S01E06.2 – Fans & Filters
Choosing the Right Combination
Your fan and carbon filter work together to control airflow and remove unwanted odours from your grow room. Choosing the right combination isn’t just about size – the quality of the carbon, the fan technology and the way your system is controlled all play an important role in creating a stable growing environment.
Choosing a Carbon Filter
A carbon filter is one of the most important parts of your ventilation system, removing unwanted odours from the air before it’s exhausted from your grow space. While many filters appear similar, there are several factors that can affect their performance, including the quality of the carbon, the construction of the filter and the carbon bed depth.
Understanding these differences will help you choose a filter that’s best suited to your grow room and ventilation system.
Carbon Quality
The quality of the activated carbon has the biggest impact on how well a filter performs. Factors such as carbon size, ash content and moisture content all affect odour removal and filter lifespan, which is why every carbon filter range we supply is carefully selected.
Carbon Bed Depth
Carbon filters are available with different carbon bed depths across the various ranges. This is one of several factors to consider when choosing a filter, alongside the type and size of carbon used, its ash content and its moisture content.
Choosing the Right Fan
Your extraction fan is responsible for moving stale, warm air out of your grow room and maintaining a consistent growing environment. The right fan will depend on your grow space, how much control you need and whether efficiency or noise reduction is your priority.
Ian explains the key differences between the main fan technologies, helping you understand which option is right for your setup.
Silenced vs Non-Silenced
Silenced fans use the same internal fan technology as standard models but are housed inside an acoustic foam-lined casing, reducing operating noise by around 50%.
If you’re using a standard fan, fitting acoustic ducting can also make a significant difference and achieve similar levels of noise reduction.
AC Fans
AC fans are the traditional option and are controlled using a step or triac controller.
While reliable, they continue to draw similar power even when running at lower speeds, making them less energy efficient.
Speed adjustments are also less precise, as the controller effectively starts and stops the motor to reduce airflow.
EC Fans
EC fans use modern motor technology, allowing smooth, precise speed control from 0–100%.
Because the motor only uses the power required for the selected speed, they’re quieter, more energy efficient and cheaper to run.
Global Air Supplies EC fan models also feature dedicated controller connections, allowing them to integrate with environmental controllers for accurate automatic speed control.
Ian’s Verdict
A ventilation system is only as good as the components you choose. Investing in a quality fan and carbon filter will give you better airflow, more effective odour control, lower running costs and a more stable growing environment for years to come.
