Tips on Fans

[largeformat pat]

This most likely an age old question...
Any tips on fans and baffles for ventilating a new darkroom. I wish to a have fresh intake and fan driven vent.
Thanks
Pat

 

[Rick A]

I have a couple of light tight vents, one high and one low on the wall, plus a bathroom light/vent on seperate switches(so I can run the fan independant of the light). Fan is vented outside, and has baffles for light tightness. You probably only need one vent, but I prefer my set-up. The bath exhaust I used only set me back $30 with ducting and exterior cap. I built my own baffle sets for everything.

Rick

 

[jmcd]

I would try to get one of the newer fans that are super quiet. My older Delta fan is too loud to ignore. Vent Axia used to be available, and they made silent fans that move air—very nice!

A high quality baffle will allow a lot of air flow, and be light tight. Some of the cheaper baffles rely on foam inside to keep them nearly light-tight, but that method cuts drastically into air flow.

I think many of the newer bathroom fans are super quiet, and it might be worth rigging one up to make it light tight if necessary, or perhaps you can vent into a dark space.

 

[jp498]

Panasonic is the quiet brand for bathroom fans.

 

[tim k]

Spend the money for the quiet fan. A loud fan is LOUDER in the dark.