Loud Bathroom Fan

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mkgrady

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Massachusetts
I need to replace a Nutone fan 8663RP that is really load. 3.5 sones.

Is there a kit I can buy where I just remove the square fan plate with attached motor that has a quieter motor?

This is the Nutone unit that has a big round grill with the light globe in the middle. It also has a night light that the customer doesn't use. That would be lots easier than ripping out the housing and starting from stretch. There is an attic above so it would not be that bad...just trying to be efficient.
 
The noise level depends in part on the arrangement of the housing and duct work. That means that just replacing the fan deck with one from a quieter model may not give you the full effect, even if it is able to move air.
 
GoldDigger said:
The noise level depends in part on the arrangement of the housing and duct work. That means that just replacing the fan deck with one from a quieter model may not give you the full effect, even if it is able to move air.
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Agree.

I repaired the former unit in my bathroom several times (just the motor, not the whole deck). Finally got fed up with the noise. Replaced with a Panasonic Whisper. Now I really have to listen to determine whether its on or not (excluding just looking at the switch).
 
GoldDigger said:
The noise level depends in part on the arrangement of the housing and duct work. That means that just replacing the fan deck with one from a quieter model may not give you the full effect, even if it is able to move air.
Click to expand...

Under ideal conditions this fan is noisy, so I figure it can only help to replace it with one with a much lower sone rating.
 
QTRE080R

QTRE080R

Check out the Broan QTRE080R

It is an old work .8 sone fan.

Super easy to install.

No drywall repair or attic work.
 
Just about all the "ultra quiet" fans out there are quieter partly because they have a larger blower wheel and the motor runs at a lower speed. They simply would not fit in the housing of a unit not designed for them.
 
kwired said:
Just about all the "ultra quiet" fans out there are quieter partly because they have a larger blower wheel and the motor runs at a lower speed. They simply would not fit in the housing of a unit not designed for them.
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The existing one is loud at 3.5 sones. I'd be happy with anything 2 sones or less.
 
Panasonic makes a whisper fan with a built in light.

do a search on Panasonic website or Amazon.
 
mkgrady said:
The existing one is loud at 3.5 sones. I'd be happy with anything 2 sones or less.
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Place an "in line" fan further downstream in the duct and you very well get less then 1 sone:happyyes:.

If you have a really cheap fan you the only way to make it quiet is to not power it:)

Otherwise other tips that even help make the ultra quiet fans even quieter are to keep elbows in ducts minimal, one 90 degree elbow has just as much if not more resistance to air flow then maybe 10 feet of duct, use smooth walled rigid duct instead of flexible duct - it has less resistance to air flow, or in either of those cases at least increase duct size if using flex or elbows. And just because a fan has a 4 inch outlet on it doesn't mean 4 inch duct is the right choice to use. I am not an HVAC guy but had one tell me that for heating and cooling if you want 110 CFM (pretty common size in bath fans) you need 6 inch duct. Too much static pressure in such a fan will make the fan louder, you want to minimize static pressure in such installations, where in typical heating and cooling you kind of want higher static pressure - at least in your main ducts
 
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