When deciding which solar attic fan is right for you, it is essential to ensure you get the best quality and performance on the market. Anyone can say they have the best fan on the market, but if the design and performance of the fan itself are subpar, all those pretty marketing promises mean nothing. So, how do you tell which fan is the best? The proof is in the quality of the components used in the fan. One of the biggest concerns is the motor, which keeps the fan blades spinning and actively cools your attic. Without a quality motor, nothing else matters. This is why we choose to use a brushless motor in all our solar attic fans.
Brushless Motors vs. Brushed Motors
There are two primary types of motors found in solar attic fans; brushed and brushless motors. The main difference between the two types of motors is the type of rotor used in the device. A brushed motor uses an electromagnet system. Permanent magnets–and sometimes more electromagnets–surround the rotor. In a brushless motor, the rotor itself is magnetic and surrounded by electromagnets. The differences don’t stop there, however. A brushless DC motor (BLDC) is an electric DC (direct current) motor with an electronically-controlled commutation system instead of a mechanical commutation system. This system ensures a higher quality, more reliable motor.
What Makes Our Motors Better
Brushless DC motors offer other advantages over brushed DC motors, more reliable, no brush erosion, elimination of ionizing sparks from the commutator, and an overall reduction of electromagnetic interference. Brushless DC motors are considered more efficient than brushed DC motors. A brushless motor will convert more electrical power into mechanical power than a brushed motor.
Brushed motors often need replaced every 2 to 8 years. This means any fan with a brushed motor needs its motor replaced several times throughout its life. For that reason, we stay away from brushed motors. The primary component that fails in a brushed motor is the brushes themselves. A brushed motor also runs far too fast for a solar attic fan. Therefore, it requires a gear system to slow it down so the fan can operate properly. This adds even more pieces that experience extra unnecessary wear and tear over time. Using a brushless motor eliminates all of these problems and significantly decreases the daily wear and tear experienced by the motor over time, thus saving you a lot of time and money on maintenance and repairs.
Want to learn more about how brushless motors work? See our in-depth technical guide on Brushless Motors vs. Brushed Motors.
