Questions about booster fans

[TheFertilizer]

1. If you run an 8 inch fan with a 6 inch reducer, does this reduce air flow or increase pressure?
2. Can you put two booster fans end-to-end and increase airflow?
3. How long do they last versus the normal online fans I see?

 

[Onkruid]

Good questions.

1. Yes & Yes. Reducing from 8" to 6" will reduce total flow and increase pressure in the lesser diameter.

2. Doing so will reduce your total airflow. Consider what doubling the central mass of that fans' design and then multiplying it by 2 would do. This 'flow-obstructive' design approach is what makes blowers a favorable choice when practical.

3. Their lifetime is pretty good, but their central flow posture leaves them a little vulnerable to linting up over time which in turn reduces speed & flow... So, in what would likely be a constant-on state for you it would pay to check it on occasion and wipe the fans blades clean with a damp rag. Sounds silly, but it can be a real flow thief.

If I were using one to ventilate or augment a grow I would use only one and that would of course be for exhaust, not intake.

As I'm sure you're aware, they're really designed to be used in a booster configuration and not as a primary source of ventilation.

Good luck!