Air condition outlet locations

[MiamiCuse]

I have four rooms where the air conditioning outlet (a 12"x12 square box) is located at the center of the room.

I would like to install ceiling fans in three of the four rooms and naturally I wish to mount the ceiling fans also near the center of the room.

This means the AC vents will be inside of the "sweep circle" of the ceiling fan blades. I just mounted the fan box but has not yet installed the fan yet, but I think this will look odd...

I thought about relocating the AC vents but it will be quite a bit of work, and locating it somewhere else will not be as efficient.

So I want to ask if there are some guidelines regarding AC vents and ceiling fans being too close to each other...

Thanks,

MC

[MiamiCuse]

If I split them in two I should place them as far apart as possible? Does it mean I need to replace the existing solid duct with two smaller ducts? There may be problem with space it's very crowded in the attic I have 4 hihat lights, 1 AC vent, 1 AC air intake return, a ceiling fan and a ton of EMT pipes cris crossing. If I put the two vents one on each side of the ceiling fan, the fan blades are 26" long but the vent only 24" from the center so it's still overlapping a bit is that acceptable? Otherwise I will probably need to take down the entire ceiling sheet rock and shuffle all fixtures to make that work...

[RicodJour]

You could cut in a register further back along the duct and fabricate a plug to fit inside and block off the abandoned part of the duct leg.

R

[Jude Alexander]

Good advice. Cut the duct length shorter to fall just outside the fan circumference, reinstall the register and patch up the old hole.

[Michael Bulatovich]

MC, without seeing the whole situation, and being ready to crunch some numbers, it's **highly unprofessional** to be giving out detailed advice about how to modify a distribution system, and you can easily poke yourself in the eye with a rule of humb. Seriously, even with what little I know about it, there's way to little data on the table. "Fools rush in ... "

Get a little professional help if comfort is important to you in this space. I have a great guy who might be persuaded to fly down for a free two hours consult, given the state of our sidewalks right now...

[Michael Bulatovich]

...assuming it's a terminus....

[RicodJour]

If it's not, don't insert the plug.

R

[Michael Bulatovich]

How far can you be from a reduction and have it still work well?

[RicodJour]

You're assuming what exactly? That there are problems that require an AC guy. Why? Have you ever worked with an AC guy dong a relocation? They don't do any calculations, they see if it fits and stick it in. If they have to throw in some new flex and plug the old hole in the trunk line, they do it without calculating turbulent air flow effects. You're overanalizing a simple relocation.

In MC's situation it's not necessary to even more the register since the register is barely within the sweep of the fan blades - it's not worth the effort. In the amount of time spent with this back and forth, I could have finished the register relocation and gotten two coats of tape on, but more likely I would have let it lie and moved on to another project that actually needs to be done.

R

[Michael Bulatovich]

I thought I was the only one *not* assuming anything. Reread thread.

Gee, lemme check...yup, I think so. As I recall, I'm usually standing on site next to them looking at the whole picture.

Maybe so, but I've never had a claim either. I haven't been told the entire context, I know nothing about where this is in the system, the air volume before the change or it's relation to loads, whether the room's been changed, etc.

Do the duct guys often spitball installations? Gee, lemme check...yup, I think so. How often does that turn out well? I can't say, but, annectdotally, I am currently involved in remedial work with a system installed by hacks. The system is an unbalanced mess and the clients are freezing in places.

My insurer, and my association expect me to be careful when offering advice, and I try my best to oblige them. Never had a claim, let alone a judgement....Now if only the hacks who do it all the time would find that reflected in the premiums, I'd have something other than satisfaction to show for it.

"Onward!"