Thoughts on smscom switchbox

[Gward20]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to get your thoughts on the smscom switchbox ? It has a 4 light contractor. Fan controller for intake and outtake & a built in heater controller that turns on once the lights go off. I bought one about 2 years ago but only used it once. Should I keep it or is their a better product to buy? Thanks

[Nanook]

I have never used it but I will say my 2 sms fan controllers I have had issues with and had to unplug, plug the fan back in a few times per grow to reset them or the fan just stopped for some reason.

[Gward20]

I wondered why they are on the cheap side. Do you know of any other good boxes with everything built in ? Thanks mate

[Nanook]

Ive never used that one, did yours work? if so I wouldnt change it tbh.

[Gward20]

It did work mate but their was a humming coming from the fans at a low speed. I don’t know if that was due to the fan itself or the fan controller

[Nanook]

yeah tbh my sms and ecotechnics does the same with my systemair - there are new fans that apparently dont, or people use potentiometers I believe but thats as far as my knowledge goes :( Sorry

[seymore_budz]

The humming is a limitation of those analog speed controllers they will always do it unless you're using one with fixed positions or I have seen some fancy hybrid controllers that claim to do both analog control and no humming. I think it has something to do with AC power etc. Those SMSCOM controllers are middle of thr road. Not the best and not the worst :)

[Gward20]

Thanks gg, do you know of a better one I could buy that doesnt hum as I want my grow room to be as quiet as possible ?

[seymore_budz]

Thanks gg, do you know of a better one I could buy that doesnt hum as I want my grow room to be as quiet as possible ?

No problem, if yoy want 100% zero humming get a variac fan speed controller. These step in increments and guarantee no humming but too be fair, what a lot a people I know do is an old DJ trick. They turn the dial down until it hums. Then tweak it up till the fan stops humming and mark that point with a little sticker. Then if you've got a normal speed controller, don't go under that level and if you have a fancy thermo/hygro ones that adjust the speed based on the environment, set the minimum to that level.

[Nanook]

Variac it was* Knew it was something like that.