When you think of quality fans you immediately think of Schaefer. Schaefer, a brand of Pinnacle Climate Technologies, has launched a new category of safety yellow fans that meet OSHA safety regulations while delivering maximum airflow.

Since 1951 Schaefer has been known for manufacturing one-way fans and fans that are almost never returned. And now with this new family of safety fans, you’ll have a great addition to your fan portfolio. Schaefer’s safety yellow fixed and oscillating 2-speed circulation fans have the versatility to be mounted on a ceiling, wall, pedestal, or cart. These portable circulation fans deliver quiet, powerful, efficient, and long-lasting air movement that make them an ideal cooling solution for any commercial, industrial, or agricultural facility. Ideal locations are in warehouses, work areas, loading docks, farms, and greenhouses—places where quality matters. The fans include:

• Matched direct-drive motors and blades for the highest achievable levels of airflow, rated up to 12,000+ CFM
• Thermally protected, heavy-duty, maintenance-free, 2-speed motors for long life
• Powder-coated steel guards for durability and corrosion resistance
• Assembled in the USA, 2-year warranty

CALL 800.779.3267 AND ORDER TODAY! BE SURE TO ASK ABOUT OUR EARLY-BUY FAN SPECIALS.

Controlling relative humidity (RH) is fundamental for successful potato storage 
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For a couch potato, weight loss can be a desirable goal. For a stored potato, weight loss must be avoided! Weight loss, or shrinkage, can be minimized during the course of storage by achieving the most ideal storage environment conditions possible. Preserving the quality, and quantity, of stored potatoes means gaining the best possible return on a grower’s harvested crop. Of all the factors impacting storage shrinkage, relative humidity (RH) is paramount. RH is the amount of moisture in the air at a given temperature, relative to the maximum possible humidity at that same temperature.

Relative humidity is all relative—to both moisture AND temperature
RH is dependent upon the temperature, with cold air holding less moisture than warm air. In maintaining a consistent, ideal level of RH in storage, the amount of moisture that needs to be provided is higher at a higher temperature. For example, in order to maintain the same level of RH, at a storage temperature of 48°, more moisture would need to be added to the same volume of air, than if the temperature is 45°.

Accurately measuring RH is not a matter of simply measuring temperature. Measurement can be taken at a variety of storage locations, by both portable sensors and ones linked to a control panel. Measurement should occur away from any humidification equipment. The most critical RH measurement is in the plenum air, before it is delivered to the potatoes.

The importance of consistent, controlled RH cannot be overstated
Weight loss in stored potatoes occurs from giving up weight to the surrounding air (transpiration), and also, to a lesser degree, through respiration. Transpirational water loss can be slowed, but not stopped, and this slowing is achieved by maintaining the highest level of RH possible. Ventilation with high RH air is especially critical following harvest and during curing.

Recommendations for a plenum RH minimum is 90%, but preferably greater than 95% throughout storage, for a healthy crop with little-to-no-disease presence. The following graph shows the research results of shrinkage versus months in storage. With a temperature of 45°, the humidity ranged from 80 to 98%.

Affect of relative humidity (RH) on potato weight loss in storage at 45˚F.The graph right/above shows how 9% in weight loss occurred at 90% RH—nearly twice as much as weight as those stored at 95% RH. Now here’s some important calculations from the research: Given a storage capacity of 100,000cwt, and a value of $5.00 per cwt, the building maintained at 90% RH would return $22,000 less than the storage controlled at 95% RH.

What is the best way to achieve overall, optimal RH?
Optimal RH conditions for stored spuds is best achieved through a combination of centrifugal humidifiers, or spinners, plus media cells. Industrial Ventilation, Inc. (IVI) offers both the Centrifugal Humidifier 30-Series and our Humidicell. We also offer the expertise in set up and system design for new or existing storage buildings. Our service technicians can evaluate the quality of operation of your existing components, as well as monitoring sensors, to ensure optimal performance in advance of harvest. As research has demonstrated, achieving ideal relative humidity is directly relative to any grower’s bottom line.

IVI’s Centrifugal Humidifier 30-Series is the leading, industrial-grade performer
Dependable humidification comes with high-volume output and economical operation. Our Centrifugal Humidifier also is fast and simple to install. The rugged construction ensures a long service life with very minimal maintenance. With eight models, including portable units as well as ceiling-mounted, humidification can be customized perfectly for your storage space. The efficient 1/2 H.P. motor uses little electricity, yet it is high-capacity, producing up to 30 gallons of atomized water per hour.

