In-Line Fans: Muffin vs. Axial (e.g AC Infinity)

J

jawnroot

Active Member
So I'm old school and have always used Elicent or CAN Fan "muffin" style inline fans, the ones with the aluminum housing. These imo have always been the gold standard.

Recently I went to the shop and all they had were the AC Infinity style "axial" inline fans (vortex brand, but basically the same). They're shaped like an american football, generally have a polymer housing, etc.

So I'm wondering--have these "axial" style fans pretty much trumped the older style muffin fans? Are they across the board "better"?

In my setup I run exhaust ventilation pushing into the carbon filter vs. pulling through it. I've had people tell me I'm crazy for 20 years but it works fine and is the best setup for my space. I'm wondering how these axial type fans would handle the backpressure. My old elicent handled it fine.
 
ismann

ismann

Well-Known Member
Yes, the axial fans are nicer in my opinion. They are much more energy efficient but have less static pressure as well. They still move air through the filters at a decent rate though. The older style fans are heavy and unless you use a Variac (voltage transformer) to control the speed, they hum due to hundreds of on/off cycles per second. The newer fans use 12V PWM to control speed.

You won't have an issue moving to the new style fans, but if you want to be safe just get a size bigger. An 8" axial will move enough air comparably to a 6" "old style" fan.
 
Fallguy111

Fallguy111

Well-Known Member
jawnroot said:
So I'm old school and have always used Elicent or CAN Fan "muffin" style inline fans, the ones with the aluminum housing. These imo have always been the gold standard.

Recently I went to the shop and all they had were the AC Infinity style "axial" inline fans (vortex brand, but basically the same). They're shaped like an american football, generally have a polymer housing, etc.

So I'm wondering--have these "axial" style fans pretty much trumped the older style muffin fans? Are they across the board "better"?

In my setup I run exhaust ventilation pushing into the carbon filter vs. pulling through it. I've had people tell me I'm crazy for 20 years but it works fine and is the best setup for my space. I'm wondering how these axial type fans would handle the backpressure. My old elicent handled it fine.
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Have 2 AC infinity t-6's, in the process of exchanging one after 2 months(customer service was awesome) and I am not impressed. Cheap feeling, louder then I expected and DEFINITELY does not look made to last, throw away fan that you re-buy every couple years. I will definitely go back to a can fan or similar. Build a box of Styrofoam and noise solved.
 
Star Dog

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
I've got a td silent it's similar to the fan you're talking about only it's better quality, I've also a muffin/can fan type a systemair sileo which imo is more suited for a tent set up due to its compact design.

If i was buying a new fan I'd check out the dc fans but i want a can fan type design and similar build quality and performance.
 
Blue brother

Blue brother

Well-Known Member
Fallguy111 said:
Have 2 AC infinity t-6's, in the process of exchanging one after 2 months(customer service was awesome) and I am not impressed. Cheap feeling, louder then I expected and DEFINITELY does not look made to last, throw away fan that you re-buy every couple years. I will definitely go back to a can fan or similar. Build a box of Styrofoam and noise solved.
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I use the t fans and I agree but I’m sticking with them for now as I just love the whole interface, WiFi control on iPhone, data logging, uis cables etc, it’s probably the worst fan I’ve ever owned (still love my old fashioned rvks) but as part of the whole system it’s not a huge inconvenience to use, I allways oversize my fans anyways and they sit in the loft above the room in an insulated box so I don’t hear them much but 100% agree they look and feel cheap and like a bi annual replacement thing, buuuut…. I charge £200 an oz
 
Nizza

Nizza

Well-Known Member
Fallguy111 said:
Have 2 AC infinity t-6's, in the process of exchanging one after 2 months(customer service was awesome) and I am not impressed. Cheap feeling, louder then I expected and DEFINITELY does not look made to last, throw away fan that you re-buy every couple years. I will definitely go back to a can fan or similar. Build a box of Styrofoam and noise solved.
Click to expand...
Mines still running strong after 4 years. I did have a controller shit the bed during an update and they helped me out very easily. Maybe the fan you got was a bad egg mine still are working
 
Highway61

Highway61

Well-Known Member
I've had a couple of the older style fans for a long time and they still work great. Built like tanks. But I recently got two new AC Infinity T6s and the new wifi controller and I am impressed. I can't comment on durability yet but it sure makes dialing in environment easy with their app. The controller can also control lights (I think both on off and intensity), humidifiers, dehumidifiers, old style fans, heaters. The manual says it can control up to 64 different "units". Way more than I need but I will eventually replace my old inkbirds and timers with the acinfinity wifi controller. Everything working off the same clock and same environment sensor. Easy to control and lots of data to stare at.
 
Fallguy111

Fallguy111

Well-Known Member
Highway61 said:
I've had a couple of the older style fans for a long time and they still work great. Built like tanks. But I recently got two new AC Infinity T6s and the new wifi controller and I am impressed. I can't comment on durability yet but it sure makes dialing in environment easy with their app. The controller can also control lights (I think both on off and intensity), humidifiers, dehumidifiers, old style fans, heaters. The manual says it can control up to 64 different "units". Way more than I need but I will eventually replace my old inkbirds and timers with the acinfinity wifi controller. Everything working off the same clock and same environment sensor. Easy to control and lots of data to stare at.
Click to expand...
Doesn't the controller only work with AC infinity products?
 
Highway61

Highway61

Well-Known Member
Fallguy111 said:
Doesn't the controller only work with AC infinity products?
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No. The WiFi Controller 69 works with other types of products as well including those that use outlet plug type controllers (fans, heaters, humidifier, or dehu). The controller connects by uis (looks like a usb-c) cable to an outlet plug into which you can connect your dehu or heater or fan. Basically a replacement for inkbirds. The manual also refers to a soon to be released list of lights with which it is compatible. I noticed that a preliminary compatability list includes my Mars Hydro lights. I'm not sure whether all of the connection dongles are available yet but they are described in the manual. Very cool controller. I wasn't expecting it to be able to do so much when I ordered it. I was just trying to control fans by wifi.
 
Highway61

Highway61

Well-Known Member
TCH said:
Which controller? I'm only seeing the wifi 69 and it controls 4 units.
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There are four ports in the back of the controller but the manual says that you can connect "expansion dongles" into each port to add either two or four new ports which the manual says can be increased up to 64 "units" which I interpret as kind of daisy chaining dongles to the controller as needed which then are added as additional "ports" that are controlled semi- independently by the controller. The units connected by dongles appear to have to be of the same type. Programming for the first unit in the chain controls all units in the chain. WiFi Controller 69.
 
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Fallguy111

Fallguy111

Well-Known Member
Highway61 said:
No. The WiFi Controller 69 works with other types of products as well including those that use outlet plug type controllers (fans, heaters, humidifier, or dehu). The controller connects by uis (looks like a usb-c) cable to an outlet plug into which you can connect your dehu or heater or fan. Basically a replacement for inkbirds. The manual also refers to a soon to be released list of lights with which it is compatible. I noticed that a preliminary compatability list includes my Mars Hydro lights. I'm not sure whether all of the connection dongles are available yet but they are described in the manual. Very cool controller. I wasn't expecting it to be able to do so much when I ordered it. I was just trying to control fans by wifi.
Click to expand...
Thank you. The controller and app is really nice and I haven't even figured out all of it's capabilities yet. And just now finding out it can control all of my equipment is definitely a plus
 
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