On this week's edition of "THIS IS YUGE!!!", we have a Heat Buster 42" barrel fan, made in Jacksonville, AR by Triangle Engineering some time around 1996 according to the tag on the original motor. This fan was originally a single speed 1/2HP model TPC4213 but I turned it into a model TPC4223 using a factory correct 2-speed 1/2HP replacement motor. The original paint was unpresentable due to being used and stored in a garage for 26 years. The paint on the barrel replicates the paint on a Tempa Cure-labeled unit I found photos of on an industrial auction site ([ Ссылка ]...) and I have no reason to believe that unit's paint isn't factory. Maybe if someone at Triangle sees this video, they can shed some light. I've also taken the liberty of replicating a period-correct Triangle data sheet (despite being sent a reprinted data sheet from Triangle), as well as the old Tempa Cure logo for the rear grill badge. For the replacement pulleys, I opted for cast iron over the factory correct die cast zinc pulleys just for the sake of overbuilding the thing as much as possible.
Not much is known in the collecting circuit about the history of the Heat Buster or Triangle in general. It seems no collector has cared enough to gather any info. The most I can figure out is that the Heat Buster was originally introduced as the Porta-Breeze likely some time in the 1970s. The company at the time was known as Delta. At some point in the 1980s, the company changed their name to Triangle Engineering and the Porta-Breeze became the Heat Buster. I believe it was also around this time the Tempa Cure name was introduced for units sold through Sam's Club. The barrels on the Porta-Breeze fans were painted light gray with red blades. The Tempa Cure and Heat Buster labeled units had a blue barrel with teal speckle prior to about 1990, then solid blue from that point until about 1994, then gunship gray starting around 95. The large, wide blades seen on this fan were replaced by skinnier, more generic looking blades starting some time in the early 2000s, though the wider blades are still in production for Triangle's V series exhaust fans and Comfort Cooler whole house fans. Again, this is mostly speculative, and if someone at Triangle sees this, they can hopefully shed more light.
I also happen to have a personal attachment to Heat Busters - as a kid, I saw at least two being used at a roller rink where friends and classmates would often have birthday parties. In the warmer months, they opened up the fire doors and put the fans in the doorways to suck the hot air out or pull in cooler air.
