Vendor Teardown 04 — Air Circulation
Source: 05_air_circulation.jpeg + 07_pricing_offer.pdf
Read (equipment spec)
| Room | Equipment | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Flowering | Wall fans | 4 / room |
| Flowering | Under-table fans | 3 / room |
| Vegetative | Fans | 2 + 2 |
| Mothers | Fans | 3 + 2 |
Pricing offer breakdown
| Room | Type | Qty | Unit € | Line € |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering 1 | Wall fan | 4 | 79 | 316 |
| Flowering 1 | Multi fan (under table) | 3 | 79 | 237 |
| Flowering 2 | Wall fan | 4 | 79 | 316 |
| Flowering 2 | Multi fan (under table) | 3 | 79 | 237 |
| Vegetative | Wall fan | 2 | 79 | 158 |
| Vegetative | Multi fan (under table) | 2 | 79 | 158 |
| Mothers | Wall fan | 3 | 79 | 237 |
| Mothers | Multi fan | 2 | 79 | 158 |
| Total | € 1 501 |
Pricing resolves the cryptic "2 + 2" / "3 + 2" notation — it's wall fans + under-table "Multi fans", confirming my inference.
Findings
Finding 1 — 7 fans per flowering room is appropriate density
4 wall + 3 under-table = 7 fans over 24 m² ≈ 3.4 m² per fan. Commercial rule of thumb is 3–5 m² per oscillating canopy fan. Density is correct. The wall/under-table split is the modern double-stack pattern that breaks up the stagnant cool/humid microclimate at floor level where botrytis and powdery mildew start.
Finding 2 — €79 per fan is generic
€79 for a "wall fan" or "multi fan" suggests a basic oscillating or clip-on model (Secret Jardin Monkey Fan tier, or any generic Chinese brushless 8" model). Nothing commercial-grade like the €150+ Cloudline / AC Infinity products that run continuously for 5+ years without bearing wear.
At 7 fans × 2 flowering rooms × 24/7 operation, bearing life is the limiting factor. Budget €50–100 per fan replacement per year as opex on top of the capex. Over 3 years that's ~€450 maintenance on €553 of initial hardware.
Finding 3 — No exhaust / extraction fans anywhere
The air circulation spec is all recirculating, no exhaust. This implies:
- Sealed flowering rooms (recirc only, all heat removed by HVAC) — consistent with the 15 kW ducted units in the HVAC line.
- No carbon-scrubbed exhaust path — which means no odour control. Cannabis at late flower is extremely pungent. Malta licensing almost certainly requires scrubbed exhaust; neighbours will complain.
Gap: no inline duct fans + carbon filters anywhere in the €82 584 offer. For a commercial facility this is a €2 000–4 000 hole (6 × 315 mm carbon filters + 6 × AC Infinity / Dayton inline fans, one scrubber per flowering + veg + mothers + dry).
Finding 4 — No airflow CFM target specified
The vendor specs count of fans, not their CFM rating. For a sealed 24 m² × ~3 m high flowering room (~72 m³ volume), best practice is 10–20 air changes per hour for internal circulation, i.e., 720–1 440 m³/h of mixed airflow. 7 fans at ~200 m³/h each ≈ 1 400 m³/h — at the top end. Adequate if the fans are actually 200 m³/h each, which at €79 they probably are.
Confirmations still needed from vendor
- Fan brand / model / CFM / noise rating / expected life.
- Is there any exhaust / carbon filtration in the €82 584 total, or is it assumed separate?
- If sealed, how is positive / negative room pressure managed (for airlock compliance)?
- Where is replacement stock sourced once fans fail?