The Herbalizer

Vitolo

Vaporist
Those that have the Herbalizer, how would you characterize the sound of the fan when the Herbalizer is just maintaining temperature in vaportherapy mode without the fan assist?
Barely noticeable, and it lasts for only a second. It is accompanied by the appearance of an icon on the screen. If not watching the screen, the sound might go unnoticed.
 

marduk

daydreamer
Just got my Herbalizer today, and based on your responses, I'm pretty sure I have a problem with my fan. The sound it makes is annoying as hell. I'll upload a minute-long video of what it sounds like, and you tell me if I'm just super-sensitive or if I really do have a problem...

Here it is. Unlisted video so people don't stumble across it and think this is what all Herbalizers sound like. :(

:
 
marduk,
  • Like
Reactions: Snappo

jds32

Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure I have a problem with my fan. The sound it makes is annoying as hell.

Sounds exactly like mine. I don't hear it after a few moments.

See what I mean about wondering if it isn't heat sensitive?
 
jds32,

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
Just got my Herbalizer today, and based on your responses, I'm pretty sure I have a problem with my fan. The sound it makes is annoying as hell. I'll upload a minute-long video of what it sounds like, and you tell me if I'm just super-sensitive or if I really do have a problem...

Here it is. Unlisted video so people don't stumble across it and think this is what all Herbalizers sound like. :(

:
Sounds like the fan might be slightly out of balance or a tad loose to me.
 

marduk

daydreamer
Sounds like the fan might be slightly out of balance or a tad loose to me.

You could be right. Maybe 5+ days of vibration on the Fedex truck affected it?

The really annoying part of the sound is the random knocking. I guess I'll call up support on Monday and see what's up.
 

toros23

Well-Known Member
That is also what my fan sounds like. Feels like an old friend after 48 hours.. lol

If I remember correctly, the video showing the testing of the bulbs also made the same sound. Could it also be the bulb?
 

marduk

daydreamer
That is also what my fan sounds like. Feels like an old friend after 48 hours.. lol

If I remember correctly, the video showing the testing of the bulbs also made the same sound. Could it also be the bulb?

No, they had music playing over the bulb test video. I checked Josh's full length demo without music and couldn't hear the kind of noise my fan puts out.
 
marduk,
  • Like
Reactions: Snappo

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
That is also what my fan sounds like. Feels like an old friend after 48 hours.. lol

If I remember correctly, the video showing the testing of the bulbs also made the same sound. Could it also be the bulb?
The sound is like an intermittent vibration/contact noise to my ears. Give Herbalizer a call and let them know that the noise concerns you. I don't think anything but an airy whirring sound is all you should hear, and then forget any notice of it. I doubt the designers ever intended for such a high-end device to have any annoying audible nits. JMO.
 

marduk

daydreamer
I don't think anything but an airy whirring sound is all you should hear, and then forget any notice of it.

That's my feeling too. I tested the fan assist, and the sound was significantly louder, except it was just a constant whir, and it didn't bother me at all. It even drowned out the knocking from the "quieter" fan and I was fine with it. The thing is, I don't want to have to use fan assist all the time...
 
marduk,
  • Like
Reactions: Snappo

toros23

Well-Known Member
I hope the two of you are right, I'd love it to be a little quieter but it is not a big deal to me. Sort of reminds me of an old style film projector. It is unlike any fan I have ever heard but it does not sound like a vibration or broken fan to me. Also, the noise the fan makes during heating sounds different than the fan assist on high or low (in aromatherapy mode) setting

The only video I can find of the Herbie in action without music is the one where they pop a kernel of popcorn. I don't hear it there but hard to tell for sure.
 
Last edited:

vtac

vapor junkie
Staff member
Just got my Herbalizer today, and based on your responses, I'm pretty sure I have a problem with my fan. The sound it makes is annoying as hell. I'll upload a minute-long video of what it sounds like, and you tell me if I'm just super-sensitive or if I really do have a problem...

Here it is. Unlisted video so people don't stumble across it and think this is what all Herbalizers sound like. :(

:
Thanks for posting the video, very helpful. :)

I talked to Josh about this and the short version is that there's likely nothing out of the ordinary with the fan sound. Your concerns are of course completely understandable, as this is a just-released high end vape, and many of us have been burned in the past in this situation.

What you're hearing in that video is the fan-assist fan which runs at full speed when you turn it on manually. It's also tasked with stabilizing heat in the system by moving some heat and air from the bulb to the surrounding area while the system is getting into balance. When this is happening the fan automatically turns on and runs at a very low speed which is accomplished by rapidly pulsing the fan on/off. This is what you're most likely hearing in the video. Once the system is hot, this should happen less and less. The (rotary) fan is of high quality and rated for 50,000 hours. It's fastened in place with a self-tapping screw and should not rock out of balance even if not screwed in.