Humidicell Evaporative Cooler is low-cost and efficient
Considered a passive form of humidification, IVI’s Humidicell Evaporative Cooler pairs well with the Centrifugal Humidifier in a complete storage system. The cells are low cost to operate, relying on water and evaporation. The sturdy design is uniquely cross-fluted to minimize debris build up and shorten the replacement timeline. Learn more here.

BURLINGTON, Wash. – With adjustable high volume airflow and a unique noise-reduction fan blade design, the new Stealth™ AV3000 axial fan delivers powerful ventilation and drying for carpets, walls and structural materials. The new Dri-Eaz video on the Stealth demonstrates its versatility on the job: http://bit.ly/2ueOiIe

"Many imported units don’t last or can create safety risks. The Stealth brings proven Dri-Eaz engineering and build quality to an extremely versatile axial,” said Jim Hassi, Legend Brands Director of Strategic Accounts. 
Manufactured in Legend Brands’ plant in Burlington, Wash., the Stealth was built for the toughest conditions, and its rotomolded housing carries a limited lifetime warranty. 

Users can direct air anywhere with the unit’s integrated powder-coated steel stand and easy-adjust angle with 320 degrees of rotation. Light and easy to carry, the Stealth stacks securely for transport on a standard handtruck.

The Stealth’s special fan blades with tooth-like structures enhance airflow while reducing the noise level significantly, especially at higher frequencies. Its variable speed control adjusts fan speed for high-intensity airflow or low-noise operation in occupied spaces. 

The Stealth's low amp draw – only 2.7 amps – and convenience outlet allow operators to daisy-chain up to four units on a single 15-amp circuit. With 2600 CFM tested output per unit, users can achieve up to 7800 CFM on a single 15-amp circuit. "This gives operators the air movement they need to work efficiently – whether that's ventilating a large area or drying carpet or structural materials," said Hassi. 

Legend Brands engineers also designed the Stealth is to be easy to clean, store and maintain. The Stealth can be disassembled for cleaning in five minutes or less. Technicians remove four screws and lift off the housing for complete access to the motor and fan assembly for vacuuming or a quick wipe-down. The unit stacks securely up to five high to save space in vehicles and storage areas.

Learn more about the Stealth here. The Stealth AV3000 (F568) retails for $445 at Legend Brands distributors. 
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We often get asked, what is a LGR Commercial Dehumidifier?
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LGR commercial dehumidifier refers to Low Grain Dehumidifier that uses a low cooling system for faster condensation of air. With LGR, more condensation occurs, which making it an efficient product for removing excess moisture from the air. Although many commercial dehumidifiers will be labeled LGR, the label is commonly used for marketing purpose and not a guarantee of quality. The trend has been facilitated by restorers who want commercial dehumidifier products labeled LGR. An LGR product cannot be defined by the mere ability to pull more water than the conventional means.

Unlike the conventional dehumidifiers, LGR industrial dehumidifiers has an enhanced system that makes their performance unmatched. The mechanism involves pre-cooling of air steam. One of the notable features of this dehumidifier is its capability to continue eliminating moisture air up to 55 GPP. It removes more water and continues to dry to lower humidity. Given the mentioned efficient features of an LGR, you may be tempted to purchase a product simply because labeled LGR. 

How to identify a genuine LGR dehumidifier

Heat pipe and air-to-air heat exchange systems require extra space and more materials. Materials like as copper and aluminum are relatively expensive. The conventional dehumidifier systems do not have a pre-cooling system unlike with LGR products. The presence of the pre-cooling system in your machine will best tell whether it's a true LGR product or not. 

Genuine commercial grade LGR dehumidifiers  should be able to remove as many pints per day as the number of amps it consumes. You can tell a genuine LGR if there are more than ten amps of water in the bucket when it uses ten amps of electricity. If the LGR uses ten amps of power, but after 24 hours of dehumidification below 34GPP, you get about 5 pints of water, then it's not a genuine product or air mover.

Optimizing LGR industrial dehumidifier performance

A combination of LGR industrial dehumidifiers and air movers gives incredible results. You may be having a true LGR that performs poorly due to unclean dehumidifier coils. When used with air movers, it’s easy to regulate motion of wet and dry air. Efficiency is restricted when the dehumidifier and air mover is exposed to dust. The dirt restricts smooth flow of air through the coils by acting as an insulator between the coils and air. Do not rush to purchase any LGR industrial dehumidifier avoid performance frustrations. Seek technical help and feedback from reputable manufacturers of industrial dehumidifiers and industrial air movers products.