Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester
| [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174248] |
Thu, 21 June 2012 22:40  |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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G'day,
I just spotted this blower on sale at HF:
http://tinyurl.com/7jagj7g
According to the spec sheet it puts out 300 Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM) and the dimensions are: 11-1/2" L x 8-3/4" W x 11-1/2" H.
I am thinking this might be a good candidate for a GMC water leak tester. At 8 3/4" wide it wouldn't be too hard to mount it to a
board which would fit in the driver / passenger window to pressurize a GMC and find leaks. The spec does not state what the
deadheaded pressure output is nor does the manual.
Queries:
1) Do you think the flow of 300 CFM from one blower is sufficient to leak check a GMC?
2) Do you think the pressure output of one blower is sufficient to leak check a GMC?
Regards,
Rob M.
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174258 is a reply to message #174248] |
Thu, 21 June 2012 23:21  |
rwbmitiopt@comcast.net
Messages: 189
Registered: April 2005
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Rob
Good find, I was just going to try and find a blower at a furnace replacement business and see if I could pick up one for a few bucks. The HF one would be great if the opinion is, it is adequate. Will await the wisdom of our sages.
Randall | Robert Mueller wrote on Thu, 21 June 2012 20:40 |
G'day,
I just spotted this blower on sale at HF:
http://tinyurl.com/7jagj7g
According to the spec sheet it puts out 300 Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM) and the dimensions are: 11-1/2" L x 8-3/4" W x 11-1/2" H.
I am thinking this might be a good candidate for a GMC water leak tester. At 8 3/4" wide it wouldn't be too hard to mount it to a
board which would fit in the driver / passenger window to pressurize a GMC and find leaks. The spec does not state what the
deadheaded pressure output is nor does the manual.
Queries:
1) Do you think the flow of 300 CFM from one blower is sufficient to leak check a GMC?
2) Do you think the pressure output of one blower is sufficient to leak check a GMC?
Regards,
Rob M.
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Randall Burns
Sammamish WA
75 EX GB
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174265 is a reply to message #174258] |
Fri, 22 June 2012 02:26 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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| rwbmitiopt wrote on Thu, 21 June 2012 21:21 |
Rob
Good find, I was just going to try and find a blower at a furnace replacement business and see if I could pick up one for a few bucks. ...
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I was planning on replacing my old 70's installed furnace and keeping the blower for this purpose. Wouldn't you know it, the blower is what fried before I got to it!
I suspect that a post on criagslist could find a blower for cheap.
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174283 is a reply to message #174277] |
Fri, 22 June 2012 09:45 |
powerjon
Messages: 2446
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Like Steve, I can get the furnace blowers for nothing from an HVAC guy
I know. They just put the furnace in the dumpster and send the whole
thing to the crusher. Furnace blowers typically are in the 1200 to
1500 CFM range, some more/some less depending on the size and if they
are multi-speed units.
As for the Collapsable trunk I used the flexible fiberglass heater
duct. (see pictures for information) I remove the fiberglass
insulation and use the mylar ducting material. It is very tuff stuff.
<http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6110-leak-check-air-blower.html>
The HF unit with only 300 CFM will not give you enough volume to
pressurize the coach.
JR Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMC Eastern States
GMCMHI
78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
1975 Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan
On Jun 22, 2012, at 8:53 AM, Steven Ferguson wrote:
> Save your money. The blowers are the easiest to find as it is
> usually the
> last thing that fails in furnace installations. I used to sell them
> for
> $20 ea and got them from a heating and cooling business. The
> expensive end
> of this deal is the collapsable trunk. The only place I've been
> able to
> find it is at Grainger. I have the entire coach pressurizing setup
> (3spd
> blower) I'd be glad to sell for much less than I paid for it. I was
> going
> to leak test GMCs at ralleys but that never seemed to happen.
