Inline fan? blower?

what is the difference between an inline fan and a blower???? are they the same thing? why are they different prices???.. i dont know wich one to buy?? someone help me.. i know other ppl have asked this...also.. inline fan?? axial fan??? are they the same???

Really semantics.

Look at a pic of the fn you are thinking of and if it fits your needs/designs


People have different definitions of them.

Axial and inline are basically the same thing. In on one side out on the other.

A blower can easily change directions 90 degrees.

Price comes in in various reasons.

CFM (air flow)
dBs (how loud it is)
bearings and general construction
mounting styles.
MFG vs Seller (can be huge mark ups)

soo a 200 dollar vortex and a 79 dollar axial fan are the same thing???? i know the cfm is different but my room only needs to drop in temp about 10 degrees....u think a 120cfm fan would do it?

stondcoldpimp said:

soo a 200 dollar vortex and a 79 dollar axial fan are the same thing???? i know the cfm is different but my room only needs to drop in temp about 10 degrees....u think a 120cfm fan would do it?

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I'd have to look at them to tell. But 120CFM ain't much. That rating is of open air and no restrictions. Maybe a pair of 120's in a push-pull will work. how big a room? And is the room only used for growing? Going to have the fan on full time (at least while lights are on?)

the room is big.. its a bathroom and i just have the plants in a tub...i was thinking of running it 24/7.. i want it to mainly just suck out the hot air from my reflector.. i think im gunna just go buy a 170 dollar fan..cant skimp now.. im already balls deep and dont want to lose the money i already put it

cfm means cubic feet per minute.......take the dimensions of your room lxhxw...multiply by 3 and that will tell you how big of a fan to get.....

nickfury510 said:

cfm means cubic feet per minute.......take the dimensions of your room lxhxw...multiply by 3 and that will tell you how big of a fan to get.....

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Then subtract at least 20%.

But back to the OP.


A push-pull with 2 fans @ 100 CFMs each is better then a single at 300CFM

If there is a restriction in the airflow, the actual CFM will drop. (Place a plate on both sides of a fan, it still spins at near full speed, but air flow has stalled.)

If running 24/7 try to use outside air. More CO2. If you are using CO2, think twice about the fans running 24/7


$170 fan???

I am in a smaller room, 2x6 and using 2 $13 bathroom vent fans from Lowes in a push pull set up. Since you are already in a bathroom, you probably have a vent fan. There is your pull fan. Just add in a push fan in the door or wall (what works best for your place) and you are set.

Smooth tokes!

why would you subtract 20%...? I've never heard of that...

nickfury510 said:

why would you subtract 20%...? I've never heard of that...

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The CFM rating is in free air. When in a closet where the air is moving from the floor to top around the plant and 'stuff', you loose a lot. Plus the overall pressure differential. If the fan (a single) is in a pull (or push) the room its in will have a different pressure then the room its pulling from (or pushing into) *that* is a significant restriction.

Now add in any bends in the ducting.......

ok....so you subtract 20% from the room measurement...would you want to add for bends in the ducting...i know 1 isnt that bad......but ive seen some crazy setups where ducting is all bending all over...is there any % per bend or something like that

nickfury510 said:

ok....so you subtract 20% from the room measurement...would you want to add for bends in the ducting...i know 1 isnt that bad......but ive seen some crazy setups where ducting is all bending all over...is there any % per bend or something like that

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LOL! No sub 20% from the CFM rating of the fan. Subbing 20% from the room size would make it *more* effective.

(the 20% being a shot from the hip estimating what most of us do whith what we got)

The ducting bends. Really depends. Dia vs radius of bend plus run length. Google a HVAC duct efficiency

i wanted to just get an inline fan pulling the hot air out of my reflector and throing it out a window.. i thoiught that would drop my temps enuf ..but maybe not.. i dont have a vent fan in my bathroom...soo.. should i get 2 fans...one pulling air out of the reflector and one pushing air into the reflector from the window???

BigBudBalls said:

LOL! No sub 20% from the CFM rating of the fan. Subbing 20% from the room size would make it *more* effective.

(the 20% being a shot from the hip estimating what most of us do whith what we got)

The ducting bends. Really depends. Dia vs radius of bend plus run length. Google a HVAC duct efficiency

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Do you know anything about the comparison of the different inline fans. Other then the obvious CFM rating and the size. Is the ActiveAir line much louder then the Vortex or Can-Fan? is the difference worth the price increase? you sound like you know what your talking about and am hoping you would know. thanks for your time