TCF TCVA Instruction manual

Introduction
The purpose of this manual is to provide instructions
that complement good general practices when installing
or operating fans manufactured by Twin City Fan &
Blower. It is the responsibility of the purchaser to
provide qualified personnel experienced in the installation,
operation, and maintenance of air moving equipment.
As always, follow good safety practices when
installing, maintaining and operating your air moving
equipment. A variety of safety devices is available. It
is the user’s responsibility to determine adequate safety
measures and to obtain the required safety equipment.
Shipping and Receiving
All Twin City Fan & Blower products are carefully
constructed and inspected before shipment to insure the
highest standards of quality and performance.
Compare all components with the bill of lading or
packing list to verify that the proper unit was received.
Check each unit for any damage that may have
occurred in transit. Any damage should be reported
immediately to the carrier and the necessary damage
report filed.
Handling
Handling of all air moving equipment should be conducted
by trained personnel and should be consistent with safe
handling practices. Verify the lift capacity and operating
condition of handling equipment.
Units shipped completely assembled may be lifted
with slings and spreader bars. Use well-padded chains,
cables or nylon straps. On most units, lifting lugs are
provided for attaching chains. Lift the fan in a fashion
that protects the fan and fan coating from damage.
Never lift a fan by the inlet or discharge flange, shafting
or drives, wheel or impeller, motor or motor base, or in
any other manner that may bend or distort parts.
If fan installation is to be delayed, store the unit in a
protected area. Protect the fan and motor bearings from
moisture and vibration (or shock loading). For extended
storage, wrap entire unit in plastic.
Extended storage requires monthly inspections. Check
for corrosion or damage to the unit and for debris within
the fan. Rotate the fan wheel a few revolutions. Stop the
wheel in a position other than the initial position. Grease
the bearings every month with a grease compatible with
the grease supplied with the bearings.
Foundations and Supporting Structures
Typical mounting arrangements are shown in Figures
4 and 5 on page 4. Floor mounted fans should be
installed on a flat, level, rigid concrete foundation.
They require the mass of the foundation to be at least
three times that of the fan assembly. The plan area
should be no more than twice that required by the
equipment. Foundations with larger areas should have
correspondingly larger mass. Anchor bolts should be “L”
or “T” shaped with sufficient length for nuts, washers,
shims, and threads for draw-down. Each bolt should be
placed in a sleeve or pipe with a diameter larger than
the bolt to allow for adjustment. When the mounting
surface and the surface of the fan base do not match,
shim or make allowance for grouting. Do not distort the
fan when tightening the anchor bolts.
©1991 – 2018 Twin City Fan Companies, Ltd.
ES-191
August 2014
Tubeaxial, Vaneaxial
& Duct Fans
INSTALLATION, OPERATION & MAINTENANCE MANUAL
Models
TCVA, TCTA, TCVS, TCTS & TCVX
Maintain handling equipment to avoid serious
personal injury.
CAUTION
Throughout this manual, there are a number of HAZARD WARNINGS that must be read and adhered to in order
to prevent possible personal injury and/or damage to equipment. Two signal words "WARNING" and "CAUTION"
are used to indicate the severity of a hazard and are preceded by the safety alert symbol.
WARNING
Used when serious injury or death MAY result from misuse or failure to follow specific instructions.
CAUTION
Used when minor or moderate injury or product / equipment damage MAY result from misuse or failure to follow
specific instructions.
NOTICE
Indicates information considered important, but not hazard-related.
It is the responsibility of all personnel involved in installation, operation and maintenance to fully understand the
Warning and Caution procedures by which hazards are to be avoided.

2 Twin City Engineering Supplement ES-191
Fans mounted to or within a structure should be
placed as close as possible to a rigid member such
as a wall or column. The structure must be designed
for rotating equipment; static design for strength is
not sufficient to insure proper operation. Supports for
suspended fans must be cross-braced to prevent side
sway. Structural resonance should be at least 20% from
fan operating speed. Vibration isolators should be used
where applicable.
Any ducting should have independent support; do not
use the fan to support ducting. Isolating the fan from
ductwork with flex connections eliminates transmission
of vibration. Fans handling hot gases require expansion
joints at both the inlet and discharge to prevent
excessive loads caused by thermal growth.
Fan Installation, Factory Assembled Units
Follow proper handling instructions as given earlier.
1. Move the fan to the final mounting position.
2. Remove skid, crates, and packing materials carefully.
3. Place vibration pads or isolation base on mounting
bolts. Line up holes in fan base with bolts.
4. Place fan on mounting structure. Carefully level the
unit using shims as required at all mounting hole
locations. Bolt down the unit.
