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Inline Fan Hi Lo Switch?

who dat is

Cave Dweller
Veteran
I'm finishing up on putting together my crawlspace growroom and have been meaning to figure out my fan/ventilation situation. I have a speed controller that I use to dial the speed back and adjust as necessary. What I was hoping to find was some kind of inline Hi/Lo speed switch that I can install on a timer or something of the sort. I'm aware that I can get a climate controller that will adjust the fan speed to the temps but I was looking for a more hardline predetermined two speed set up. During lights on I want good ventilation of course to remove the smell and excess heat but since my grow room is in the semi conditioned crawl I don't want the fan running full blast at lights off and sucking heat out of the crawl. I want just enough negative pressure to keep the smell down and air moving but that is all. Any thoughts?
 

exploziv

pure dynamite
Administrator
Veteran
You can get any type of variator, but make sure it's good for fans/electric motors and not for lights or other use.
This seems to be a good model:
VenTech Variable Dial Router Fan Speed Controller for Duct and Inline Fans (ebay) - 20 usd (USA model, i guessed you from there. hope it helps you.)

Also, if you want to be able to be able to automate the switching of the power supply of the vent from mains to variator or from one variator to another, you need a relay. Then you connect the relay to the timer and it's all set. You can use same timer you use for the lights, the relay's coil only takes couple of watts.
 

growshopfrank

Well-known member
Veteran
I'm finishing up on putting together my crawlspace growroom and have been meaning to figure out my fan/ventilation situation. I have a speed controller that I use to dial the speed back and adjust as necessary. What I was hoping to find was some kind of inline Hi/Lo speed switch that I can install on a timer or something of the sort. I'm aware that I can get a climate controller that will adjust the fan speed to the temps but I was looking for a more hardline predetermined two speed set up. During lights on I want good ventilation of course to remove the smell and excess heat but since my grow room is in the semi conditioned crawl I don't want the fan running full blast at lights off and sucking heat out of the crawl. I want just enough negative pressure to keep the smell down and air moving but that is all. Any thoughts?

a DPDT relay using the light timer and one or two varaics and you would be done
back before all of the plug and play controllers i assembled a few of these for folks
if you need help with the schematic post back

if your fans will play nice with rheostats it can be done very cheap
 

who dat is

Cave Dweller
Veteran
You can get any type of variator, but make sure it's good for fans/electric motors and not for lights or other use.
This seems to be a good model:
VenTech Variable Dial Router Fan Speed Controller for Duct and Inline Fans (ebay) - 20 usd (USA model, i guessed you from there. hope it helps you.)

Also, if you want to be able to be able to automate the switching of the power supply of the vent from mains to variator or from one variator to another, you need a relay. Then you connect the relay to the timer and it's all set. You can use same timer you use for the lights, the relay's coil only takes couple of watts.

I have the variable speed "speedster" adjuster for my fan already and I was looking to incorporate it using something like you're talking about here with a relay. Do you have any more information regarding these relays?

a DPDT relay using the light timer and one or two varaics and you would be done
back before all of the plug and play controllers i assembled a few of these for folks
if you need help with the schematic post back

if your fans will play nice with rheostats it can be done very cheap

These sounds pretty neat too but you're talking greek to me at this point. Fancier automation and multiple settings are a new area for me. I have a 6" vortec fan and I'm currently using the "speedster" inline fan adjuster which is pretty much just a glorified rheostat isn't it? Do you have any more information regarding this stuff or can point me in the right direction?

This is the closest thing I've found to what I'm talking about but again it's a little more than what I'm looking for with the varying temp settings, photocell with the day/night settings, price tag, etc. http://www.titancontrols.net/media/Mercury4_EasyGuide_rtd.pdf

Thanks for the good info guys! :yes:
 
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