Homemade CanFan really blows

FatMarty

Well-Known Member
I see a lot of people wondering how to cool their HID hoods.
At the same time lots of folks don't like the loud canfans that are available to growers.

Without some air running through the hood and away from the grow heat often becomes an issue.
I used a 5-gallon bucket, a couple bucket lids, a 6" vent collar, a flowerpot, some pipe insulation, and a fair amount of silicone and vent adhesives,
along with a 9" 3-speed Honeywell "Turbo Fan", to construct my homemade can fan.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_333638-79996-HT-900-LWS_4294857062+4294962546_40_?productId=3344698

I have successfully used this design to cool my 1000 W HID hood for several years with no problems and almost nil fan noise.

I used a couple other fans of the desktop/oscillating variety for consumers until I hit on this Honeywell model to pull and push the air through 6" vent without hum or motor noise.
I can't remember if it's set on low or medium; been a year or more since I went in there to clean it.
In temperate weather low speed is fine for my hood and exhaust setup; I may have turned it up last time because I added CFL's and the room was running hotter than before.
I can touch the bottom of the glass no problem on my hood with either setting.

Here is the completed canfan sans the plywood mount I used for my installation:
canfan01.jpg
First I took a 5-gallon bucket and cut the bottom out.
Then using a 10" flowerpot that tapers near the bottom I cut a 6" hole in the bottom of it.
Next cut a 10" hole in a bucket lid, and then slip it over the flowerpot and seal to bucket.

Fasten 6" Vent collar to bottom of flowerpot as shown, and seal.
Slice foam pipe insulation and wrap around rim of Honeywell ffan, (sans plastic stand).
Insert Honeywell fan into bucket and seal foam to bucket.
Run three or four short sheet metal screws around bucket/flowerpot combe into plastic shell of fan to secure it.
canfan02.jpgcanfan03.jpg
Note that the airflow is towards 6" vent collar.

Let the vent sealant set up overnight or longer.

Test fan to make sure you didn't onstruct or warp, etc. anything.

I mount my canfan on a wall to my grow room utilizing a piece of plywood, screws, and silicone.
canfan04.jpgcanfan05.jpg
I might have done this all at once because the silicone needs to dry too for best end result.

Next I screwed my piece of plywood holding the canfan to the studs at my opening in the wall.
Before hooking up the 6" vent to my hood I connected the input to the rear side of the canfan installation.
I have a 'secret' air tunnel behind my veg room for plumbing, etc. There is just enough room back here for me and the spiders.
canfan06.jpgcanfan07.jpg


Next I use the second bucket lid along with the bottom of a bucket to make a stiff interlock for some 6" drainage pipe I used for my input.
You've seen this hose in giant rolls along the highway for road projects, etc.

Anyway I cut some tight circles in the plastics and jammed that puppy in there nice and tight.
canfan08.jpg
You could use another 6" vent collar here if you are using regular vent or flex.

Next snap the bucket lid assembly to the back of the canfan, and secure the vent line if necessary.
canfan09.jpgcanfan10.jpg
I have a crawlspace under my family room that has airflow but no entry.
I removed a portion of one concrete block and then used "Great Stuf" to seal the pipe to the wall.
That Great Stuf dries stiff and strong - wipe excess as it oozes out the first 15 minutes or so if you don't want a total mess here.

Used In this garden:
light-setup.jpg
I'll post a couple pics showing how I vent the exhaust soon to finish this up.

Okay I'm back to finish up my installation for you.

My hood came with a removable 4" cover in the center on far side from bulb and a removable 4" cover on one side behind the lamp.
I cut out another hole on the back side to get airflow all around the bulb on the intake.
In the photo above you can see the bottom of the 6" vent pipe coming from the CanFan to the back of the fixture.

That is a tapered connection to spread the input feed more evenly.
On the far side with the one center hole I cut out something like 7" x 7" and attached a sheetmetal box to the fixture.
On the side of the sheetmetal box are two 4" collars for outlet air to flow.

