Panasonic Whisper Fan Carbon Scrubber Tutorial: Quietest most efficient fan ever!

[labtec]

damn i made the mistake of ordering the 4" vortex a while ago. youre right about the jet engine noise. hehe. i should have looked harder for this thread, but i needed it fast. im looking at the fv-10nlf1 inline 4". maybe get that and mount my odor sok to it. by the way the odor sok is decent but not as good as i thought. has a pretty powerful plant smell when the lights go out. maybe ill just get a glad plugin.

 

[HighonPottery]

I am looking for someone who has purchased the inline style Panasonic Whisperline series fan that has a rating of at minumum 240CFM. I have no doughbt that the 80cfm fans a silent but what happens when you start getting into the 240cfm and up. Hope someone can help!

i have one of these fans. i've got it rigged with a 3-speed fan controller on an extension cord, too. it's a really good fan. i don't have any experience with other fans like elicent, vortex, etc., but it is pretty quiet....at least the fan itself. whenever you get into higher CFMs, there will be a woosh of some sort due to the amt of air it is moving.

currently it's pulling from a 4" cooltube(400w), through about 3' of 4" flex duct, then it has a 4"-6" reducer which is directly attached to the 6" round to square adapter that comes with the fan(the openings of the fan are square). the adapter piece is anchored from the inside of the room to the fan through the celing, to the vertically positioned fan in the attic. i did this to save space and reduce noise that much more. on the pooper end of the fan is a scrubber which needs to be replaced because it smells like dank outside.

i'd have to say the fan is a good fan with excellent construction. i've had it for 2.5 years and it has worked great up until recently when it has started making audible noise inside the house, but very slight noise, sorta like a whine. you can only hear the noise if you are within 5 or so feet of that spot in the house. not sure what it is coming from or why the change, but i've been thinking of replacing it soon possibly with an elicent 6". the sound could even be coming from my canopy fan, who knows.

oh yeah...i got my fan for like $120 off ebay. i was on a budget at the time so i got what i could afford. i also have a stanley blower which is surprisingly quiet, but has the same woosh of air sound. i'd say with some modifications and some insulation, it could potentially be just as quiet.

 

[zappa66]

I'm looking to order the Panasonic Whisper Line 120 CFM 4" Duct In-Line Fan, from http://www.westsidewholesale.com/in...51@@@@&sort_order=sales&pid=6540&CATEGORY=632
Has anyone tryed the in-line models? Soot me a PM if you have any info,
thanks.
also any idea what type of carbon filter to get? looking at some of the ones on ebay...

 

[Bumble Buddy]

I have the smallest Panasonic in-line, it is very comprable to my Fantech FX4 inline. It is interesting in that they have different designs (the Panasonic has a scirocco "squirrel cage" fan vs. the Fantech's impeller) yet have almost identical performance in terms of moving air, including under various static pressure loads.

The Panasonic is quieter out of the box due to the insulation and larger size, the Fantech is lighter and smaller. The only other major difference between the two is is the current (and power) draw, I measured the Panasonic at about 38 Watts under a reasonable load (my carbon filter) while the Fantech draws only 19 Watts under the same load.

I'm impressed with the Panasonic and would recommend it to others, but if I had to get another small inline fan, I'd get the Fantech FX4 due to less power usage. The Fantech can easily be insulated with a cardboard box stuffed with polyfill to achieve similar noise performance to the Panasonic.

The main noise coming from both of these fans (once DIY insulation is done on the Fantech) is the whoosh of air coming out, which can also be greately mediated by using a muffler.

edit: For those wondering what carbon filter to get, I'd heartily recommend building your own "Sun Scrubber" and getting a 5 gallon drum of carbon off Ebay: http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=31679

 

[ballabuds]

How do you make a muffler for the whoosh sound of air coming out? Thanks for the help...Balla

 

[Bumble Buddy]

Search is your friend

DIY Mufflers:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=65345

I'm going to try and make one like this using a 5 gallon bucket with lid, or possibly use a garbage can large enough to put my Fantech inline inside it:
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=42646

One note on those mufflers is that I'd recommend not using uncontained fiberglass as the insulation material as that can potentially be damaging to lungs.

