justin2937
Well-Known Member
I bought a 6" inline fan, unfortunately, its really loud, was wondering if I could hook it up to a light dimmer, or something similar, to drop the speed and the sound.
Inline fan is too big
- Thread starter justin2937
- Start date
P@ssw0rd
New Member
Well they raised the price on mine, it's up to 12.99 now. check it out
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
P@ssw0rd
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
P@ssw0rd
justin2937
Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot all, going to get one today.
Hey went to the link and saw the ad but exactly what would I recieve if I order it says router sold seperately.
genfranco
Well-Known Member
I just went tohome depot and bought a wall switch type... it was like 2 bucks or 5 or sol.. i dont know...alot less than the ones recomended on here... just wire it up and your off to the races.... good luck...
Wireing it up is not big deal.... 2 wires... just conect to your existing fan cable (cut ans connect you know)... I just thought to throw this in cause i always see people posting about diy fans and electrical questions....
Wireing it up is not big deal.... 2 wires... just conect to your existing fan cable (cut ans connect you know)... I just thought to throw this in cause i always see people posting about diy fans and electrical questions....
P@ssw0rd
New Member
!!!WARNING!!!This is how to burn a fan out, and also a good way to burn a house down, Insurance won't pay shit if they find the cause to be your grow.
What you have there is a dimmer switch, it probably says all over the pack "not for use with fans" Thats because it works by limiting voltage. -BAD
A Rheostat, "speed controller" does not effect the voltage, it works by interrupting the electricity from a constant stream to a series of pulses, speed is controlled by adjusting the time between pulses. - GOOD
Please I'm begging for your sake,and the safety of everyone you share your home with, DO NOT USE A DIMMER. Now I'm sure there will be somebody who says "I use one it works fine" but thats "fine" so far, fine till the fire. Don't fuck with electricity.
This shit is real
P@ssw0rd
What you have there is a dimmer switch, it probably says all over the pack "not for use with fans" Thats because it works by limiting voltage. -BAD
A Rheostat, "speed controller" does not effect the voltage, it works by interrupting the electricity from a constant stream to a series of pulses, speed is controlled by adjusting the time between pulses. - GOOD
Please I'm begging for your sake,and the safety of everyone you share your home with, DO NOT USE A DIMMER. Now I'm sure there will be somebody who says "I use one it works fine" but thats "fine" so far, fine till the fire. Don't fuck with electricity.
This shit is real
P@ssw0rd
Insulated Ducting! You wouldn't believe how much quieter things get when you use it, I know I couldn't believe it.
I had a 6" Vortex with ducting on it and I was testing it beside my current grow tent with everything powered up.... I could barely tell it was running vs the 4" without ducting.
I found a 10' box at home depot for $15. Gave me more then enough to run the ducts in the tent.
Since the insulated ducting worked so well, I will likely be adding it to my 4" fan also so that I can be used to bring fresh air into the lung room. Total noise between the two with ducting will be substantially less then the 4" without ducting.
-edit-
I also bought and wired a soild state speed controler (up to 6 amps) and it helps lower the noise a bit, but it is nothing when compaired to the insulated ductings effect on noise. Also proably much cheaper. I actually find the speed controller, when used with insulated ducting can actually INCREASE the noise. Many grow rooms noise isn't from the fans, but from the air movement. The insulated ducting solves that for the most part, but as you start using speed contollers, you will notice you are making the MOTOR louder while making the AIR quieter. but after installing the ducting I found at full speed the 6" was nearly silent, so the speed controller is pretty much useless.
Hopefully that made some sort of sense or I'll clear it up later
I had a 6" Vortex with ducting on it and I was testing it beside my current grow tent with everything powered up.... I could barely tell it was running vs the 4" without ducting.
I found a 10' box at home depot for $15. Gave me more then enough to run the ducts in the tent.
Since the insulated ducting worked so well, I will likely be adding it to my 4" fan also so that I can be used to bring fresh air into the lung room. Total noise between the two with ducting will be substantially less then the 4" without ducting.
-edit-
I also bought and wired a soild state speed controler (up to 6 amps) and it helps lower the noise a bit, but it is nothing when compaired to the insulated ductings effect on noise. Also proably much cheaper. I actually find the speed controller, when used with insulated ducting can actually INCREASE the noise. Many grow rooms noise isn't from the fans, but from the air movement. The insulated ducting solves that for the most part, but as you start using speed contollers, you will notice you are making the MOTOR louder while making the AIR quieter. but after installing the ducting I found at full speed the 6" was nearly silent, so the speed controller is pretty much useless.
Hopefully that made some sort of sense or I'll clear it up later
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This is incorrect. Solid State PWM (Pulse Width Modification) speed controllers send "pulses" of 100% power at different durations to modify the pulse width and thus the total level of load on the motor.
A Rheostat, "speed controller" does not effect the voltage, it works by interrupting the electricity from a constant stream to a series of pulses, speed is controlled by adjusting the time between pulses. - GOOD
A Rheostat speed controller is nothing but a two-terminal variable resistor. You are right by saying it shouldn't effect voltage, but it is much less efficent then PWM.
I'd go with a solid state speed controller for the best results.
