Hi guys. I have a vortex fan that is too loud. I don't think it's the actual fan, but the sound of the air going through the ducting. I'm already using insulated ducting but the sound is still an issue. So, I'd like to try to slow it down. How are you guys slowing yours down? What part brand and model are you using for a speed controller? Thanks!
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Anyone use a speed controller on a vortex fan?
- Thread starter rr14
- Start date
Actually, I'm not currently using one but I have in the past. They worked great after a little adjustment. The decibal level did seem to decrease.
I believe they make mufflers for inline fans. I have seen eight inch vortex fans with mufflers then ducting and ending with a carbon filter. This setup was near silence!
I believe they make mufflers for inline fans. I have seen eight inch vortex fans with mufflers then ducting and ending with a carbon filter. This setup was near silence!
I
irie-i
you need a rheostat. its real simple to wire in. just remove the cover from the connections where the cord comes to the fan and add the rheostat in line to one of the wires from the cord. i have used them on and off and if you heve more than sufficient air flow you should be fine to slow it down some
Sauce
Active member
A speed controller will help quiet down the fan a lot but it only will work if you don't need the full cfm speed of the fan. I use a 6" Vortex with this speed controller:
http://www.discount-hydro.com/ventilation.asp (go down to variable speed blower control)
You don't need to rewire your fan with this thing and it can be used with up to 15amps. Works great. Only works with inline fans though.
Also like irie said you need a rheostat (aka variable speed control) so that you can control the voltage input. A cheap fan controller from Home Depot will not work properly.
http://www.discount-hydro.com/ventilation.asp (go down to variable speed blower control)
You don't need to rewire your fan with this thing and it can be used with up to 15amps. Works great. Only works with inline fans though.
Also like irie said you need a rheostat (aka variable speed control) so that you can control the voltage input. A cheap fan controller from Home Depot will not work properly.
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You can get a "Solid State" Fan Speed Controller from Grainger for @ $20. The hot lead to the fan is cut and this device is installed between the break. Good for @ 3A, which should be good for most fans ( my 6" fantech pulls less than an amp). The best route IMHO, had mine running for 6 months now. Makes it easier to control temp too, need more heat turn, the fan down. If you size the fan to be set on some mid point on the speed control, but you should not undersize your fan either way.
stonedage
Member
you need the help of an electrition on her for help with that, or do a search, a while ago someone else was askiing about doing this and the elec guy, was saying how unsafe and bad that is because you are robbing the motor of current or something like that and that will hurt/fry the motor, Id seriously do some searching first and not be to hasty on just adding in a rheastat, dont meen to step on other peoples toes here, and im sure yours are all working fine right now, Im just restating what i have read on this site in a post about speedcontrol by a licenced electritian.
^^ Most inline fans are speed controllable, but I wouldn't advise trying to control a fan that isn't.
stonedage
Member
most people dont like using the search on here so here is what i was talking about:
Can I use a dimmer switch to control the speed of my fan?
Contributed by: FRIEDELECTRICIAN
Submitted: 07-10-2003
You cannot use a light dimmer to control a fan. There is a growing misconception that this is safe to do, but the logic behind it is flawed.
Let me explain:
A fan that has no speed control when manufactured has copper windings inside that determine speed and horsepower. These windings are fixed and unchangeable, and wired to be operated at a certain voltage, with a fixed amount of amp draw. I will explain how this works, but first I want to dispel the reasoning behind this misunderstanding.
1. Why do they sell fan controllers at hardware stores?
They are to replace the controllers that are already on a multi-speed fan.
2. I have heard of rheostat's being used to adjust the speed of a fan, why wont this work?
Rheostats, like potentiometers are glorified variable resistors. While they can be used to adjust the speed of a DC motor, its a big no-no on AC motors. AC motors need to run at preset voltage, motor speed, and current draw. It is a balanced system.
3. Can I use a thermostat to act as a rheostat?
NO. Thermostats are on/off switches that turn on/off at a desired temperature.
4. Can I use a rheostat if I also use some type of thermal protection device?
NO. Thermal devices fail too. Sometimes they trip for no reason, then your fan would be off when your on vacation and that can be disastrous for your crop.
5. What's the best way to run my fan at my desired speed?
There are 2 ways. First, buy a fan that runs at your desired speed. Second, you could purchase a variable frequency drive, but these usually cost more than the fan itself.
6. Why do ceiling fans have different speeds if you can't control speeds of an AC motor?
Multi speed motors have more than one set of windings. The speed knob on a fan is a switch that switches current to a different set of windings. Each set of windings are almost like a separate motor. They would each have their own parameters. Remember, the knob is a switch, not a speed controller.
