Inline fan silencers... what brand is the best?

[Rurumo]

My 8" Ac Infinity in a 4x4 on the 3 lowest speeds moves more air than I need and is nearly silent. The noise problem comes from dehumidifiers, imo. I have a noise reducer for the 8", but it doesn't really make a difference. It probably would with the old squirrel cage fans.

 

[Joel1988fremantle]

You won't stop motor hum with a bit of egg crate foam , be it an expensive shop bought or DIY version.

Mass is needed and a lot of it. Those frequencies are incredibly hard to stop.

The best way is to buy a fan that doesn't hum that uses an EC motor or a variac to lower the speed without creating that hum.

Oversized everything and reducing speed with the right controller is the way forward.

You can buy very quiet fans these days , but you need to be careful and never trust a $400 fan labeled silent that doesn't show their decibel rating, because if it's truly quiet they should be screaming that Db rating from the rooftops

Thanks yeah I think I will keep this noisy fan for another grow is thier any ec or variac fans you recommend something quiet and not to pricey I am looking at the acinfinity cloud line fan ? Thanks for taking the time to help someone starting out

 

[coreywebster]

Thanks yeah I think I will keep this noisy fan for another grow is thier any ec or variac fans you recommend something quiet and not to pricey I am looking at the acinfinity cloud line fan ? Thanks for taking the time to help someone starting out

A variac is just a speed controller.
There's a thread by hill bill posted in the last week in this same section, so have a look.

I use no name box fans which are very quiet but everyone seems to like the AC infinity, slightly louder than what I use but push a lot more air .
Lots of people on here use them so shouldn't be hard to get valid opinions

 

[coreywebster]

Here

Fan Speed Control

My Ipower control for my exhaust fan only cuts watts from 104 to 80. A lot of these controls look the same. Are there any that reduce the speed much lower? Fucks up my air filtering also.

www.rollitup.org

Obviously it would be pointless buying one if you can't afford to turn your current extraction fan down .

 

[futurebanjo]

EC fans rather than traditional fans are the way to go... they are expensive but are also game changers.

Quiet, yet small and powerfull.
They also have a rotary speed dial so you can set the exact speed you want.
Also, unlike traditional fans, if you dial an EC fan down to 50%, it will use 50% less electrictity to run.

I wouldn't go back to regualr extractor fans after buying an EC fan.

 

[Joel1988fremantle]

EC fans rather than traditional fans are the way to go... they are expensive but are also game changers.

Quiet, yet small and powerfull.
They also have a rotary speed dial so you can set the exact speed you want.
Also, unlike traditional fans, if you dial an EC fan down to 50%, it will use 50% less electrictity to run.

I wouldn't go back to regualr extractor fans after buying an EC fan.

Any brands you would recommend?

 

[Joel1988fremantle]

Any brands you would recommend?

 

[Joel1988fremantle]

Has anyone had any luck with these cheaper ones ?

 

[futurebanjo]

unfortunatly I'm in the EU rather than USA, the brands are a bit different, so I can't make a specific reccomendation.

I'm using one of these (6 inch version) and it's super powerfull and compact... it does get kinda loud at 100% ... but I don't even need to turn it up to 50%.

I could have easily got away with probably a 5 inch version but hey.

Mammoth Juiced EC Fans

#html-body [data-pb-style=ASP9RKM],#html-body [data-pb-style=G32CLQ9],#html-body [data-pb-style=KX3UGEI],#html-body [data-pb-style=T26RC9N],#html-body [data-pb-style=YY5VJ5X]{justify-content:flex-start;display:flex;flex-direction:column;background-position:left...

www.growell.co.uk

 

[Treesomewanted77]

Has anyone had any luck with these cheaper ones ?

At that price you can get a top of the line AC infinity blower with a smart controller and you won’t be disappointed

 

[1212ham]

Thanks yeah I think I will keep this noisy fan for another grow is thier any ec or variac fans you recommend something quiet and not to pricey I am looking at the acinfinity cloud line fan ? Thanks for taking the time to help someone starting out

You might try a PC fan(s) if money is tight, pwm speed controls are as little as $3 on ebay. I'm running six of them, plus an AC Infinity. I really only needed the temp/humidity controller 67, but got that and a T4 for $90 on ebay.

Here's a free one with the speed control. I use it on a 4" carbon filter, used as a scrubber. Always save the fans from old PCs!

 

[1212ham]

unfortunatly I'm in the EU rather than USA, the brands are a bit different, so I can't make a specific reccomendation.

I'm using one of these (6 inch version) and it's super powerfull and compact... it does get kinda loud at 100% ... but I don't even need to turn it up to 50%.

I could have easily got away with probably a 5 inch version but hey.

Mammoth Juiced EC Fans

#html-body [data-pb-style=ASP9RKM],#html-body [data-pb-style=G32CLQ9],#html-body [data-pb-style=KX3UGEI],#html-body [data-pb-style=T26RC9N],#html-body [data-pb-style=YY5VJ5X]{justify-content:flex-start;display:flex;flex-direction:column;background-position:left...

www.growell.co.uk

Wow, that thing is loud, 60 dBA. Good thing it's variable speed.
AC Infinity is 32 dBA and most people run them at speeds 1-5.