>
> On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 8:40 PM, Robert Mueller <robmueller@iinet.net.au
> >wrote:
>
>> G'day,
>>
>> I just spotted this blower on sale at HF:
>>
>> http://tinyurl.com/7jagj7g
>>
>> According to the spec sheet it puts out 300 Cubic Feet Per Minute
>> (CFM)
>> and the dimensions are: 11-1/2" L x 8-3/4" W x 11-1/2" H.
>>
>> I am thinking this might be a good candidate for a GMC water leak
>> tester.
>> At 8 3/4" wide it wouldn't be too hard to mount it to a
>> board which would fit in the driver / passenger window to
>> pressurize a GMC
>> and find leaks. The spec does not state what the
>> deadheaded pressure output is nor does the manual.
>>
>> Queries:
>>
>> 1) Do you think the flow of 300 CFM from one blower is sufficient
>> to leak
>> check a GMC?
>> 2) Do you think the pressure output of one blower is sufficient to
>> leak
>> check a GMC?
>>
>> Regards,
>> Rob M.
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J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMI
78 30' Buskirk Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174285 is a reply to message #174283] |
Fri, 22 June 2012 09:57 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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I designed a small wooden frame which I mounted the furnace blower to. I take the lid off one of the roof vents and place the frame over it. This works very well and I don't need a duct and a way to seal the duct to a window.
Emery Stora
Emery
On Jun 22, 2012, at 8:45 AM, John Wright <powerjon@chartermi.net> wrote:
> Like Steve, I can get the furnace blowers for nothing from an HVAC guy
> I know. They just put the furnace in the dumpster and send the whole
> thing to the crusher. Furnace blowers typically are in the 1200 to
> 1500 CFM range, some more/some less depending on the size and if they
> are multi-speed units.
>
> As for the Collapsable trunk I used the flexible fiberglass heater
> duct. (see pictures for information) I remove the fiberglass
> insulation and use the mylar ducting material. It is very tuff stuff.
>
> <http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6110-leak-check-air-blower.html>
>
> The HF unit with only 300 CFM will not give you enough volume to
> pressurize the coach.
>
> JR Wright
> GMC Great Laker MHC
> GMC Eastern States
> GMCMHI
> 78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
> 1975 Avion (Under Reconstruction)
> Michigan
>
> On Jun 22, 2012, at 8:53 AM, Steven Ferguson wrote:
>
>> Save your money. The blowers are the easiest to find as it is
>> usually the
>> last thing that fails in furnace installations. I used to sell them
>> for
>> $20 ea and got them from a heating and cooling business. The
>> expensive end
>> of this deal is the collapsable trunk. The only place I've been
>> able to
>> find it is at Grainger. I have the entire coach pressurizing setup
>> (3spd
>> blower) I'd be glad to sell for much less than I paid for it. I was
>> going
>> to leak test GMCs at ralleys but that never seemed to happen.
>>
>> On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 8:40 PM, Robert Mueller <robmueller@iinet.net.au
>>> wrote:
>>
>>> G'day,
>>>
>>> I just spotted this blower on sale at HF:
>>>
>>> http://tinyurl.com/7jagj7g
>>>
>>> According to the spec sheet it puts out 300 Cubic Feet Per Minute
>>> (CFM)
>>> and the dimensions are: 11-1/2" L x 8-3/4" W x 11-1/2" H.
>>>
>>> I am thinking this might be a good candidate for a GMC water leak
>>> tester.
>>> At 8 3/4" wide it wouldn't be too hard to mount it to a
>>> board which would fit in the driver / passenger window to
>>> pressurize a GMC
>>> and find leaks. The spec does not state what the
>>> deadheaded pressure output is nor does the manual.
>>>
>>> Queries:
>>>
>>> 1) Do you think the flow of 300 CFM from one blower is sufficient
>>> to leak
>>> check a GMC?
>>> 2) Do you think the pressure output of one blower is sufficient to
>>> leak
>>> check a GMC?
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Rob M.
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> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174295 is a reply to message #174293] |
Fri, 22 June 2012 10:54 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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This was how I had planned to do it... before the blower motor fried. So I have given it a little thought.
