Fan vibrating on lowest setting with speedcontroller...

[Xtensity]

So I was testing my setup, and I knew the fan was going to be loud from the start. When its on max the only noise problem is the wooshing sound of the air. When it's on minimum I can hear the fanblade vibrating.... I can even feel it vibrating when standing near(even when insulated with blankets and all that other stuff.

Now I can't feel it vibrating when it's on max, I can only hear the max gushing of the air.

Why does it vibrate on the minimum airflow setting when the fan is spinning slowest, but not on max.

This is a real wrench in my plans, and tips?

 

[good drown]

you need a variac metered speed controller. what you have is a triac, and it will cause that vibrating because that controller keeps your fan in a constant state of "start up", hence the vibration. its also very bad for the life of the fan...

 

[Xtensity]

you need a variac metered speed controller. what you have is a triac, and it will cause that vibrating because that controller keeps your fan in a constant state of "start up", hence the vibration. its also very bad for the life of the fan...

Hm, I've got this "The Speedster Motor Speed Controller".... I've heard tons of people using it.... how much on average do those variac metered speed controllers cost?

Hell the controller I got even has the fan I'm using as a picture on the box xD

 

[whodair]

i hang my vortex with bungee to eliminate vibration. i only run it wide open cuz the speed contoller creates more sound than it eliminates!!

 

[Xtensity]

i hang my vortex with bungee to eliminate vibration. i only run it wide open cuz the speed contoller creates more sound than it eliminates!!

Well I have it in a small box... and how would hanging it help? The vibrations come from the fan, not from the walls the fan is touching etc.

 

[good drown]

i have that same speed controller, it sucks. its only good if you want to give the fan like 75% power or more
a variac is like $70 shipped.
so i have a variac, and then an automatic fan switch, it was like $100 and it turns my fan power down by like 30% when the temp drops below what you set it at

 

[Xtensity]

i have that same speed controller, it sucks. its only good if you want to give the fan like 75% power or more
a variac is like $70 shipped.

Have any links to them? Or places I can get them at? How big are they compared to others? Couldn't find much on google, probably just searching wrong.

 

[good drown]

ebay, search this...

variac metered transformer

they are bigger and HEAVY, like 6 inches tall and wide.

 

[ambertrich]

Have any links to them? Or places I can get them at? How big are they compared to others? Couldn't find much on google, probably just searching wrong.

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

Best deal I could find when I was looking for mine, even bought a second a few months later. ( and will again if the need arises)

Just remember to cover the power switch with some electrical tape or something to block out the light from the switch if it is in with your flowering gals to prevent light stress
(yeah, ya live and learn)

This should help you sort the noise, unless the blade is out of balance or something.

Good luck

 

[good drown]

how much was the shipping with that site? the ebay is the same seller, so we may be able to save this guy a few bucks...

 

[reckon]

you need a variac metered speed controller. what you have is a triac, and it will cause that vibrating because that controller keeps your fan in a constant state of "start up", hence the vibration. its also very bad for the life of the fan...

sorry for jumping on the thread-wagon here,....I recently got a valuline 6", and it was like a jet engine if I just plugged it in,....I had a router speed control in my garage, I used for slowing down my router when cutting soft materials.
the speed control is from harbor freight, and was about $20, I run it at about 70% of full,...I hear no hum, nor can I feel any vibration.

am I screwing the life of the fan running it at 70% with that router speed controller? (which I'm assuming is a triac, based on the price)

I wont be able to afford a variac for a couple of months, will it be ok for that long?

(again apologies to the OP for hanging off your shoulders here)

for any advice you send my way

 

[good drown]

hey reckon, you're fine, when i say shorten the life, keep this in mind. if these things ran 100% speed, and never turned on and off, they may go for 50 years.

i have run them for over a year with the triac(cheaper) speed controller. if I was you, i wouldn't buy a variac unless the one you have makes a noise when it goes down lower, and you wanted to go lower in the future. i'm sure some people may chime in and say it won't shorten the life, but it will(only if you hear that vibration). The main reason for the variac is noise, and since you already bought 1 and are on a budget, save your money. that fan was only like $130 right? the variac is more than half of that.

 

[reckon]

hey reckon, you're fine, when i say shorten the life, keep this in mind. if these things ran 100% speed, and never turned on and off, they may go for 50 years.

i have run them for over a year with the triac(cheaper) speed controller. if I was you, i wouldn't buy a variac unless the one you have makes a noise when it goes down lower, and you wanted to go lower in the future. i'm sure some people may chime in and say it won't shorten the life, but it will(only if you hear that vibration). The main reason for the variac is noise, and since you already bought 1 and are on a budget, save your money. that fan was only like $130 right? the variac is more than half of that.

thanks for the advice,......and yes, that was my thinking

I figured if it stopped running and I couldn't fix it, I'd just get another one.

cool

back to the bong

 

[simon]

FWIW, two of my Vortex 6" have been running on a router speed controller for ~6 years.

Simon

 

[PastorJ]

This is the controler I use & it seems ta work pretty good so far.

 

[PastorJ]

It was like 30$ at the Hydro store.

 

[Xtensity]

This is the controler I use & it seems ta work pretty good so far.

Exactly what I had originally/have now

 

[PastorJ]

Good ta know thank you. Maby Ill get a different one too if its supposed to be better for the life of my fans.

 

[good drown]

i also have had that one multiple times over the years! i call it the vibration master...