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Tamarack HV1600 vs GAF fan at HD ???s

rasher | Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on July 23, 2008 06:06am

I was all set to buy a Tamarack HV1600 whole house fan which runs around $800. My installation must be in a vertical wall in my upstairs because its all vaulted ceilings up there.

But I was aimlessly wandering the aisles at Home Repo last night and came across what looks to be an identical fan for $438. It’s packaged as a GAF brand “Master Flow Tandem Whole House Fan”, and looks to have identical specs as the Tamarack for almost half the price.

The catch is that it doesn’t mention anywhere on the box that it can be installed vertically in a wall. The Tamarack is marketed and supported in vertical applications.

Anyone care to speculate whether or not that GAF fan can be installed vertically. I sure would love to save $400! I suppose I should just get it and see, and if it doesn’t work, just take it back…

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  1. AllenB | Jul 23, 2008 09:54pm | #1

    I don't think either one of those units is going to work in a sidewall application.  You have to allow for those doors to open up when the unit comes on.  You would need to box it in and have a louver system on the exterior wall.

    Or are you still blowing into and attic area on the other side of your interior wall.  In that case I would think either of them would work.



    Edited 7/23/2008 2:56 pm by AllenB

    1. rasher | Jul 23, 2008 10:59pm | #2

      The other side of the wall is open attic space with plenty of roof venting. I just don't have any flat ceiling. It really sounds like I just need to get the GAF and see if it'll work. If it doesn't, then I'll swap it out for the Tamarack and be done with it.

      1. AllenB | Jul 23, 2008 11:02pm | #4

        Unless it needs gravity to close those little doors I think it should work in any position.

  2. User avater
    BillHartmann | Jul 23, 2008 11:01pm | #3

    "Your Master Flow« Tandem Whole House Fan is
    designed to be horizontally mounted on the floor of
    the attic,"

    http://www.gaf.com/content/documents/20516.pdf

    .
    .
    A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
  3. shellbuilder | Jul 24, 2008 12:04am | #5

    I have the Tamarack 1600, great fan as long as you're deaf.

     

    1. rasher | Jul 24, 2008 12:38am | #6

      You know, I found a review of that GAF house fan I'm talking about and they said that one was loud, too. Seems to me like that 1600cfm is too much for that size of opening or something. The Tamarack HV1600 as well as the GAF is a two-speed unit, I wonder if it's loud on low speed, too.Tamarack HV1600 is rated at 900cfm low speed and 1600cfm at high speed.
      GAF is rated at 1600cfm high speed
      Tamarack HV1000 is rated at 1000cfm (only has one speed)I haven't read any noise complaints on the HV1000.The way I'm thinking is that I'd use the fan mostly on low speed overnight to cool down the house slowly (and quietly) and just bump up to high speed when we need a little more wind...

      1. shellbuilder | Jul 24, 2008 01:05am | #7

        I would find another brand and do some research on the noise levels, my mistake is your gain. Even on low speed it's ridiculous. 

      2. User avater
        cabanillas3 | Jul 24, 2008 04:14am | #8

        http://www.airscapefans.com/The 1.0 set at low speed is hardly noticeable once you step out of the hall in our house, and not that noticeable when you are in the hall. Simple plug in to the same outlet in the attic where the air handler is, and the thermostat is right below it.jose c.
        --
        "Though I don't think" added Deep Thought "that you're going to like it."

        1. rasher | Jul 24, 2008 05:25pm | #11

          Thanks for that link to Airscape fans. I'd seen that years back but couldn't find it.

        2. EricGunnerson | Jul 25, 2008 07:20am | #14

          I also have the airscape. We have no problem sleeping with it on low speed even though it's right outside our open bedroom door.

          It's a fair bit louder on high, but not terrible.

  4. frenchy | Jul 24, 2008 04:35pm | #9

    rasher.

      The load on a fan motor doesn't care what position the fan is in.  Vertical or horizontal.    Airflow to and from the fan is all that matters.. If you have sufficant airflow it will work without sufficent airflow it won't work.  

    1. rasher | Jul 24, 2008 05:12pm | #10

      Thanks for that. I always wondered if there was something besides grill and/or louver design that determined whether a fan could be mounted vertically or horizontally...

    2. User avater
      BillHartmann | Jul 24, 2008 09:34pm | #12

      "The load on a fan motor doesn't care what position the fan is in.":Bearings do."Airflow to and from the fan is all that matters.."And if the doors don't open or don't close it does not make any difference?.
      .
      A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.Edited 7/24/2008 2:36 pm by BillHartmann

      Edited 7/24/2008 2:37 pm by BillHartmann

      1. frenchy | Jul 25, 2008 04:16am | #13

        BillHartmann

         Think about it. The primary load on the motor is the load from the fan when running, not static load when stopped.. thus orientation cannot have any effect on bearings..  As far as air flow goes well that was covered earlier..

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