[sudo-discuss] Ventilation fan installed over sudoroom!

Thu Jul 8 13:58:21 PDT 2021

Do we have a second fan - ideally one that is correctly weatherproofed for
roof installation? I'm still thinking to install one on the skylight closer
to CCL as well. Maybe the big one above Sudo is sufficient for the entire
room though - will check next time I'm in.

I know some people may think this goes against the hacker ethos, but I'm
all in favor of using an affordable, ready-made, quiet,
commercial-off-the-shelf solution if available. Bonus if we can avoid
raising eyebrows in the unlikely event that any inspector ever bothers to
go check out the roof.

Patrik

On Thu, Jul 8, 2021, 1:12 PM Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:

> Between myself and another sudoroom member, we have more than enough solar
> panels to greatly offset all of our fan use.  There is no need to buy
> anything,
> only to send volunteers to help configure and install these things.  But
> that
> has to be off-list for technical reasons.
>
> -jake
>
> On Wed, 7 Jul 2021, Patrik D'haeseleer wrote:
>
> > By the way - if any of you roof monkeys are up there again, it would be
> > great if someone could also have a look at the exhaust fans above the
> > entrance hall! Rob mentioned he may have located a switch but didn't have
> > time to do any troubleshooting yet - not clear if they are getting power,
> > if the motor is busted, or what. Would be worth running over a temporary
> > extension cord to check...
> >
> > I don't have much time to play on the roof this week, but I'd be happy to
> > pay for a solar powered attic fan if someone can figure out how to mate
> it
> > with the vent in the skylight. Home Depot has a couple models in the
> > $200-300 range
> > <
> https://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Ventilation-Roofing-Attic-Ventilation-Attic-Fans/Weather-Resistant/Exhaust/Roof-Mount/Solar-Attic-Fan/N-5yc1vZc65uZ1z19cj7Z1z19v14Z1z19ygqZ1z19ynt?NCNI-5&storeSelection=
> >
> > .
> >
> > Patrik
> >
> > On Wed, Jul 7, 2021 at 4:47 PM Patrik D'haeseleer <patrikd at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Yay! How noisy does this fan wind up being when it's running? If I
> >> remember correctly, this is a 2000 CFM inline duct fan, which seems
> >> overpowered for use as an exhaust fan.
> >>
> >> The power issue is also why I had been looking into solar powered
> exhaust
> >> fans - you can power a 1000 CFM attic fan fairly easily from just a 15W
> >> solar panel. (The reason why Jake's fan is 500W is because it's
> designed to
> >> push that 2000 CFM through a network of ducts.)
> >>
> >> We might want to loop in Rob's friend Elon, who knows quite a bit about
> >> building ventilation, and has been checking out air turnover rates in
> the
> >> building with an eye on reopening for events.
> >>
> >> Patrik
> >>
> >> On Wed, Jul 7, 2021 at 3:43 PM Autonomous <autonomous666 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I would also add that this type of exhaust fan is not designed for
> >>> continuous use due to overheating and the potential fire hazard risk. I
> >>> have a similar type of fan installed in a 4800 sqft building that is
> cycled
> >>> 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off. It can become quite hot after 30
> minutes
> >>> especially in warm weather.
> >>>
> >>> On Wed, Jul 7, 2021 at 5:10 PM Eric O'Connor <eric at oco.nnor.org>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> At the risk of being a downer (but I also know Sudo/Omni is having
> >>>> insurance issues), I just wanted to point out that Cal Fire code 605.5
> >>>> recommends against an extension cord going through a ceiling or wall.
> >>>>
> >>>>> Extension cords and flexible cords shall not be affixed to
> structures,
> >>>> extended through walls, ceilings or floors, or under doors or floor
> >>>> coverings, nor shall such cords be subject to environmental damage or
> >>>> physical impact.
> >>>>
> >>>> As long as it has a drip loop it’s probably fine, but I’m not an
> >>>> inspector, and haven’t seen the fan either.
> >>>>
> >>>> Sorry if this is not helpful for whatever reason. If that is the case,
> >>>> just add this email to the long list of useless information flowing
> around
> >>>> the internet :)
> >>>>
> >>>> On a more positive note: The control system ideas sound rad!
> >>>>
> >>>> Eric
> >>>>
> >>>> On Wed, Jul 7, 2021, at 13:48, Jake wrote:
> >>>>> Last night an intrepid cabal of hackers hacked their way through a
> >>>> skylight to
> >>>>> install a high-flow ventilation fan on the roof!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The power cord hangs down into sudoroom so that mice and tiny hackers
> >>>> can
> >>>>> rappel down into the space rather than use the door like a noob.
> Also
> >>>> the
> >>>>> power cord can be used to supply power to the fan so that it runs.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> It uses 500 watts but is quite powerful.  I haven't seen our electric
> >>>> bill but
> >>>>> assuming we're paying about 25 cents per kilowatt-hour, leaving it on
> >>>> all the
> >>>>> time will cost us $3 per day, or $92 dollars per month.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I think that rather than leaving the fan on all the time, we should
> >>>> create a
> >>>>> sophisticated control system using a microphone and AI machine
> >>>> learning to
> >>>>> detect when people are flapping their mouths (meat talking) in the
> >>>> space, and
> >>>>> turn on the fan during those times.  We can also measure humidity, or
> >>>> have a
> >>>>> camera watching for motion, or even look at network traffic and see
> if
> >>>> people
> >>>>> are using data in the nearby area.  I can supply the relay connected
> >>>> to a
> >>>>> server where this software can make those decisions.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> here is a picture of the finished product as viewed by birds.  If you
> >>>> want to
> >>>>> see what it looks like from below, go into sudoroom and plug it in.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> https://sudoroom.org/wiki/File:Sudo_apt_install_vent_fan_on_roof.jpg
> >>>>>
> >>>>> -jake
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
> >>>>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/listinfo/sudo-discuss
> >>>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>
> >>
> >
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