 

[Bulénath]

Hi there, I just ordered two of the fans that you modified with the carbon. I was wondering if you are still using it, and if you are still satisfied with it's performance? If not, would you still recommend it as an acceptable combo for stealth and odor control? Thanks for your help.

Yep I am still using both of mine, and they have been on 24/7 for atleast 2 years non-stop! Many cheap desk fans I use just for blowing across my 150hps bulb have been bought, and killed after a few grows... But the Panasonic whisper fan keeps running like a champ, with no sound and performance difference!

 

[zappa66]

I am sad to report on the performance of my Pani Whisper inline style fan. First let me say this WHISPER MY ASS! I use the box fan in the pic to cool the room because of the summer heat and the pani is easily as loud as the lowest setting. If the box fan is running the sounds meld together, white noise. The sound the whisper makes is not a mechanical sound but the rushing of air. I have the air being pushed through my CAN 2600 and it is still very audible without my box fan. It’s not really an issue in my situation but I was quite disappointed. Temps however are running 5-10°F above room temp so that works…



more info on the cab in the 150W Club

 

[FirstTracks]

I am sad to report on the performance of my Pani Whisper inline style fan. First let me say this WHISPER MY ASS! I use the box fan in the pic to cool the room because of the summer heat and the pani is easily as loud as the lowest setting. If the box fan is running the sounds meld together, white noise. The sound the whisper makes is not a mechanical sound but the rushing of air. I have the air being pushed through my CAN 2600 and it is still very audible without my box fan. It’s not really an issue in my situation but I was quite disappointed. Temps however are running 5-10°F above room temp so that works…


more info on the cab in the 150W Club

I had the same problem with my 120cfm panasonic whisper fan.

It was nice and quiet for the first month or two and then the noise just ramped up and got to the point I could hear it clearly from the next room.

 

[zappa66]

first day out of the box it did this, however I should add it in not *in* the cab only resting on some foam on the floor in the open air.

 

[FirstTracks]

hmmm, thats odd. Mine really didn't have any noise assoiciated with the intake, mostly just wooshing from the exhaust and a little hint of wear on the gears.

 

[zappa66]

"just wooshing from the exhaust and a little hint of wear on the gears."

thats what I ment but without the "wear on the gears." bit

 

[Doug_Marsh]

I am about to order a 170 inline, then I came across this thread and now I confused on the fan I want. Could one of these fans handle a 400w? I have my closet in my bedroom, are inlines really that loud? Can anyone compare the noise from a 265 blower and a 170 inline?

 

[haze12421]

Hello I have 380 cfm panosonic whisper fan for my 400 watter in a 4 1/2 ft high by 3 1/2 ft long,by 1 1/2 ft wide. Did I over do it with the size of the fan ? this thing is pretty dam loud. Is there any way to quiet it down a bit? Thats not such a big deal.
My main problem is I thought this was a exhaust fan but it blows out through the duct. This messed up my whole plan. I thought Id duct one side of my cool tube to the fan and leave openings on the bottom for air to get in. Now that i realize this fan blows air out through the duct I have no idea what to do ? Please help spent a lot of money on this project and I am dying to germinate my northern lights and white rhinos.
Thanx in advance

 

[FreezerBoy]

are inlines really that loud?

Whatever you've heard about loudness, rest assured the fans themselves are much louder. Worse than that is, they're "incorrectly" loud. There's no excuse for that sound in a residential area. Walking through the Zoo, you don't think twice about the Lion's roar. You may not even "hear" it at all. Let that same Lion roar in your bedroom and you'll hear it quite clearly. It's the wrong sound in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Anyone in the room with an inline fan will hear it and demand to know what it is. If you can place fan and exhaust in a room where no one is allowed to go (like an attic) you're golden. Otherwise, you'll need something to take the rap, such as large aquariums, computer servers etc.