5. Any grout may now be used. Bolt the fan in position
before applying grout. Do not depend upon grout to
support rotating equipment.
6. Continue with Operations Checklist.
General Motor Maintenance
The three basic rules of motor maintenance are: keep the
motor clean, keep it dry, and keep it properly lubricated.
Blow dust off periodically (with low pressure air) to
prevent the motor from overheating.
Some smaller motors are lubricated for life. Motors
less than 10 hp running about eight hours a day in a
clean environment should be lubricated once every five
years; motors 15 to 50 hp, every 3 years; and motors
50 to 150 hp, yearly. For motors in a dusty or dirty
environment or running 24 hours a day, divide the
service interval by 2. If the environment is very dirty or
high temperatures exist, divide the service interval by
4. Lubrication requirements are normally attached to the
motor. Do not overlubricate.
Drive Maintenance
V-belt drives need periodic inspection and occasional
belt replacement. When inspecting drives, look for dirt
buildup, burrs or obstructions that can cause premature
belt or drive replacement. If burrs are found, use fine
emery cloth or a stone to remove them. Be careful
that dust does not enter the bearings. Check sheaves
for wear. Excessive slippage of belts on sheaves can
cause wear and vibration. Replace worn sheaves with
new ones. Carefully align sheaves to avoid premature
sheave failure.
Inspect the belts for wear. If fraying or other wear
is observed to be mostly on one side of the belts, the
drives may be misaligned. Reinstall the drives according
to the following instructions:
1. Slip (do not pound) the proper sheave onto its
corresponding shaft.
2. Align sheaves with a
straightedge extended
along the sheaves, just
making contact on the
outside perimeters of both
sheaves. (See Figure 1.)
3. Tighten sheave bolts.
4. Adjust the motor position
to obtain slack. Install
and tighten belts. Use a
matched set of belts. Using
a pry will damage belts.
Never use belt dressing on
any belts.
5. Tighten belts to proper
belt tension. Ideal tension is just enough so that the
belts do not slip under peak load. Recheck sheave
alignment.
6. New belts require a break-in period of operation so
recheck the belt tension after a few days of operation.
7. When replacing belts replace the entire set and follow
the procedure above.
Drive Adjustment
On small fans, the belt tension is adjusted by loosening
the four nuts on top of the motor plate and turning
the four nuts underneath the motor plate to achieve the
proper belt tension. Tighten the top four nuts to hold the
motor plate in place. Care should be taken to maintain
drive alignment as described above. Large fans use a
pivoting motor mounting plate. Adjust the belt tension by
loosening the two nuts and bolts on the pivoting side of
the motor plate, and the nuts that hold the eyebolts to
the motor plate on the other side. Turn the nuts on the
eyebolts that are underneath the motor plate to achieve
the proper belt tension and then tighten the top nuts
and the pivot side nuts and bolts. When tightening the
nuts that are on the eyebolts, take care to maintain
proper drive alignment.
Positioning the motor plate at too high of an angle
may result in the belts rubbing against the belt tube
inside the fan. The motor plate pivot bolt must be
moved up or down to the next hole to keep the drives
centered in the belt tube. The ideal motor plate position
is perpendicular to the belt tube centerline.
Figure 1.
Sheave Alignment
Straightedge
Reversing the sheaves (placing the fan sheave
on the motor shaft) can overspeed the wheel and
cause structural failure.
CAUTION

Twin City Engineering Supplement ES-191 3
Bearing Lubrication
Proper lubrication of belt drive bearings helps assure
maximum bearing life. All fans are equipped with decals
indicating relubrication intervals for normal operating
conditions. However, conditions at every installation are
different and the frequency of relubrication should be
established accordingly. Figure 2 shows the relubrication
schedule for ball bearings. Figure 3 shows the
relubrication schedule for solid pillow block spherical
roller bearings.
Lubrication intervals should be doubled on fans with
vertical shafts.
On high moisture applications, the relubrication
frequency may need to be doubled or tripled to
adequately protect the bearings. Carefully replace the
joint sealant under the bearing access cover whenever
the bearings on high moisture fans are serviced.
Observation of the condition of the grease expelled
from the bearings at the time of relubrication is the best
guide as to whether regreasing intervals and the amount
of grease added should be altered.
Greases are made with different bases. There are
synthetic base greases, lithium base, sodium base, etc.
Avoid mixing greases with different bases. They could
be incompatible and result in rapid deterioration or
breakdown of the grease.
All bearings are filled with a lithium based grease
before leaving the factory. When the fans are started,
the bearings may discharge excess grease through the
seals for a short period of time. Do not replace the initial
discharge because leakage will cease when the excess
grease has worked out. Bearings have a tendency to
run hotter during this period and should not be a cause
for alarm unless it lasts over 48 hours or gets very hot.