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
Yup! But still a freq drive is the best way to control an AC motor. (but need a motor that can handle 600Hz or so that the freq drive is spitting out)
but back on topic. I have had some, but not full luck with the home depot dimmers, meant for ceiling fans, to work.
Lights (incandescents ) are resistive loads Motors are inductive loads. These need to be handled differently when not run at 100%.
genfranco
Well-Known Member
This is how to burn a fan out, and also a good way to burn a house down, Insurance won't pay shit if they find the cause to be your grow.
What you have there is a dimmer switch, it probably says all over the pack "not for use with fans" Thats because it works by limiting voltage. -BAD
A Rheostat, "speed controller" does not effect the voltage, it works by interrupting the electricity from a constant stream to a series of pulses, speed is controlled by adjusting the time between pulses. - GOOD
Please I'm begging for your sake,and the safety of everyone you share your home with, DO NOT USE A DIMMER. Now I'm sure there will be somebody who says "I use one it works fine" but thats "fine" so far, fine till the fire. Don't fuck with electricity.
This shit is real
P@ssw0rd
Thanks alot for that information. You probably saved my families life. Thanks.
WillieNelson
Well-Known Member
Most Freq drives are designed for 3 phase motors. The output at full speed is 60 hz. All american 3 phase motors are built for 60hz operation. Most European motors are built for 50hz(they can handle 60 though). The cool thing about freq drives is that you can feed single phase to the drive(by doubling the feeder size) and utilize 3 phase on the output. These drives provide perfect speed contol. You can even program your fan speed to follow temp(or CO2, or humidity) inside of your grow. These drives are the backbone of a pro grow.
Hawk
Well-Known Member
+1 on the insulated ducting. R8 ducting made a gigantic difference on my 6" 440cfm inline. I'm sure R6 or R4.2 would make a huge difference too. R8 is bulky but it is quite.
I've got a Harbor Freight speed controller (appears identical to the ones my grow shop sells) and I don't like it at all. It makes the fan motor sing/hum fairly loudly. It's a combination of what sounds like resonating fan-housing "sing" and motor hum. There are a few settings (barely on and nearly max) that are sort of "OK" but none of those sweet spot settings are what I need for airflow. Also, the fan noises don't strike me as good for the fan--although I'm not up to speed on the specifics so I don't know if that idea holds water.
Bottom line: running the fan full blast, insulating the ducting, and building a fan isolation box have worked better for me than trying to use the speed controller. It was more hassle to setup than the speed controller for sure--but I gotta do what I gotta do.
I'm told that a Variac speed controller will not produce ANY side-effect noises from slowing down the fan. If they weren't kind of expensive I'd have one already. Maybe in the future....
This is the 5A model but there's a 3A model as well.
I've got a Harbor Freight speed controller (appears identical to the ones my grow shop sells) and I don't like it at all. It makes the fan motor sing/hum fairly loudly. It's a combination of what sounds like resonating fan-housing "sing" and motor hum. There are a few settings (barely on and nearly max) that are sort of "OK" but none of those sweet spot settings are what I need for airflow. Also, the fan noises don't strike me as good for the fan--although I'm not up to speed on the specifics so I don't know if that idea holds water.
Bottom line: running the fan full blast, insulating the ducting, and building a fan isolation box have worked better for me than trying to use the speed controller. It was more hassle to setup than the speed controller for sure--but I gotta do what I gotta do.
I'm told that a Variac speed controller will not produce ANY side-effect noises from slowing down the fan. If they weren't kind of expensive I'd have one already. Maybe in the future....
This is the 5A model but there's a 3A model as well.
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WillieNelson
Well-Known Member
You are correct. The motor you are using was designed for use on a 120V 60hz circuit. Changing these parameters will almost always shorten motor life. Sometimes saving energy or utilizing the benefits of precise control outweigh the possible damage.The power is yours alone to make that call.
ceestyle
Well-Known Member
I've got those laying all over at work. You can get them at local used equipment houses for nothing.+1 on the insulated ducting. R8 ducting made a gigantic difference on my 6" 440cfm inline. I'm sure R6 or R4.2 would make a huge difference too. R8 is bulky but it is quite.
I've got a Harbor Freight speed controller (appears identical to the ones my grow shop sells) and I don't like it at all. It makes the fan motor sing/hum fairly loudly. It's a combination of what sounds like resonating fan-housing "sing" and motor hum. There are a few settings (barely on and nearly max) that are sort of "OK" but none of those sweet spot settings are what I need for airflow. Also, the fan noises don't strike me as good for the fan--although I'm not up to speed on the specifics so I don't know if that idea holds water.
Bottom line: running the fan full blast, insulating the ducting, and building a fan isolation box have worked better for me than trying to use the speed controller. It was more hassle to setup than the speed controller for sure--but I gotta do what I gotta do.
I'm told that a Variac speed controller will not produce ANY side-effect noises from slowing down the fan. If they weren't kind of expensive I'd have one already. Maybe in the future....
This is the 5A model but there's a 3A model as well.
Hawk
Well-Known Member
Any suggestions on how I would find a used equipment house? I'm not even sure what kind of business that would be. Thanks.