Dodgy BlueAir 860i  - fan noise - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: robert.hoffmann
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 18, 2020, 08:50:33 am
content: Hey Dave + Guysthanks to Dave's review video of his BlueAir 605 he did some time ago, I bought myself a new Blue Air 680i , similar specs.Since I can't leave my home and go to my beach house in Mallorca, and in Berlin I have serious Pollen Allergy issues, I just took the plunge, for like 850 Euros or so.Expensive piece of crap though, judging by the video I just took, the fan in the lowest setting is noisier than my fridge, witness it yourselves:Question to anyone who has this product: is this normal ?In my case, I sent it back to the shop, but their answer was: our "technicians" (probably their gardner) looked at it, and cannot find any fault.now what ? should I just return outright and get my money back ?

author: Haenk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2020, 11:07:28 am
content: A certain amount of airflow requires, especially when being pushed through a filtering system, some power, and that comes with some level of noise. So - unfortunately - to be effective, there has to be some noise.One could try to build one using ultra-low-noise PC fans plus some HEPA-filters, but that's still not without noise, if you want to circulate a certain amount of air volume, but those specialized fans are probably quieter.

author: robert.hoffmann
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 18, 2020, 11:11:39 am
content: Thanks Haenk,however, the device sheet says 33dB , however, I measured 47dB at about 5 inches from the device around the fan area.So. my post here is mostly to get anyone that has such a device, to let me know if that is normal.The fan in that device should be "specialized" to be low noise. But is sounds like an old Pontiac.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2020, 09:49:02 pm
content: I quite like the noise of a Pontiac 442... but not when I'm trying to sleep...The dB measurements are normally performed at a distance of 1 metre from the noise source. Five inches would be around 0.125m, so one eighth of the distance.I suffer the unfortunate curse of noisy neighbours; I can heartily recommend these:https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5x-Quies-Soft-FOAM-Ear-Plugs/370534860277(choose your own local supplier of course)

author: robert.hoffmann
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 19, 2020, 08:24:36 am
content: LOL yeah, noisy neighbors is a drag, that's when you realize you are living in an ant colony.I myself use the: MOLDEX 6645 Sparkplugs , specially for all airplane trips.however, I cannot use them for sleeping, cuz I am a 24/7 programmer / realtime systems guru, and I have to be able to hear my phone if it rings.Thanks for the tip on the decibel measurement. I just wish Dave would read this, and post a video of his filter, so we can see if they all make such noises.

author: robert.hoffmann
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2020, 05:53:48 pm
content: any takers ? I only found one single video on the internet, where we "ALMOST" get the goods, i.e. the device running in low fan, but then the guy starts talking again, and we cannot make out what the device actually sounds like.all other videos are full of music and/or do not have the device in low fan setting running for us to hear.rather disappointing that a 850 Euro device is such cr4p.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2020, 07:43:24 pm
content: One thing that experience has taught me over the years: a fan is not just a fan.They are a complex device, both in terms of the mathematics of airflow, and also the noise generated for a given airflow.I don't doubt that the manufacturer has weasel-worded the specifications in such a way as to be within the letter of the law, as it were.This leaves the user with the options of:1. Returning the device for a refund.2. Modifying the device so that it functions satisfactorily.While the first option is often desirable, sometimes the hassle of trying many different devices until you find one you can live with is beyond intolerable.In this instance, modification might be a more palatable route.I have found many different designs of fan to have wildly variable levels of sound for a given airflow. Itmightbe worth trying some low noise fan design in place of the OEM.Without looking at the drawings of the unit in question it's not possible to say if this will work, but it's certainly something to consider.Another possibility is under-running the existing fan.

author: Haenk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2020, 09:14:21 pm
content: Quote from: AVGresponding on April 22, 2020, 07:43:24 pmWhich is a bad idea for a new 850EUR item, as it certainly voids the warranty. It's an option for an out-of-warranty item, or if it's cheap, but in this case, I would just return it for a refund.(However I don't think other air filters are "better"...)

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2020, 07:12:02 am
content: It's very disappointing that such an expensive piece of equipment would be so poorly designed, regarding noise output.There's no excuse for that, really.

author: robert.hoffmann
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 23, 2020, 08:08:41 am
content: I saw that Fran did a video on this device about 3 weeks ago, and Dave answered her with exerpts of his previous video.Unfortunately it's impossible to contact them to see if they can compare my video to their devices.So I will just call the shop and say I don't want the device, since I cannot use it in its current status.

author: robert.hoffmann
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 23, 2020, 01:25:30 pm
content: I could only find one single video where a dude manages to pause for 1 second from speaking, and we can hear a BlueAir 555 from very close by in low fan setting:at exactly 01:18 in the video, we can hear the device, and it is A LOT less noisy than mine. Taken that it is another device altogether, but comparable in size, I bet they even have the same fan.