$12 exhaust muffler

[GreenhouseEffect]

Trying to quiet down my 8" exhaust fan for my carbon scrubber, and wanted to see if I could build myself a muffler for cheap. This is what I came up with. Lot's of way's to skin this cat, and this is just my first thought after talking a look at what is on amazon, and then modifying what I found there!

 

[GreenhouseEffect]

The foam is one of those mattress pad covers, got it from wallmart for $8, it's a twin size.
The 5 gallon bucket is left over from a paint job, no reason to use a new one, or even pay money for it. Your local grocery store usually gets cake frosting and doughnut filling in buckets, and will most likely give them to you if ya ask nicely, often they just throw them out.
Don't burn yerself with hot glue.
Actual acoustic foam for recording studios is sold on amazon, and might work a little better, that stuff is even fire proof most of the time.
Leave the handle on to help hang the thing by a bungie.

My Muffler actually works pretty good, I would say at least 30-40% noise reduction. You could also build it out of the snap together flashing sold at hardware stores, would be easier to glue the foam, but ad cost, and use more resources.

Built the thing cause I like to build things, but saved about $40, I already owned all the tools.

 

[uncledoug]

Hey cool idea, I'm going to make one.
Thanks

 

[NAKEDGARDENER]

I’m always McGyvering stuff and did so with my vent system so thank you for posting this, brilliant mate, just brilliant.

 

[Qwertywill]

Hows it working for you?
There is some foam with dimples on it, cant think of the name of said foam... could always use that.

I think your on track with the studio foam however!

 

[GreenhouseEffect]

Thanks!
I think I enjoy coming up with stuff for my grow, just as much as growing!
Working good, the pre-made mufflers probably do a little more, but I have no way to compare them, it would be interesting to find out though!

The commercially built design I saw, has an egg crate like 3.25" foam going all around the inside. I think you could double or triple up the cheap foam all the way around the inside of the bucket, then run strips of glue length wise to make it 3-4.5" thick, then just take a razor knife and make cuts in both directions. Would give a similar design. Maybe even make a sheet of foam like this ahead of time, with the cuts not going through all the way, then you can just glue it in to place. Would save so a lot of trying to work with your hands inside a bucket, since that part can get a little awkward!

If other people decide to make one up, I would love to see how you build yours, might borrow what you come up with on my next one!

 

[NAKEDGARDENER]

I am definitely gonna try it, I was about to buy two mufflers, now I will try one first, and if it goes well then do a second. Will let you know and will follow what you’re doing to improve your design if you think it needed it at all.

 

[juliatom543]

Oh wow, its a quite good idea no doubt, I will definitely try this at home, all stuff are already at my home, just I need a foam, in fact, similar foam I saw on Nest Bedding Coupon, I am gonna buy this from there, will soon post a pic when I made it.