OT: Anyone mount ceiling fans to a crane bridge?

Garwood · May 30, 2016

I'm setting a used bridge crane in a building I've just built. I'm setting it all up for minimal clearance to the flat sheetrocked 16' ceiling.

The building is about 6500 sq ft and I'd like to heat about 4000 sq ft of that in the winter with a waste oil furnace. Building is insulated/sheeted/wrapped and sealed up pretty tight. I figured I'd better put some thought into circulating the heat so it doesn't cook at the ceiling and freeze on the floor.

I was thinking about mounting some fans to the crane bridge. Since there's no clearance on the ceiling for fans. I spose I could move the bridge to wherever I was working to position the fans as well.

Anyone ever done this?

Monarchist · May 30, 2016

Garwood said:
I'm setting a used bridge crane in a building I've just built. I'm setting it all up for minimal clearance to the flat sheetrocked 16' ceiling.

The building is about 6500 sq ft and I'd like to heat about 4000 sq ft of that in the winter with a waste oil furnace. Building is insulated/sheeted/wrapped and sealed up pretty tight. I figured I'd better put some thought into circulating the heat so it doesn't cook at the ceiling and freeze on the floor.

I was thinking about mounting some fans to the crane bridge. Since there's no clearance on the ceiling for fans. I spose I could move the bridge to wherever I was working to position the fans as well.

Anyone ever done this?

No. But one dasn't HAVE to have the fans right IN a stratification layer to break it up and get decent circulation.

Squirrel-cage air-handler of ordinary HVAC type tucked in a corner can do the do from ground level. Or attic-over if there be such - add filtering capability, live where one can service it all now and then.

That part I have done. A/C or heat coil optional. Or just deferred.

ONE of those on the crane is also less hassle than, for instance, four Hunter-styles. Stratification treatment needs but a persistent nudge, not a hurricane.

Bill

WILLEO6709 · May 30, 2016

depends if its a top runner or underslung what clearances you have. If you have room for lights over you can likely squeeze fans in. I know some places used the crane bridge to work on the lights.....

tdmidget · May 30, 2016

16 feet? you don't have shit for clearance to start with. Re think this deal.

Chip Chester · May 30, 2016

You can also make some "chimneys" out of common light-schedule PVC pipe, or ductwork if codes require, that go from peak of ceiling down to floor level... following the roof contour, not straight down. Put a fan at the bottom to suck warm air from up top and discharge it at floor level. Several would be needed, but you can also steer the warmth to operator positions, not just 'wherever it goes'.

Chip

Garwood · May 30, 2016

tdmidget said:
16 feet? you don't have shit for clearance to start with. Re think this deal.

It'll do what I need it to do just fine. The crane was made for 16' clearance. I got it for 1/30th of new price and somebody paid full bore new to put it in a building with 16' ceilings. I feel pretty OK about installing it.

Hook height will be about 12' 6".

Monarchist · May 30, 2016

Chip Chester said:
You can also make some "chimneys" out of common light-schedule PVC pipe, or ductwork if codes require, that go from peak of ceiling down to floor level... following the roof contour, not straight down. Put a fan at the bottom to suck warm air from up top and discharge it at floor level. Several would be needed, but you can also steer the warmth to operator positions, not just 'wherever it goes'.

Chip

'Wherever' is not bad, given how he has insulated. Consistent, averaged, temps beat drafts & change.

Even if the temp is not so favourable, one has an easier time adapting to whatever it 'consists' at.

Monarchist · May 30, 2016

Garwood said:
Hook height will be about 12' 6".

LOL!

Given that I've got about one-third of that off an ignorant beam-trolley, even if I were to double-block it?

Can't say I exactly feel sorry for yer 'limitation'

Unless you are erecting triple-expansion steam up-and-downs for Liberty Ship museum display?

Bill

Garwood · May 31, 2016

Most of the cranes use will be loading 11 gauge steel sheets onto and off of a laser table (with a sheet loader finger setup) and 250 lb slabs of 14" steel into a lathe chuck. No, it sure doesn't need a 5 ton crane for that, but there's plenty of room for small hoists on the bridge which I have. The crane was the exact right size for the building.

I can'r foresee the need to lift anything past the hook height. My forklift's mast only goes about 11' and that's plenty for me.

magneticanomaly · May 31, 2016

Overspeed your fans with a VFD and get lift to increase the capacity of your crane! (suggestion two months late tomorrow)

Sea Farmer · Jun 2, 2016

I have an Air King 30" circulating fan mounted in a ceiling corner--it's almost too strong for a 20' X 40' room with a 12' ceiling. Adjustable angles and oscillates. Industrial Grade and Commercial Grade Air Circulating Fans

They have a variety of mounting options, sizes, etc. On the bridge crane, the wall, the floor--all you want to do is break up the heat laminations. Nice quality stuff.

Bill D · Jun 2, 2016

I have seen ceiling type fans bolted to a wall like an airplane propeller. remember the air coming off is a cone not a cylinder so it spreads out.
I always like the term "air arrouser"
Bill D.

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OT: Anyone mount ceiling fans to a crane bridge?

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