One more possible problem: Unless the coach has more than one vent, you can not leak check the area around the vent being used to pressurize the coach.
| Robert Mueller wrote on Fri, 22 June 2012 08:45 |
...
Here's some possible problems with this idea:
1) the blowers I've seen were pretty heavy and it might be a bit of a job to get them up on top of the roof.
2) the force of the fan blowing on the Fantastic Fan cover could damage it.
3) the Fantastic Fan puts out 920 CFM - according to JR the blower he has can put out 1500 CFM that might spin the fan so fast it
damaged it.
There is an up side to 1) - the weight of the blower would keep it in place on the roof.
-----Original Message-----
From: Emery Stora
I designed a small wooden frame which I mounted the furnace blower to. I take the lid off one of the roof vents and place the frame
over it. This works very well and I don't need a duct and a way to seal the duct to a window.
|
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174302 is a reply to message #174293] |
Fri, 22 June 2012 11:50 |
powerjon
Messages: 2446
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Rob and All,
I also use a manometer to check and see if I have a positive pressure
on the coach. Without a positive pressure indication you are not
going to be able to check for leaks. I can get better than 8 to 12 +
"H2O on a coach that is fairly tight. Using the vent is a noble idea
but I think that you will have too much restriction and the vent only
opens so far and the fan and interior screen will cause issues also,
plus your have to drag it on top of the coach which could be unsafe.
The experience that I have with my setup shows that it can be a little
undersized if the coach is a real leaker. The 4 worst leak points are
the frig vent/door, vent hood for range, the power and utilities door
on the side and the entry door seal. Those really need to be taped
over if you're going to find the leaks that count. Makes it so much
easier to find leaks when you can get the interior pressure up.
We had a rally in Sandusky, MI and Buskirk brought over their unit and
is was on a cart like mine but it was 3 or 4 times bigger and had a 2
or 3 HP motor on it. It was an industrial size HVAC air mover and had
enough capacity to overcome any leaks and pressurize any coach it was
used on.
Just my experience with my unit, your may vary.
JR Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMC Eastern States
GMCMHI
78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
1975 Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan
On Jun 22, 2012, at 11:45 AM, Robert Mueller wrote:
> Emery,
>
> I have seen a number of pressurizing rigs all of which required
> attachment to the window your idea is mo betta!
>
> You gave me an idea. Rather than removing the vent lid fabricate a
> box that will fit over a Fantastic Fan with the lid full open.
> The bottom should match the profile of the roof and sealed with some
> fairly thick weather stripping to seal it. The blower would be
> permanently attached to a flat piece of plywood that formed the top
> of that box. There could be a couple of studs sticking up from
> the box so that the blower mounted to the plywood top could be held
> to the box with wing nuts.
>
> Here's some possible problems with this idea:
>
> 1) the blowers I've seen were pretty heavy and it might be a bit of
> a job to get them up on top of the roof.
> 2) the force of the fan blowing on the Fantastic Fan cover could
> damage it.
> 3) the Fantastic Fan puts out 920 CFM - according to JR the blower
> he has can put out 1500 CFM that might spin the fan so fast it
> damaged it.
>
> There is an up side to 1) - the weight of the blower would keep it
> in place on the roof.
>
> Regards,
> Rob M.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Emery Stora
>
> I designed a small wooden frame which I mounted the furnace blower
> to. I take the lid off one of the roof vents and place the frame
> over it. This works very well and I don't need a duct and a way to
> seal the duct to a window.
>
> Emery Stora
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J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMI
78 30' Buskirk Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174318 is a reply to message #174302] |
Fri, 22 June 2012 14:49 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
|
Senior Member |
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On Jun 22, 2012, at 10:50 AM, John Wright <powerjon@chartermi.net> wrote:
> Rob and All,
> I also use a manometer to check and see if I have a positive pressure
> on the coach. Without a positive pressure indication you are not
> going to be able to check for leaks. I can get better than 8 to 12 +
> "H2O on a coach that is fairly tight. Using the vent is a noble idea
> but I think that you will have too much restriction and the vent only
> opens so far and the fan and interior screen will cause issues also,
> plus your have to drag it on top of the coach which could be unsafe.
