Cheap Fans to run

[gladwrap]

Hi there
Anybody out there got any idea`s on what is the best fan to circulate air in a small shade house.
I would like a cheap one to run as I have noticed a few good growers out here in Australia have them running 24 hours a day but maybe they have deeper pockets than me.
Is there a very low wattage fan or maybe a solar powered fan that is economical to run and will do the job as our utility bills have doubled in the last year or two trying to protect the planet,I suppose so everybody will use less and freeze to death.

[Ray]

The fans really need to be run 24/7, so if you can invest in solar and sufficient battery backup to accomplish that, go for it.

I now have true greenhouse HAF fans, but I bought them new from a guy who changed his mind about building a greenhouse, so got a great deal. For years I simply used the "box fans" sold at the discount stores. They typically rusted out after a few years, but at $10-$15 each, it was no issue.

[Discus]

I think he's more worried about running costs that purchase costs.

What I suggest you do (if such things are marked on Australian fans) is compare the rated airflow with the wattage; whichever one pumps the most air for the least watts is the most efficient fan. If your only worry is running costs, you need only compare wattage.

In a small growing area, small computer fans (12V DC) can work quite well. Being DC, they're easy to run off solar.

Solar power, of course, is rather expensive at the outlay (the panels, expensive, the batteries, expensive and the charge controllers, expensive!).