Fan advice please...

LordKoos

LordKoos

Member
So I have a basement soil grow with two 1000 watt lights, I've been using a 6" squirrel-cage type fan like this one to evacuate the room: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hydroponics-6-Flange-InLine-Exhaust-Fan-for-Indoor-Grow-System-by-iHidro/391502744584?epid=1400074121&hash=item5b2761cc08:g:DkMAAOSwTc5cAZrQ

When they are new they work great but the problem I've been having with this type is that they don't seem to last very long. I get about two-three years tops out of one, but I'm only running the room 6 months out of the year, so it's really only half that. Anyone have a brand to recommend?

Or, I'm also looking at this inline type, which have a similar CFM rating and are supposed to be quiet, but I've never used the inline ones and they look kind of cheap: https://www.ebay.com/itm/iPower-ETL-Certified-6-Inch-Booster-Fan-Inline-Exhaust-Blower-for-Ducting-Vent/161138263114?epid=15006643272&hash=item258496c44a:g:yAwAAOSw0hhc3CID
 
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Artisan_tek

Insanely Active Member
H.A.F.

H.A.F.

a.k.a. Rusty Nails
Here's the "cabinet fan". Designed for electronics cabinets, but it has a low speed (about 40cfm) that is perfect for keeping the humidity out if needed. This is just on a cedar wardrobe I got at a yardsale. I put a piece of flat duct designed to be in the wall on the back for a 'plenum' then a 4" hose running to a carbon filter.
IMG_7542.JPG
 
LordKoos

LordKoos

Member
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Artisan_tek

Insanely Active Member
LordKoos said:
I'm only set up for one fan, so it has to be a high CFM model. For example this one evacuates 60 cubic ft per minute more than the one you guys are recommending: https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-6-8-inch-Inline-Duct-Fan-Blower-HIGH-CFM-Cool-Vent-Exhaust-for-Grow-Tent/282654136265?var=581857963206

Noise isn't my issue, it's the longevity of the unit.
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cant speak to that. ive had mine for a few months. ive had no issues so far. before i got these i used a duct fan you can find at lowes. strong but super loud and annoying. got the job done tho and it was only 20 or 30 bucks.

edit: my fans push 400cfm on high but i have them set on 2 lol
 
Hotwired

Hotwired

~
I'm not here to start a fight but if anyone wants to..........................go for it. I will smash all your faces with my creamy ballsack :devilish:

Now that that's out of the way I shall tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The AC line is NOT quiet. I'm not sure what you guys are comparing it to, but it's NOT quiet. It's just a Solar and Palau ripoff. Same type different color. I did a pretty big review about fans and their strengths and weaknesses. I remember posting numbers of a few fans and had a few charts up about the sound differences and strength of the motors over a distance.

Most of the similar type of fans, like the AC and S&P, are made with the same parts. They will have similar speeds and noise factors. They will be more "quiet" compared to the robust fans like a Vortex centrifugal fan. There are a few different types of fans. Axial, centrifugal and mixed. I found a site that explains it well and they even say they like the AC 6 inch as one of their top fan choices. Here is the link: https://www.fullspectrum.com/best-inline-fan/

I'm not getting on certain people's asses here. I just would rather see an explanation for their choice instead of naming a fan and saying it's great and quiet. I have used several types of fans over 30 years and I know about fans a bit. It all depends on what your needs are. Got a long run? Use a very powerful centrifugal fan that will last 10 years because it was made for exactly that. If your fans are dying in a few years then you are doing it wrong. A fan like the AC Infinity is made for a shorter run and lower pressure. If used right they will last 10 years easily.

I'm too lazy to find my thread but if you find it you may get some good information there. Good luck :alien:
 
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Artisan_tek

Insanely Active Member
Thanks for the explanation hotwired.

Honestly i picked the Ac bc of all the good reviews. The fact that it was quiet was a deciding factor for me. my old fan is really loud and in my current situation i need my growspace to be as quiet as possible. shopping for tents and carbon filters was a nightmare, trying to wade through all the bullshit. the ac was a easy choice.

another factor for me is that it only pulls like 40 or 45 watts the new spot has a 15 amp breaker so i watch my watts.

i would say longevity is dependent on your setup and how often you run it. i run mine 24/7
 
Hotwired

Hotwired

~
Artisan_tek said:
Thanks for the explanation hotwired.

