decibel (dB) ratings on inline fans?

My 24" x 48" x 79" tent is due to be delivered today, so a fan/filter is next on the shopping list. As I'll be working in the same room as my tent, I'm looking for a quality, quite fan - but am having trouble locating actual dB ratings; plenty on CFM, etc. - and they all claim to be super quiet - but very little actual data/measurements.
I'm looking at the Vortex S-line 6" as it seems well-made and has a long warranty; claims to be quiet, but no data.
Is this data simply not available, or am I looking in the wrong place?
Thanks!

Following because I moved my 3x3 tent into my bedroom and while my fan seemed fairly quiet when it was in the bathroom, it's a different ballgame when it's in the same room you're trying to sleep in. Haha

A fan is only going to be so quiet. The movement of air is the limiting factor with noise and any fan that moves a lot of air is going to potentially be loud. There are ways you can mitigate that by using a noise suppression box to put the fan in, which is basically just a box with foam to buffer the noise.

I have the same size tent as you and I paired it with an AC Infinity T6 (6-inch) fan. It has speeds 1 through 10. After about speed 5 it gets loud, but that's the air. You can also use a fan with a higher diameter to reduce noise. An 8-inch fan at setting 3 will move around as much air as a 6-inch on setting 6 or so but quieter.

I think if you need an actual low-son fan your only option is the Panasonic Whisper line. I think the biggest is only 350 cfm or so, but they are almost SILENT. And last like a decade.

ismann said:

A fan is only going to be so quiet. The movement of air is the limiting factor with noise and any fan that moves a lot of air is going to potentially be loud. There are ways you can mitigate that by using a noise suppression box to put the fan in, which is basically just a box with foam to buffer the noise.

I have the same size tent as you and I paired it with an AC Infinity S6 (6-inch) fan. It has speeds 1 through 10. After about speed 5 it gets loud, but that's the air. You can also use a fan with a higher diameter to reduce noise. An 8-inch fan at setting 3 will move around as much air as a 6-inch on setting 6 or so but quieter.

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thanks for the info!
I think the ports on my tent are 7", so I believe I'd need a reducer if running an 8"

Duct mufflers cut the noise way down

I have similiar tent size to yours just 6'11" height. I bought 6" ac infinity - found out that with 300w LED (drivers outside) i had to run it on level 6 which is about 240 cfm with pasive intake - to get 26 degrees celcius from ambient 21. It was noisy even with duct silencer - room with ambient 30-34 dB jumped up to around 50 dB on the exhaust side and near carbon filter. I think connecting 8" duct outside can solve moving air problem as the same amount of air will move with less speed. I didnt choose 8" cause i can have more control over CFM's. On the level 4 i had around 43/44 db and on level 5 46/47 db. Measured with phone app so not very precise, but could compare levels. My duct silencer is the one that have egg crate pattern foam inside - i dont think they are best option but dont have comparison. Im finishing building MDF box with aku-pr soundproofing material for the fan. Moving air in ducts also create noise and you can just wrap them in some insulations/blankets etc as well as fan

I needed ultimate stealth so I had to switch my inline fans.

After about a month I decided, budget wise, to go with either Ac infinity s6 or the Terra bloom
Silenced 6inch. Also using a AC infinity duct muffler

Filter is a Can, 6x24. Very oversized.

Ac infinity is pretty quiet up to 3-4 max. 5 and up is, although quiet then most, too noisy for my needs.

The terra bloom is almost silent up to same level. Over half power and you can start hearing. But overall, IMO, is better for stealth grow.

Tent is a 4x4 so definitely enough air pull.
The muffler helps but that’s where most noise will end up coming from. My plan is to use egg cartons to line area where air comes out cod duct, maybe help diffuse the noise is my thinking.

The fans inside are louder. So still trying to find a decent silent one soon.

I have a 3x3 with a 6" s&p silent.. Run it mid speed at most, and all you hear is the air moving

I was just finding a link for S&P one of the best available ultra quite and powerful.
If you use bigger than you need and turn it back with a speed controller (variac) you get sufficient ventilation with less noise.

The db ratings are available online for S&P fans.

Panasonic Whisperquiet inline fan. https://na.panasonic.com/us/home-and-building-solutions/ventilation-indoor-air-quality/ventilation-fans/whisperlinetm-remote-mount-line-fan-330-cfm

They have a 120, 240, 330 and a 440. It's all I use.

