Resumed working on my kitchen hood and fan (the endless project). Took advantage of a break in the rain to climb up the ladder, remove the old vent and duct, and learn that the space between studs is only 8”. WTF - well, who knows how they built houses in 1910. This house probably uses “balloon studs”, continuous studs the entire height of the exterior walls, because they had whole old-growth forests to cut down. Or maybe there’s some reason why they spaced studs more closely at this point.
Well, the throat of my fan, which will be mounted on the outside of the house in sideblast mode, is only 8” diameter. My ducting is 10”x10” square, but there are reducers from 10x10 to 8 round.
So the plan is to cut an (slightly over) 8” hole in the house, insert the round end of the reducer into the inside of that hole, connect the 10x10 duct to the reducer, and screw the fan mounting bracket to the exterior of the wall, centered on the hole. I can catch some studs, and the siding and sheathing are very stout. Get a handy kid with a rope from the bathroom window above to help me lift the fan up and screw it to the bracket. Having remembered to pre-drill the necessary holes in bracket, fan housing, and wall. Then I’ll run a cable from an anchor point above the fan to add support to the fan housing, or build a support from below, whichever is easier.
The photo below shows the situation. I want to lower the hole a little, so that the fan housing will clear the electrical service. I am reluctant to futz with the service cables, because that could lead to “permits” and “inspections” to which I am allergic.
The fan, currently decorating my foyer, is this little guy. Basically the smallest upblast fan that CaptiveAire makes, and runs on 110v which simplifies things.
I need to re-wire the fan a little, because although it comes with a variable speed control, that control is mounted to the inside of the fan housing. Again, WTF? These fans normally sit on a roof, why put the rheostat speed dial on the roof?
Then I’ll have to find space on the electrical panel for the fan, figure out where the speed control should be mounted - I’m thinking on or in the hood - and I will be able to wok fry to my heart’s content.