Belt Maintenance Saves You Money
Lighting is the number one energy user in commercial buildings. Unbeknownst to many, HVAC motors are the second biggest energy user in commercial buildings. Let’s take a typical air handler with a 20 horsepower motor running at full load at $.10/KWh. This little unit that is stuck in the guts of the building that no one seems to know where it is or what it does costs approximately $14,000 a year to operate. Did that get your attention? Now, you want to know where it is and what it does and why its costing so much money.
Without reinventing the wheel(couldn’t help myself), what kinds of things can we do to mitigate these costs? For starters, we’re going to assume the engineers designed the system properly. Secondly, we’re going to pass on upgrading the motors to hi-efficiency because that’s expensive right now. We’re going to look at the fan belts, sheaves and blower wheels.
When it comes to the fan belts, we’re going to replace any wrapped v-belts with raw edge v-belts. This simple change out will gain you 3-5% in efficiency. The belt needs to have the proper tension. You need to have 1/4″ play per foot length of belt between the motor sheave and blower pulley. Improper belt tensioning will lose you anywhere from 10 to 15% in efficiency. If you under tension belts, you will be replacing belts more frequently than necessary. If you overtighten belts, you damage the shaft and bearings. SOS service technicians are skilled and trained at adjusting the belt to the proper tension.
Believe it or not, the sheaves, which are made of steel, will wear down over time from the friction and heat from the fan belt. Worn and grooved sheaves do not hold the belt in place properly, contribute to uneven loading and slippage which translates into inefficiency and reduced horsepower. Regular maintenance inspections can help spot these problem areas where you can plan and shcedule repairs and replacements.
Lastly, there is the blower wheel itself. Blower wheels are prime areas for build up of dirt and dust. A simple cleaning of the blower will increase air flows back up to original design standards.
As you can see, simple regular maintenance can save you money overtime. Call today and get signed up for a maintenance contract!
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