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brandond_gw

Motorized Louvered vents

brandond
15 years ago

Are these motorized versions necessary or will the ones that just open on pressure good enough. To view the specs on my greenhouse project just refer to my prior postings. Also will a 20 amp breaker be sufficent to power my greenhouse if I used grow lights off it, and heat off it. A 1500 watt heater takes around 12 amps. thanks guys,brandon

Comments (6)

  • wildlifegardenermt
    15 years ago

    I was kind of wondering the same thing. I was planning on using a thermostatically controlled exhaust fan at the east gable end of my gh, and on the west end, I was gong to use a solar louver opener, but I was wondering if I needed the motorized opener. My concern with just letting it open with pressure is that in the winter (or anytime when it is cool, it would not seal tightly, and wind might blow it open. I look forward to advice people have...

  • balberth
    15 years ago

    I used the non-motorized versions for many years, but in my last greenhouse upgrade ( a couple years ago ) went for the motorized louvers. I find that my heating costs are much reduced since the change - I'm not able to completely quantify it, but it does make a significant difference.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Albert's Greenhouse

  • C Schaffner
    15 years ago

    They sure are nice. I splurged and bought them. My greenhouse is now fully automated. I just have to go out there and hang out every couple of days. Misters come on in the summer to keep it cool, the exhaust fan comes on at the same time the vents come on, I have them set at 90.

  • zacman44
    15 years ago

    I am going thru the same decision making process. . .I wanted to use nonmotorized to keep it simple and keep the cost down. I was going to make hoods for the outside to keep wind from causing a problem with the louvers, tho we don't get that much wind and live in a climate where it does not get too cold. I have not yet decided what I will do, tho the motorized ones are nice. . .I think I will need two intakes so cost would even be more. . .

  • highjack
    15 years ago

    I have two vent fans with non-motorized louvers. In the winter we seal the inside with foam board cut to fit the opening plus thick plastic bungeed over the outside. We have no drafts at all on the inside.

    During the winter, only one vent fan is ever needed and it takes a minute to open and close that fan.

    Brooke

  • birdwidow
    15 years ago

    Motorized intake vents make life in a GH a whole lot easier, as they open/close in perfect concert with the exhaust fan and sealing them for winter is simple, as noted by others posting here.

    I got more elaborate with mine though, because I wanted to overcome the primary downside of them; they will suck insects into the GH with the same force as they do air, so I wanted screens- without paying the cost of the overpriced vent screens available in GH catalogs.

    What my dear husband came up with gave me a single solution to a number of issues; flyng insects, winter insulation, summer rain being drawn into the vent motors and ease of cleaning.

    I also didn't want him to spend the time and effort to make them using any material that would rot or need painting and solid vinyl house trim proved ideal.

    The vents open out just a hair over 5", so he used vinyl 1 x 6 (3/4" x 5-1/2") trimboard to construct shadowbox frames to fit around the vents, then attached vinyl brickmould to the outsides of the boxes at the back, where they fit flush against the outer flanges of the fan frames. The brickmould is fixed against the flanges with SS carriage bolts.

    The 1 x 6 presents a 3/4" outside face edge, wide enough to fit a standard screen frame easily made to fit perfectly with the aluminum screen framing, corners, spline, fabric and spline tools sold in home centers.

    It took some searching, but we found SS anchor bolts and permanently screwed them into the face of the frames at each corner, so there is no danger of stripping out the holes when the screens are removed and replaced. The screen frames are drilled out to match and held on with SS acorn nuts.

    Between the box frame and the screens, the fan motors stay dry, insects are kept out and for winter, the boxes offer plenty of space for insulation and as the screens are so quick and easy to take on and off, I can spray them clean with a hose and replace them in minutes any time they get packed with the dust and/or dirt all window screens accumulate, especially when they are facing an intake, with air being sucked in under power.

    I have to clean them several times each season, sometimes just going over them with a small hand vac, but it's well worth the small effort for all of the insects, weeds seeds and other airbourne pests and debris that gets trapped by the screens, but doesn't get past them and into the GH.

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