ceiling fans? big ass ones?
- Thread starter wkearney99
- Start date
NeverDie
Senior Member
I once seriously considered a BAF, for purposes of quiet airflow. However, I got concerned it might be prone to pruducing noticable stroboscopic effects--something you may want to consider. Perhaps these days the effect on lighting could be modeled more easily in 3Ds Max. In 2009 the modeling tools were almost but not quite there, without devoting high effort.
wkearney99
Senior Member
Heh, yes, you do want to factor nearness of other lighting when it comes to fan diameter. Too large of a fan and the blades will interrupt the lighting from recessed cans.
I specifically planned the placement of ceiling cans to minimize this. Both from direct downward lighting and mounting a fan down from a post. This was another one of those little tips gleaned from using a lighting consultant during construction. It was trivial during construction to bump them out a bit in one room.
I don't know what speeds would be problematic, especially WRT epileptic sensitivity. I'd guess slower speeds would be less of a potential problem. That and I'd wonder how the single blade or helicopter-like arrangements are for this kind of problem?
I can just imagine the "are you eff'ing kidding me?" thoughts electricians have had when faced with customer complaints for something like this...
I specifically planned the placement of ceiling cans to minimize this. Both from direct downward lighting and mounting a fan down from a post. This was another one of those little tips gleaned from using a lighting consultant during construction. It was trivial during construction to bump them out a bit in one room.
I don't know what speeds would be problematic, especially WRT epileptic sensitivity. I'd guess slower speeds would be less of a potential problem. That and I'd wonder how the single blade or helicopter-like arrangements are for this kind of problem?
I can just imagine the "are you eff'ing kidding me?" thoughts electricians have had when faced with customer complaints for something like this...
wkearney99 said:
The light kit on this fan can be trivially removed, so I wouldn't factor this into my decision. Besides, light kits on fans are for show - none of them can light a room anyway! ;-)
wkearney99 said:
Speaking of Casablanca DC motors, I just did a bit of maintenance on one DC fan. It has 6 speeds, and the motor has a label on it, "120 AC 38 W", and has two line voltage wires coming into it and three smaller control wires from the RF module. No clue how this motor operates.
NeverDie
Senior Member
@mike: Higher end fans are like buying artwork. There are functonal aspects, but what is driving the purchase is generally that you are after a particular look. $1000 isn't unreasonable if helps achieve the look and functionality you want.
The challenge with a really big fan is: does it pull too much focus?
The challenge with a really big fan is: does it pull too much focus?
claymahaffey
Member
I picked up this Fanimation Odyn fan for my new porch. I know Fanimation isn't the highest quality, but I needed a big fan for an outdoor vaulted ceiling and like the fact that I can move 10,000 cfm for less than 40 watts. It's worked very well so far, moving a ton of air and is very quiet. But I also lust after a way to get the DC motor linked with my HA system. Fanimation just announced a new fan control app for smartphones, but it looks like something for analogue control (like there aren't already a dozen ways to do that, and exactly zero ways to control DC units.)
One day, when I get a round toit (and the warrenty is expired), I hope to pull out the DC control unit and see what outputs are sent to the motor harness for each remote command. I'm hoping that a small arduino and some relays might be able to replicate the output of the DC receiver unit to the motor and light (using a dimmer device like the Aeotec one.)
One day, when I get a round toit (and the warrenty is expired), I hope to pull out the DC control unit and see what outputs are sent to the motor harness for each remote command. I'm hoping that a small arduino and some relays might be able to replicate the output of the DC receiver unit to the motor and light (using a dimmer device like the Aeotec one.)
wkearney99
Senior Member
I'm willing to spend some coin, but the use of DC motors raises an unwelcome complication, automation-wise. Yeah, I could just control it with a switch on the AC but that's clunky. The Fanimation gizmo looks like a typical canopy remote, but with Bluetooth. Not sure what kind of range that'll offer.
I do wish Lutron would get around to making a RA2 (aka Caseta) canopy remote for fans. But given the usual metal shroud most fans have around their canopy I can see why they might not have one. But then most other aftermarket RF/canopy modules seem to work. Go figure.
My willingness to hack fans is offset by a total unwillingness to screw with anything that'll raise the risk of having to climb a ladder to fix the damned thing.
I do wish Lutron would get around to making a RA2 (aka Caseta) canopy remote for fans. But given the usual metal shroud most fans have around their canopy I can see why they might not have one. But then most other aftermarket RF/canopy modules seem to work. Go figure.
My willingness to hack fans is offset by a total unwillingness to screw with anything that'll raise the risk of having to climb a ladder to fix the damned thing.
pete_c
Guru
I looked at the remote controls for my fans (Regency). They look easy to modify for automation. I tested the RF footprint on the bedroom fans and it works fine from one side of the house (on the second floor) to the other side.