Please do not invite disaster. Best case scenario, your replacing fans like they are going out of style. Worse case, burn your house down. It is not worth it.
# Now I will attempt to explain the science behind it all.
An electrical device operates when current runs thru it. When to much current goes thru it will burn up the device, wiring, etc... All devices have a resistance to current. The filament in a light bulb is a good example. A bulb has a fixed resistance. You can lower or raise the voltage but the resistance will stay the same. You would affect the current running thru it, which if you lower(as with dimming) there are no bad side effects. But increased current with shorten the life of the bulb, or burn it out immediately.
Wire has almost no resistance, which is why we use it to take our current to our devices. The inside of a motor is nothing but wire. But when you wind it in a series of coils (like inside a motor), you create a dense magnetic field when current is running thru it, casing the motor to spin, and do work. This is called inductive impedance, or sort of a magnetic resistance.
If you stopped a motor from spinning (like holding onto a fan blade), the motor would smoke, then burn up. Holding the fan blade eliminates the magnetic field and creates a rush of current. The same can be said of reducing the voltage across the fan with some sort of outside variable resistor. You are essentially weakening the magnetic resistance and allowing a current rush outside the operating parameters of the motor. This usually isn't as harsh as holding a fan blade, but it can be disastrous. At the very least, it would severely shorten the life of the motor.
There is currently only one way to control the speed of a single speed AC motor. Using a variable frequency drive. They do not change current, voltage, magnetic field, or any other factor other than frequency. U.S. power runs at 60Hz. Changing the Hz on the power supply to a motor will change the speed with little or no adverse effects. These drives, however, are not cost effective outside of an industrial environment. Fans are usually cheaper.
Do yourself a favor, buy the fan with the speed you want.
Contributed by: strong_plaid
Bleed-off excessive airflow, using a mechanical valve
Controlling the fan speed may not be necessary. The airflow can be diverted mechanically as an option, in effect reducing the airflow without changing the fan's speed.
On the "out" pipe, one could put a y-split, with a flapper inside that can direct a fraction of the air to one half of the split (connected to your actual air circuit), and the remainder to the other (the "waste" air outlet).
Then, by adjusting the flapper's position, you could control the flow to your circuit, and dump the excess airflow.
Can I use a dimmer switch to control the speed of my fan?
Contributed by: FRIEDELECTRICIAN
Submitted: 07-10-2003
You cannot use a light dimmer to control a fan. There is a growing misconception that this is safe to do, but the logic behind it is flawed.
Let me explain:
A fan that has no speed control when manufactured has copper windings inside that determine speed and horsepower. These windings are fixed and unchangeable, and wired to be operated at a certain voltage, with a fixed amount of amp draw. I will explain how this works, but first I want to dispel the reasoning behind this misunderstanding.
1. Why do they sell fan controllers at hardware stores?
They are to replace the controllers that are already on a multi-speed fan.
2. I have heard of rheostat's being used to adjust the speed of a fan, why wont this work?
Rheostats, like potentiometers are glorified variable resistors. While they can be used to adjust the speed of a DC motor, its a big no-no on AC motors. AC motors need to run at preset voltage, motor speed, and current draw. It is a balanced system.
3. Can I use a thermostat to act as a rheostat?
NO. Thermostats are on/off switches that turn on/off at a desired temperature.
4. Can I use a rheostat if I also use some type of thermal protection device?
NO. Thermal devices fail too. Sometimes they trip for no reason, then your fan would be off when your on vacation and that can be disastrous for your crop.
5. What's the best way to run my fan at my desired speed?
There are 2 ways. First, buy a fan that runs at your desired speed. Second, you could purchase a variable frequency drive, but these usually cost more than the fan itself.
6. Why do ceiling fans have different speeds if you can't control speeds of an AC motor?
Multi speed motors have more than one set of windings. The speed knob on a fan is a switch that switches current to a different set of windings. Each set of windings are almost like a separate motor. They would each have their own parameters. Remember, the knob is a switch, not a speed controller.
Please do not invite disaster. Best case scenario, your replacing fans like they are going out of style. Worse case, burn your house down. It is not worth it.
# Now I will attempt to explain the science behind it all.
An electrical device operates when current runs thru it. When to much current goes thru it will burn up the device, wiring, etc... All devices have a resistance to current. The filament in a light bulb is a good example. A bulb has a fixed resistance. You can lower or raise the voltage but the resistance will stay the same. You would affect the current running thru it, which if you lower(as with dimming) there are no bad side effects. But increased current with shorten the life of the bulb, or burn it out immediately.
