Fan Performance Comparison Chart: 6" and 8" - Various Manufactures

[acidking]

With summer coming up fast, and temperatures rising, I'd thought I'd offer up a little chart of Inline Fan Performance, for the popular 6", 8" and 10" sizes. Current US online pricing (lowest price found as of 5/5/2012). If anybody has any other manufactures they'd like compared in the chart, let me know, I'll see if I can track down the performance specs and add it if they're available. The chart uses company supplied performance specs.

The Fantech FG 6XL and FKD 8XL and FKD 10XL fans are unbeatable as far as sustained cfm goes, but I'd only choose the Fantech FKD series if money is no object. the FKD 8XL is almost 5x the price of Valueline's (the 8" price/performance champion). Granted, the Valueline moves about 100cfm less than the Fantech FKD 8XL but it beats the Vortex VTX800 in a tug of war and is the cheapest 8" fan on the list.

As amazing as the FKD 8XL is, do not be fooled into purchasing the Fantech FG 8XL, it's the worst performing 8" fan on the chart, and 3rd most expensive. The Can-Fan RS8HO beat the Vortex VXT800 in a tug of war, as one might expect with it's more powerful motor. (Note, the Valueline fans don't publish performance charts, but in a tug of war style, fans connected back to back, the 8" Valueline out pulled the Vortex VTX800, and the Can-Fan MAX 8 ). Making the 8" Valueline the price/performance leader, no word on whether it would beat the Can-Fan RS8HO in a tug of war, I doubt it, but it's $160 cheaper.

The Fantech FG 6XL easily wins in the price/performance category for 6" fans, beating the 2nd place Vortex VTX600 by anywhere from 20 to 48cfm... for only $10 more. That's 14,400cf more in a 12 hour period. It should be noted that the Fantech does have the most powerful motor of the 6" fans, so this should be no surprise.

The Fantech FKD series fans use the same type of fan technology as the Can-Fan MAX series, they are both mixed flow centrifugal fans that blend the high flow of axial fans with the higher pressure, non-overloading characteristics of backward curved impellers. The difference is that Fantech uses much more powerful motors to drive them, for example, the Fantech FKD 8" uses a 2.99 amp motor, the MAX 8 uses a 1.5 amp motor. The Fantec FKD 10 has a 4.84 amp motor, the MAX 10 has a 1.9 amp motor. If all out performance for a given size is your main concern, in the 8" & 10" fan range, consider the Fantech FKD series unbeatable. If you still need the highest levels of performance, but don't want to shell out $487 for a 10" fan, you probably won't do better than the Can-Fan MAX 10, which, even in 2nd place, has a commanding lead over the rest of the 10" fans on the list.

8" Fans to stay away from? The Fantech FG 8XL, it's by far the worst performer of the 8" fans, and the 3rd most expensive.
6" Fans to stay away from? The Vortex VTX600L for it's dismal performance, and the Soler/Palau PV-150x which, despite being the highest priced 6" fan, turned in the second worst performance numbers.

Keep COOL this summer,
Acidking

Edit - added 10" fans to the list, and the fans are now listed in order of the power of their motors, in amps. The manufactures that don't provide their amp rating have been moved to the bottom of the list. So if you have very challenging runs, I would go with the most powerful motor in that given size range.

 

[MonsterBuzz]

nice i was waiting for something like this to come up... i didnt have a way to test all them fans, so thank you for posting.

do you have any info on cap value line or active air's?

 

[acidking]

C.A.P. and Hydrofarm (Active Air) don't list any static pressure specs (that I can find), just maximum CFM, but evidently C.A.P's 8" Valueline beats the 8" Vortex VTX800. Which would make the Valueline 8" the best price/performance fan in that category.

I did find some watt specs on the Active Air fans.

Let's compare Active air to the closest cfm fan in our chart.
Active Air claims their 8" fan moves 720cfm @ 2530rpm, max 198 watts.
Can-Fan's RS8 HO is rated for...... 722cfm @ 2950rpm, max 283 watts.

Somehow I doubt that Hydrofarm engineered an 8" fan that can move as much air as the Can-Fan RS8 HO, under a moderate load, while spinning it's fan 420 rpms slower and using 100 watts less.

 

[nuglets]

did you take these states from the manufacturer's websites? i've seen a few tests that show that a lot of those fans don't even come close to their listed cfm's.

 

[acidking]

Yep, these are listed specs. A lot of the online "tests" seem to be tug of war type shootouts, in those cases it is likely the fan with the highest hp motor will win. If you think the specs are too good to be true, look at the power consumption for comparable fans, then go with the more powerful motor. More efficient blades and housing design will only get you so far, they can, and will, provide excellent airflow numbers under slight to moderate loads, but get to a certain point of resistance and the power of the motor is the limiting factor. The Can-Fan MAX 8 is a perfect example of this, it's keeping pace with the big boys right up to 1.00", at 1.25" it falls off a cliff because the motor lacks the power to maintain a decent rpm.