You can just purchase a second remote control and modify it and not ever touch your fan.
Bug Lutron and see what they say relating to any sort of demand for a Lutron Canopy remote for ceiling fans.
Here the guru electrician wired for ceiling fans. I do like the wireless / handheld remote devices better than the wired in the box stuff.
Here have ceiling can lighting, ceiling fan and light and automated lamps in one room. The ceiling fan is in the center of the room whilst the cans are on the side (almost to the wall but not flush). Rarely turn on the ceiling fan light though with all of the rest of the lighting in the room. (well that and the ceiling fan lights in the bedroom are rarely turned on).
You can just purchase a second remote control and modify it and not ever touch your fan.
Bug Lutron and see what they say relating to any sort of demand for a Lutron Canopy remote for ceiling fans.
Here the guru electrician wired for ceiling fans. I do like the wireless / handheld remote devices better than the wired in the box stuff.
Here have ceiling can lighting, ceiling fan and light and automated lamps in one room. The ceiling fan is in the center of the room whilst the cans are on the side (almost to the wall but not flush). Rarely turn on the ceiling fan light though with all of the rest of the lighting in the room. (well that and the ceiling fan lights in the bedroom are rarely turned on).
nicholass817
Member
BAF has been trying hard to get their fans in my projects...really anyone in AEC that wants a free lunch or swag..."The Haiku is the quietest and most energy efficient fan on the market".
I just emailed the local rep to see what solution he might be able to offer for integration with RA2...update when he responds.
I just emailed the local rep to see what solution he might be able to offer for integration with RA2...update when he responds.
kurtmccaslin
Active Member
My fan lighting is similar to Pete's. I have 2-4 cans in each bedroom, with two lamps on the bedstands. One click on the wall switch turns the cans on 50% and the lamps on 100%. Double click turns all on 100%. Double click is used for cleaning the room or for finding my lost glasses. :unsure:
We decided to forego the ceiling fan light fixtures because the wife could not find any that she really liked. And frankly, I am kind of a diva when it comes to glare from light fixtures. In most ceiling fan fixtures, you can see the filament directly. Your eye compensates by shrinking the pupil. So, instead of having more light, you actually have less apparent light. There are ways to hide the filament, but then the wife did not like the fixtures.
This whole post is a little off subject, but you might consider avoiding the fan light entirely by using remotely controlled bed-side lamps, and/or by popping some cans into the ceiling. This would make your ceiling fan control less complex.
We decided to forego the ceiling fan light fixtures because the wife could not find any that she really liked. And frankly, I am kind of a diva when it comes to glare from light fixtures. In most ceiling fan fixtures, you can see the filament directly. Your eye compensates by shrinking the pupil. So, instead of having more light, you actually have less apparent light. There are ways to hide the filament, but then the wife did not like the fixtures.
This whole post is a little off subject, but you might consider avoiding the fan light entirely by using remotely controlled bed-side lamps, and/or by popping some cans into the ceiling. This would make your ceiling fan control less complex.
Fan lights suck. I'm not sure why they were ever invented other than to give Lowes and Home Depot some additional accessory revenue. By the time that you install the light on the fan, and find the specialty light bulb that fits in the fixture, your just too tired to return it it all, so you keep it but never turn it on.
wkearney99
Senior Member
Sure, I won't argue for or against fan lights. The situation is I have a fan up in the master bedroom that ticks. It's got to go. It has a fan light, and yeah, it ain't all that. But it's there and I already have a separate fan control and dimmer on it. That and the wife knows about it having a light and if I remove the light then I'll have a blank on the wall plate. Yes, this has little to do with technology and everything to do with marital harmony.
Now I discover there's "more to fans" than I'd considered. And that my RA2 fan control doesn't want DC fans attached to it. Grumble... grumble... eff'ing technology...
So I'm not any closer to finding a simple elimination of what shouldn't have popped back onto my To Do list.
Now I discover there's "more to fans" than I'd considered. And that my RA2 fan control doesn't want DC fans attached to it. Grumble... grumble... eff'ing technology...
So I'm not any closer to finding a simple elimination of what shouldn't have popped back onto my To Do list.
BaduFamily
Active Member
Our son's new school has over 100 BAFs, including huge ones in the gym. The school building has only been open for a year but I haven't heard of any failures / difficulties with the installation. ( I help out with some techy / mechanical bits now and again, so I suspect I would hear. )
That being the case we've decided to order an haiku for the one room which gets too warm.
That being the case we've decided to order an haiku for the one room which gets too warm.
