Please suggest best option: internal/inline/remote blower.

18 years ago

I originally posed this in the kitchen forum, but just realized this is more appropriately an appliance topic.

I'm planning on a Wolf Pro Chimney Hood (42") above a 36" DF Wolf Range. Initially I planned on using a 1200 cfm remote blower thinking that common sense would dictate that the further away the blower, the less noise in the kitchen.

I've been told that the vast majority of noise comes from the airflow, not the blower itself, so the location of the blower isn't really significant. I figured I'd go with the remote blower anyway - better safe than sorry.

However, in reading the spec sheet, they (Wolf) indicate that the combination of a short duct run and a remote blower can lead to an increase in noise. Now I'm not sure which option is best. Unfortunately, they don't define "short".

My duct will be heading up for about 3 feet, make a 90 degree turn and head horizontally through the top of my pantry for only about 6 feet before popping out the side of a brick wall to the outside.

Internal, inline and remote are all options as far as space goes. What are the pros/cons of each? Which would you suggest in my application?

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Comments (5)

cpovey
18 years ago
Internal-least work, easiest to service, possibly more noise-but motors make very little noise, mostly a humming sound. Potentially least expensive.

External-Most expensive, most expensive to install, hardest to service, can be quietest. Big hole in roof.

In-line-Relatively new, can be noisy (could cause joists to vibrate?), install and service difficult. If filters don't work well, can leave a lot of grease in the attic, not a good thing.

It is essentially impossible to predict the noise level of any particular combination of hood/vent/fan system, as there are so many variables. Really short runs can be noisy, but that 90 degree makes the run effectively 'longer'.
Naomi Talia
6 years ago
Internal Motor

Range Hoods have blowers mounted inside the hood. The range hood cover, the blower motor, baffle filters, fan controls and lighting all come in one unit.

Pros

It is easier to install and access the internal motor.

Cons

Large CFM internal blowers tend to be noisier than the other types.

Remote Blower

Motor is located outside of the range hood. You can either mount the blower outside of the house,on an outside wall /on the roof, or you can place it inside the house, in the attic.

Pros

They usually has high-efficiency output,ranging from 800 to 1200 CFM rating.

You can also benefit from its quiet operation since the blower is located outside of the hood,and not inside the kitchen.

Cons

Installing a remote blower is a new trending and it might takes more time and effort for labor to install the blower.
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kaseki
6 years ago
Dominant noise is due to blower blade tip generated air turbulence. After that, there is duct turbulence noise, hood transition turbulence noise, and baffle turbulence noise. (The latter may present mainly as a hiss.) An unbalanced fan could also cause some rumble. For low noise, use an in-line or external blower with a silencer mounted in series with the duct between hood and blower. For near zero noise, other than baffle hiss, use a duct large enough to be near the 1000 ft/min end of the desired range of velocities, and an oversized, under driven commercial blower to reduce tip turbulence noise, along with the silencer.
opaone
6 years ago
In general the blowers built in to hoods are not very strong so even moderate static pressure in the ductwork will significantly reduce CFM's (and with little to no reduction in noise). The folks doing the testing on our house said that they had never seen a consumer hood do better than about half it's rated CFM's and many were about 1/3.

CFM's are actually not very important compared to proper aperture opening and containment volume but still something to think about especially given how loud they are.
opaone
6 years ago
@Naomi Talia, best depends on your styles of cooking, how often, for how many people, what range you'll have, what your tolerance for noise is, how important your and your families health is and what your budget is.