Just how much air circulation needed?

[rick-in-ajijic]

I have a meat curing chamber I've been using for a short time. I'm wondering if my fan is to big and if I need to install a smaller fan. This one can be seen in the back of the hams, it's a 6" fan. (update: with fan photo)

I have it on an automatic timer for 5 minutes on 5 minutes off 24 x 7.  I'm wondering if I should install a 4" computer fan instead.

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• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

IMG_20170106_201008.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

 

[daveomak]

Rick, morning.....  Well I'm late again....    everything I have read, right or wrong, suggests "walking speed air movement"....   

Soooooooo, if you dangle a tissue paper and walk a short distance....  then estimate the "angle of the dangle"......   then do the same with a tissue in front of the fan, you should have a fair estimation of "wind velocity" in the chamber....   I'm not convinced the fan needs to be full time on...   case hardening could be the result...  

I just installed a SCR controller on an electric skillet, 1500 watts, that works awesome and would work on a fan...    a computer fan could do the job nicely also...    OR you could block the "push" side of the fan cage with aluminum foil, put a few holes in it and check the flow...  (the push side is recommended to keep the fan cool)...

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

Thanks for the response Dave!

You're not late, only two weeks into a year long project having to wait a few days will not matter too much. :-)

I changed out the fan for a four inch computer fan being that the power for the other fan was DC anyway. I have that plugged into a timer for 5 on and 20 off. In a few days I'll install a rheostat to slow the fan even more.  

Thanks again.