Backwards Operations

D. · 22 August 2020

This review is for the ILG8SF18V-T to vent an attic space. This model has a 3-speed pull chain and an integrated thermostat control. The fan & housing seem to be well built and I like that the motor does not require periodic lubricating. I thought the on-board temperature sensor would make a more elegant package; in actuality the fan is mounted on an outdoor wall and the sensor is affected by outside air temperature as much as the attic air temperature when the fan is not running so setting the stopping (& therefore the starting) temperature is a little trickier.I sized the opening 1/8" larger in all directions than the factory-provided dimensions before receiving the unit and learned that the provided dimensions do not take into account the damper shaft ends which need to rotate. There are also rivet heads on the top of the damper housing not taken in account by the factory dimensions. I expanded the opening of the sides by 1/2" each and the top by 1/4"; then it fit fine.The manual Operating Instructions state to use the pull chain to select speed "The speed runs High-Mid-Low-Off." I think mine was wired backwards because it actually goes Low-Mid-High-Off.To use the thermostat for fan operation the manual Operating Instructions state "Press the Thermostat Switch On...". The rocker switch has a 0 and a 1; no other lettering. All other appliances I have with those designations turn on in the 1 position and off in the 0 position. However, when you place this switch in the 1 position the thermostat setting makes no difference at all, the fan runs according to the pull chain setting. When you place this switch in the 0 position the thermostat setting does make a difference on whether or not the fan runs at the speed defined by the pull chain setting. Again, this is backwards. So 0 is semi-automatic based on fan speed and thermostat setting; & 1 is a Manual mode where operation is fully controlled by the pull chain setting. The picture of the switch in the manual reads 0 = Always On; 1 = Auto but in actuality its the other way around.The thermostat is also labeled or wired backwards. With the thermostat switch in the 0 position you must move the temperature setting towards the higher temperature indicator in order for the fan to turn off. It was 80 degrees on my test bench; when I set it for LOW (Min32F) the fan ran continuously. When I moved the dial to between ~90F to HI (Max 130F) the fan stopped. Backwards.The fan blades are larger in diameter than the hole in the damper assembly. This results in a fair amount of air being blown sideways out the fan shroud back into the space where air is drawn from and not out the wall. So as I write this I'm paying for energy being used to blow air around in circles and not from inside the attic to outside the building. It does not appear as if the engineers of this unit understand its purpose.Then to top it all off, they didn't even provide a set of screws to mount it with. Luckily I had some without having to order & wait for delivery. At this price I thought they would throw in the screws but NoOo this was done backwards as well.I would not recommend this unit based on these issues. I'm not going to send it back because I was able to make it work. I'll have to make some good notes for the next owner of the property. Maybe over the winter I'll remove the fan and expand the hole in the damper assembly, but I should not have to do that.

Good product but could benefit from some improvements.

J.W. · 4 June 2021

The media could not be loaded. Seems to be sturdy and professional looking.As others have mentioned, the louvers are quite finiky since they rely on gravity to close so don't close tightly on their own.A couple of strategically placed magnets seems to help.Mounting it flat and square is also very important to minimize binding of the louvers. This is easier said than done since most boards are not flat.It also does not include insect or varmint proofing. The cage around the fan is just for safety and a mouse could easily get through it into the attic so I built a custom "critter guard" and mounted it over the inside of the fan.

Great power and quiet for its size, thermostat is not accurate.

C.A.D. · 19 April 2021

I really like this fan, don't get me wrong, but I really wanted a thermostat fan that would turn on and off at a set temperature on its own while I am away from the greenhouse. It does have a thermostat, but the adjustment knob makes no sense at all. It goes from 80 to 130, but the knob rotates 1 and half times when the distance between 80 and 130 is only 1/2 the dial. Also, the temperature probe itself is mounted on the motor housing, so even if the air temp has dropped the fan stays on because of the ambient heat generated continuously by the motor. So, I still have to make the drive across town every night to shut off the fan, because it would run all night on a 40 degree night effectively refrigerating my greenhouse.

Amazing company - fan runs hot and is supposed to

J.S.R. · 21 June 2020

This is a nifty little workhorse, though I wish I had gotten a bigger one. My attic is a little too big for it though it does make a real difference.Anyway, this is an amazing company AND the fan does run hot. I was in the attic checking on it/resetting the thermostat and discovered the surface temp was very warm. Hot to the touch though not enough to burn me.So I emailed the service number and got a reply on SUNDAY!Turns out the fan, FYI, is designed to take a LOT of heat and is supposed to run at about 150 degrees F and, to allay any fear of fire, has a fuse that turns it off if it really overheats.I expect fans generally will run just about forever. It is good to know this one is safely running hot to the touch and can take that and much more.

Good Solid Household Attic Fan

j. · 20 October 2020

Arrived well packaged and undamaged. Once the hole was cut and framed with 2x2's, fan was a snap to install. Fan speed is simple to set with the pull chain. Thermostat works, easy to adjust. The louvers operate well. Noise in the house is just a murmur with fan set on the low speed. Gets noisier at higher speeds, but the low speed is adequate to prevent hot air build up in the 25' x 42' x 5' attic. Also installed a 14"x18" louvered vent in the far end of the attic to promote flow-thru ventilation. Opted to plug the fan into a heavy duty outlet timer, restricting operation from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Otherwise it will cycle on and off as the attic cools in the evening.