Fan Speed Controllee

[HowTheHell]

Ok, the latest drama in trying to grow some plants in my attic is the noise from my rvk fan. I bought a cheap fan speed controller against all advise and have to admit it sucks.

Anybody have first hand experience with a proper controller that does not cause hum? I have tried researching on google several times but ended up down the rabbit hole on each attempt.

I dont think I need too much ventilation so really want to slow tha sob down a little, and do so silently. (The wife is whinging about it, so neighbours can probably hear it)

Do I just need any transformer based voltage regulator?

[Gjourney101]

Can you post pictures of your equipment?

[vostok]

Ok, the latest drama in trying to grow some plants in my attic is the noise from my rvk fan. I bought a cheap fan speed controller against all advise and have to admit it sucks.

Anybody have first hand experience with a proper controller that does not cause hum? I have tried researching on google several times but ended up down the rabbit hole on each attempt.

I dont think I need too much ventilation so really want to slow tha sob down a little, and do so silently. (The wife is whinging about it, so neighbours can probably hear it)

Do I just need any transformer based voltage regulator?

Temps swing too much up their anyplace else you could grow with ease like a basement?

[Gingerbeard]

See exactly where the hum is coming from and how it's being transmitted. If your fan is mounted onto any part of your house structure, the humming will transmit through anything it touches. Can you mount the fan somehow insulated from direct contact? Or am I too out of touch with your grow?

[Canuck147]

Here's the right answer - by Gingerbeard.
I'll add - can your fan handle a variable speed controller? My Vortex fan can - that's why I bought it - super quiet too - it's been running for the past 18 months non-stop.

[Gingerbeard]

I learned that three ways.
One was doing a renovation of an old building. There was a club with high-priced condo's above. There was a big todo about the club noise getting up to the living areas.
Second is living two stories above a club. The noise carries up to my bedroom through the wall my bed abuts.
Third was getting my first tent set up with the fans. If a Hurricane fan touches the tent wall, it hums.

[HowTheHell]

Thanks guys I'll get some pics today. Fan and filter are hanging from bungee cords so not sure I can do much more on vibration.

The fan is sold as variable speed so can take the controller I believe.

Think the noise is the fan itself. I have acoustic ducting. But even if I block off the outlet the noise doesn't chang much.

Reckon if I can slow it down without the hum it would be ok.

[Gingerbeard]

Here's your solution, HowTheHell . Solutions.

Figure out what tune your fan is humming and hum along. Whenever you're around other people, hum. They'll think it's you. Deny there is a hum and suggest others shold seek immediate hearing testing. If someone asks you what the humming is, say you have bees in your eaves. Maybe a supernatural sound. Could your place be haunted? Dig under your house and see if there's an ancient burial ground. Maybe some forlorn virgin committed suicide? Maybe your house was used as an insane asylum. That would be cool. We had Kumeyaay Indians in the area a whole bunch of years ago but no hauntings. Not that I believe in that sort of thing.
But you could man up and tell everyone to keep their f cking mouths shut or there would be 'consequences.' Make sure you have a threatening size stick with you. And sneer.

[alltatup]

Gingerbeard You know, this advice is so amazingly good that it could be applied to ANY PROBLEM UNDER THE SUN!!! Thanks so much for posting it.

HowTheHell You don't need to see his identification; this isn't the droid you're looking for...

[Gingerbeard]

The real advice is in post #4 sweet cheeks. Once we've figured out that the cause is either unknown or has no solution, the reasonably absurd can be applied.
Berada nicto, my dove. Berada nicto, all the way home.

[HowTheHell]

Well before I knocked at the neighbours door, baseball bat in hand i put some cut up bike tubing under where the bars of the tent rest. Seems to have helped a little.

Still tough, would probably fork out for a speed controller if I was sure it would do the job, as in eliminate the hum. That humming is a bit unnerving, besides the sound not sure how safe it is long term. Any controller recommendations?

Pics of setup added, dont laugh. Looks a bit of a mess.

[HowTheHell]

[Gingerbeard]

Now that I'm done laughing, I'm not sure what more you can do to isolate the sound. Maybe a different fan instead of buying a speed control that may or may not work?

[homegrown]

Only one thing left hahaha...hang the whole damn tent!

[Gingerbeard]

I was going to suggest that tent hanging thing homegrown . I figured people wouldn't take me seriously, as they don't. What is it? NORAD that has buildings mounted on springs inside a cave? Can you mount your tent on springs inside a cave HowTheHell ? That would be so awesome!

[homegrown]

well Gingerbeard, it could be done...reinforce a sheet of plywood, tent on top, just raise it off the floor/ceiling. But i think he'd still need some rubber mounts between the rafters and hanging rope/cables,2x4's..whatever.(vibrations will still travel down to living space) I have same issue with sump pump pipe which was mounted to ceiling in basement with all around strapping. You could feel it start anywhere in the house..lol. Had to put a 2" piece of soft rubber between strapping and ceiling joist. all good

[HowTheHell]

A hanging tent sounds pretty cool! I couldn't do it though, just dont have the space. The 5' high tent is literally wedged in between the rafters, as in it was a struggle to squeeze it in there.

The suggestion of a different fan may make sense alright. However I think being able to control the speed is key. Where I live it gets too cold to run at full speed all the time, I have no choice but to pull in air from a ventilated attic so temps can get quite low at times, even in the summer.

I have it dialled in pretty well now with the cheap controller (dimmer type, wife stopped complaining) but would sleep easier with a proper controller. Dont trust that setup long term.

[oldjarhead100]

I see you used tywraps to hold in place they will transmit any vibrational sound try finding a way to hang the fan with rubber bungee cords they will absorb most of the sound

[HowTheHell]

Hi, May be difficult to see in the pic, anything with a motor is on bungee cords, then with cord hooks hanging on tie wraps in some cases.