Things to Check When Running Your Fan for the First Time

When your new industrial fan or blower arrives at your facility from the manufacturer, it should already be tested and ready for fan installation. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing more to do to ensure it operates properly! Whether it sits idle awaiting installation or goes right into service, there are several important things to check when running your fan for the first time.

New or Retrofit Fan Installation Checklist

If you’re firing up your fan for the first time, here is the fan installation checklist with recommended practices to build into your start-up procedures.

Proper Fan Installation

Always consult the Installation, Operation, and Maintenance (IOM) manual to make sure you properly install the fan.

First Startup Cycle

Once it is properly installed, bring the fan up to full speed, let it run for one minute, and shut it down. In that very short process, you’ll be looking and listening for any abnormalities, including:

Bearing Noise: Bearing noise could be an indication of flat spots in the bearings or lubrication issues due to sitting idle for too long without proper storage and maintenance. Scroll down to find links to several other articles about bearing maintenance and proper fan storage.

Squealing: Squealing may come from belts, shaft seals, or other rotating parts. You’ll need to identify the source and address the issue.

Metal Grinding: Components may shift during transit and cause metal-on-metal contact.  The fan wheel rubbing on the inlet cone is one of the most common sources, and it’s important to make any necessary alignments before resuming operation.

Coast Down Vibration: After shutting the fan down, it’s critical to monitor the fan for any high vibration levels at certain frequencies. This will help you to identify any vibration resonance if specific fan speeds match the natural frequencies of surrounding structures.  You’ll need to take note of these fan speeds and avoid them during operation. Failing to do so may damage your fan!

Hear the Checklist from an Application Engineer

Chet White, Senior Application Engineer / Sales & Marketing Manager, outlines what to check after installation using a simple whiteboard drawing in this 2-minute video.

To ask questions, get more details, or discuss your application, reach out and connect with one of our application engineers.

Related Content

Here are several related posts that might interest you as you think about your application.

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