Ventelation ?

[mpjm]

Hey all.

The guy at the local grow store (where I just bought my 8" exhaust fan said that I want it running 24/7. while the book I'm reading says that if I exchange the air 3 or 4 times in an hour that that is more than enough...

So which one is it? do I get a dial and tone down the 8" fan a little and have it run constantly or do I leave it on full blast and set it on a timer?

Thanks in advance

 

[gudkarma]

you can do both.

there are so many different types of timers (for example : 60 minute, 24 hour, repeat (cycle) timers) you can tailor the on/off cycle of the fan to suit your grow space needs.

that said, you can put the 8" fan on a dimmer, turn it down, and let it run all day.

i never turn my intake or exhaust or floor fans off. 24 hours a day.

ventilation is very important, and often overlooked, imo.

 

[BongToker]

If you have any kinda of heat or humidity issues I would run the fans all the time, that's what I do just to keep everything in check.. Whats ur setup like? What size room and light?

 

[Dunge]

Don't use a dimmer on a fan motor. It causes them to run inefficiently and they might overheat.

 

[mpjm]

If you have any kinda of heat or humidity issues I would run the fans all the time, that's what I do just to keep everything in check.. Whats ur setup like? What size room and light?

The flowering room is 6x9 with 9 ft. Ceilings. I have 2 600w HPS in the flower room when they go in there...these are in my closet atm waiting for the room to be finished...

 

[gudkarma]

Don't use a dimmer on a fan motor. It causes them to run inefficiently and they might overheat.

not trying to start a flame versus flame war.

i have to call your statement ===> incorrect.

dimmer wasn't the proper term... though (as a licensed & legit business owning contractor) that's exactly what it is.

more like : variable fan speed controller

here's one ebay :

for much less $ , you can definitely use a dimmer... as long as it can handle 15 amps (and that's a standard wall switch amperage)... what you lose over the pro unit (above) is the fuse (which is nice to have).

hasta la proxima, cabrones.

 

[John Smith Esq.]

not trying to start a flame versus flame war.

i have to call your statement ===> incorrect.

to late on the flame war bro...;)

i think Dunge was correct, a Dimmer Switch is what you use to dim lights, a Fan Speed Controller is used to 'Dim' AC motors. The both work differently.

so saying 'don't use a dimmer switch' is spot on in my head.. I interpret that as -you should use a Variable Speed Controller instead, which is sound advice imo.

 

[John Smith Esq.]

.

 

[gudkarma]

"to late on the flame war bro...;)"

oh my ::fighting0003:

but, as a licensed contractor, i stand firmly by my original assertion.

plus, the dimmer option has been discussed, either here or at RIU, & found to work.

theory or practice, which do you prefer?

:)

isn't there an electrican on this board?

if one knows how to cut into the fan cord, knows the colors for hot, neutral, and ground wires, knows basic wiring techniques, s/he use easily use a 15a dimmer.

if you don't know the above, score a variable fan speed controller.

nevertheless, after following your post on da cheese Mr. Esq, i ordered some blue cheese seeds (along with a few other select pick & mix seeds) from barneys farm... all runts & no sprouts on the cheese.

afgahn kush & kaya48 looking fab-u-lous though.

with crazy cloning skills, got more than i can use.

would love to gift about 6 to 8 ...but i don't know anyone here from the New Jersey/Philly area.

twas quite sad on da cheese... especially since your bud pics looked so darn yummy & smoke report so inspirational.

and, no, my luck wasn't due to "grower error" or "poor conditions".

my new purchase via THCBay (thanx Logic) which is the F2 version :

 

[mpjm]

not trying to start a flame versus flame war.

i have to call your statement ===> incorrect.

dimmer wasn't the proper term... though (as a licensed & legit business owning contractor) that's exactly what it is.

more like : variable fan speed controller

here's one ebay :

for much less $ , you can definitely use a dimmer... as long as it can handle 15 amps (and that's a standard wall switch amperage)... what you lose over the pro unit (above) is the fuse (which is nice to have).

hasta la proxima, cabrones.

this is the fan switch I bought...it was at the local grow store so I figured I'd go for it...didn't mean to start a war. lol :rasta2:

 

[theherbalizor]

If you find that your fan controller is making your fan hum, which it shouldn't, then you need to get a transformer type controller. Often marketed on ebay as a silent fan controller.

Essentially they are multitap stepdown autotransformers and work on all fans. 100% safe.

Just a little tip.

 

[Dunge]

I was just trying to help. I made this mistake many years ago. It seemed to work in that the fan did in fact slow down as per expectations. In fact it was apparently slowing because I was overloading the motor by not providing the voltage needed to act as a properly balanced motor.
As I understand (aiu) 'dimmer switch' it is one of those slide switches that is able to control the brightness of an incandescent lamp.
aiu: mode of action is to crop the max voltage allowed through the switch. motors want to run at a speed determined by their construction and the frequency of the power.
So motor controllers are able to shift the power frequency off of 60 hertz.
Will dimmers work on grow lamps, and by 'work' I mean reduce luminous output proportional to power use?

