Hinge Kits- Super easy install

[RustyACE]

http://hoodcleaningsupplies.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=171 $35.00/kit (2 hinges, 3 ft. chain and 10 stainless steel self tapping screws)

 

[Grant]

Those self tapping screws on the bottom don't penetrate the duct right?
The hinge is only part of the job, What about the electrical service?

 

[RustyACE]

The self tapping screws are short enough not to penetrate.

The electrical if it's not already on a flexible line will require an electrician (check with local codes) to install it.

The hinge is designed to allow the fan to open to about 110' and the chain is there to assist hold the weight.

Rusty

 

[Douglas Hicks]

don't nobody be quoting me on this.

RustyAce, looks the first hinge kit that may be worth a damn. I have tried most every kit I've seen, and not liked any of them. yours may actually work. suggestions as
1. a backing plate helps keep the flimsey metal from bending
2. make the hinge longer, similar to a piano hinge. the longer hinge is stronger and keeps the fan in alinement.
3. use 2 chains, again using backing where the chain fastens to the fan.
4. Does the backing plate happen to be threaded? One of the problem w/most hinge kits is the lack of clearance between teh fan and the curb. A threaded backing plate may cure the lack of clearance. I have used a little hammer work to gain clearance.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipmnt Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

 

[RustyACE]

Dear Douglas,

I'll talk to our fabricator about making them longer. Or you could place several of them along the edge of the fan. That is place 3 or 4 of them along 24 to 36" wide fan curb.

If you got 2 kits, you'd have 2 chains and 4 hinges. Each hinge is approx. 6 inches long. Space the hinges evenly along one edge and you'd accomplish about the same as one long hinge.

The 2 plates are about 1/4" apart (don't have it in front of me to measure). The backing plate isn't threaded, the screws pinch the edge of the fan between the 2 plates with the 2 bolts. The locking nuts screw down and prevent the bolts from backing out.

The hinges are designed so that they only tip to about 110 degrees even without the chains. Although on your larger fans you'd definitely want the chains.

This is actually a hinge that we found and liked, but when we went to buy them the guy had gone out of business and folded up. So all we had was the prototype and have started fabricating them ourselves since we liked it so much.

What we like about it is how easy it is to install. No drilling pilot holes and fooling around in the dark with nuts and bolts. Just tap it in place, tighten the two bolts and two lock nuts. Use the good ol' Dewalt and sink the self tapping screws.

We installed the kit above on that fan in about 5 min and we were stopping to take pictures.

On tight fitting fans, you'll have to apply a little hammer action to make a little clearance for the edge to slide up underneath the lip.

It doesn't work on every fan, but on the ones that it does work it's cheap, easy and efficient.

Rusty