Using a variable speed controller for your inline fans

[Hackerman]

Do you have the make and model that you use?

Thanks

 

[zipflip]

its actuallya generic brand but its a smaller 5amp one is all. personally I wouldn't go less than. just go ebay and do search for variac, u'll get buncha em. im soon to replace them in future tho with better ones. like I said they generic cheapos, and like wit everything ese I bought on the cheap I always end up replacing wit a more kosher model in fiture. but when I do im never disaponted. the good ones aren't cheap either jus so u know. but I been runnin cheap 50$ 5am variacs all for over 4 years now. only thing ive had to do since was replace a few the carbon brushes inside, that can/do and will need replacing at some point dependin on how much u tend to fiddle wit ur knob turnin it up an down. the carboin brush thing im talkin bout u can search on youtube they got a tutorial demonstration on how to replace them. hard for me to explain is all.. but its just a simple crude soldering u got do and its easy done. just to be safe tell who ever u buy the variac from u wanna buy at least one replacement carbon brush per variac u buy. would suck to have the thing go out in middle of a grow and gotta wait for replacement to get to u is all. or if like me u can have a few speedsters layin round just for backup purposes.
and them brushes are only a few bucks extra is all so its inexpensive IMO. but simply tho if ur wantin to run ur inline fans on a dimmer and lookin for the most life from ur fan with the least amount of power loss wit age of life of fan then honestly a variac is ur best bet .

 

[Hackerman]

I have been looking at them and reading a little.

I still don't know if these fans that we all use (like my Active Air Centrifugal) are considered "brushless motors". As far as I can tell from what I have read, they are. Anyone on that?

Thanks

 

[zipflip]

idk the mechanics of all inline centrifugal fans on the market but I know for fact u can trust canfan brand fans on variacs. canfan even has their own branded variac speed controller. they pitch it as manily for the maxfans as they don't accept the speedster type speed controllers.
don't qupote me on it but I do believe that pretty much all the standard inline centrifugal fans in the growing marketplace today are compatible with dsaaid variacs. I know I have 4inch and 6inch canfans as well as a cheapo knockoff from ebay and another chepo I no longer use that have all been run on variacs over the years and none have faile dme yet so... my suggestion would be to call the manufacturer of whatever fa ur using and ask them directly. or the seller even if they know. and me personally if iasked someone I was to buy a fan from that question and they didn't kwo answer then they obviously don't know the product they sellin very well, so I wouldn't trust a word comin out any thir mouths. find one who kows. why I lean more towards calin the manufacturer and askin.

 

[Hackerman]

Hydrofarm's web site says this about their fan speed controller...

Hydrofarm's Fan Speed Controller was designed especially for centrifugal fans. This means it will help prevent damage to fan motors, ensuring longer life. (Meant for use with brushless motors, and all Hydrofarm inline fans, not booster fans)

Sounds to me like their inline fans are "brushless". I wonder what's different about this dimmer than the other ones.

It does say that it is meant for use with their inline fans so (unless it's all marketing hype), I have to think there's something different about this speed controller than the CAP model that I have, that says, "Do not use with brushless type motors".

I wonder if I stopped smoking for a few hours if this would all clear up. LOL

 

[zipflip]

just cuz something doesn't kill ya doesn't mean its good for ya does it? LOL naw but really tho all the research ive done them speedster type controllers work. "THEY WORK" don't mean they optimal for the life and wear an tear of ur fan. a lot of things depend like how u use it how hard u run it how much neg pressure while dimming it down etc etc... all these factors come into play when figuring fans efficiency IMO. i'll see if I can find something I had a whiel back that explained the skinny on these variacs with inline centrifugal fans givin specs etc. cant recall off top head but I know that a variac is still better for ur fan.
the speedsters are cheap cost wise and the masses are all bout price bein cheap and so the marketplace caters to the masses where the most profit is to be had., u think they gonna push variacs more regardless if they better for ur fan or not if they know they aint gon sell hardly any. I guarantee they do and will always make more money sellin off them cheap lil speedster type controllers cuz thas just the way things go in the world, but a variac is still better. its just not commonplace nor popular due to cost mainly I imagine.
dude, just get urself a variac trust me. or better yet. get a speedster and a variac and test both see wats better for u. I guarantee once u HEAR" the difference u will send the speedsters back for sure.
but if ur really pressed for schematics on the whoel variac wit inline fans just do some googling. its all I did back before I was clueless to tehse variacs. bottom line is I was sold into them got them and now love them. and they work with my fans. LOL

