problem with Active Air Duct Fan Speed Adjuster

The Active Air Duct Fan Speed Adjuster that I ordered from https://www.specialtyhydroponics.com is suppose to work with a regular 4" inline fan blower right? It's pretty simple configuration I can't see that I am doing anything wrong and really, I cant tell the difference when I have it turn on low or high, maybe I got a defect? THANKS

THIS http://www.specialtyhydroponics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10_13&products_id=2403
SHOULD WORK with this http://www.ebay.ca/itm/4-Inch-Hydroponics-Inline-Duct-Fan-Exhaust-Blower-/300569961679?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item45fb5da4cf#ht_2355wt_1110


RIGHT>?

I cant believe no one knows the answer to this simple question!! I am so disappointed with it (the controller) and I have another coming through the mail!!!

Check for a bypass setting. I think this controller has this feature. If I'm understanding your description, turning the dial has no effect. If the controller was in bypass mode you would see this behavior. HTH.

Edit: If you have the controller with the switch up top and the dial below it try setting the switch to "Var." This should get you some satisfaction.

nope... like I say its pretty simple configuration, I cant see that I am doing anything wrong, I have the controller set to Adj (for adjust speed...) and I tried set on ON thinking maybe it was built the wrong way, I tried it on my 6'' inline fan blower as well, and I see no difference when turning the knob!... so I just started to think that perhaps my fans are not compatible but I am sure all those fans are the same... you can look at it in the first page of my grow journal... maybe I got a defect controller?

Endur0xX said:

nope... like I say its pretty simple configuration, I cant see that I am doing anything wrong, I have the controller set to Adj (for adjust speed...) and I tried set on ON thinking maybe it was built the wrong way, I tried it on my 6'' inline fan blower as well, and I see no difference when turning the knob!...

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Sounds like you've got it set correctly.

Endur0xX said:

so I just started to think that perhaps my fans are not compatible but I am sure all those fans are the same... you can look at it in the first page of my grow journal... maybe I got a defect controller?

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Maybe you do. Like you say, there isn't really much to the thing. Can you feel any resistance when you turn the knob? Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in here if this is deadly advice but maybe you could plug a low wattage incandescent lamp into the controller and see if you are able to adjust the brightness? I'm just trying to think of another way to test it since you've already put it on another fan. I wouldn't try it with a CFL (though that may be fine too, I just wonder about the ballast). Anyway good luck figuring it out and sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

thanks for you help! while I still cant figure out why it's not working with the fans, it is working with the light, not really well but I only had a shitty little lamp on hand with an old 30 or less watt bulb in it... so somehow I think it's not compatible with my fan? do you see a fair difference between low and high with your controller if you have one ..? thanks again

I have an active air and it works fine with my fan.

http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=8589

I think my last post went up in smoke for some reason. To recap:
Glad that you were able to test it. I don't have a controller set up right now but I have that same one on order at my local shop. I do know that a friend of mine had something similar in their room. They way it was installed it was very easy to brush against the dial while trying to avoid molesting the ladies. On more than one occasion his fan was accidentally turned all the way down, causing ventilation issues until the problem was discovered. So long story short, I think that the controller should be able to bring the fan nearly to a stop.

I found this on another site:
http://www.couchlockcafe.com/archive/index.php/t-3999.html

WildFire.ca
02-07-2010, 06:07 am
I am not a electrician, but my understanding of it is its the way it cycles the power on and off. The one your looking at uses a coil with a wire rubbing along the coil at different locations to control the amount of power flowing through it, Like an RC car. A solid state controller maintains the power lvl by actuality turning the power on and off rapidly, Not just decreasing the power lvl with a limiter. Some things will get cooked if the power is not in the required range.

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Also, take a look at this (here at RIU):
https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/16113-hydrofarm-blower-fan-question.html
And, lastly:
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=15062&minisite=10026

Q: Can a dimmer control a ceiling fan?
No. A dimmer can damage the fan motor. Only use a Fan Speed Control to control a ceiling fan. Fan Speed Controls have special circuitry that will not damage the motor. For ceiling fans with a built-in light fixture, combination Dimmer/Fan Speed Controls are available.

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Good luck!

I got a new sunleaves model, and the inner gage was not set properly, I had to open the box, and turn this little flat screw clockwise, it was set to about 10 oclock, and I turn it just a tad up to 12 oclock, and it's working just like I wanted now, for those of you who may want to adjust their control to reach lower speed, it's easy! Thanks all for you help.

Endur0xX said:

THIS http://www.specialtyhydroponics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10_13&products_id=2403
SHOULD WORK with this http://www.ebay.ca/itm/4-Inch-Hydroponics-Inline-Duct-Fan-Exhaust-Blower-/300569961679?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item45fb5da4cf#ht_2355wt_1110

RIGHT>?

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Hey Enduro.

Looks like you've solved your problem already, but just fyi:

The Active Air Duct Fan Speed Adjuster website says this in its faq: "Fan speed controllers work best with Permanent Split Capacitor type motors, used in Inline fans. Blowers use Shaded Pole type motors, and are not recommended to be used with speed controllers." (See: http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=8589)

Your second link above goes to a blower. Is that what you have?

I'm thinking of ordering the Active Air Adjuster myself. Came across the page in my research...

Found this thread just now as my ventech controllers VAR setting stopped working. I turned that little “screw” in his pic and found that I could get my VAR setting to work but only on one speed regardless of where the knob is turned. But hey at least it’s slowed down and not blowing full blast! Wish I could figure out what’s wrong! Works for now though!!