In this image you see the sheetmetal box portruding from the fixture in the foreground
and the 6" input pipe coming from the homemade CanFan in lower right corner to the rear of the unit.
canfan11.jpg

On this side of the sheetmetal box are two 4" collars with 4" flex running several inches before reducing into
3" DWV PVC pipes for the exhaust.
canfan12.jpg

The two 3" PVC pipes are routed out of bloom room and up interior wall of home to roof.
At roof pipes have small plastic screens to keep critters out.
They appear next to other plumbing vent pipes on the roof and look like they belong there.
canfan13.jpg
The 6" stuff below the PVC is my current fresh air exhaust.
The 180* bend there is to prevent light leak.
 

FatMarty

Well-Known Member
It is a Honeywell Model #: HT-900-LWS

It is under $20 at most retail outlets.

Here is a pic of one:
canfan00.jpg
They are rated at 185 cfm.
 

lokie

Well-Known Member
Hey dude you could put one very nice carbon scrubber in that 5 gal bucket and kill the "skunk".:weed:
 

FatMarty

Well-Known Member
thats what i was thinking about also
I'd like to see that when you finish.

Note though that I am pushing fresh air from a crawl space in my instance.
Air flows through the fan to the hood, and then out of the hood to vent outside the home.
Because I have a 'closed' system for the hood air it does not smell.

But I want to see your design for this so I can maybe use it for an exhaust fan from room.
Right now I just dump that air into basement.
 

jtrimbl3

Active Member
dude that fan is amazing, i got one loved it, then went to buy 2 more and they were gone and have been since. So funny idk why. your grow room is legit btw, love the cfl's.
 

FatMarty

Well-Known Member
dude that fan is amazing, i got one loved it, then went to buy 2 more and they were gone and have been since. So funny idk why. your grow room is legit btw, love the cfl's.
They go off the shelves for the 'season' which is horseshit when you think about it; blowing around heated air with fans in Winter stretches your heating dollars.
Most of them even say that on the package.

Anyway Sears Outlets, Lowes, and a lot of drug stores and stuff will have them local soon.
 

F A B

New Member
They go off the shelves for the 'season' which is horseshit when you think about it; blowing around heated air with fans in Winter stretches your heating dollars.
Most of them even say that on the package.

Anyway Sears Outlets, Lowes, and a lot of drug stores and stuff will have them local soon.
and check online most them stores u can order online and have it shipped to local store for free
 

FatMarty

Well-Known Member
I saw these Honeywell fans at Home Depot for $15 yesterday.

I'm almost sure I am going to make another one to use for fresh air exhaust; so if I do I would love to add a filter there.
I don't have any experience there ; so I thought I would wait to see others can come up with.

Believe me if you get the thing assembled proper it works incredibly well and is far quieter than any canfan.
The trick for this design, in my opinion, is the tapered flower pot outlet deal that funnels the air quietly and efficiently.
 

sourskunkd

Member
What is the size of your room. And temps before and after. My 4x5 tent gets 80s without a circulation fan. And if your temps are lower id definitely make this on Saturday.
 

Dr.J20

Well-Known Member
Hey FatMarty, I know this is kind of an old thread but i just wanted to say, thanks for this man, helps me out a ton!
 

Burshaw420

Member
Fantastic idea definitely sounds cheaper then buying one. You could probably sell them to local growers in your area for double what it cost to make it
 

Dr.J20

Well-Known Member
Hey FatMarty, I know this is kind of an old thread but i just wanted to say, thanks for this man, helps me out a ton!
Hey FM,
I was thinking about reducing the intake side of your design to a 4" opening so i can straight mount it to my grow tent's 4" vent holes. Would you think that reduction is going to create too much static/air friction to make this a useful design?
I was thnking i could probably add a 2nd bucket top sealed on to the bucket (intake) opening with a 6" collar hooked up to a 6-4 reducer...so air would move: vent from tent --> 4" end of 6-4 reducer --> 6" end of 6-4 reducer -->6" collar --> can fan --> 6" collar --> 6" ducting --> exhaust

let me know your thoughts if you get a chance
be easy!
 
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