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SteveBell

In article , says...
I maintain some solar powered equipment but I have to monthly clean
the array or the batteries get where they will not stay charged. I
definitely would not want to have to keep going up on the roof to
clean them. Besides that that much walking on your roof isnt good for
it. Why not an AC powered vent fan?

Reason #1:
Round here, the general consensus is that they *use* more energy than they save. At best, it's a rough break-even.

Reason #2:
A couple of years after I bought my first house, I woke up about 2:00 a.m. After I talked to John, I noticed a very low hum. I figured my refrigerator motor or something was about to die, so I roamed around listening. I never found the problem, so I went back to bed.

A few months later, the same thing happened again. This time I noticed that the hum lasted 90 seconds, then stopped to two minutes. It was very regular. But I *still* couldn't track it down. Oh well, something will quit working soon, then I'll know what it is.

A bunch more months went by, winter came and went, and the hum got loud enough to hear during the day. I finally tracked it down the the powered attic vent. The motor had seized. It came on until it overheated, the emergency shutoff did its job, the motor cooled down, and the cycle started again.

I replaced the fan--my first ever real home maintenance job--and wondered how close I came to burning the house down.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX