El Cheapo Carbon Filter Setup: Vivosun Or iPower?

[TorturedSoul]

Which of the two brands of carbon filter / fan setup should I go with, Vivosun or iPower? Money is a factor, but so is not wanting to go to jail or burn my house down. I'm leaning towards the 4" models instead of 6" due to the price differential, but am somewhat concerned about it, and the whole question of buying crappy odor filtration / exhaust setups in general. I mean, yeah, I know that neither of them is in the same universe as a Dayton blower. Are the carbon filters adequate for the setup (in other words, will they perform properly with the fan running at 100%, or will the fan be pushing odoriferous air through the filter faster than the carbon can sanitize it? Are they able to maintain airflow through the filter? IF they do so well enough that I decide I can do with less, how well do they work with (again, el cheapo) fan speed controllers?

And a more general question: I understand a little about sound, how it is produced, how it travels through various mediums (and the different states of matter) at different rates, perceived loudness, et cetera. But what I understand think I understand about a thing does not always directly translate into the real world, so... Assuming the same type of ducting/etc. other than diameter, would a 6" setup that has been turned down to match the airflow rate of a 4" one running at normal speed be quieter than that 4" setup? I am assuming yes, for various reasons, but that's just a guess. I like the idea of getting a longer useful service life out of the filter by going with the larger size and then underdriving the fan, but am a little worried that I could encounter a situation where I wouldn't be able to turn the 6" fan down enough to suit my needs. And, while price is always an important consideration in my world, this time of year it's... well, I'm kind of astounded that I'm even thinking about making a purchase of anything that costs more than $25 and isn't a week's worth of groceries, lol, let alone trying to decide which one to "actually purchase, ASAP," as it were. But I think my new neighbor might be a cop - and not a nice 15-year+ veteran who has learned the difference between laws and crimes, but a doggone rookie, so... - and I am trying to put together a grow that I can do a grow journal thread here on (so I want to make SURE right now that I won't have to cancel it before harvest time).

I'm only really looking at the ones that use fans that have "centrifugal blower type blades" instead of the same kind of blades that the box fan in a window use. Seems like they might cost a few dollars more, and the theoretical maximum airflow rating might be a few CFM higher (at any given amperage) - but the squirrel cage ones ought to have less of an airflow drop against a restriction (aka "carbon filter"), right? Therefore, in the real world, such a setup should outflow the other one.

I'd be willing to consider other brands in the same price range. But I need to buy one pretty quick, because I'm already a week behind the schedule I set - and I have learned what happens when I tell myself the "I'll just worry about that when I absolutely have to because surely I'll be less poor at that time than I am now" lie.

 

[Old Salt]

Between the two manufacturers, I'd choose the Vivosun 4" X 14" filter. The offering by iPower is only 4" x 12". This means the air will be in contact with the carbon longer in the Vivosun with the same airflow through the filters, making it more effective at absorbing the odors.

If you can afford it, go for a quality fan right off the bat. They generally last longer, and run much more quietly. Also I'd recommend a 6" fan and ducting. The fan can run at a lower speed reducing noise even more. With enlarged ductwork the air will move more slowly for a given volume than the smaller ductwork.

If funds are really tight, as they too often are, you may be able to rescue a furnace burner, remove the pump, and run that in the tent until you can shake the funds loose for something better. Necessity is the mother of invention

 

[TorturedSoul]

If you can afford it, go for a quality fan right off the bat.

I'm asking about Vivosun and iPower for a reason, lol . (Although I do, of course, agree with your statement.)

Between the two manufacturers, I'd choose the Vivosun 4" X 14" filter. The offering by iPower is only 4" x 12". This means the air will be in contact with the carbon longer in the Vivosun with the same airflow through the filters, making it more effective at absorbing the odors.

. I noticed that. It's not a complete picture in that it could still be the lesser performer if it uses a less pure(??? - less effective, at least) type of carbon material, or material that is in larger chunks. But it does seem to be indicative. I wonder if that one's weight is correspondingly greater than the competition's 4" x 12" offering.

I'm hoping to get a "kit," a fan and filter from the same manufacturer and seller so I can save on shipping and/or get a discount on the price of the items. There are a few other little things that I want to get, too. Some of them wouldn't be expensive to ship, but one or two would. If I can order everything from one store, maybe I'll save enough on shipping to make it worth doing so. On the other hand, Amazon is offering free shipping on most of what I've looked at, and will do so through the end of the month (but I think the prices of the items might have quietly been raised late last year when that free shipping thing started, although I am not positive of this).

The other day, I saw one of those two company's 4" fan/filter packages for some really cheap price at... some hydroponics/etc. store (website) or other. $68, maybe, lol. Cheap enough that it worried me . ONE of the many websites I looked at stated that the store running it was for sale, and I forgot which one. I became concerned that someone had figured out they could unload more of their remaining inventory if "THIS STORE IS FOR SALE!!!" wasn't at the top of every page to frighten away potential customers who might be worried about not being able to get warranties honored (or possibly even to return a product that was faulty right out of the box). And I think it was a 4" x 12" filter. But, still, $68, lol.

I have stressed myself out to the nth degree over this. I should have just ordered the first thing that caught my eye and went on with life, lol - but when it's coming out of the food budget for the next couple months...

I suppose... A 4" x 14" filter, a 4" centrifugal fan, and a speed controller - with the fan and speed controller playing nice together, of course - would serve my purposes. I'd like a fan with a speed controller built in. And the ones that have the (presumably fake) leather cover on them seem like they'd be quieter than the naked ones. Metal instead of plastic... IDK about this. In theory, metal seems like it would be best, but I've learned that people can construct garbage out of metal, too, so... IDK.



In truth, I could probably "at the expense of everything else," so to speak, purchase a 6" version of one of these CHEAP brands and still - just - manage to get by. I was pretty sure I'd be losing my house about now, so when it got cold last year I pretty much stopped buying anything that I could do without in order to try to prevent that. (Which reminds me, I can probably buy a four-pack of lightbulbs and stop carrying the one from room to room now .) But then some work landed in my lap out of the blue and I could almost see "the poverty line" in the distance .

But habits are hard to break, instincts are hard to fight, and I've almost worn a hole in one of my $20 boots (expenses are still coming). You know how it goes. I'm not all that concerned about having to replace the filter after a grow or three (hopefully, at least two). I am concerned about having to do so halfway through the one I'm about to begin, though. Or a fan that starts squalling because its worn out, become hopelessly unbalanced, etc.

I also only have a 30-amp electric service here. Not for the grow room, but for the entire house. The relatively minor difference between the 6" fan's and 4" fan's power consumption becomes more significant in my world. I suppose the speed controller gizmo would help mitigate this, though.

In terms of volume, the most I'd have to worry about would be a space of (approximately) 3' x 8' x 8', and even that only because I'm having trouble figuring out how to make a portion of it airtight from the remainder. But whoever built this house... What's the point of using decent lumber if you're going to allow GAPS everywhere? So even a phonebooth-sized space would probably need to be looked at as if it was larger. If I fart, the neighbors can probably smell it. (I know I've occasionally heard one of them sneeze - and I'm half deaf.) It's not like my electrical system could support enough lighting to use a 3' x 8' grow space, even if my budget could handle the monthly bill. Even in my wildest dreams, I cannot imagine using more than 750 watts of light, and 450 watts is probably a more realistic maximum (but that might be run at 18 hours per day during an autoflower grow, so maybe multiply it by 1.5x to estimate "maximum stink?"). I won't be growing scentless scentless plants.

If you can afford it, go for a quality fan right off the bat. They generally last longer, and run much more quietly. Also I'd recommend a 6" fan and ducting. The fan can run at a lower speed reducing noise even more. With enlarged ductwork the air will move more slowly for a given volume than the smaller ductwork.

You're preaching to the choir, but reality intrudes at the worst times, lol. I have thought about going with a 4" fan and a 6" filter, thereby causing the air to pass through the filter at a slower rate.

If funds are really tight, as they too often are, you may be able to rescue a furnace burner

I saw a Dayton blower on craigslist from a forced-air furnace five or six years ago for $20 and I was too stupid to buy it (here, I'll bend over - kick to your heart's content ). I've been looking ever since for a nice 40-year old one for about the same money, figuring it'd still outlast me if I cleaned it and added a drop or two of oil now and again , but have to date been unsuccessful in my search. Nothing local, and I'm not going to buy used products sight-unseen off of Craigslist. (No vehicle to travel, either.)

Just rambling, I guess. Thank you for your reply, BtW.

 

[TurboBucket]

Of course your stuck with the only flavor of bacon that stinks.

I ran vivosun filters last time. I got two and a half grows out of them. Shouldn't have pushed for the third. Cheap carbon is cheap carbon they work for awhile until they don't.
It's a tight spot your in, the hyperfans are my go to recommendation. They're so much more efficient than the rest of the market your energy savings actually offset the cost in around 2 years. (They use 12 pole EC motors) the low wattage draw would be a big positive in your situation. But it's a chunk of money to grab one.

Yes larger duct will slow the air down and reduce static pressure in turn reducing the noise level. If your airflow is too low, you won't fill the whole filter it will only use the first few inches that's why you see airflow specs on filters, exceed the airflow rating and the air is not in the filter long enough to remove the odor. Too slow and it doesn't travel through enough of the carbon to work. That's why more of them are reversible flanges now so you can flip it around and use the other end that hasn't been used.

I think a 4 in system will leave you disappointed they just don't move very much air. With a 6 in you know your covered.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Of course your stuck with the only flavor of bacon that stinks.

I don't know about "stuck with" - but I certainly prefer it .

I ran vivosun filters last time. I got two and a half grows out of them. Shouldn't have pushed for the third.

4" or 6"?

It's a tight spot your in, the hyperfans are my go to recommendation. They're so much more efficient than the rest of the market

I looked at that brand. "The highest CFM's per watt of any fan in the industry," while "grammatically mangled," did catch my eye. But at that price, I'd (realistically) end up having to buy the fan now and the filter a couple grows in the future, lol. The cheap stuff might be about done by then - but at least I'd be "filtered" in the interim. And I'm still leaning towards a centrifugal fan. Although I don't suppose that really matters, as long as the fan can maintain sufficient airflow against the restriction of the filter / duct run. And that style might be easier to balance (if needed). Hmm...

your energy savings actually offset the cost in around 2 years. (They use 12 pole EC motors) the low wattage draw would be a big positive in your situation. But it's a chunk of money to grab one.

The up-front cost would make it a burden. I'm sort of determined to not put the grow off any more than I absolutely have to. Lower wattage (for a given CFM) is a big plus, though, I agree.

Old electrical systems are a RPITA, especially when you're poor (and if you're not, lol, you call an electrician and write a check). My refrigerator, while younger than my furnace, is still old (about 40 years old). It was probably never considered to be all that efficient, and definitely isn't when compared to new ones. Seems like it runs way too much/often and I still end up with chunky milk before the expiration date . Three years ago, one of the people Mom knows had a year-old refrigerator that she was replacing because of its color (rich people ). Anyway, it was supposed to be efficient, hardly ever runs, frozen food was still frozen after a power outage, etc. Lady only wanted $100 for it and gave me a week to decide if I was going to keep it. Yay! I brought that SOB home, plugged it in - and it blew my fuse. Rinse/lather/repeat and I gave up. Too many amps. Mine runs a lot, but it's more of a stumbling shuffle . This is NOT a house where electric hair dryers are welcome, lol. My fuse box has four 15-amp fuses - but only one 30-amp main fuse. I've got a lower-wattage "dorm-sized" microwave, and I unplug stuff to use it. (My buddy's camper has 50-amp electrical service.)

Yes larger duct will slow the air down and reduce static pressure in turn reducing the noise level. If your airflow is too low, you won't fill the whole filter it will only use the first few inches that's why you see airflow specs on filters, exceed the airflow rating and the air is not in the filter long enough to remove the odor. Too slow and it doesn't travel through enough of the carbon to work. That's why more of them are reversible flanges now so you can flip it around and use the other end that hasn't been used.

I was trying to figure out HtH simply reversing a carbon filter made it work again . I'm reminded of what happens when someone growing in soil waters "lightly, but often" and ends up with a few "water-channels" down through their soil, and the bulk staying dry. I suppose it's more or less the same concept?

This stuff was a LOT easier way back when it was all just... business expenses. Paying to grow isn't nearly as much fun, lol.

I think a 4 in system will leave you disappointed they just don't move very much air. With a 6 in you know your covered.

Yeah... I'm used to "disappointed," but that isn't the same as liking it. I expect to be growing in my closet as per usual. But I'm trying to talk someone out of their 3'x3' tent (actually, I think it might be a 3'x4' with a divider to make a 1'x3' growth side). Would I be able to turn down a 6" fan enough to work with a space like that? Seems like you can only turn a fan down so far before it just quits.

Be easier to just get 23 cats and one litter box. But then I'd have to feed them (and get a gas mask), lol.

 

[Old Salt]

Be easier to just get 23 cats and one litter box. But then I'd have to feed them (and get a gas mask), lol.

Just think of all the 'free' fertilizer for your grow...

 

[TurboBucket]

Oops sorry @TorturedSoul a little too much of the wonderful herb and my flaky disposition allowed me to forget about this thread. Where are you currently at with your ordeal?

 

[TorturedSoul]

Where am I currently at? Err... Bedlam!

Lol.

I pestered a forum rep and asked what the current "cheapest price" I could get one of the company's 3'x3' (class) grow tents for. The bad: It was more than I was hoping it would be, even with the best discount I could get. The worse: It was still somewhat less than the amount remaining in my "survive until Spring" fund - so I bought it, of course .

Now in possession owning and awaiting delivery of a brand new grow space, I realized that I needed to get a carbon filtration setup ASAP or my purchase (along with some miscellaneous "little stuff") would, at best, sit in boxes for a long time and, at worst, get me in trouble ( ) . The clock was running out on the river's free shipping offer and, besides, every time I turned around I found that I was wasting money on... food. So, back to the search for a good(?) el cheapo fan/filter setup. This one has crappy ratings. This one has much better ratings, all those reviewers with a coincidentally identical grasp of the Chinglish language absolutely loved theirs. THAT one has a mixture of great ratings and reviews from people who are annoyed about their fans sounding like a jumbo jet engine that has just become a carnivore and eaten a flock of birds. Hmm... Uh, well, you know...

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...

I bought one of the 4" ones. I picked the... You know, I'd have to go check. Do they bother putting different tags on the fans when they punch them all out of the same factory in the Shenzhen Valley, or will I have to look on the invoice? Does it even matter, lol? At this point, I'm thinking that the only thing that really matters is whether or not I find that magic mounting angle that produces the least stress on the junk bearings in the fan. But I'm hoping to be surprised.

Hope and I have had such a wonderful relationship so far , why not depend so heavily on it once again? I can always ask one of my neighbors if they've got any extra incense and air fresheners, because I don't have the money to get my pet skunk "de-scented" and, while a family member gave me an entire box of assorted strong ones, some of the flavors are... a bit funky.

Tune in again next week, when I ask which "economy" light is better, Larry's Lamps or Fred's Fixtures - and then decide to buy a candle and a piece of bent tin!

But, seriously, I'll try to remember to return to this thread in two or three months and give an update about the one I bought, assuming I don't forget. I'll probably set everything up when the tent arrives and do a dry run for 24 or 48 hours. If there's anything to post then, I will.

