Contact Us
Glocon, Inc.
600 Parsippany Road
Parsippany NJ 07054 USA
Phone 973-463-7300
E-mail swifter@glocon.net
or use the form below:
Frequently Asked Questions for HVLS Industrial Ceiling Fans
- What does HVLS stand for?
- What makes the Swifter® HVLS Series Industrial Ceiling Fan better than the competitors on the market?
- What is the size of these large industrial ceiling fans?
- How expensive is it to install HVLS ceiling fans?
- How difficult is it to handle and assemble such large diameter HVLS fans?
- What are the differences between the various top industrial fans available on the market?
- What are the advantages of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) fan blades?
- Is there a big cost difference between metal and fiberglassfans?
- Is there a difference in weight between a metallic and a fiberglass fan blade?
- Can fiberglass or FRP fans provide any energy savings?
- What about fan noise? Can fiberglass fans provide a low noise solution?
What does HVLS stand for?
HVLS is an acronym for High Volume Low Speed. The Swifter® Solar-Powered Hybrid HVLS Industrial Ceiling Fan is ideal for cooling very large spaces, such as warehouses, commercial buildings, big box stores, and other industrial workplaces.
What makes the Swifter® HVLS Series Industrial Ceiling Fan better than the competitors on the market?
The Swifter® HVLS Series Industrial Ceiling Fans have many unique features which differentiate it from the standard HVLS fans available on the market today. First, these ceiling fans operate on both solar power and grid power, switching seamless from one power source to the other seamlessly, depending on how much sunlight is available; no backup batteries are required! Second, the Swifter® HVLS Fan is a DC fan system; this means it uses a direct drive motor, eliminating the need for a gearbox or speed reducer. Third, since HVLS warehouse fans are very large and heavy, they can be difficult and costly to install; however our industrial ceiling fans use an innovative self-hoisting mechanism. These are only some of the many benefits that are available with the Swifter® HVLS fan series.
What is the size of these large industrial ceiling fans?
These are not your ordinary ceiling fans. Indeed, they are very big and ideally suited for large warehouses, manufacturing/assembly plants and other large spaces. Available standard sizes are:
10 ft. ceiling fan
12 ft. ceiling fan
16 ft. ceiling fan
18 ft. ceiling fan
20 ft. ceiling fan
24 ft. ceiling fan
Please let us know if you require a custom size (min. 10 foot diameter ceiling fan) and we can accomodate you.
How expensive is it to install HVLS fans?
Most conventional HVLS fans cost thousands of dollars to install. Either the fan needs to be factory installed, or requires at least 2 people and a crane or lifting equipment. The Swifter® HVLS Fan is very easy to install and costs significantly less than comparable brands. Due to the one-of-a-kind, built-in self-hoisting mechanism, the fan is automatically raised to the ceiling. Only the mounting brackets need to be secured to the ceiling initially. After that, no lifting equipment is necessary to raise the ceiling fan. Because of this revolutionary feature, only a single person is needed for installation.
How difficult is it to handle and assemble such large diameter HVLS fans?
Large HLVS fans are usually very difficult to handle and assemble (often requiring factory installation and disruption of warehouse operations). Yet, a very innovative feature of the Swifter® HVLS Industrial Ceiling Fan is the retractable fan blade set-up. The fan blades (which by the way, are lightweight to begin with because they are made out of fiberglass) are semi-assembled out of the box and they are folded in, requiring less floor space at installation time.
What are the differences between the various top industrial fans available on the market?
The primary differences are in material and aerodynamic blade design. Aluminum and steel were the original materails used for industrial fans. Today the use of fiberglass reinforced vinyl and epoxy resins are in greater demand because fiberglass provides longer life and can be molded into aerodynamic blade shapes providing increased airflow and efficiency.
What are the advantages of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) fan blades?
Because metal fans are usually cut from metal sheets and bent to shape, there is a limitation in producing optimum blade profiles. On the other hand, intricate optimized computer-generated aerodynamic blade profiles can be duplicated with precision by molding fiberglass into fan blades that maximize airflow and are more efficient in power demand and airflow output. Furthermore, industrial fiberglass fan blades generally have a longer life span as they are less affected by moisture, humidity and corrosive chemicals. Over time, metal blades may corrode and rust from moisture or chemical exposure.
Is there a big cost difference between metal and fiberglassfans?
Metal fans may cost less for smaller diameter ranges, however for larger industrial fans the cost of metal and fiberglass fans is comparable. In most cases, regardless of size, our industrial fiberglass fans offer more value and can actually be less costly in the long run because of longer fan life, less maintenance and improved performance.
Is there a difference in weight between a metallic and a fiberglass fan blade?
That depends on the type of metal used and the thickness of the blade material. A sheet metal fabricated blade is typically lighter than one made of cast aluminum. An industrial fiberglass blade of the same size and profile is usually heavier than a fabricated blade but lighter than a cast aluminum blade. The compression strength to weight ratio of fiberglass is excellent as compared to either fabricated or cast aluminum blades.
Can fiberglass or FRP fans provide any energy savings?
It depends on the application and the existing system efficiency. In most installations where a metallic fan is being replaced by an industrial fiberglass or FRP fan, energy savings will be realized. In some instances, energy savings of up to 45% have been achieved when using our industrial fan. In most cases, depending on the actual energy savings, the capital cost of installing our industrial fiberglass fan can be recovered over a short period of time.