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Question for the electricians amongst us

disfunktional

disfunktional

Member
I have a question about the Panisonic Whisper line fans. I have found one that I am interested in for a micro grow that is adjustable from 50, 80, 100 cm. I have looked over the data sheets and instructions for the fan, but all I can find is that the fan is a (no voltage listed) DC that is powered by 120VAC through a transformer with a selector switch for cfm rating.

Now for the question:
Is it possible to remove the transformer and run this fan on strictly DC voltage?

If so, at what volt DC is the motor?

What my main goal is to automate the cab with an Arduino and Raspi. I would like to have the ability to control/run the fan via the microcontroller at a DC voltage. Maybe even have better control of the cfm rating (is that possible?)

Any and all help is appreciated. Electrical is my weak point. Thanks in advance
 

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MJPassion

MJPassion

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You'll need the fan and a voltmeter before you can do this.


Expose the circuit and test the voltage after the selector switch.
I can't tell where the DC rectifier is installed in the circuit. The tested V could be either DC or AC.
 
T

Teddybrae

Betcha it's 12-20 volts because the biggest market is 12v DC ... (Mobile homes, SUV's ...)
 
f-e

f-e

Well-known member
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It's brushless, not universal. You can't just feed it a DC supply. It's barely true to call it DC. Nor is it very powerful, at just 11w on full power. A 4" duct fan is closer to 80w. This is a low noise bathroom fan that fits in the ceiling void between floors. Woefully inadequate if you add a typical filter.

I'm a great electrician. Seriously. People have tried to put me on planes before. My switchgear has never failed, and I can make electric meters lap backwards at 80rpm. My 20 light contactors just plug into the wall. Non of that digging into the wiring nonsense. I'm in another league.

:)
 
disfunktional

disfunktional

Member
f-e said:
It's brushless, not universal. You can't just feed it a DC supply. It's barely true to call it DC. Nor is it very powerful, at just 11w on full power. A 4" duct fan is closer to 80w. This is a low noise bathroom fan that fits in the ceiling void between floors. Woefully inadequate if you add a typical filter.

I'm a great electrician. Seriously. People have tried to put me on planes before. My switchgear has never failed, and I can make electric meters lap backwards at 80rpm. My 20 light contactors just plug into the wall. Non of that digging into the wiring nonsense. I'm in another league.

:)
Click to expand...

So no way to run it on DC voltage?
This is for a micro cab, barely 6 cubic feet. It doesn't need much power to ventilate that small amount of air
 
P

popta

Member
That would just turn it on and off, like a standard wall thermostat. You say the power supply has a speed control switch, you could probably automate the switch pretty easily.
 
f-e

f-e

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disfunktional said:
So no way to run it on DC voltage?
This is for a micro cab, barely 6 cubic feet. It doesn't need much power to ventilate that small amount of air
Click to expand...

It's hard to say without seeing it. Chance's are the AC is turned to DC before anything else happens. So with around 160vdc you may be alright. That might be the voltage the motor gets, but it's more likely dropped below 35vdc before being used by the motor drive. Above 35vdc you have to start finding parts rated outside the typical window for electronic circuits.

Shouldn't you be looking at triac switching if computer control is your game. PWM of the mains with zero cross switching is within easy reach.


What filter will you use? I have a 50mm bed 4" and still can't use just 11w of extraction. That low air volume just slips through the gaps. You need to get some air moving to create turbulence, so all the air gets chucked at some filter medium. With low flow, you get stagnant air touching the carbon that feels no reason to move along, while higher velocity air just slips by, barely rubbing shoulders. My microgrow fan speed is never set by the temperature and humidity. It has to be higher to make the filter work. So electronic fan speed control would actually be monitoring VOC's to set the speed correctly.


You could possibly find PC fans easier to control. It will be done to death by hobbyists. If you bolt them together, you sum up the static pressure ability. Many filters give you a pressure range they work with I think. Giving you a chance of designing something.
 
disfunktional

disfunktional

Member
f-e said:
It's hard to say without seeing it. Chance's are the AC is turned to DC before anything else happens. So with around 160vdc you may be alright. That might be the voltage the motor gets, but it's more likely dropped below 35vdc before being used by the motor drive. Above 35vdc you have to start finding parts rated outside the typical window for electronic circuits.

Shouldn't you be looking at triac switching if computer control is your game. PWM of the mains with zero cross switching is within easy reach.


What filter will you use? I have a 50mm bed 4" and still can't use just 11w of extraction. That low air volume just slips through the gaps. You need to get some air moving to create turbulence, so all the air gets chucked at some filter medium. With low flow, you get stagnant air touching the carbon that feels no reason to move along, while higher velocity air just slips by, barely rubbing shoulders. My microgrow fan speed is never set by the temperature and humidity. It has to be higher to make the filter work. So electronic fan speed control would actually be monitoring VOC's to set the speed correctly.


You could possibly find PC fans easier to control. It will be done to death by hobbyists. If you bolt them together, you sum up the static pressure ability. Many filters give you a pressure range they work with I think. Giving you a chance of designing something.
Click to expand...

Tbh Idk what triac switching is. I plan on having someone build the arduino/raspi to suit the needs/wants of the cab

The filter will be a custom diy, probably 3" thick bed and around 5"×5" square. The cab itself is low volume, but the fan should cycle the air at a high enough cfm to scrub the air. I just want the ability to fine tune the cfm and a quiet fan at the same time.

I have looked at the PC fans, but they are slightly more loud than the Panisonic Whisper fans.
 
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