 

[024matters]

hey mate thanks for sharing that wisdom about all the silencers being basically the same I was about to buy a fancy looking silencer because I just turned my fan on and was pretty shocked at the noise it’s a steady hum that needs to be fixed or things won’t end to well for me lol I just baught a cheap silencer I’m in the process of building a sound box do u think this will do the job or do I need one of those phresh ones with special foam

I have thread about duct silencer types here. „Egg crate” foam is used in studios to dissipate sound - change reflected direction to many angles instead of straight bounce of a wall. But this foam dont absorb or block sound. I bought one of those growshop-hyped silencer with foam and was dissapointed with sound lowering. Plus i believe the irregular shape of foam just reduces airflow much by air turbulence - same as when your flex ducts are not straight. The really good silencer i bought after was the one with glasswool insulation - glasswool can really absorb energy. It made things quieter. Both of them works by expanding duct diameter thus slowing down air movement, but foam dont do shit for absorbing sound energy. This is shitty marketing trick based on popular myth that egg crates soundproof band reherseal spaces - but all it do is improve acoustic inside room but neighbourd are gonna be still pissed off.

 

[Puofke]

a bit experience just got, so why not share, i've got a 2x4x6 tent, and used a prima klima (Europe) exhaust fan 4', it was pretty loud, as it is in the same room i sleep. so after watching quite a bit of reviews, i decided to go with ac infinity s6 inline fan (controller 69 incoming), and 6carbon filter, at 100% it's hella loud, but again i'm going to use only 30-40% of that, so it's a lot more silent by itself, air supressor, why not make one yourself, as saw in ac infinity, just use acoustic foam padding, create a form of tube to insert and off you go. The second thing, make sure there are no gaps in your ventilation, best alluminum tape.

 

[oldfogey420]

Vortex S-line 6" inline fans are pretty damned quiet. Couple that with insulated flexible ducting and you're running quieter than a muffler will provide, in my experience.

 

[024matters]

a bit experience just got, so why not share, i've got a 2x4x6 tent, and used a prima klima (Europe) exhaust fan 4', it was pretty loud, as it is in the same room i sleep. so after watching quite a bit of reviews, i decided to go with ac infinity s6 inline fan (controller 69 incoming), and 6carbon filter, at 100% it's hella loud, but again i'm going to use only 30-40% of that, so it's a lot more silent by itself, air supressor, why not make one yourself, as saw in ac infinity, just use acoustic foam padding, create a form of tube to insert and off you go. The second thing, make sure there are no gaps in your ventilation, best alluminum tape.

How many watts do you use in that tent if i may ask ? What are your temps in and outside when you run s6 on 30-40% ?

 

[Puofke]

How many watts do you use in that tent if i may ask ? What are your temps in and outside when you run s6 on 30-40% ?

i've just set s6 today, until now was working with prima klima it had 2 options 220/440m3h, so the temps weren't going more than 28 on low circ, with 75% 200w viparspectra p2000, if you're asking power draw, no idea, don't mind it.

P.S. if i won't forget i will write more, when i get controller 69, (8 days of delivery left as they say).

 

[024matters]

Wow, that thing is loud, 60 dBA. Good thing it's variable speed.
AC Infinity is 32 dBA and most people run them at speeds 1-5.

AC infinity dont even mention sound measurement surroundings and distance. 32db they list as "total" noise which i dont understand is it maximum or average from all levels. Any way i tested with phone app (not precise as professional with microphone) my 6" ac inf and i get results - lvl 3 - ~39db, lvl 4 - ~44db, lvl 5 ~48 db, lvl 6 - ~51db. Keep in mind i tested it with silencer on exhaust side and carbon filter on intake. In my opinion ac infinity is over hyped and they are mainly focused on having grow equipment completely controlled by one controller. Plus they use a lot of youtubers etc to advertise their stuff (if something needs much advertising it means its not as good to hold its popularity in a specific market on it own). The only reason i bought is because of EC motor adjusment is told to be most quiet instead of motor noises with normal speed controllers and buying expensive variac etc ones.
The most quiet fans are "bathroom" axial fans - but they create too little pressure to work with resistance like long ducts/filters. Most loud are centrifugal but they work best with resistance (there are lot of those in box enclosures which eliminates noise). AC infinity is mix flo type which is in the middle beetwen axial-centrifugal in terms of pressure and noise. It still amaze me how many grow related stores can sell some people axial fans with carbon filters.
(first ac inf i received had a very loud whining noise, they replaced it and its quieter - i believe they are not solid constructed or quality checked)

 

[futurebanjo]

Wow, that thing is loud, 60 dBA. Good thing it's variable speed.
AC Infinity is 32 dBA and most people run them at speeds 1-5.

I only run it between 10-20% power, so its basically silent..and only using about 4-8watts. (its 40w peak power).

what ac infinity do you use? it's is loud at full tilt, but will push 600 cubic meteres of air per hour at 100%.

 

[1212ham]

I only run it between 10-20% power, so its basically silent..and only using about 4-8watts. (its 40w peak power).

what ac infinity do you use? it's is loud at full tilt, but will push 600 cubic meteres of air per hour at 100%.

T4 with 67 control. Low/high is set to 0-60% and it's been running at 10-20% recently.