VERY quiet ceiling mounted (min IP X4) bathroom fan recommendations?

[HappyHippyDad]

My very well off customer wants the most quiet ceiling mounted extractor fan there is. They have stipulated that cost is not a barrier and they just want something quiet.

I have used one extremely quiet fan in the past, but it simply didn't do it's job, so that's pointless. This fan still needs to be able to extract.

IPX4 as a minimum as it will be in Zone 2.

An in-line fan is not an option unfortunately as there is no space above.

Any recommendations?

Cheers

 

[Avo Mk8]

Went looking last year for similar for a shower room. Ended up with a noisy one!
This looks a possibility, no personal experience though:

Airflow Quietair QT100T 100mm Silent Timer Fan

Buy the Airflow QT100T Quietair fan online at low prices with quick delivery from Fastlec.

www.fastlec.co.uk

25dB is indeed quiet!

 

[nicebutdim]

Recently been looking at humidistat timer fans that run quietly, for the very same reason. Silent Tornado had caught my attention, but I'll be interested in seeing what others are recommended.

 

[SJD]

You have to be careful when buying a fan that claims it is quiet, as some are dual speed, and are only quiet on the low speed setting, when not so much air is moved!

 

[123]

Envirovent Silent S100T is the quietest I've used lately, but nearly sure the Manrose continuous running fan is quieter - even in boost mode. But it's been a while since I installed one so can't quite remember what it was like in boost noise wise.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Envirovent Silent S100T is the quietest I've used lately, but nearly sure the Manrose continuous running fan is quieter - even in boost mode. But it's been a while since I installed one so can't quite remember what it was like in boost noise wise.

Is the Envirovent the one with 2 speeds? The slow speed being incredibly quiet, almost silent, yet extracting hardly anything? I might be getting this mixed up with another fan.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Went looking last year for similar for a shower room. Ended up with a noisy one!
This looks a possibility, no personal experience though:

Airflow Quietair QT100T 100mm Silent Timer Fan

Buy the Airflow QT100T Quietair fan online at low prices with quick delivery from Fastlec.

www.fastlec.co.uk

25dB is indeed quiet!

Looks and sounds good. But..... not tried and tested!
If I buy it, I'll let you know what it's like.

 

[nicebutdim]

You have to be careful when buying a fan that claims it is quiet, as some are dual speed, and are only quiet on the low speed setting, when not so much air is moved!

Low speed is proably where it needs to be silent, when it decides to run at 3am.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

What's the length/type/route of ducting?

Any more than a short length of ducting, you'll find axial fans aren't really up to the job. Centrifugal fans are much better for long runs, but will likely create more noise. An inline mixflow fan will be both quiet and powerful, but it sounds like this isn't an option.

I'm not sure there's a easy solution to this problem.

 

[brianmoooore]

There's always space for an inline fan somewhere, with a little ingenuity. Came across one once jammed across the cavity, that could be accessed by taking off the outside grill.
It didn't survive the remedials after my EICR, but I'm not sure what specifically I failed it for.

 

[WallaceP]

If fitted this before, and if I didn't have the cover on when it was running I would have sworn it wasnt on.

VASF100T 100mm 4" Silent Fan with Timer

Silent bathroom fan [from only 12dB[A]]

www.cef.co.uk

 

[Jim_e_Jib]

If fitted this before, and if I didn't have the cover on when it was running I would have sworn it wasnt on.

VASF100T 100mm 4" Silent Fan with Timer

Silent bathroom fan [from only 12dB[A]]

www.cef.co.uk

A second for this one - I fiited one in our bathroom and it is quiet.

 

[123]

Is the Envirovent the one with 2 speeds? The slow speed being incredibly quiet, almost silent, yet extracting hardly anything? I might be getting this mixed up with another fan.

