AIRATORIUMS are appearing throughout the United States as evangelists, hard-pressed to find suitable auditoriums, have turned to a space-age tent that provides a comfortable meeting place with a neat appearance and a good advertising value. But—what a task it is to shuffle, load, and unload fans, motors, furnaces, temporary electric service poles, et cetera. We thought our solution to a major part of this problem might be of help to others, so here it is.
The conference semitrailer moving van was about to be discarded. So we requested that it be given to us for permanent evangelistic use. We repaired, repainted, and put signs on it advertising "The Flight of Time" evangelistic team. But more important, we used it to save ourselves a tremendous amount of labor.
On the front of the van we installed a telescoping electric service pole, which eliminates the big chore of setting a pole for temporary service. Better consult your electric supplier for specifications on pipe size for this, and be sure to leave the bottorn of the pipe open for drainage of smaller pipe that goes up. The main electric panels, all motor switches, et cetera, are installed inside the van. Check your local codes to be sure these are far enough away from other equipment. We have had no difficulty on this point, because the outfit is temporary and portable.
We then installed our two fans, one on top of the other in the front of the van, exhausting toward the rear. The lower fan is ducted through the two furnaces, placed side by side nearly the full width of the trailer. We first vented them out the side, but later, for better efficiency, ran them straight up and installed removable vent caps for transit. The top fan (auxiliary) is ducted over the top of the furnace, and both curve out the side door for connection to the airatorium. Building inlets for ducts are side by side, but could be one above the other.
In our van all this equipment is placed on the "step up" (see diagram). On the main floor below the ducts we have installed our 10 KW stand-by generator and auto-transfer switch. The back part of the van is entirely free for loading miscellaneous equipment.
Our breaker panels, complete with time clocks for exterior lights, signs, and furnaces, are mounted on a single panel and set inside the building, as I presume all others are. Gas connections for the furnaces inlet through the van floor. We have used asbestos and sheet-metal lining for added safety in the furnace area, and keep extinguishers handy; but we have had no need for them as yet.
When moving time arrives we load our breaker panel last, in the rear of the van, and when next erection begins we simply set it outside, plug in two cords, and everything is ready to go, independent of public power until that is connected. We usually get immediate inspection and speedy service this way.
This can undoubtedly be improved by the experts, but we did most or our own work, and beam happily about it every moving day! We hope this suggestion may ease another's task.