Fan speed controllers.... The 'cheap' versus those 'transformer' types (variacs?)...

NewGrower2011 said:

So can anyone make actual product reccomendations? Let's start with the not so obvious and skip the $30 speedster nonsense.... what real products can we source? I'm thinking the industrial sector should
offer something with the "hydro" association driving up costs like I mentioned... Hell even if the markup isn't toooo bad - where can I find something I can order.... soon...

I'll take a few of those terms from that Growery post and see what I can dig up...

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I am actually in the market for a Titan Controls Mercury 4.
I just upgraded to an 8" Fan and it is sucking all of the Air Conditioned air out of my home and it can't keep up in this heat wave.

The unit comes with a temperature control that ramps up the the fan speed as the temps go further from the setpoint.
It also has a minimum "idle" setting so that it still will maintain negative pressure on the room. Rather than just an on or off control.
While my lights are off (during the day) the fan should just run in idle mode, when the lights kick on and temps start to rise the fan will be turned up to full power.
I figure it should pay for itself in a month or two.

If anyone has any experience with them I would love to hear your feedback.

http://www.titancontrols.net/products/ventilation/mercury-4.aspx

Do not buy that! I bought this on ebay for $65 landed and I love it! [h=1]5 AMP 110V VARIAC AUTOTRANSFORMER VOLTAGE REGULATOR POWERSTAT 0-130V OUTPUT NEW[/h]

Actually I did buy it. Or the same item from a Canadian manufacturer.
Very happy with it.
http://www.grozonecontrol.com/distributors.html

Thanks, humming noise is killing me on my primaklima GSE 125mm (400m3) fan at home, guess I better invest in a proper controller for it

This is a few years ago but forgot about it for some reason and not been here for a while haha..

Anyways just in case someone else experiencing the same issue I had, trying to use cheapo electronic controllers for the fan and having a nervous breakdown cause of the noise they make (yes I live small and sleep not that far away from the fan) I though I provide some updating after close to 2 year running a proper variable auto-transformer and went for the smallest model I could find cause just controlling a single 125mm fan, still a klima but the straight forward vanilla model.

Contacted Primaklima with a problem trying to glue a housing with minor damage asking for the right glue, they responded by sending me a brand new housing free of charge, but it did not stop there they asked me what new fan I wanted too, yeah they did send out a fan + a new housing for my old motor/blades no questions asked and led me choose model so how could I possible abuse such a fantastic offer and kindness by asking for more than I already had like for example asking for a big "pro" blue line or similar haha? I.m not that greedy and appreciate the kindness very much, please conciser Primaklima if you want heavenly service guys? My warranty was out too, they did not even ask for express shipping fee when sending me a mini pallet with 2 boxes well wrapped, amazing.

Since the tent I run this one in is so tiny I can run that 125mm as basically walking speed and cannot hear it some meters away at all ,absolutely not a single irritating electric noise whatsoever form cheapo solutions like I used to try to get working. Tufvasson OIEA 1 the variac is called and find some Swedish site: http://www.tufvassons.se/produkter/test-1



If you experiencing the same irritating noises I did and run a somewhat quiet fan at low speeds so that nasty sine wave buzzing this is the solution, no competition whatsoever this is truly dead quiet, highly recommend and a one time cost. This is their smallest and 230VAC 1A rated, not much really but also can be put in my hand and more than enough to drive a standard fan.

I'm using a $20 speed controller with an iPower 6" blower and the buzz is certainly there at any setting below 75% or so. I keep it around 75% anyway for my 2x2x4'.

dr.medecine said:

This is a few years ago but forgot about it for some reason and not been here for a while haha..

Anyways just in case someone else experiencing the same issue I had, trying to use cheapo electronic controllers for the fan and having a nervous breakdown cause of the noise they make (yes I live small and sleep not that far away from the fan) I though I provide some updating after close to 2 year running a proper variable auto-transformer and went for the smallest model I could find cause just controlling a single 125mm fan, still a klima but the straight forward vanilla model.



Since the tent I run this one in is so tiny I can run that 125mm as basically walking speed and cannot hear it some meters away at all ,absolutely not a single irritating electric noise whatsoever form cheapo solutions like I used to try to get working.
If you experiencing the same irritating noises I did and run a somewhat quiet fan at low speeds so that nasty sine wave buzzing this is the solution, no competition whatsoever this is truly dead quiet, highly recommend and a one time cost. This is their smallest and 230VAC 1A rated, not much really but also can be put in my hand and more than enough to drive a standard fan.