 

[zipflip]

better yet, just plug into google or whatever serch engine u use "variac marijuana" and ur gonna come up wit all the info u want on all sorts a MJ related growing forums of discussions of use of variacs wit inline fans of all sizes and brands etc and explanations of everything u wanting to know. I guaranteed u'll be sold on variacs after a days worth of reading and researching.

 

[MR1]

Hackerman I don't think they use brushed motors in ventilation unless they are sealed because of fire hazard from the sparks the brushes give off.

 

[Hackerman]

better yet. get a speedster and a variac and test both see wats better for u.

That's, pretty much, my style. LOL

Thanks again for all the info.

 

[Hackerman]

Hackerman I don't think they use brushed motors in ventilation unless they are sealed because of fire hazard from the sparks the brushes give off.

Thanks.

 

[zipflip]

I bet if u run a speedster and put up wit the hum sound it causes from ur fans for few months and then get a variac ur gonna get oen fore every single fan u got. LOL
one thing I do recall tho is wit speed controllers like them speedsters the way it works is think of it like a sprinkler and the chord the hose yada yada. it sorts shoots the electricity out to the fan but in like some serious fast sputters, like the rate it sputters dictates the amount of flow to the fan .. idk if that make s sense but its best I can thik of explainin the whoel humming sound the speedsters cause on fans. the variac dorta drops or raises the voltage output to the fan I think it is, so therefore u get a steady stream of electricity to the fan, hence the less wear and tear on fan. also with a variac I can dial my fans down to where the prop inside the fan will turn so slow I can count the blades on it while it turns . but wit a speedster its pretty lame IMO. don't run ur fan as slow as I was sayin tho its not good for it but im jus sayin. u got better precision over controlling ur fans flow wit a variac also.

 

[Hackerman]

OK, this horse isn't dead yet. I need to beat it a little more. LOL

New question....

Is there a speed switch that is designed to work with the little inline booster fans?

 

[MR1]

I am using a ceiling fan controller for my 8'' duct booster.

 

[Hackerman]

Please, someone shoot the horse and put it out of it's misery

LOL, really. However, if we shoot the horse, all we can do is make glue. And if we make glue, this thread will become a sticky thread. And, we don't want that now, do we? :rofl:

So, answer the question and be grateful the horse is still alive. LOL

 

[Hackerman]

I am using a ceiling fan controller for my 8'' duct booster.

That was my first thought. Then, I read something about those ceiling fans actually having 3 different size windings which is why those dimmers work.

You know, for a guy who reverse engineers secure hardware, I sure am stupid about something as simple as a fan motor. LOL

Thanks again, everyone for the input.

 

[Hackerman]

Are you saying that the digital controller has the proper electronics to speed control my Centrifugal AND my booster fan?

Most of the ones I saw just did on and off.

 

[Hackerman]

Actually looks like a pretty neat upgrade. I am going to shoot through the online manual and check it out.

 

[Hackerman]

I bought the Active Air controller that was (supposedly) designed for the Active Air fan I am using.

The only difference I see between this and the other controllers is that it starts on HIGH when you turn it on and then it adjusts to slower as you turn the dial clockwise.

Seems to be working. I run both of them at about 70%.

 

[Hackerman]

It's totally manual.

 

[Warrior]

I have been looking at them and reading a little.

I still don't know if these fans that we all use (like my Active Air Centrifugal) are considered "brushless motors". As far as I can tell from what I have read, they are. Anyone on that?

Thanks

From what I understand...A brushless motor is a motor with bearings...rather than bushings/brushes.....is this correct?