 

[haze12421]

I was thinking of getting a couple of these
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_15600000ATL44552P
One attached to some extra ducting I have for exhaust and the other for ocilation?
Does anyone know of a cheap fan speed controller I could use with the 380 cfm whisperline fan. If I turned it down half way or so maybe it wouldnt be so loud
somethin like this
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=44574

 

[haze12421]

I think the models are different,. For some reason the 380 cfm pushes air out throught duct but the 190 the store guy said sucks in. Anyway Im reterning the 380 and getting the nice quiet 190 that he says sucks in through the duct. So All my problems should be gone now.

 

[Bulénath]

Remember that "pushing" air through a carbon filter is not only less efficient, it taxes the CFM way more, it also is much harder on the motor. This will undoubtedly cause a different sound, and most likely over time wear the motor to the point that it might make more noise, compared to how it sounded when new.

This is just a simple law of physics. You are pulling air though a HUGE surface area, and pushing it though a 4" or 6" duct! It should be exactly the opposite!!!

Also, any length of ducting will cause a different and increased noise. Bends in the ducting amplify that noise!

I don't know why you are able to hear the fan from the next room, maybe it's because both you and I are comparing it to my 70 and 80cfm models, which have a lower noise rating. It is worth mentioning, however, that after two or three consecutive grows WITHOUT changing the carbon or air-condition filter sheet, the fan starting making a horrible "crackling" noise and a "choppy" air-exhaust noise. The CFM was even reduced to about 15% of what it should be, i.e. about 10CFM or so! It could barely push the air through, sounded like crap; I could hear it from the next room aswell.
I quickly changed the carbon and filter sheet and the fan returned to normal, and thankfully, it has been running like new ever since.

I can't help to wonder if the noise you are hearing is not only because your fan is a larger model, perhaps even a different line of Panasonic whisper fans, some of which have double the noise rating per same CFM. Also, I wonder if your fan's motor has been taxed and permanently altered because of the placement of the carbon filter on the exhaust.

Remember, there is no such thing as a silent exhaust. You will hear some noise no matter what. Compared to Inlines these fans are very quiet. I just don't want any inexperienced growers to get confused and put off because some members are not that happy with the results. I have been as honest and straight-up as I can throughout the thread, and by no means exaggerate anything stated. Just like you, I am looking for good, honest information in an always improving world of growing.

Haze,
I don't know of any "cheap deals" on fan-speed controllers. I once bought a Solid State Inline Fan Controller for my 172cfm 4" Vortex inline fan from Maryland Hydro. Althought the controller worked well adjusting the speed of the fan, it caused a new, totally different "whinning" motor noise that out-did the reason why I bought it in the first place.

 

[Bulénath]

Zappa,

What model are you using?

My 80cfm model is 0.4 sones or less.

Someone agreed with you on the account of thier 120cfm model making noise after a few months. I noticed at least one of the models are rated at 1.0sones. Thats 2.5 times the noise as my model. Add the factor of pushing air through a carbon can filter, and that explains a lot.

 

[Bulénath]

2400 watt grow To Be Announced...

2400 watt grow To Be Announced...

I have a 2400 watt HPS grow in the making.

I am going to buy four of the 440cfm models and attach them to a carbon can filter rated for that cfm. I will keep everyone up dated on the results!





My first Panasonic fan was bought back in 2005. It is the 70cfm model that has been discontinued, I believe. The fan has been removed from the casing and is hooked up to a rectangle shaped exhaust hole, venting my small 40-60watt CFL veg chamber. It has been running non stop for about two and a half years. It has No increased noise.
My other two panasonic fans are the 80cfm models I bought back in the fall of 2006, and attached carbon filters to. They have been running on stop for two years with carbon scrbbers, and besides for one time when the filter was clogged and it made a funny noise, it has been running like new ever since.
No increased noise at all.


There are a few negative reviews and I am sorry to hear it did not work out for you. But there are probably reasons for this aswell, like the size and type of the filter, and how you place it on a particular model. I would think if a filter is placed on the exhaust, not the intake, it would stress the fan a lot more, and cause more wear on the motor. There may be other factors too.