New Grow Room (pics) and Inline Fan Question

I just set up my new grow room and would love your comments or critiques.

Tent = 3x3x5
400w MH/HPS
6" Carbon Filter
6" Inline Fan
Speed controller

I have a question on my speed controller, which is included in the pictures. When I have the speed controller set to anything lower than full speed, a loud audible hum comes from the fan and it sounds like it is being overworked. Do I have anything to worry about, or is this normal?

the hum is normal kinda, usually from cheaper speed controllers.
I heard its because the speed controllers are limiting frequency not voltage. here is the best info I could find on it.

dimmers USED to be variable resistors. so they could dim a light or slow a motor, but at no energy savings at all. since the resistor was just converting the excess current into heat. well these things are prone to bursting into flames..sooo they got phased out.

solid state.. what a scam that is. the "new" cheap ass dimmer/fan controller uses a triac to actually flicker or pulse the device. this dims or slows it. its reffered to as PWM or pulse width modulation.

capacitors... this is how a ceiling fan adjusts its speed from the factory with no hum. there is a 3 position switch that selects between capacitors of varying size. these caps provide resistance and basically clip voltage to slow the fan.

MidnightJoker said:

I just set up my new grow room and would love your comments or critiques.

Tent = 3x3x5
400w MH/HPS
6" Carbon Filter
6" Inline Fan
Speed controller

I have a question on my speed controller, which is included in the pictures. When I have the speed controller set to anything lower than full speed, a loud audible hum comes from the fan and it sounds like it is being overworked. Do I have anything to worry about, or is this normal?

Click to expand...

Normal, whats your intake/exhaust plans?

Thanks for the replies. Since the hum is really bad I was thinking that it was going to blow up or something so I shut it down until I could figure out what to do. Do you guys recommend a better speed controller?

I am exhausting from my carbon filter to the top of my tent. For my intake, I was planning on using a passive vent at located at the bottom of the tent. What say you?

Yeah new speed controller! The hum cant be good, not saying its the worst but I couldn't let mine do it. just one passive intake most likely wont be enough, you will have lots of vacuum in the tent. Some is good but you don't want the walls looking like they will cave in. I'm using a 400cfm 6in fan in a 4x4 with a with a passive and a 250cfm duct fan for intake and I still have some vacuum in the tent.

Why are you running it full speed

Mr.Knight said:

Why are you running it full speed

Click to expand...

I'm not, and that's my problem. When I run it at full speed it's just too much power and the whole tent caves in, even with my passive intakes open. The problem is when I try and turn the inline fan down, there is a loud hum coming from the fan, and that can't be good.

Looking for suggestions on a new fan controller, if anyone has any...

I use a cheap-o from lowes. it was only two prong at first then just got a cheap 3 prong adapter. No hum at all!

NoGutsGrower said:

I use a cheap-o from lowes. it was only two prong at first then just got a cheap 3 prong adapter. No hum at all!

Click to expand...

What is the brand you use from lowes, i have the same one photoed above with the hum going for a couple of days now, not to loud but the hum is louder then the fan its self.

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=70717-539-TT-300NLH-WH&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3189447&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=rel&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1#BVRRWidgetID

if you click the specifications tab it says right there dimmer and fan controller but i couldn't find a link to the little gray 2 to 3 prong adapter. I have the active air (hydrofarm) 6in 400cfm fan. I would look into buying a duct fan as an intake instead and letting the fan go at full speed! it helps keep the temps down.

NoGutsGrower said:

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=70717-539-TT-300NLH-WH&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=3189447&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=rel&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1#BVRRWidgetID

if you click the specifications tab it says right there dimmer and fan controller but i couldn't find a link to the little gray 2 to 3 prong adapter. I have the active air (hydrofarm) 6in 400cfm fan. I would look into buying a duct fan as an intake instead and letting the fan go at full speed! it helps keep the temps down.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the link

Mr.Knight said:

Why are you running it full speed

Click to expand...

air movement and it draws more air over the lights keeping the temps down

And you get no hum at all with that controller fro Lowe's? I think I will have to look into that one, then.

I am thinking of buying a duct fan to get more air into the tent. My temps as they are now are 81F and 40RH.

Has anyone ever tried using this fan reducer?

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/7674

If not, what do you think of it as a replacement for the Speedster?

yeah no hum. it's only 10 dollars and if you get hum lowes lets you take anything back.