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Fan Drives 277

This document discusses how to calculate and adjust fan speeds by changing the motor sheave or fan sheave sizes. It explains that increasing the pitch diameter of the motor sheave or decreasing the pitch diameter of the fan sheave will increase fan speed, and vice versa. It also provides instructions for measuring shaft diameters, selecting proper bushings and belts, aligning the sheaves, and adjusting belt tension when changing drives.

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12 views

Fan Drives 277

This document discusses how to calculate and adjust fan speeds by changing the motor sheave or fan sheave sizes. It explains that increasing the pitch diameter of the motor sheave or decreasing the pitch diameter of the fan sheave will increase fan speed, and vice versa. It also provides instructions for measuring shaft diameters, selecting proper bushings and belts, aligning the sheaves, and adjusting belt tension when changing drives.

Uploaded by

rohit
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fan Drives 277

used in the calculations. For field calculations you can use the out-
side diameter of a fixed sheave for pitch diameter. For adjustable
sheaves, when the belt is riding down in the groove, an approxima-
tion of the pitch diameter will be used for calculation purposes.
Also, notice that increasing the size of a fixed pitch motor sheave,
or adjusting the belts to ride higher in an adjustable motor sheave,
will mean an increase in fan speed. Decreasing the size of a fixed
pitch motor sheave, or adjusting the belts to ride lower in an ad-
justable motor sheave, will result a decrease in fan speed. The op-
posite is true if you’re changing the fan sheave instead of the motor
sheave. In other words, increasing the pitch diameter of the fan
sheave decreases the fan speed while decreasing the pitch diameter
of the fan sheave increases the fan speed.

RPMm × Pdm = RPMf × Pdf


• RPMm = speed of the motor shaft
• Pdm = pitch diameter of the motor sheave
• RPMf = speed of the fan shaft
• Pdf = pitch diameter of the fan sheave

• RPM is Revolutions Per Minute


— Motor sheave is usually changed. Fan sheave is some-
times changed.
— Fan rpm goes the same way as motor sheave pitch
diameter
— Fan rpm goes the opposite way as fan sheave pitch
diameter

CHANGING DRIVES

After calculating new sheave size, the following information


will be needed.

1. Motor and fan shaft diameter. To help you in measuring,


remember that motor shaft diameters are in increments of
278 HVAC Fundamentals

1/8" and fan shaft diameters are in increments of 1/16".

2. Bushing sizes. Sheaves may have a fixed bore in which case


they fit the exact size of the shaft, or they may have a larger
bore to accept bushings of various bore diameters to fit dif-
ferent shaft sizes.

3. Number of belt grooves.

4. If the motor is mounted on an adjustable base (or all-thread),


measure the amount of motor movement on the motor slide
rail (or all-thread) to allow for adjustment of belt tension.

To change the sheaves, first loosen and slide the motor for-
ward (or up) toward the fan for easier removal of the belts. Never
force the belts over the sheaves. For proper removal or mounting
of sheaves or adjustment of adjustable sheaves, consult the
manufacturer’s published data. Caution: Before trying to remove
or adjust the pitch diameter of an adjustable sheave be sure to
loosen all locking screws. After adjustments are finished be sure
to tighten all locking screws.
To prevent unnecessary belt wear or the possibility of a belt
jumping off the sheaves, the motor and fan shafts should be par-
allel to each other and the motor and fan sheaves in alignment. To
align the motor and fan sheaves:

1. Place a straightedge from the fan sheave to the motor sheave.


The straightedge is on the outside flanges of the sheaves.

2. Move the motor or the sheaves for equal distance from the
straightedge to the center of both fan and motor sheaves.

After the sheaves are in place put the proper sized belts on.
Belts shouldn’t be too tight or too loose. Slack belts will squeal on
start-up, and they’ll wear out quicker and deliver less power.
Belts with excessive tension will also wear faster and can cause

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