Hi everyone,

I have been using the search button on this site to try and read about fans buzzing but in all the threads that i found anyway, there has been no definitive answer to the "Fans buzzing when turned down under 50%" question, Im using two fans one 8" to cool my lights and another 10" connected to a carbon filter. Right now only one 600w lamp is being used in the room and because of this im having problems keeping my RH and temps at a reasonable level right now im at RH65% Temp19-20c.

So what ive had to do is turn the fans down right down to under 50% using a primair and a small fan controller sold on the uk420 site designed for one fan. The problem is i get a really loud buzzing sounds.

Now im not really bothered about the buzzing in a noise sense because that room is isolated and the noise is bad, but tolerable from outside the room, my concerns come from the BUZZING sound signifying the slow death of my fans they cost me allot and cannot be replaced.

Can some one with detailed knowledge of this please put my mind to rest. thank you.

Mine buzz too when turned down with the speed controller. I don't know why they do it. I'm kinda glad tho cos it makes it sound more like a freezer in the shed than a jet engine

Hi mate,

A really good way off cutting down the noise of fans is to hang them with bungy cords wherever they are situated. You know the elastic cords with hooks on either end you use for attaching things to roof racks on cars? They are perfect to use for hanging fans, you can get them from any motor accessories shop, or Halfords for example.

They really do cut down on any vibrations if that is your problem. I hope that helps mate.

If it is a case of the airflow itself that is too noisy then I'm affraid that there is not much that can be done about that other than reducing the flow rate.

Gro

thanx for the reply's i think im going to follow some of the guides here and try boxing them off with insulation before i proceed, do you think the buzzing is causing damage to the fan units?

I don't think it's vibrations gro, it is more like electrical buzzing when the fan speed is turned down beyond a certain point.

The buzzing itself shouldn't be causing any problems, that, I'm affraid, is just normal. It is good practice though to hang fans (using the method I mention above). I bet that will reduce the buzzing drastically, if not totally.

Ah, I see.

Is it the fan itself that buzzes in that situation or the controller?

it's definately an electrical buzzing from the fan unit. sounds like some light dimmers do when you turn down the lights but noisier (that's house lights not growroom). i'd like to know too. mine's already on bungey cords. my big 12 inch extractor doesn't do it, my 4 inch one does.

It sounds to me like it's coming from the fan itself too.

i suffer no buzzin sounds at all from my fan speed controller or fans. im runnin 2 8 inch rvk's an a secret garden temp control unit, it costs more than the average controlers but is adjustable from 0% to 100% an everythings buzz free watever the power.
newbudda

Thats a good read i would have rather had the choice to buy the expensive controller than end up with possibly damaged fan motors, as you only have to buy the controller once probably could have picked one of those frequency/voltage controllers up from America anyway at half the price......well this is only a temp thing for me because soon ill be using all my lights in the room after this grow so the fans will need to be turned up possibly over 50% but its good to know these things. Also hopefully this thread will give other people options before buying equipment.

ahhhhh....



this makes perfect sense now as to why the bigger fan didn't buzz but the smaller one did.



Thanks for that

edit to add i didn't realise they came with different amps.

whazzup your electrical knoledge seems really vast i wish i could master electronics like you have, for me it would be for wiring ect as having the ability to wireup your own grow room is invaluble. trying to explain to an electrician you want 2-3 seperate circuits that can handle 23amps each with there own consumer unit in a single room upstairs in a house always raises a flag even when paying over the odds.

My fan's been buzzing for over a year now (me too)

For domestic installations and others its exactly the same here whazzup

In fact UK WAS the amongst the world leaders in all engineering and many practises are classical british standards.

The rest of the world copied us and now we are being left behind

Thats labour for you

Nice one, you just put and end my dithering for the past 3 months..... Feckit, ill buy one and use my DIY for the veg box.
Cheers mate, ive been eyeing that unit, and their feed timer for a while now. Looks lke a really well thought out unit, just a shame the heating output cant handle a bit more wattage but hey ho.. it;ll cope with my current kit no problem.
Thanks.

Be lucky

Hey all

I would like to use a 'controller' just to lower the noise of the fans as they are too loud at full speed/power , is there a cheap alternative I can 'dimmer the power'?

I want to ,say , run my fan at 50% power always and I do not need to be able to control it /say go from 40-100%.
I just want to have it run with fixed power always at lets say 50% power, how can I decrease the voltage without spending lots of money on an expensive controller?

There must be way somehow.Theoretically I could use a resistance of some sort but from what I read this would induce buzzing...so how can I control the voltage?

Thank very much in advance

Brilliant.... the website ive been looking at the secret garden controller at said it coulld do 1200 watts altogether.... if it can do 3Kw then its pretty future proof for me.....
Im gonna get one for sure after the next crop, Although for fan only the trade air3 is nice, 3:5amp, it speeds up and slows down automatically no speed knob just temp, it starts at 30 percent and if the temp goes up it goes up.... I just dont know if it buzzes or not... I think it is a pulse potential cooling thermostat

Hey Whazzup,

Thank you very much for your reply.

I knew the solution had to be simple! Initially I though of using a resistance but then I read that this induces the buzz, so I need a transformer then..

I will be using in my new tent room a Lti RVK fan for outake and one for intake , so I need to find a tranformer that can handle the fans amperes right?


By the way I was checking your growroom thread with the bonsai techniques and I found the info very usefull as its my first time going 'small' / growing in a tent myself.So I will need to keep the plants as short as possible as I grow sativa dominant strains (MrNice NevillesHaze and Mango Haze this round).

Cheers and thank you again for your help.

I use a rheostat controller - which changes the voltage rather than throttling it with resistance. There is no buzzing at any setting. I run it at 50-70% 24hrs a day.

Hey Keye

I always thought that rheostat = variable resistance

I am I wrong ?Is it some sort of digital one?

i think reostat is another name for a variac or variable auto transformer...... they are the really good expensive fan controller that dont hum at all coz they reduce voltage.... this is what those chunky expensive airforce speedos with the override cable use.... i been planning a diy wth one but rs wont sell to me (Im not a business) and maplin only have a poxy 0.7 amp one.
The 5 step transformer mentioned above is what im thinking of now for the diy(ill still make one wether buy an SGTC or not) ive seen them on ebay and that expensve company begnning wth Eso(a lot dearer there of course )....and nothng dodgy bout ordering that from ebay.... i wouldnt get lights or a system there tho-the owners a grass