Not the S100T (link), it's just a standard timer over run fan. The Manrose one (sorry no part number) doesn't have great extraction rates but got to bear in mind it also runs 24/7. I've not fitted an Envirovent continuous running one, only Manrose, Vent Axia (and pulled a good few of them out faulty), and National Ventilation (which for some reason have the fan blades exposed, really not a fan of that fan {boom boom!}).

 

[nicebutdim]

The most annoying aspect of 'silent' fans is that quoted sound pressure levels don't take into account the different speeds these fans can run at. Realistically you'll want to clear humidity fairly quickly, so it's not going to be set at 6l/s on a basic over run timer, which I assume is the extraction provided by Vent Axia fans running at a whisper quiet 12dB. Others extract more on their low setting, but again I assume the 25dB quoted for several of these doesn't cover higher extraction rates - why don't manufacturers provide these figures?

It's a subject I return to from time to time and invariably defer purchase due to confusion stemming from lack of information. How quiet will they be, while being set up in a practical enough manner to do their job? Do I want humidistat or humidistat with continuous trickle operation? I've no idea and can't help wondering if an inline fan could be squeezed into a (slightly less than) 8" gap, rather than to one side with extended ducting.


Edit: Just looked at reviews for Vent Axia 'silent' humidistat fans and most agree that on low speed they are indeed almost silent, but quite a few suggest that all hell breaks loose on their faster setting

 

[WallaceP]

The most annoying aspect of 'silent' fans is that quoted sound pressure levels don't take into account the different speeds these fans can run at. Realistically you'll want to clear humidity fairly quickly, so it's not going to be set at 6l/s on a basic over run timer, which I assume is the extraction provided by Vent Axia fans running at a whisper quiet 12dB. Others extract more on their low setting, but again I assume the 25dB quoted for several of these doesn't cover higher extraction rates - why don't manufacturers provide these figures?

It's a subject I return to from time to time and invariably defer purchase due to confusion stemming from lack of information. How quiet will they be, while being set up in a practical enough manner to do their job? Do I want humidistat or humidistat with continuous trickle operation? I've no idea and can't help wondering if an inline fan could be squeezed into a (slightly less than) 8" gap, rather than to one side with extended ducting.


Edit: Just looked at reviews for Vent Axia 'silent' humidistat fans and most agree that on low speed they are indeed almost silent, but quite a few suggest that all hell breaks loose on their faster setting

The problem is straight forward data is not great for marketing and that is the unfortunate world we live in. There is only so quiet a fan can be while moving air with standard blade geometry and as far as I am aware the really high end blade designs found in other applications have not made their way into the humble bathroom fan.

 

[nicebutdim]

Ordered a couple of Blauberg Calm 100 H. 97m3/h extraction and 25dB.

Maybe we can get a thread together with recommendations for a whole range of quiet extractor fans

 

[Vortigern]

Realistically, I don't think such a thing exists. I would tell the customer they are crying for the moon. Even if you get a quiet one, later on it starts making more noise. It is just plain unrealistic to offer to customers something that just does not exist. I am happy to be proved wrong on this.

 

[nicebutdim]

Realistically, I don't think such a thing exists. I would tell the customer they are crying for the moon. Even if you get a quiet one, later on it starts making more noise. It is just plain unrealistic to offer to customers something that just does not exist. I am happy to be proved wrong on this.

The main difference seems to be in the bearing, although I'm sure there are some other differences in design. Regardless; the cheap junk fitted in this house are only a few dB below an old diesel engine starting in cold weather and any reduction in noise will be welcome.

 

[DPG]

The main difference seems to be in the bearing, although I'm sure there are some other differences in design. Regardless; the cheap junk fitted in this house are only a few dB below an old diesel engine starting in cold weather and any reduction in noise will be welcome.

Keep us posted. I want to change one of mine. Not necessarily ultra quiet, but I need a decent flow rate.

 

[nicebutdim]

Keep us posted. I want to change one of mine. Not necessarily ultra quiet, but I need a decent flow rate.

Will do and @HappyHippyDad should soon have something to report about the Airflow Quietair