Motion sensor for run-in shed fan?

[WNT]

I was having a ponder with this week’s coming heat: has anyone used a motion sensor for a fan in a run-in shed? My horse lives out 24/7 and has access to a huge run-in with one other 24/7 horse and two 12 hour horses.

I know they’re not in there all the time, as the call of grass overpowers the call of shade at times. It would be silly to have a fan running all day if the horses are only under it a few hours tops. I just wondered if anyone had success with such a set up. They’ll snooze, but they’re not entirely still when they do so, so I would think it would stay on reasonably well.

[gumtree]

I think it is a good idea. In expensive and very easy to install. Use a 180 sensor. You should be able to find sensor that have different length timers.

[js]

Do you think the fan motor would be able to hold up to being turned on and off frequently? Also, I would think that it would be going on and off even while horses stand in the stall if they were fairly still, depends on how sensitive the sensor is and what it’s range for motion detection is.

[trubandloki]

I just leave mine running. I figure that a fan uses so little electricity to keep going that it makes more sense to keep them on. I also wonder what JS asked above, is the motor designed for lots of on/off.
I doubt snoozing horses will move enough to keep it on.

[gumtree]

@trubandloki

I just leave mine running. I figure that a fan uses so little electricity to keep going that it makes more sense to keep them on. I also wonder what JS asked above, is the motor designed for lots of on/off.
I doubt snoozing horses will move enough to keep it on.

IMO the on/off cycling would/should have little affect on the unit. Good sensors have “sensitivity” adjustments. Even when sleeping a horse will move, shift around a bit. Or they are like me on a hot night wake up and turn on the fan or adjust the AC.

[danacat]

@trubandloki

I just leave mine running. I figure that a fan uses so little electricity to keep going that it makes more sense to keep them on. I also wonder what JS asked above, is the motor designed for lots of on/off.
I doubt snoozing horses will move enough to keep it on.

I leave my shed fans on 24/7 too unless we’re having an especially chilly night which is happening a lot this this summer, so I’m think of putting the fans on a timer – on at 6:00 AM, off at 11:00 PM.

I’m not mechanically knowledgeable enough to venture a guess as to how a sensor would affect fan motors…but since fans do draw the most electricity to ‘turn on’ and get up to speed, a lot of on/offs doesn’t sound good, and I too doubt that snoozing horses would keep fans running.

[clanter]

@js

Do you think the fan motor would be able to hold up to being turned on and off frequently? Also, I would think that it would be going on and off even while horses stand in the stall if they were fairly still, depends on how sensitive the sensor is and what it’s range for motion detection is.

the inexpensive motion sensors use passive infrared to detect body heat… these senors are looking for objects of a different heat value that the background… so really no motion is required [h=3][/h]

[trubandloki]

@clanter

the inexpensive motion sensors use passive infrared to detect body heat… these senors are looking for objects of a different heat value that the background… so really no motion is required [h=3][/h]

This makes me giggle because I frequently have to leap around like a fool to get any motion sensor to acknowledge I exist. I enter a room and it stays dark. I walk around, it stays dark. I leap around it stays dark. Another person walks in and poof, the lights come on.

[gumtree]

@danacat

I leave my shed fans on 24/7 too unless we’re having an especially chilly night which is happening a lot this this summer, so I’m think of putting the fans on a timer – on at 6:00 AM, off at 11:00 PM.

I’m not mechanically knowledgeable enough to venture a guess as to how a sensor would affect fan motors…but since fans do draw the most electricity to ‘turn on’ and get up to speed, a lot of on/offs doesn’t sound good, and I too doubt that snoozing horses would keep fans running.

It depends on the size (hp) of the fan motor. A typical fan draws around 200 watts, window fan 150, ceiling fan 120, whole house fan, 500 none of these have, require “surge watts” start up watts/power. Like say a furnace blower fan that requires 300 to over 2000 watts of “surge power” on start up and then running watts of around 300-1000,

A properly sized sensor would have no effect on the fan. It’s just a “single pole” switch. Meaning it uses 1 wire of the supply circuit. No different than a single pole switch found in all houses.

[gumtree]

@trubandloki

This makes me giggle because I frequently have to leap around like a fool to get any motion sensor to acknowledge I exist. I enter a room and it stays dark. I walk around, it stays dark. I leap around it stays dark. Another person walks in and poof, the lights come on.

I hear ya, lol. That’s why I don’t buy cheap fixtures any more. Install lights in their own outdoor box and put a good quality sensor on the supply line side.

Or just retrofit existing lights with a quality sensor. Still have a few on the list to upgrade one of these days.

[danacat]

@gumtree

It depends on the size (hp) of the fan motor. A typical fan draws around 200 watts, window fan 150, ceiling fan 120, whole house fan, 500 non of these have, require “surge watts” start up watts/power. Like say a furnace blower fan that requires 300 to over 2000 watts of “surge power” on start up and then running watts of around 300-1000,

A properly sized sensor would have no effect on the fan. It’s just a “single pole” switch. Meaning it uses 1 wire of the circuit. No different than a single pole switch found in all houses.

Good to know!

I have a sizable exhaust fan in my attic – actually will pull cool air from downstairs all through the whole house. Beast of a fan! When I turn it on, any lights that are on in the house will dim momentarity until fan gets going. Thus my previous comment about surge --only applicable to ‘beast’ fans.

[gumtree]

This is a handy link for typical appliance and tool power requirements. Gotta love the internet. Saves me a ton of money buying reference books like we used to. I’ve got a lot gathering dust but they look good on my book shelves.

http://powerupgenerator.com/typical-appliance-tool-wattage-table/

[Palm_Beach]

@trubandloki

This makes me giggle because I frequently have to leap around like a fool to get any motion sensor to acknowledge I exist. I enter a room and it stays dark. I walk around, it stays dark. I leap around it stays dark. Another person walks in and poof, the lights come on.

My driveway light does that. It’s bright enough for me to check the horse in the closest paddock, so if I want to check that horse before I go to bed, I spend a few minutes doing leaps and jumping jacks and all kinds of crazy antics. Then my 60 pound dog walks up and on it goes.

[trubandloki]

@Palm Beach

My driveway light does that. It’s bright enough for me to check the horse in the closest paddock, so if I want to check that horse before I go to bed, I spend a few minutes doing leaps and jumping jacks and all kinds of crazy antics. Then my 60 pound dog walks up and on it goes.

We have one of those too. But my biggest dog right now is slightly less than 30lbs and he has no problem turning it on.

Motion lights are like a form of exercise.