Squirrel Cage fans are hot and undependable

I've been running an Active Air brand 265cfm squirrel cage fan and it has NO LOAD (back pressure) on it, it just blows fresh air from outside my closet into my closet which I run a single 400 HPS, I've heard that even the Dayton brand squirrel cage fans run hot.

When I say hot, I mean hot enough to where you can't leave your finger on the motor for more than 2 -3 seconds without snatching it away. This fan cost me like 75.00 new , and I regret having gotten it. It does what its supposed to do but its insane to run that hot.

I only run it for 12 hrs at a time, when the lights are on, I know it won't last too much longer, I've heard other people complain about how hot they get and that they don't last long.All it takes is just 15 minutes of it being plugged in and it gets hot.

I use a high-output 5" can-fan connected to a can-fan 9000 carbon filter to extract air from my closet (3.5' wide x 8.5' long x 7.5' tall) and it does a good job (I only use 3.5'x 3.5' of that space), I wish I had put a little more money into it and gotten another can-fan instead of a squirrel cage.

I'd rather have it where I could run the intake fan 24 hrs. instead of just 12 hrs. but that squirrel cage would burn out running continuously like that and I fear might even be a fire hazard.Whether it will keep running or not, I'm about to order another can-fan or vortex brand inline fan to replace it. I like keeping my temps below 78 degrees, its just my preference.

I'm a big believer in intake and extraction of air, I'm actually going to get 2 more high performance inline fans, one to replace my squirrel cage intake fan and right before summertime one more to cool my 400HPS bulb so I can use my glass on the reflector. Temps get really bad in the summer time where I live. I know my squirrel cage won't last too much longer, I'm not even growing anything right now and not going to until I get that squirrel cage replaced.
 

Kruzty

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the heads up.I'm at the point of getting fans so didn't know what to get so guess I'll steer clear of squirl cage fans.Do the can fans run hot too?
 
NO, not at all, and plus the warranty is like 5 years on all CAN-FANS, and if you go with a VORTEX brand they have like a 10 year warranty, I paid 135.00 for my hi-output 5" CAN-FAN last year, before this summer comes I'm going to order 2 more, which will give me a total of 3 performance inline fans so any issue with heat will be taken care of. Those centrifugal type inline fans are more efficient than squirrel cages too.
 

Picasso345

Well-Known Member
I know my squirrel cage won't last too much longer.
How do you know this? Those fans are designed to run hot. They have a 1-year warranty. Seems like a flaw in their business model if their fans all cook themselves immediately and start a house fire.

I'd say instead of being afraid to use the closet, drop Active Air a note, I'll bet they can talk you off the ledge.
 
I'll bet they can tell me some lies too,like a company is going to say something negative about a product they sell, how dumb ass, anyway how do I know this? I've talked to different people that have run (plug-in) squirrel cages like Active Air and Dayton, they just do not last long, I've asked about them at cannabis.com,grass city.com, and gardenscure.com, nothing good said about them.
 

Picasso345

Well-Known Member
I'll bet they can tell me some lies too,like a company is going to say something negative about a product they sell, how dumb ass, anyway how do I know this? I've talked to different people that have run (plug-in) squirrel cages like Active Air and Dayton, they just do not last long, I've asked about them at cannabis.com,grass city.com, and gardenscure.com, nothing good said about them.
Oy. Good luck with your next fan.
 
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