Greenhouse loovers, what do you do?

Shadow_storm56

Member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
356
23
18
Canada
Not sure if theres any other greenhouse growers on here but one thing we always had issues with is the little motors that open the vents/loovers. They are an ac motor that has tons of little gears and they push open the vents but when powers cut a spring makes the motor retract. They hum and grind all the time, die after a year or 2 and if theres the slightest bit of ice they won't close as theres no pull.

So I got really tired of this and I'm testing out using high end linear actuators. They are quiet, fast, pull 2 ways and should hopefully last. Anyone else do anything like this?
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
Check in to green house suppliers there are gas tube like gas shocks the work with the temp and will open and close with no power. I dont remeber who made the ones we use,
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,676
3,926
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
BTDT for 8-9 years, use 12 volt linacts, run off battery backup when power fails,run by $1 PIC that controls the greenhouse environment...
 

Tughill Tom

Well-known member

Equipment
B3200
Dec 23, 2013
1,102
1,116
113
Turin, NY
Not sure if theres any other greenhouse growers on here but one thing we always had issues with is the little motors that open the vents/loovers. They are an ac motor that has tons of little gears and they push open the vents but when powers cut a spring makes the motor retract. They hum and grind all the time, die after a year or 2 and if theres the slightest bit of ice they won't close as theres no pull.

So I got really tired of this and I'm testing out using high end linear actuators. They are quiet, fast, pull 2 ways and should hopefully last. Anyone else do anything like this?
It's what I use on my snowblower discharge deflector shute. I works good a bit slow but gets the job done from in the cab.
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,676
3,926
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
you can put a 'voltage booster' on them... I ran my SB def linact at 24 volts to make it run faster. Just be sure booster has enough amps for the linact you use.
 

Shadow_storm56

Member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
356
23
18
Canada
It's what I use on my snowblower discharge deflector shute. I works good a bit slow but gets the job done from in the cab.
Progressive automations has some great stuff, if you want to keep it going a long time then every few years open it up and clean it, regreese it.