Honestly i picked the Ac bc of all the good reviews. The fact that it was quiet was a deciding factor for me. my old fan is really loud and in my current situation i need my growspace to be as quiet as possible. shopping for tents and carbon filters was a nightmare, trying to wade through all the bullshit. the ac was a easy choice.

another factor for me is that it only pulls like 40 or 45 watts the new spot has a 15 amp breaker so i watch my watts.

i would say longevity is dependent on your setup and how often you run it. i run mine 24/7
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Nice! You made a good choice but if QUIET is really what you want I have a way better fan for you. In that thread I talked about I have pics of my fan/filter setup. I changed my fan/filter combo because a member here had mentioned that you need your filter to be DOUBLE the CFM of your exhaust fan if using it for single pass. I was using a 400 cfm filter with a 400 cfm fan and the filter would always start smelling after 6 to 8 months of use. Now I use a 440 cfm fan with a 750 cfm filter. They last much longer now. I'll see if I can find the thread.
 
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Artisan_tek

Insanely Active Member
Hotwired said:
Nice! You made a good choice but if QUIET is really what you want I have a way better fan for you. In that thread I talked about I have pics of my fan/filter setup. I changed my fan/filter combo because a member here had mentioned that you need your filter to be DOUBLE the CFM of your exhaust fan if using it for single pass. I was using a 400 cfm filter with a 400 cfm fan and the filter would always start smelling after 6 to 8 months of use. Now I use a 440 cfm fan with a 750 cfm filter. They last much longer now. I'll see if I can find the thread.
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currently im using a 400cfm fan with a 550 cfm filter (6x24). surprised how well its keeping the smell down. i have the other fan and filter (same size) setup in the corner of the growroom for scrubbing. helps when opening the tent to water and at harvest time.
 
JohnFonda

JohnFonda

Tegrity Greenthumb
Ac 6 inch as well these guys must be doing well lol. Ran for over a year at least in combined time. It is quiet considering your moving air at high volumes in my opinion. The type of ducting you use can change noise as well. One notch out of like 6 pulls negative in a 4x4 with 1 inlet and maybe two. Idk never ran it that way but I remember when I set it up. Oh did I mention its lightweight, wall/ceiling mountable with all the hardware while maintaining a sleek and sexy physique.
 
JohnFonda

JohnFonda

Tegrity Greenthumb
Artisan_tek said:
currently im using a 400cfm fan with a 550 cfm filter (6x24). surprised how well its keeping the smell down. i have the other fan and filter (same size) setup in the corner of the growroom for scrubbing. helps when opening the tent to water and at harvest time.
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What filter you use Artisan? I ran the ac infinity and it worked for over 6 months and is still probably good. I saw the g hydro looked interesting. I cant justify spending 300 plus on a can of carbon.
 
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Artisan_tek

Insanely Active Member
i spent the xtra money and went with phresh. yea i wouldnt spend $300 but for $150 im hoping to get 3 or 4 harvests before having to replace it.
From all the horror stories i was afraid it was going to come all banged up and dented, carbon everywhere but it came in perfect condition and is doing a great job in the 4x4
 
LordKoos

LordKoos

Member
Thanks for the discussion guys. I'm not worried about the smell too much, since I don't have any close neighbors, and the nearest one is cool and wouldn't care anyway. So I got rid of my filter as it seemed to cut down the exhaust rate and made the fan work harder. This is a basement not a tent & the issue is mainly keeping the smell out of the rest of the house and keeping the temp and humidity down (I use a dehumidifier as well). The fan I have now is an i-power centrifugal type, I run it at full power 24/7 during the 6 month grow time. It does the job but it's becoming noisier which I assume means the bearings are starting to wear out. I have a very short run only about 3 feet of ducting so maybe 440 CFM is overkill? The Panasonics look nice but the 6" models don't move much air. I guess I will give the AC a try.
 
JohnFonda

JohnFonda

Tegrity Greenthumb
Idk about keeping it out without a filter. I ran out of space one time and hung a plant outside the tent and it was dumb smelly. Had a buddy working on someone's hvac like almost a football field away call me to ask me it it was me and give me a heads up. At a certain point you can go nose blind. One thing I noticed. Whenever I would smell my herb like if a friend had it at there house or something I'd be like damn man where did you get that weed. They be like from you dante.
 
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