Introduction

Importance of ventilation for indoor growers

Ventilation is crucial for indoor grows because it regulates several essential elements for plant growth, including temperature, humidity, CO2 and air circulation. A proper ventilation system helps avoid overheating, prevents humidity-related illnesses, and ensures balanced distribution of oxygen and carbon dioxide. In short, good ventilation not only promotes an optimal environment for the health and growth of plants, but also remains essential even during nighttime periods.

AC vs EC extractors: What are the differences?

Distinction between AC and EC extractors

Energy benefits of EC extractors

Energy savings with EC extractors

Comparison of consumption levels

Because a comparison is better than a long speech; let's compare two identical motorized models with different technologies, the VK 200 from Vents.

As we can see, the VK 200 only offers780 m³/h while consuming 107W, while the VK200EC will go up to 885 m³/h while consuming only 84 W, at equivalent maximum flow rate a saving of 30% of energy. Also note on the VK DUO sheet that the AC motor even when used at a lower flow rate will not drop as much in consumption, in fact if we switch to low speed we drop to 430 m³/h</ strong> but we still consume83W, whereas with the EC motor we would have gone down to only 42W.

So we will remember that the more we make the engine work at lowsse speed the more it is indicated to opt for the EC model, especially since its operation will be quieter in these regimes than an AC (except if controlled by a frequency modulator).

Potential long-term savings

Ventilation systems being used continuously, they are necessarily one of the main energy-consuming areas of an indoor growing space. According to our estimates, air renewal can be held responsible for a fraction of the energy bill amounting to up to 50%. By choosing a suitable air extractor you will therefore considerably reduce the energy costs linked to your crops.
According to the previous comparison, upgrading a medium grow tent previously equipped with an AC extractor (VK200R1V in speed one to VK200EC on 50%) with its EC equivalent could save you up to 93 KWh every three months, or 372 KWh/year!

Conclusion

In conclusion, EC extractors stand out for their superior energy efficiency, their ability to operate at very low speeds and the significant savings they offer in the long term. Their adoption in ventilation systems for indoor crops not only maintains an optimal environment for plant growth, but also significantly reduces associated energy costs. By investing in EC extractors, indoor growers can achieve substantial savings while improving the efficiency and sustainability of their growing facilities, so one question remains:

Why hold back?