Also : i saw videos of S&P silent fans on youtube where there was comparision of sound measurement of only fan, fan with 1 and 2 silencers. Using two silencers is best option, just type "noise-level s&p silent" if you are interested. I want to point out that S&P silent are very long fans compared to others. AC infinity is also different cause it have EC motor, other motors can create extra sounds when speed controlled. From amazon review : " I have a td-150 so I can't answer from experience about a td-200. The td-150 has a two speed motor and I am running mine on the low side with a 2 speed switch. On mine model it is not recommended to use a variable speed controller because it will cause the motor to make more noise at too slow of a speed." I wonder if anyone used bigger diameter duct on exhaust side and how much it reduced moving air noise

Star Dog said:

I was just finding a link for S&P one of the best available ultra quite and powerful.

TD-SILENT | S&P USA Ventilation Systems, LLC

If you use bigger than you need and turn it back with a speed controller (variac) you get sufficient ventilation with less noise.

The db ratings are available online for S&P fans.

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Their price is the downfall, along with no built in contrrols. I had to add the speed control, and run a inkbird for humidity/temps.
Think i paid around 200 for mine.. It is very easily disassembled for repair or cleaning.

V256.420 said:

Panasonic Whisperquiet inline fan. https://na.panasonic.com/us/home-and-building-solutions/ventilation-indoor-air-quality/ventilation-fans/whisperlinetm-remote-mount-line-fan-330-cfm

They have a 120, 240, 330 and a 440. It's all I use.

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Centrifugal fans are superior. But those are not adjustable.


OP, pot growing equipment is all marketing, zero engineering. Don't trust anyone with a chinese accent. Any American with motivation could easily dominate the grow equipment racket. Why doesn't someone do it? Is the only manufacturing/souring experience any American has boil down to rebranding shit from Alibaba?

GrodanLightfoot said:

Centrifugal fans are superior. But those are not adjustable.


OP, pot growing equipment is all marketing, zero engineering. Don't trust anyone with a chinese accent. Any American with motivation could easily dominate the grow equipment racket. Why doesn't someone do it? Is the only manufacturing/souring experience any American has boil down to rebranding shit from Alibaba?

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He asked for QUIET. Those are as QUIET as it gets.

V256.420 said:

Panasonic Whisperquiet inline fan. https://na.panasonic.com/us/home-and-building-solutions/ventilation-indoor-air-quality/ventilation-fans/whisperlinetm-remote-mount-line-fan-330-cfm

They have a 120, 240, 330 and a 440. It's all I use.

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Do these need to be hard-wired? Saw that mentioned on an Amazon review, makes sense if uses include bathroom ventilation.

thanks -

orangejesus said:

Do these need to be hard-wired? Saw that mentioned on an Amazon review, makes sense if uses include bathroom ventilation.

thanks -

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It looks like it from the pictures.

tapped in to my google-fu, looks like this is measured/rated in sones

the Panasonic does indeed seem to be the quietest of the three, though the Vortex is still less than a 'normal' conversation.
hard-wiring the Panasonic isn't beyond my capabilities, but not sure how feasible that would be in a tent.
as someone above stated, the S&P is long - longer than the others - but not sure how detrimental that could be.

this is my first grow - am I correct in assuming I need to be pulling through my carbon filter, and then exhausting outside the tent? saw a diagram where the air was just recirculated within the tent (scrubbing?)

should I be filtering the air going into the tent?

60dB - Normal conversation

S&P TD-150 2.8 sones
Panasonic FV-30NLF1 <1.7 sones
Vortex S-line 5.2 sones

Sones = dB
1.00 28.00
2.00 37.99
3.00 43.84
4.00 47.99
5.00 51.21
9.00 59.68

I mentioned the length of S&P cause it takes 1/3 of 2x4 length so with carbon filter and duct silencer its a lot. When you will recirculate the air ur gonna have heat and humidity build-up - in that configuration AC and dehumidifiee is a must. Carbon filter can be also on the end of the system - pushing air through it

Imo s&p is nowhere near silent. I use to run TD500 version with two silencers and i wasn't really happy with sound it makes.
I did run it in 5x3 and 4x4 tents.
Now im running big 200mm Can-Am Q-max on 40-50% and that i can honestly call silent as whisper. It is pretty expensive but for me its definitely worth it.

I also tried this semi new Whistleblower model from Prima Klima and they have made good job with that one. It is very quiet and not too expensive, 6" model is something like ~140. I would easily recommend that over s&p.