Alternative Technology Assn Forums

1. 

   ArchGreg
   Member

   I've had a Solarhart air heater running on my roof since 1996. It's done a good job, and I don't know why the company stopped making them. However, after 17 years of service, running pretty much 8 hours a day, the fan motor has become noisy and I suspect that the bearings are wearing out.

   Does anyone have any experience of replacing the motor in these units? I've contacted Solarhart but have received no reply and I'm not sure that they now recall that they used to make them.

   I'd also like to be able to re blacken the faded metal plates inside the collectors, but I can't see any obvious way of dis assembling them - any ideas?

   Posted Friday 1 Mar 2013 @ 2:51:28 am from IP #
2. 

   Benny
   Member

   I didn't realise they made these as recently as 1996 !
   Maybe if you could post some photos Greg ? Can you read the spec plate on the fan motor ?

   Posted Friday 1 Mar 2013 @ 4:19:57 am from IP #
3. 

   ArchGreg
   Member

   My receipt is dated 29-05-96. I haven't been able to fight my way into the motor (it isn't designed for 'customer servicing'), but the receipt lists the fan assembly as no. 199602, 2/94, which doesn't really tell us anything about the motor specs. If I don't hear from Solahart soon I'll grab a can opener & climb onto the roof. I'll take some photos too.

   Posted Monday 4 Mar 2013 @ 10:06:18 am from IP #
4. 

   DocklandsDal
   Member

   Don't know how you went but electrical switchboard cooling fans maybe the go. They are designed to run till they die so they may help. Try a company called NHP in Richmond victoria or any capital city for that matter. Some photos would help.

   Posted Sunday 14 Jul 2013 @ 11:53:27 pm from IP #
5. 

   ArchGreg
   Member

   Thanks. I actually managed to find the bloke to whom Solahart sold all their bits when they decided that solar air heating was too hard - R.P & L Knight in Cooma - who have ironed out the glitches & improved the design. They were able to supply me with a replacement motor/fan which should go in with only a little adaptation, when I can find an electrician in Canberra who will install it.

   Thanks for the comment about the switchboard fans; I think that when I construct some more of these panels in the future I'll probably use a simple 150mm in line centrifugal fan in the duct within the roof space, but will investigate any other options.

   Posted Monday 15 Jul 2013 @ 12:09:34 am from IP #
6. 

   DocklandsDal
   Member

   Thanks for that - just looked up Knights - will get a quote for our office. It all comes down to working out the volume of air to move I guess.

   Posted Monday 15 Jul 2013 @ 2:34:03 am from IP #

RSS feed for this topic