When relubricating, use a sufficient amount of grease
to purge the seals. Rotate bearings during relubrication
where good safety practice permits.
Propeller and Shaft Maintenance
The buildup of material on axial flow propellers can
adversely affect fan performance. While fans that handle
clean, fresh air seldom need cleaning, occasionally
check fans used for industrial purposes for material
buildup on the propeller. This material can come off
in large chunks, throwing the propeller out of balance.
Clean the propeller and, on vaneaxial fans, the turning
vanes; when appropriate, apply new coatings.
If the propeller is removed for any reason, make sure
that it is securely attached to the shaft before restarting
the fan. If the propeller is attached to the shaft by
means of a Trantorque® bushing, use the tightening
torque values shown in Table 1.
Table 1.
TRANTORQUE® SHAFT SOCKET TORQUE TORQUE
SIZE DIA. SIZE (IN. LBS.) (FT. LBS.)
7⁄8
7⁄8 1 1⁄2 850 71
11⁄8 1
1⁄8 1 3⁄4 1550 130
13⁄8 1
3⁄8 2 1700 141
15⁄8 1
5⁄8 2 1⁄4 2800 233
17⁄8 1
7⁄8 2 1⁄2 3900 325
21⁄8 2
1⁄8 2 3⁄4 5300 440
2
3⁄8 2 3⁄8 3 5600 470
2
7⁄8 2 7⁄8 3 1⁄2 6600 550
Note: These torque values are to be obtained with a calibrated torque
wrench. DO NOT apply any lubricant to any part of the Trantorque®
hub. DO NOT use an anaerobic thread adhesive such as Loctite® on
the threads.
Figure 2. Ball Bearing Relubrication Schedule
1. This equipment must not be operated without proper guarding of
all moving parts. While performing maintenance be sure remote
power switches are locked off. See AMCA Publication 410 for
recommended safety practices.
2. Before starting: Check all setscrews for tightness, and rotate wheel
by hand to make sure it has not moved in transit.
*Suggested initial greasing interval: Rotate bearings during relubrication
where good safety practice permits until some purging occurs at seals.
Adjust lubrication frequency depending on condition of purged grease.
Hours of operation, temperature, and surrounding conditions will affect
the relubrication frequency required.
1. Lubricate with a high quality NLGI No. 2 or No. 3 multipurpose
ball bearing grease having rust inhibitors and antioxidant additives.
Some greases having these properties are:
Shell - Gadus S2 V100 2 Mobil - Mobilith AW2/Mobilith SHC100
Gulf - Gulfcrown No. 2 American - Rykon Premium 2
2. Lubricate bearings prior to extended shutdown or storage and
rotate shaft monthly to aid corrosion protection.
WARNING
Relubrication Schedule (Months)*
Ball Bearing Pillow Blocks
Speed (RPM) 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Shaft DIA
1⁄2" thru 111⁄16" 6 6 5 3 3 2 2 2 1
1
15⁄16" thru 27⁄16" 6 5 4 2 2 1 1 1 1
2
11⁄16" thru 215⁄16" 5 4 3 2 1 1 1
3
7⁄16" thru 315⁄16" 4 3 2 1 1 1
Figure 3. Solid Pillow Block Spherical Roller Bearing
Relubrication Schedule
1. This equipment must not be operated without proper guarding of
all moving parts. While performing maintenance be sure remote
power switches are locked off. See AMCA Publication 410 for
recommended safety practices.
2. Before starting: Check all setscrews for tightness, and rotate wheel
by hand to make sure it has not moved in transit.
*Suggested initial greasing interval: Rotate bearings during relubrica-
tion where good safety practice permits until some purging occurs at
seals. Adjust lubrication frequency depending on condition of purged
grease. Hours of operation, temperature, and surrounding conditions
w i l l a f f e c t t h e r e l u b r i c a t i o n f r e q u e n c y r e q u i r e d .
1. Lubricate with a multipurpose roller bearing NLGI No. 2 having rust
inhibitors and antioxidant additives, and a minimum oil viscosity of
500 SSU at 100ºF. Some greases having these properties are:
Shell - Gadus S2 V100 2 Mobil - Mobilith AW2/Mobilith SHC100
Texaco - Premium RB2 American - Rykon Premium 2
2. Lubricate bearings prior to extended shutdown or storage and
rotate shaft monthly to aid corrosion protection.