>
NO, NO, NO, and NO.
Been using it this way since about 2002 on several motorhomes and it works extremely well.
I bring it up the ladder and place it on the rear vent. As to being unsafe, I guess that is an opinion that I don't share.
Walking across a street or down some stairs can also be unsafe but people do it all the time.
Emery Stora
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| Re: [GMCnet] Harbor Freight Blower / Leak Tester [message #174361 is a reply to message #174285] |
Sat, 23 June 2012 07:19 |
Steven Ferguson
Messages: 3447
Registered: May 2006
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I'd rather stay on the ground!
On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 7:57 AM, Emery Stora <emerystora@mac.com> wrote:
> I designed a small wooden frame which I mounted the furnace blower to. I
> take the lid off one of the roof vents and place the frame over it. This
> works very well and I don't need a duct and a way to seal the duct to a
> window.
>
> Emery Stora
>
>
> Emery
>
> On Jun 22, 2012, at 8:45 AM, John Wright <powerjon@chartermi.net> wrote:
>
> > Like Steve, I can get the furnace blowers for nothing from an HVAC guy
> > I know. They just put the furnace in the dumpster and send the whole
> > thing to the crusher. Furnace blowers typically are in the 1200 to
> > 1500 CFM range, some more/some less depending on the size and if they
> > are multi-speed units.
> >
> > As for the Collapsable trunk I used the flexible fiberglass heater
> > duct. (see pictures for information) I remove the fiberglass
> > insulation and use the mylar ducting material. It is very tuff stuff.
> >
> > <http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g6110-leak-check-air-blower.html>
> >
> > The HF unit with only 300 CFM will not give you enough volume to
> > pressurize the coach.
> >
> > JR Wright
> > GMC Great Laker MHC
> > GMC Eastern States
> > GMCMHI
> > 78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
> > 1975 Avion (Under Reconstruction)
> > Michigan
> >
> > On Jun 22, 2012, at 8:53 AM, Steven Ferguson wrote:
> >
> >> Save your money. The blowers are the easiest to find as it is
> >> usually the
> >> last thing that fails in furnace installations. I used to sell them
> >> for
> >> $20 ea and got them from a heating and cooling business. The
> >> expensive end
> >> of this deal is the collapsable trunk. The only place I've been
> >> able to
> >> find it is at Grainger. I have the entire coach pressurizing setup
> >> (3spd
> >> blower) I'd be glad to sell for much less than I paid for it. I was
> >> going
> >> to leak test GMCs at ralleys but that never seemed to happen.
> >>
> >> On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 8:40 PM, Robert Mueller <
> robmueller@iinet.net.au
> >>> wrote:
> >>
> >>> G'day,
> >>>
> >>> I just spotted this blower on sale at HF:
> >>>
> >>> http://tinyurl.com/7jagj7g
> >>>
> >>> According to the spec sheet it puts out 300 Cubic Feet Per Minute
> >>> (CFM)
> >>> and the dimensions are: 11-1/2" L x 8-3/4" W x 11-1/2" H.
> >>>
> >>> I am thinking this might be a good candidate for a GMC water leak
> >>> tester.
> >>> At 8 3/4" wide it wouldn't be too hard to mount it to a
> >>> board which would fit in the driver / passenger window to
> >>> pressurize a GMC
> >>> and find leaks. The spec does not state what the
> >>> deadheaded pressure output is nor does the manual.
> >>>
> >>> Queries:
> >>>
> >>> 1) Do you think the flow of 300 CFM from one blower is sufficient
> >>> to leak
> >>> check a GMC?
> >>> 2) Do you think the pressure output of one blower is sufficient to
> >>> leak
> >>> check a GMC?
> >>>
> >>> Regards,
> >>> Rob M.
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>
--
Fathom the hypocrisy of a nation where every citizen must prove they have
health insurance......but not everyone has to prove they're a citizen.
Steve Ferguson
Sierra Vista, AZ
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