January 08, 2022
Grow tents are now popular for indoor growing today. However, I realized that getting the best results with a grow tent depends on using the appropriate accessories. One of such accessories is an inline fan.
So, I researched the best inline fans for grow tents and found some amazing options. In this article, I’ll share them with you, alongside some other information that you might need.
When finding the quietest inline fan, you may get confused. There are hundreds of options out there with thousands of reviews, be it good or bad. While buying an inline fan, you must keep in mind to check how much power it is providing.
Good airflow with a variable speed control system is essential for your plants to sustain both winters and summers. An inline fan will lessen your burden. Find a fan that perfectly fits in your grow tent, as placement of the tent is essential. Obviously, you would want your fan to be reliable and durable. So, look for a more extended warranty period.
At last, quietness matters the most. Since plants take a long time to grow, you would desire the inline fan with the least noise level. I’ve finalized a few top picks for the quietest inline fans for you.
ECO Farm 8 Inch In-line Fan Exhaust and Intake Fan for Grow Room
Features:
For the combination of power and quiet, ECO Farm inline fan is the perfect choice. Even at the highest power setting, it is very quiet. Due to the use of a pulse width modulation (PWM) controlled DC motor, its quiet noise level is only 37dBA. This motor uses less power than standard AC motors. In addition to a quiet motor, this fan also has an adjustable speed setting. The airflow is 390 CFM, which is very suitable for medium-sized planting rooms. In order to install the fan, the machine and wood mounting screws are included to assist in the installation.
SunStream Inline Duct Fan Vent Blower
Features:
The construction of this fan is quite sturdy and durable. This fan is easy to mount and install because of its high-quality manufacturing. It is designed with the durable ceramic-coated and permanently lubricated bearing that requires Zero maintenance. It gives you a higher output than any other fan. For the price point, it is quieter and more powerful than the others. What else do you need? The speed controller is added to maintain the speed of the fan inside the tent. This inline fan will be worthy of your investment. It is suitable for industrial, household and horticulture ventilation applications for air clean and temperature control.
HURRICANE Inline Duct Fan for Grow Room
Features:
The Hurricane Inline fan is undoubtedly the best inline fan for large grow tents and rooms. For an inline fan that has a CFM rating of about 1060, it’s definitely more than enough for most of the large-sized grow tents on the market. Its build quality is appreciable, no doubt, as it is made with a combination of high-quality materials. The fan is made from steel and dons a finish that looks like a powder-coated finish. This fan is available in different sizes ranging from 4-inches all the way to 12-inches. Similarly, the CFM rating of the respective fans increases from 171 all the way to 1060. This Hurricane inline fan lacks controls of its own — you can’t control the speed and the climate.
While the factors are more concerned with the fan’s general use, now we will tell you the specific features to consider in your inline fan before getting it. Trust us; this will ensure that you can choose the best option. So, here they are.
CFM of Your Fan
This is perhaps the most important thing to consider when getting yourself an inline fan. The CFM refers to the cubic Feet per Minute that your fan can handle. This is important because it plays a vital role in the overall efficiency of your fan.
CFM concerns the air that your fan can exchange out of an area within a minute. Usually, the grow tent is usually measured by cubic feet. So, this measurement involves your fan’s capacity to exchange air within that grow room within a minute.
Usually, this is calculated by getting the cubic feet of space of the grow room. For instance, where the room has a specification of 8’ x 4’ x 12’, that’s a room measuring 384 cubic feet. You might then be thinking that all you need is a fan with a specification of 384 CFM.
However, that is not the case. To get the appropriate CFM specification, you’ll need to multiply the cubic feet of space by a minimum value of 1.33. This ensures that you can account for the drop in airflow thanks to filters in the ventilation system.
So, if you are still wondering how to calculate the required CFM, we just told you all you need to know. Multiply the cubic feet value of the room by a minimum value of 1.33. Then, you can go on to get yourself a fan that matches that value.
For instance, in the example above, 384 x 1.33 will equal ~510. In turn, when getting an inline fan, you will need one with a CFM of 510 to get the best result in your grow tent.
However, it would be best to keep in mind that other factors will determine the CFM rating you need for your room. This is because they directly affect the airflow within the room. Now, here are those things.
1. The Grow Lights
The grow light in use plays a significant part in what your ventilation needs will look like. For instance, HID lights produce more heat than other options like CFLs and LEDs. Precisely, your room will tend to be hotter if you’re using HID lights. In turn, you will need more ventilation compared to if you had been using LED light.
So, is your grow room fitted with HID lights? Then, it would be best if you made an allowance to get the right CFM requirement. In turn, boost your calculation by 5% for each light within your grow tent. Also, where your HID light isn’t air-cooled, you will need to boost your calculation by around 10 to 20%.
2. CO2 or Carbon Filters
Another thing that affects your airflow and impacts your CFM calculation is the use of filters. This is because they reduce the intake of air. In turn, you will need to boost the calculation by a minimum of 20% to get the appropriate CFM for your grow tent.
3. Room’s Average Temperature
As you saw under the grow light discussion, the temperature of a room affects a room’s ventilation needs. The higher the temperature, the more ventilation the room will need. So, in cases where you are in an area with an increased average temperature, you will need to boost the CFM calculation.
In turn, boost the calculation by a minimum of 25% where the temperature is higher. However, where there’s a combination of high humidity and high temperature, you will need to boost the calculation by around 40%. This way, your inline fan can function appropriately.
Diameter of Your Inline Fan
Inline duct fans come with a specific diameter. While you might be wondering what’s your concern with this, remember we are talking about air. So, you need to assess the diameter of whatever option you’ll be getting.
First, you must understand that with a wider diameter. The relative humidity of your grow room decreases faster in comparison to the smaller ones. As such, you usually want to go for an option with a smaller diameter.
However, that’s not all you need to do as things get complicated. This is because fans with smaller diameter come with lower CFM. As you have seen above, a low CFM rating won’t do the trick for your grow room in some cases.
So, here’s what you want to do. You want to consider the CFM requirement of your grow tent. We already discussed how to calculate it above. So, get right to it.
Once you do this, get an inline fan that meets your CFM requirement and choose the one with the smallest diameter. This way, you get the best of both worlds.
Length of the Ducting
Another feature that you want to consider is the length of your fan’s ducting. You should know that this feature is an important consideration as it influences the power of the fans.
Precisely, the ducting’s length directly affects the exhaust power of your inline fan. So, you want to go for a long ducting. This way, you enjoy a more effective option.
Also, keep in mind that turns and twist in the ventilation setup also affect your grow room’s required CFM. Precisely, it increases the needed CFM. So, be sure to consider this when getting an inline fan.
As you can see, inline fans along with carbon filters and dehumidifiers play an integral role in maintaining the ideal environment in your grow room.
Buying the quietest inline fan will allow you peace of mind while ensuring that your plants stay happy with fresh, cool air.
If it weren’t for the inline fan, you’d spend a fortune on air conditioning costs, thus rendering plants growing completely inefficient.
The inline fan’s job is a difficult one. It pulls air from one source and pushes it out to another. In between, it needs to efficiently push air through the carbon filter, ducting, and lighting.
This is why you can’t overlook your inline fan choices. Inline fans can make or break your plants crop, so it’s critical that you understand your grow room set-up.
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