WARNING
Relubrication Schedule (Months)*
Spherical Roller Bearing - Solid Pillow Blocks
Speed (RPM) 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Shaft DIA
1
3⁄16" thru 17⁄16" 6 4 4 2 1 1 1 1 1⁄2
1
11⁄16" thru 23⁄16" 4 2 11⁄2 1 1⁄2 1⁄2 1⁄2 1⁄2 1⁄2
2
7⁄16" thru 37⁄16" 3 11⁄2 1 1⁄2 1⁄2 1⁄4 1⁄4
3
15⁄16" thru 415⁄16" 21⁄2 1 1⁄2 1⁄4

4 Twin City Engineering Supplement ES-191
Structural Maintenance
All structural components or devices used to support
or attach the fan to a structure should be checked at
regular intervals. Vibration isolators, bolts, foundations,
etc., are subject to failure from corrosion, erosion, and
other causes. Improper mounting can lead to poor
operation characteristics or fan fatigue and failure.
Check metallic components for corrosion, cracks, or
other signs of stress. Concrete should be checked to
insure the structural integrity of the foundation.
Operation Checklist
Verify that proper safety precautions have been followed:
□Electrical power must be locked off.
Check fan mechanism components:
□Nuts, bolts and setscrews are tight.
□Mounting connections are properly made and
tightened.
□Bearings are properly lubricated.
□Propeller, drive and fan surfaces are clean and free
of debris.
□Rotating assembly turns freely and does not rub.
□Sheaves are on the correct shafts, properly aligned
and properly tensioned.
Check fan electrical components:
□Motor is wired for proper supply voltage.
□Motor size is sufficient to power the rotating assembly.
□Motor is properly grounded.
□All leads are properly insulated.
Trial “bump”:
□Turn on power just long enough to start assembly
rotating.
□Check rotation for agreement with rotation arrow.
□Listen for any unusual noise.
Run unit up to speed:
□Bearing temperatures <180°F are acceptable after one
to two hours of operation.
After one week of operation:
□Check all nuts, bolts and setscrews and tighten if
necessary.
□Readjust drive tension if necessary.
Figure 5. Vertical Mounting Arrangements
Airflow Airflow
Airflow Airflow
4 Mounting
Holes
AA
Discharge Down
Floor Mount
Discharge Down
Ceiling Hung
Discharge Up
Floor Mount
Discharge Up
Ceiling Hung
View A
NOTE: Fan can be supported with anchor bolts, vibration isolators,
or support rods.
Figure 4. Horizontal Mounting Arrangements
Support
Rods
Suspension
Clips
2 Support
Legs
4 Nuts &
Washers
4 Anchor
Bolts
Fan
Support Rods
Horizontal With
Suspension Clips
Horizontal With
Support Legs
Duct Supported
Installation

Twin City Engineering Supplement ES-191 5
Blade Adjustment on Adjustable Pitch
Vaneaxial Type TCVX
Blade Angle Adjustment
The blades are set at the factory to the blade angle
that gives the performance specified on the order. This
angle should be checked prior to start-up. The patented
wheel construction uses friction and centrifugal force to
hold the blades in place. No disassembly of the wheel is
required to change the blade angles. If it is necessary to
change the blade angle, the following procedure should
be used:
1. Work safely. Make sure that proper safety precautions
have been followed. Electrical power must be locked
off.
2. The adjustment can be made through the inlet on
open inlet fans. On fans with ducted inlets, open the
wheel area access door.
3. Place adjustment tool around end of blade (see
Figure 6, to the right). If necessary, apply “cheater
bar” around the 11⁄4" diameter end for additional
leverage.
The blades can be turned by hand on open inlet
fans. If additional leverage is needed, place a wrench
on the leading edge of the blade near the hub. Take
care not to mar the surface of the blade.
4. Prior to adjusting the blade angle, check the
performance data to insure that the motor will not
overload.
5. Turn blade to desired angle. See Figure 6. There is
an indicator mark on the hub. Align the Vernier index
line on the blade with the indicator mark on the
hub. The Vernier has the characters 3, 4, and 5 with
gradation lines in between. (Note: Character 3 is 30°,
4 is 40°, 5 is 50°.) Each gradation is 2.5°. The blade
is adjustable between 25° and 50°.
6. Friction and centrifugal force will hold the blade at
the set angle. No additional adjustment is necessary.
7. Adjust all blades to the same angle.
8. Close the wheel area access door before operating
the fan.
5
4
3
Tool AS-14093
Blade Tip
Cheater Bar
Hub
Blade
Leading Edge
Detail "X"
Blade
Trailing Edge
Detail “X”
Vernier Index Line
(Blade As Shown
Is Adjusted To 35°)
Figure 6.
25.0"
5.0"
2.5"
5
4
3
Blade
Hub

6 Twin City Engineering Supplement ES-191
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Twin City Engineering Supplement ES-191 7
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