfm and are able to inflate this thing pretty taught.
so 100 cfm is the baseline.
I figured I can go to 200 cfm which appears to be a 4 inch fan and pump it in where the system is designed to bleed out excess air pressure.
but I don't see the spec on backpressure it can handle. it has to inflate this thing like a balloon, be water proof, and maybe variable speed if it doesn't compromise the water proof part.
the plug will be in the garage, the the unit would sit in the rain and hail.
am I nuts? lol.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 11:16:21 AM EDT
[#1]
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 11:25:18 AM EDT
[#2]
Hail and power outage frequently go hand in fist. Unless you have an automatic back up power supply I would use 12v.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 11:33:59 AM EDT
[#3]
I bought a shitty water type bounce house years back.  It got mold and ripped, but the fan it came with is surprisingly solid.  I tossed the bounce bounce and kept the fan.  Going strong years layer, really puts out a large volume of coherent air movement.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 12:45:30 PM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Hail and power outage frequently go hand in fist. Unless you have an automatic back up power supply I would use 12v.
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I have a battery backup. should last out the storm depending on draw.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 12:47:04 PM EDT
[#5]
thanks for the link, will browse those to find one.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 1:33:16 PM EDT
[#6]
Before  'Murica got dumbed down, you could look up such  specs on  blowers and fans.  Static pressure.  First thing to do is get/ build a manometer  and find out what you need.  Second thing I'd do  is take one of what you think is the best of your fans and figure a way to measure it.  I believe, not sure,  that  a specialized   centrifugal  cage blower  is normally   capable of higher pressure than a propeller fan.

Hell, use a big shop vac!!
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 1:50:32 PM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


I have a battery backup. should last out the storm depending on draw.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Hail and power outage frequently go hand in fist. Unless you have an automatic back up power supply I would use 12v.


I have a battery backup. should last out the storm depending on draw.



Battery like it says or generator?

If in fact battery, 12v will be far more efficient and save your battery for more important tasks.

However Amazon has plenty of selections for both.

You also might try treating your cover before replacing the fan
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 1:52:26 PM EDT
[#8]
it has to be able to run for at least 12 to 16 hours. I don't want to burn out my shop vac. easier to find something purpose built to do something like that instead. bounce house type fans like the link above would probably work.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 5:16:12 PM EDT
[#9]
There is no magic when it comes to generating pressure with a fan. Fan diameter and rpm correlate to maximum achievable pressure (velocity at the tip of the impeller blade is linearly relative to max pressure.

You either need a large diameter fan, a really high speed fan, or a multistage fan.

I hope this helps you weed out realistic claims from the outrageous claims.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 5:25:20 PM EDT
[#10]
Greenhouses use them to insulate between plastic layers in that type of greenhouse.  Searching for 'greenhouse inflation fan' should turn up some hits.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 6:00:43 PM EDT
[#11]
oh those are interesting, thanks.

I run a ups like for computers to power it now.
it is basically a laptop brick powering the fans.

so inefficent. basically transforming power 4 times lol.
ac to dc to ac to dc again.
Link Posted: 3/7/2024 8:17:55 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Greenhouses use them to insulate between plastic layers in that type of greenhouse.  Searching for 'greenhouse inflation fan' should turn up some hits.
View Quote


Yep. OP will be on at least a couple of watchlists, for sure.  
Link Posted: 3/8/2024 7:33:47 AM EDT
[#13]
Try McMaster-Carr.
I just searched on there for equipment cooling fans, but there are also other fans that they carry.
Maybe they'll have something that will work for you.
Link Posted: 4/19/2024 7:45:08 AM EDT
[#14]
thought I would follow up.
I found a bounce house fan on craigslist for 20 bucks.
bought a dryer air duct hose and flange for the wall.
hooked up fine and ran it over night a couple of times.
inflated like it used to.
way louder, but cheaper than anything else I could get.
all in around 50 bucks which is about 2 of the fans if I had to replace them.
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