I tend to believe the companies that print their specs have run fairly standardized, certified tests. I'm sure there are some differences in labs that might slightly skew the #'s up or down, there's always going to be a margin of error between labs. Personally, I'll stick to the companies that list their specs, as it's less likely I'll be disappointed by their performance. Chances are none of us will be running these fans at the absolute limits of their operating range, so pick what's most important to you... Absolute performance across the board, chances are it's going to be more expensive and/or consume more power. Excellent performance & energy use numbers under slight to moderate loads, although good for simple setups, will probably leave the "complex installation" users regretting their purchase, as they find the motors just aren't powerful enough to overcome their setup. The charts are just a tool to help guide your purchase.

When I actually see an "online test" using a certified testing lab, maybe I'll believe they actually know how to test the products in a repeatable and unbiased fashion. Until then I think the published specs are probably the most neutral indicator.

 

[nuglets]

Yep, these are listed specs. A lot of the online "tests" seem to be tug of war type shootouts, in those cases it is likely the fan with the highest hp motor will win. If you think the specs are too good to be true, look at the power consumption for comparable fans, then go with the more powerful motor. More efficient blades and housing design will only get you so far, they can, and will, provide excellent airflow numbers under slight to moderate loads, but get to a certain point of resistance and the power of the motor is the limiting factor. The Can-Fan MAX 8 is a perfect example of this, it's keeping pace with the big boys right up to 1.00", at 1.25" it falls off a cliff because the motor lacks the power to maintain a decent rpm.

I tend to believe the companies that print their specs have run fairly standardized, certified tests. I'm sure there are some differences in labs that might slightly skew the #'s up or down, there's always going to be a margin of error between labs. Personally, I'll stick to the companies that list their specs, as it's less likely I'll be disappointed by their performance. Chances are none of us will be running these fans at the absolute limits of their operating range, so pick what's most important to you... Absolute performance across the board, chances are it's going to be more expensive and/or consume more power. Excellent performance & energy use numbers under slight to moderate loads, although good for simple setups, will probably leave the "complex installation" users regretting their purchase, as they find the motors just aren't powerful enough to overcome their setup. The charts are just a tool to help guide your purchase.

When I actually see an "online test" using a certified testing lab, maybe I'll believe they actually know how to test the products in a repeatable and unbiased fashion. Until then I think the published specs are probably the most neutral indicator.

check youtube. there is a standardized test using tubes and little rubber balls. something like 8-10 different fans al side by side. the only 2 that actually performed were the can fan and the vortex.

i wouldn't believe a word of what those fans advertise. just like with nutes or any other product. you have to test them yourself.

 

[acidking]

I saw the one with 4 fans that was tested by Can-Fan, where the Can-Fan and Max 8 were the only ones to lift the balls. I'll tell you why I don't believe that test, first it was run by Can-Fan so they controlled the test construction. 2nd, none of the fans were secured to the tubing, they just set the fans on the holes, this means that the slight difference in fan exit diameters could have a big effect because the non-Can-Fans weren't able to fully seal the predrilled holes. You'll notice that the MAX 8, when they changed locations, was a very tight fit that needed to be worked into the hole, where as the non-Can-Fans just set in, no problem. To me this says that the holes were made to fit the Can-Fans exact exit dimensions, not the dimension variances of the other fans. If they had run the test with secured tubing I'd be more likely to believe it.

 

[nuglets]

i never saw that one. the one i saw was done by one of the hydro stores. maybe monstergardens.com can't remember. anyway, they setup like 8-10 fans and they were all snug.

 

[unohu69]

im hoping the Canfan performs, Im waiting on the RS6HO to get delivered.
just ordered a new 1K light, with a air cooled hood.

 

[nuglets]

i have a couple 8" HO ones and i think CAN is the best fan on the market.

 

[WattSaver]

i have a couple 8" HO ones and i think CAN is the best fan on the market.

Agreed!!! I ran a 4" Vortex for 1 1/2 yrs and built a new rm and have run a 6" Can HO for over 2yrs now both were drawing thru a carbon filter. Both were very quite and ran 24/7. I have a fan tech for intake in my current rm runs only late spring to mid fall, wish I'd spent the extra for another Can. Good airflow but at least twice the noise.

 

[hellraizer30]

Nice thread acid good info

 

[acidking]

The chart has been updated to include 10" fans, also the fans are now listed in order of the power of their motors (in amps) instead of the manufactures claimed CFM numbers, the higher up on the list... the better the fan should be for challenging runs.