DIY duct silencer - didn't cost me a dime

[TroubleGuy]

It ain't pretty but it does it's job well. Probably the cheapest DIY duct muffler/silencer I've seen yet...and that's why I opted to find a way to make my own out of stuff I already had, instead buying even more stuff and following what someone else did. I needed complete silence from the end of my duct and this box says "REUSE THIS BOX" and that's just what I did.


What I used:

1 large moving box
duct tape
enough "egg carton" foam to coat the inside of the box


I cut a 6" hole on one end, taped the duct on the inside and outside of the box to make sure it stays in place...then I cut another 6" hole on the side facing the window and duct taped the plastic to the cardboard to make an airtight seal. All the warm air from the grow now goes into the box, then silently out the window.

My album shows what ventilation was like. With this, I can't hear a thing outside. Sound was a huge problem for me, but not anymore!

Final result:

 

[ThaMagnificent]

Sweet!

 

[TroubleGuy]

Gonna expand on the "DIY" part a little...buying a different kind of egg carton foam that's supposed to be better, less susceptible to mold. I'll post a few pics of what I do to the inside of the box when it's done

 

[ThaMagnificent]

this ventilation is for the light?

 

[TroubleGuy]

lol nope it's for the whole room, smell was becoming an issue but noise was already an issue, so I had to find a way to silence the duct so I could keep the fan running through the carbon filter during lights on during the day... smell is much better now, not really an issue with the fan and filter being used

 

[Bumble Buddy]

Awesome, I love this kind of low tech DIY, I did something similar by putting an inline fan inside a cardboard box with insulation and holes for duct at each end. I bet there is some insulating type materials I could scavenge instead of buying foam, like the stuffing from an old pillow or comforter... Way to go.

 

[TroubleGuy]

Haha, I did that to my fan too. check out my "new ventilation" album for that...didn't put foam in the box the fan's in but it's quiet enough without it.

 

[Gunnarguchi]

sweet build
i thought first that pix where down as they werent showing in guest view ( i only login on TOR proxy so often browse as a guest to view pix as its faster)
but when posting links into proxy browser pix showed up

another way for a cheap silencer is using the same principles as in a car exhaust silencer
( i made a cheap carbon filter in a similar fashion)

use some chicken wire or similar smell field wire
make a tube with same diameter as your ducting
wrap some rockwool or similar around
use some tape or metal wiere to keep it in shape
then wrap some layers of tin foil or similar around
at least 50 mm or more insulation
also at least 2 layers of tin foil but preferably more
for an 5 inch ducting i would make it at least 60 cm long but i think more optimal would be something like 80-100 cm, depending on available space and how powerful and noisy your exhaust fan is
also it lowers sound if the exhaust fan is build into a closed wooden box and hung with rubber bands so it doesnt tough the wood plates at all and transfers sound that way

sorry for thread hijacking

 

[pontiac]

The best things in life are free.

 

[conehead]

Hey bro, nice job!, on the cheap, you just gave me a few idea's & saved me some money on my next quick grow. Sweet as!.
keep the good work up greening the world OH YE!

 

[Darius]

Nice job thanks for the info i am going to try this out!!

 

[Persistance]

Good stuff, this forum has so much usefull info! Thanx!!

 

[habeeb]

Awesome, I love this kind of low tech DIY, I did something similar by putting an inline fan inside a cardboard box with insulation and holes for duct at each end. I bet there is some insulating type materials I could scavenge instead of buying foam, like the stuffing from an old pillow or comforter... Way to go.

I did this and bought some silencing foam, coupled with 2 silencers on each side of the fan, its near 100% quiet for a 6 inch ostberg running full steam

 

[BongCalledYoda]

Nice! I am going to give this a shot, I was thinking of something similar so its nice to see its being used and appreciated....

 

[jengi]

can we see the inside of the box?

 

[2stoge]

Gonna expand on the "DIY" part a little...buying a different kind of egg carton foam that's supposed to be better, less susceptible to mold. I'll post a few pics of what I do to the inside of the box when it's done

Did you ever get pictures of the inside? BTW, TG great idea you have for a silencer.

 

[TroubleGuy]

Did you ever get pictures of the inside? BTW, TG great idea you have for a silencer.

Not using the box anymore or the old room I made it for unfortunately. Just use lots of duct tape or improvise and tie it in there. Pictures of the new setup can be found at the link for journal #2 in my signature.

 

[damo123]

will it make my 150mm ruck more silent and when extracting from my dr 120 tent with 100 intake is it normal when all on with 600 hps it suck right in turn my smscom fan cotroller right down but temp went to 35c hydro went to 45 can you help thanks

 

[TroubleGuy]

If you build it right it should help but it won't be 100% silent. It worked for what I needed it for because it was quiet enough but not completely silent.

 

[Gr33n.Man]

Hi, being all new to growing, I also had a problem with noise,, but thanks to thic website and yourself, I made a smaller box and totally filled it with egg trays and its made loads of a differance..cheers mate.