Wire has almost no resistance, which is why we use it to take our current to our devices. The inside of a motor is nothing but wire. But when you wind it in a series of coils (like inside a motor), you create a dense magnetic field when current is running thru it, casing the motor to spin, and do work. This is called inductive impedance, or sort of a magnetic resistance.
If you stopped a motor from spinning (like holding onto a fan blade), the motor would smoke, then burn up. Holding the fan blade eliminates the magnetic field and creates a rush of current. The same can be said of reducing the voltage across the fan with some sort of outside variable resistor. You are essentially weakening the magnetic resistance and allowing a current rush outside the operating parameters of the motor. This usually isn't as harsh as holding a fan blade, but it can be disastrous. At the very least, it would severely shorten the life of the motor.
There is currently only one way to control the speed of a single speed AC motor. Using a variable frequency drive. They do not change current, voltage, magnetic field, or any other factor other than frequency. U.S. power runs at 60Hz. Changing the Hz on the power supply to a motor will change the speed with little or no adverse effects. These drives, however, are not cost effective outside of an industrial environment. Fans are usually cheaper.
Do yourself a favor, buy the fan with the speed you want.
Contributed by: strong_plaid
Bleed-off excessive airflow, using a mechanical valve
Controlling the fan speed may not be necessary. The airflow can be diverted mechanically as an option, in effect reducing the airflow without changing the fan's speed.
On the "out" pipe, one could put a y-split, with a flapper inside that can direct a fraction of the air to one half of the split (connected to your actual air circuit), and the remainder to the other (the "waste" air outlet).
Then, by adjusting the flapper's position, you could control the flow to your circuit, and dump the excess airflow.
Again fantech, eclicent and vortex fans are wound especially to be able to be controlled using solid state controller not potentiometer or rheostat. It may be some sort of circuit that acts like a VFD and VFD's are more for 3 phase apps.
^^ Another inline i didnt know about
Hello all,
Fans such as the Daytons and the elicent and the grotek are shaded pole design motors that can be controlled using a "solid state fan control" you can get a Casa DePot for about 13 bux. Be sure to get teh 5 amp model. These are designed to control shaded pole AC motors.
Mine has been working for 22 months now- no issues on my dayton265.
Beleive me- they work fine. Very easy to wire. For safety sake- use a juntion box to mount it in.
I did mine from an OG tutorial.
minds_I
Fans such as the Daytons and the elicent and the grotek are shaded pole design motors that can be controlled using a "solid state fan control" you can get a Casa DePot for about 13 bux. Be sure to get teh 5 amp model. These are designed to control shaded pole AC motors.
Mine has been working for 22 months now- no issues on my dayton265.
Beleive me- they work fine. Very easy to wire. For safety sake- use a juntion box to mount it in.
I did mine from an OG tutorial.
minds_I
^^^ That's what I couldn't think of last night good looks minds_i
Maxsuzuki500
New member
I have been running my 6 inch vortex fan on this router speed control for more than 2 years now with no problems and no humming like i was getting from the bedroom fan controls. Also all you have to do is just plug your fan into it. oh and it is rated for 15 amps.http://cgi.ebay.com/BRAND-NEW-ROUTE...ryZ20781QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
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Xtbudda
Member
minds_I said:
I was looking at those at a hardware store and was wondering if they could work. I have a double closet and the controller would be sweet builtin to the wall, so i could adjust it from outside.
If these are so easily available why aren't people using them.
Xtbudda...
Maxsuzuki500
New member
The reason a lot of people don't use them is because they can make your in-line fan "hum". I tried everyone they had at home depot and they all had an anoying hum when you tried to turn the fan down low.
Hello all,
I have no hum with my fan and speed controller. If others have had issues with the speed controller and in line fans then one should take my advice with a bong hit.
Harbor Freight has the router speed controllers also and no shipping (if you have one in your town).
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43060
minds_I
I have no hum with my fan and speed controller. If others have had issues with the speed controller and in line fans then one should take my advice with a bong hit.
Harbor Freight has the router speed controllers also and no shipping (if you have one in your town).
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43060
minds_I
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Maxsuzuki500
New member
I was looking on Harbor Freight but coulden't find that. That is where I got mine.
Rush Limbong
Member
anyone know if that ^ router from Harbor Freight would work on an eco-plus 6' inline fan??