 

[TurboBucket]

I hear ya. Atleast it's progress though

 

[TorturedSoul]

Yes, absolutely. After a close call that was so bizarre that I'm not even going to discuss the particulars, I decided to not even begin another grow until I had most, if not all, of what I would need in hand. It has been a difficult wait, and I'm almost at "GO!"

 

[TurboBucket]

That sucks. At least you recognized the situation early enough to avoid issue.

 

[barillaro]

Yes, absolutely. After a close call that was so bizarre that I'm not even going to discuss the particulars, I decided to not even begin another grow until I had most, if not all, of what I would need in hand. It has been a difficult wait, and I'm almost at "GO!"

Hey @TorturedSoul what fan/filter did you end up going with? I'm in a similar boat ATM and also considering the vivo/I power. Also how is it holding up?

 

[TheTarantula]

Which of the two brands of carbon filter / fan setup should I go with, Vivosun or iPower? Money is a factor, but so is not wanting to go to jail or burn my house down. I'm leaning towards the 4" models instead of 6" due to the price differential, but am somewhat concerned about it, and the whole question of buying crappy odor filtration / exhaust setups in general. I mean, yeah, I know that neither of them is in the same universe as a Dayton blower. Are the carbon filters adequate for the setup (in other words, will they perform properly with the fan running at 100%, or will the fan be pushing odoriferous air through the filter faster than the carbon can sanitize it? Are they able to maintain airflow through the filter? IF they do so well enough that I decide I can do with less, how well do they work with (again, el cheapo) fan speed controllers?

And a more general question: I understand a little about sound, how it is produced, how it travels through various mediums (and the different states of matter) at different rates, perceived loudness, et cetera. But what I understand think I understand about a thing does not always directly translate into the real world, so... Assuming the same type of ducting/etc. other than diameter, would a 6" setup that has been turned down to match the airflow rate of a 4" one running at normal speed be quieter than that 4" setup? I am assuming yes, for various reasons, but that's just a guess. I like the idea of getting a longer useful service life out of the filter by going with the larger size and then underdriving the fan, but am a little worried that I could encounter a situation where I wouldn't be able to turn the 6" fan down enough to suit my needs. And, while price is always an important consideration in my world, this time of year it's... well, I'm kind of astounded that I'm even thinking about making a purchase of anything that costs more than $25 and isn't a week's worth of groceries, lol, let alone trying to decide which one to "actually purchase, ASAP," as it were. But I think my new neighbor might be a cop - and not a nice 15-year+ veteran who has learned the difference between laws and crimes, but a doggone rookie, so... - and I am trying to put together a grow that I can do a grow journal thread here on (so I want to make SURE right now that I won't have to cancel it before harvest time).

I'm only really looking at the ones that use fans that have "centrifugal blower type blades" instead of the same kind of blades that the box fan in a window use. Seems like they might cost a few dollars more, and the theoretical maximum airflow rating might be a few CFM higher (at any given amperage) - but the squirrel cage ones ought to have less of an airflow drop against a restriction (aka "carbon filter"), right? Therefore, in the real world, such a setup should outflow the other one.

I'd be willing to consider other brands in the same price range. But I need to buy one pretty quick, because I'm already a week behind the schedule I set - and I have learned what happens when I tell myself the "I'll just worry about that when I absolutely have to because surely I'll be less poor at that time than I am now" lie.

I’ve got both IPower and Vivosun fans and filters. 6inch of each and 2 V & 1 4”

Ages range from 2-5 years old. One IPower was running until I cut power in living room with electrical fire. Cleaned it, checked wiring, it’s still fine 1.5 years later. The metal cased 4 inch IPower is louder than the Vivosun.

None of mine have shown significant deterioration. I do prefer the Vivosun longer filter, since I now use them around the houses with the fan resting on filter. I bought a “muffler” that rests on the fan on the filter for living room, which reduces flow a bit, but is a great silencer. I’ll use old filters to quiet a loud 6 inch IP, which moves a lot of air. I leave mine running most of the time. No problems yet.

I just bought the 4 inch at the big place for 29$ delivered (+ tax ) .