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Ah that's nice to hear.
I have just ordered a 1.5amp variac for my 8" fan.
Had my grow room down for 9 months but had it running 5years previous to that, Did lots of sound proofing for peace of mind in that time and the only thing that still exists is that bloody hum.
No amount of sound proofing will work for that type of frequency beyond huge amounts of mass which is just not possible.
Anyway rooms back in action and that hum is driving me crazy, it didn't bother me all those years because I didn't have neighbours to worry about, that changed.
Now I just have to wait for the variac to be delivered so I can cut off the old crap speed controller.
I'm feeling a bit more reassured now I have read your post.

coreywebster said:

Ah that's nice to hear.
I have just ordered a 1.5amp variac for my 8" fan.
Had my grow room down for 9 months but had it running 5years previous to that, Did lots of sound proofing for peace of mind in that time and the only thing that still exists is that bloody hum.
No amount of sound proofing will work for that type of frequency beyond huge amounts of mass which is just not possible.
Anyway rooms back in action and that hum is driving me crazy, it didn't bother me all those years because I didn't have neighbours to worry about, that changed.
Now I just have to wait for the variac to be delivered so I can cut off the old crap speed controller.
I'm feeling a bit more reassured now I have read your post.

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If you are running an 8" fan, that amp rating is a little low. That's only 180W. Not much room for the surge when you start the fan.

This all is assuming you're running at 120V.

Lurrabq said:

If you are running an 8" fan, that amp rating is a little low. That's only 180W. Not much room for the surge when you start the fan.

This all is assuming you're running at 120V.

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Yeah I thought that when I saw what other people were running so I double checked.
But My power is 240v
Here's the stats
200mm ISOMAX 3-Speed Fan Specifications:

• Airflow - 570/770/870mtr3 per hr

• Current - 0.36/0.4/0.6 amps

• Power consumption - up to 128 watts

• Full diameter: 260mm

• Length = 680mm

• Weight - 7.7kg

• Noise level - 55db

The 1.5amp Variac is good for 345w apparently.
Its a good fan overall, ran the first 3 years 24/7 then I started turning it off during feed time for next 2 years. Its just the stupid speed controller that's the problem. I probably could go to a 6" these days but I used to run it filter>fan>cooltube>cooltube>cooltube>outside when I ran HPS.
The fans come without speed controller too but this one its on the wire, I assume I can just cut it off and rewire when the variac arrives.

I use a mid range controller that cost £80, it is analogue but has never missed a beat and keeps the temps in order! I use a 12" inline outake and a 10" inline intake! The main reason i use this system is the heat doesnt spike like some systems... the controller just fires up the extraction and all is well and iam running 4000w.... look. https://www.rollitup.org/attachments/20161121_152502-jpg.3836403/

buy a 1960s era variac off ebay.

coreywebster said:

Ah that's nice to hear.
I have just ordered a 1.5amp variac for my 8" fan.
Had my grow room down for 9 months but had it running 5years previous to that, Did lots of sound proofing for peace of mind in that time and the only thing that still exists is that bloody hum.
No amount of sound proofing will work for that type of frequency beyond huge amounts of mass which is just not possible.
Anyway rooms back in action and that hum is driving me crazy, it didn't bother me all those years because I didn't have neighbours to worry about, that changed.
Now I just have to wait for the variac to be delivered so I can cut off the old crap speed controller.
I'm feeling a bit more reassured now I have read your post.

Click to expand...

Sorry did not see until now, do not log in very often these days especially since not growing MJ anymore (or at least on hold for some time), still grow vegetables and weird plants in general cause it's addictive just caring for a garden.. Yeah I know about the trouble and it sucks, a proper variable transformer is the way to go for sure. I run my 5"/125mm at such low speeds where I ca no longer even physically her the fan blades move, must stand close to feel/hear air move, first few days it was surreal felt like a impossible equation cause even at lower speeds (cheap electronic sine wave control whether added or from factory) there's noises that just blend and hard to separate every source at times, with this solution and truly low rpm's it's like all noise just gone and like I said I run mine so darn slow I must stand next to it to hear anything from the fan and what I hear is just the air. Sounds very clean, like I said surreal. Good for you you took the decision to go down that route, hope you are happy with your new transformer.

Every space I set up from here on where noise must be reduced will contain a oversized fan of decent or better yet high quality with a a proper design, bearings then add the variable autotransformer to step down voltage and run fan slow instead, cost more but if budget will allow it?

cookie master said:

buy a 1960s era variac off ebay.

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Yeah especially you guys who live in the US have got some golden opportunities cause most for sale seem to be there, shipping alone will defeat the value/$ for rest of us, these little suckers very effective but also heavy especially when you need a large one.

I've used a triac speed controller on a fan for ~5 years. No issues with either. It is true that a solid state controller can make some fans hum and actually create rfi. But so does a brush type AC motor which most are. On the plus side if you find those as negatives a well designed triac controller is much more efficient than a Variac. ymmv