I have J and D fans from Valley Vet. They come in white, are suitable for agricultural use, and can be used indoors or outdoors. They can get wet.
i know of several fires that were caused by inexpensive box fans.
Do the fans with sealed motors get hot? I got worried when I bought mine and hung them on my stall doors… I touched the motor and it was hot… so then I got worried that would be an issue… Is it?
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This fan is indoor rated.
I do believe that the risk of using a box fan in a barn is much higher, mathematically, than at home in a bedroom, for instance.
A cheap box fan is going to suffer from more wear and tear in an outdoor environment (like a barn) than an indoor/outdoor fan. That increased wear and tear increases the likelihood of a spark, which could go on to land on something flammable like hay, shavings, dust, wood beams, etc.
While the odds may still be 100K:1, to me it’s worth buying the $$$ fans simply for the peace of mind. Anything to keep from being that 1.
We’re using the JD fans from Global Supply. They have sealed motors and work great! Heavy as all get-out.
Bringing up the subject of fans again…
We historically use box fans at the shows during the summer. Unfortunately the walls in the stabling units are too thick for those convenient looking metal brackets. I’m considering either the fan bags or strap units - they would be suitable and they would be easy to mount. I would prefer to use the round, sealed motor fans for peace of mind.
My question is about hanging/mounting the round air circulating fans using the strap system - could a 14" - 20" round fan be used with either of these hanging systems?
Fan type: https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=0F2D3DCC-A8AB-4350-A609-EC08230D5861
https://www.sstack.com/dura-tech-box-fan-holder/p/24726/
https://www.amazon.com/Southwestern-Equine-Horse-Stall-Fan/dp/B071P4TL1L
Fans with sealed motors from Northern Supply. Pricey but worth the peace of mind. https://www.google.com/shopping/product/7727968027497788343?lsf=seller:8049,store:18261173066889849036&prds=oid:16738770449198273369&q=northern+tool+sealed+motor+fans&hl=en&ei=M8DYXJD0GIeZ_QauuJCgCw&lsft=gclid:CjwKCAjwiN_mBRBBEiwA9N-e_iWDp6CVqKY1TA61ZCcdlNCczOna3FOxeD2A96QS3L5LKyXI4vJ6HxoCaLgQAvD_BwE
No fans. I’m in the Mid-Atlantic so nothing too ridiculous wrt heat and humidity, although last summer was pretty challenging. I think the bugs bother them more than the actual temps. Mine come in out of the sun for the day, and go back out, loaded with fly spray, in the late afternoon. They acclimate just fine. Fans really contribute to stirring up dust and increasing the particle count in the air stalled horses breathe.
I also have the 18" sealed motor basket fans from Ramm in my stalls. They put out tons of air and the horses live under them in the summer. I also have a sealed motor ceiling fan (also from Ramm) in my barn aisle. Ramm has amazing service and I have been very happy with my fans.
Good quality round sealed units with a dedicated plug over the top of every stall installed by the electrician. I will not risk a fire for the cost of a fan! I also have a thermostat installed so once the temp hits 80 the fans automatically kick on so I never have to worry about fans left on into the evening unless it is a miserable night, and I don’t have to worry the guys will forget to turn them on!
I use the sealed fans from Ramm—they are outstanding. I have one per stall and I can take them down and hose them/wash them each year without worry and my horses love them.
Someone in my barn has one of those thicker round fans - she hangs it in a cheapie haynet - https://www.statelinetack.com/item/tough-1-slow-feed-hay-bag/E015626%20BLU/?srccode=GPSLT&gclid=Cj0KCQjwt_nmBRD0ARIsAJYs6o28ycdKBwKVe4KR9eVt76TGZMTsVU-KJ8EkwJ-FLsVlcke5TxIkptQaAhVVEALw_wcB
I’m not sure if that’s the look you would want at a show, but it works for her!
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FWIW, I saw a fan in a hay net at a recent show.
As for the round fans, I use a J shaped bracket and hang it by the stand. Because we get hurricanes, I also chain it to the post…
After reading all the horror stories of box fans causing barn fires, I decided to replace ours with sealed motor fans. i order 4 Maxx Air wall mount fan from Amazon and easily installed them myself high over the stalls. The fans are not exactly quite but they sure move a lot of air. You can see the top list fan at here: https://horseislove.com/best-horse-stall-fans-for-barn-reviews/
Spam reported - user name is identical to posted web link.
I’ve had great success with typical box fans. I duct tape a furnace filter onto the back of it to keep the motor clean. I switch out the filter every other month and all is well. I’ve only been doing this for two years but I have three fans going on timers and it works well. Some days, I find the horses standing in front of the fans, waiting for them to turn on.
i just installed 18" durafans in my stalls. they are quiet and don’t have to be turned on high settings to move the air around. love them
This discussion is so great. It shows how much we take care of our horses, that they are souls with needs, and we step up to be the very best caregivers we can.
Fans are seemingly a small subject, but not to a involved owner. Today I put up one of those round fans on a triangular base. My Micky knows all about them, and he was practically handing me the chains and bungie cord. My new guy Shorty, a 19hh grey Percheron, was worried. I told Shorty to come over, its nice. Micky stepped over to make big room for Shorty, and Shorts sort of ambled over. Shorty is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, so by time he stopped, the fan was blowing by his tail. He is just too long for brain to feet. My God he is so sweaty and itchy. He is rubbing himself raw. I will text my vets tomorrow to try to figure this out. It was hot but only like 80 today. Having Drafts means you throw out any idea of having a barn, fences, gates, good buckets, plastic manure forks, etc. So I am thankful for this very informative user tried solutions. I will utilize everyones suggestions, but I really wanted to say thank you to all for your generous solutions.
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Hi Sheri - I also have a Percheron 
In my post earlier in the thread, mine was very concerned about the fan. At first but he figured it out pretty quickly.
Mine also started having pretty severe reactions to insects during the summer-I think it’s more than those noseeums then the flies per se. This summer we have had good luck with the Ecovet fly spray, and I am happy to share via p.m. when he gets in his feed if you think it might help Shorty. Don’t want to derail the fan post LOL