 

[gudkarma]

...didn't mean to start a war. lol :rasta2:

no... no... homie.

it is ALL good.

bitches & whiners start flame wars.

real men : debate & discuss.

you can still learn, or take away, something even when you're wrong.

 

[DarwinsMunky]

There are two things that really stick out to me. First of all machines are designed to run, period. They dont like to be turned on and off all the time if it can be avoided. Second, it would seem to me that the most consistent environment that you can create in that room the better. So if your fan runs low 24/7 keeping a stable temp and airflow, then i see much happier plants than those living in a room with a bouncing temp.

 

[johard59]

ventilation

you have not said the size of the room, aircirculatin is the must, but eight circulation fan is more i think. have you ducted it out, :pimp:

 

[gudkarma]

Will dimmers work on grow lamps, and by 'work' I mean reduce luminous output proportional to power use?

no.

but, i totally understand your excellent point with regard to the dimmer on the fan.

as far as dimming a grow lamp, there are dimmable ballasts which seem to be gaining in popularity.

with my most powerful lamp (600w hps), i have no need for a dimable ballast... anything going in that particular space (flowering closet : 750w total) is supposed to be blasted by lumens.

if you have a one lamp set up, digital ballast with MH & HPS bulbs, i could definitely see how a dimable ballast would be of great value.

 

[John Smith Esq.]

but, as a licensed contractor, i stand firmly by my original assertion.
plus, the dimmer option has been discussed, either here or at RIU, & found to work.
theory or practice, which do you prefer?
:)

nevertheless, after following your post on da cheese Mr. Esq, i ordered some blue cheese seeds (along with a few other select pick & mix seeds) from barneys farm... all runts & no sprouts on the cheese
twas quite sad on da cheese... especially since your bud pics looked so darn yummy & smoke report so inspirational.

im not that versed on electrics but all i know is i bought a plug in dimmer switch from amazon and when i used it with an oscillating tower fan it made a buzzing noise and below a certain setting wouldn't work at all and i also tried a wall mounted light dimmer i got from B&Q and ditto - but that must have been cause they were rated below 15amp was it??

Damn bro, sorry to hear about the cheese beans thats a real shame. Cheers for the Props tho and best of luck on the other you got going

 

[mpjm]

you have not said the size of the room, aircirculatin is the must, but eight circulation fan is more i think. have you ducted it out, :pimp:

The entire room is 10 x 10 x 9, the veg room is 4 x 10 x 9, and the flowering room is 6 x 10 x 9. There 's a wall and a door so the two rooms are seperate. it's a 8" fan in the flowering room and ducting is not done yet it will be finished this week...

 

[gudkarma]

... all i know is i bought a plug in dimmer switch from amazon and when i used it with an oscillating tower fan it made a buzzing noise and below a certain setting wouldn't work at all and i also tried a wall mounted light dimmer i got from B&Q and ditto - but that must have been cause they were rated below 15amp was it??

well, i bought fan control switch.

it turns out, after close inspection & reading the instructions, the switch is really a "dial router speed control".

it's nothing more than a control, you can buy at any good place that sells man tools, for your router.

took it apart, sort of like a dimmer but not really.

even though i read up on a thread where somebody used a dimmer to control their fan, i wouldn't suggest it.

whoever wrote the thread on using a dimmer for a fan control must have been an electrician because an ordinary person, rigging up a dimmer, would probably start a fire. not good.

somebody with electric skills could rock the dimmmer but @ $24 for the router control, and 30 seconds to install, why waste 2 hours fucking with something risky?

use the speed control because : 1) built in fuse, 2) toggle for variable/off/full power, 3) dial to control speed in the "variable" position, & 4) is straight up easy peasy - plug and play.

works like money too.

also, Esq, i have one of those plug in dimmers on my desk pulled from the darkest corners of my garage stash... rated at 15a ...but says on the back ONLY for use with incandessant (spl) lights @ 300w max.

good lookin:animbong:

~karma

 

[mpjm]

If you find that your fan controller is making your fan hum, which it shouldn't, then you need to get a transformer type controller. Often marketed on ebay as a silent fan controller.

Essentially they are multitap stepdown autotransformers and work on all fans. 100% safe.

Just a little tip.

so...when i put the fan lower then probably 3/4 speed it starts to hum...does this mean something is happening and I shouldn't use it at all? or is it ok if I run it higher than that?

should I just run the thing full boar? Is that to much exhaust for a room 10 x 10 x 9?