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Previous by Date: Subject: Automatic sash closers Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:41:26 +0000 Author: Paul Dover |
Next by Date: Subject: Re: Automatic sash closers Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:46:23 +0000 Author: "Robin M. Izzo" |
Paul, It depends. We have them on all of the 400+ hoods in our new Chemistry bui lding and it's become a standard for us to have them on all new hoods. The y can be worth it, but there are caveats: - Depends on the product. We tested several types before finding ones that work well. If the product is relatively new, I'd be concerned. We found that sash closers with a combination of both proximity and motion detectors are more reliable than those with just one technology. Even so, some need a lot of adjustments to work for shorter people. Same with the sash senso r that stops the sash from closing if something is in the path of the sash. Some are more sensitive (better) than others. - Depends on whether auto open/close or just auto open. Many companies pus h the automatic sash that opens upon approach and closes after some time. We've found that chemists don't like the auto open because they like to vie w things through the closed sash, but biologists like the auto open. Hoods in an open lab design where people walk by the hoods will have the sash op ening more often than needed. - Depends on how easy it is to adjust the timing. Users will defeat the au tomatic sash if they find it too inconvenient. Some lab workers will want the sash to remain open for longer than the initial programming. When the user knows that the timing can be adjusted, they can ask for it and take ad vantage of it in a good way. - Depends on whether you're going to monitor usage. Lab workers WILL defea t the sash closer. Not all of them, but at least some. If there is a feed back system, someone could be reviewing the usage reports to identify where people may have defeated the closer and someone can follow up on that. - Depends on how vigorous your maintenance program is. Like any extra tech nology, it breaks, malfunctions, etc. Some lab workers are going to stuff the sash stop sensor with cotton, some with tape over it, some will stop wo rking because the sensors get dusty. I'm a big fan of the sash closers we have purchased over the past few years . We'd done a study to measure how long our organic chemistry researchers were actually standing/sitting in front of the hoods. It was suprisingly l ow. The sash closers really do make a difference both for energy savings a nd safety. It's refreshing to walk into a sparsely populated chemistry lab during lunchtime or lectures and seeing most of the sashes closed. Huge d ifference from before the closers. Best, Robin ________________________________________ From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] on behalf of Paul Dove r [Paul.Dover**At_Symbol_Here**MONASH.EDU] Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 3:41 AM To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: [DCHAS-L] Automatic sash closers Dear all, We are fitting out an area with 20 new fume hoods. The question is are 'aut omatic sash closers' worth the $2k extra per hood? From both a safety and an environmental/energy saving point of view you wou ld think so, but I've had no actual experience using them. Any recommendations or advise? Thanks in advance, Paul ____________________________________________ Paul Dover Resources Manager (Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Action) Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Monash University (Parkville Campus) 381 Royal Parade, Parkville Victoria 3052, Australia Tel: Int + 61 3 9903 9551 Fax: Int + 61 3 9903 9143 E-mail: paul.dover**At_Symbol_Here**monash.edu www.pharm.monash.edu.au
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