This is of course all going by the audio in the video you posted which can be misleading, especially without a decibel reference. The sound should definitely not be "annoying as hell" unless you have super hearing. :)

Sleep on it and if you're still concerned, give Josh a call tomorrow after 10am PST. I know they'll take good care of you. Until then. http://i.imgur.com/odXLUUo.jpg :D
 
Last edited:

denalus

not a parking meter ;)
I have a similar sound & after closely listening to the fan, the 'clicking' sounds more like 'pulsing'. This lines up with what @vtac just posted from Josh. I personally am not going to worry about mine, but if yours is as you said, 'annoying as hell', you indeed will want to call them on Monday.

Peace,
den
 

bassplayer

Well-Known Member
interesting - so far I like the bags more than the whip, didn't see that coming (don't have prior experience with either) it's really sweet how quick the Herbalizer is - takes me longer to prep the bowl than for it to get to temp then hardly any time to fill a bag or get tons of vapor through the whip (I have it set to 420, tried 375 for a while but wasn't getting the affects I desired, that's another nice thing about this, easy peasy lemon squeezy)
 

marduk

daydreamer
What you're hearing in that video is the fan-assist fan which runs at full speed when you turn it on manually. It's also tasked with stabilizing heat in the system by moving some heat and air from the bulb to the surrounding area while the system is getting into balance. When this is happening the fan runs at a very low speed which is accomplished by rapidly pulsing the fan on/off. This is what you're most likely hearing in the video. Once the system is hot, this should happen less and less. The (rotary) fan is of high quality and rated for 50,000 hours. It's fastened in place with a self-tapping screw and should not rock out of balance even if not screwed in.

This is of course all going by the audio in the video you posted which can be misleading, especially without a decibel reference. The sound should definitely not be "annoying as hell" unless you have super hearing. :)

Sleep on it and if you're still concerned, give Josh a call tomorrow after 10am PST. I know they'll take good care of you. Until then. http://i.imgur.com/odXLUUo.jpg :D

Thanks for all the info. I did some more checking last night. Indeed, the fan pulsing happens much less frequently after about 7 or 8 minutes of the unit being on, and even less time if you crank it to higher temperatures. When it does come on after everything is in equilibrium, the sound is slightly softer, and not as bothersome. I downloaded an SPL meter app to get a better handle on it, and it measures 55-57 dB during initial fan pulses, and 49-52 dB after reaching equilibrium. At rest, the meter registers 40 dB. For me, the 5 dB drop does take the sound out of the "annoying" range after the unit has been on a while.

So I guess the issue is not really an issue. I'm just surprised that no one mentioned this relatively unique sound before... all I heard about was how quiet the fans were, that you could barely hear them at all. :shrug:

Needless to say, I won't be bothering Josh on the weekend with this non-issue. However, I still won't be loading any material until I check on a different and very minor issue with Sheila during regular hours tomorrow. :)
 

Amazingkaddycap

Well-Known Member
sound nothing like my fan. My fan is a steady constant hum. It sound like your fan isn't working. I don't know what normal function should sound like, but that's not it IMO...For the priced paid, Id make sure. Don't know how to post a vid, or I would
 

vtac

vapor junkie
Staff member
Thanks for all the info. I did some more checking last night. Indeed, the fan pulsing happens much less frequently after about 7 or 8 minutes of the unit being on, and even less time if you crank it to higher temperatures. When it does come on after everything is in equilibrium, the sound is slightly softer, and not as bothersome. I downloaded an SPL meter app to get a better handle on it, and it measures 55-57 dB during initial fan pulses, and 49-52 dB after reaching equilibrium. At rest, the meter registers 40 dB. For me, the 5 dB drop does take the sound out of the "annoying" range after the unit has been on a while.

So I guess the issue is not really an issue. I'm just surprised that no one mentioned this relatively unique sound before... all I heard about was how quiet the fans were, that you could barely hear them at all. :shrug:

Needless to say, I won't be bothering Josh on the weekend with this non-issue. However, I still won't be loading any material until I check on a different and very minor issue with Sheila during regular hours tomorrow. :)

I still don't think the low speed pulsing sound should be annoying, or even very noticeable unless you're in a dead silent room. If there's any doubt in your mind, give him a call. I can assure you that it won't be a bother, they want nothing less than complete customer satisfaction. :)

sound nothing like my fan. My fan is a steady constant hum. It sound like your fan isn't working. I don't know what normal function should sound like, but that's not it IMO...For the priced paid, Id make sure. Don't know how to post a vid, or I would
Are you sure you're thinking about the same fan speed? The fan sound in your video appears to be the full speed manual boost rather than the low speed pulsing described above.

Edit:
The fan noise was first mentioned by Reflo in post 432262 in August.
I believe that the noise discussed there was more of an interference/frequency amplification thing with the microphone used in that video.
 
Last edited:

Amazingkaddycap

Well-Known Member

how do you change the fan speed? This is the only speed i have, can't seem to figure out how to change it to another.

(merged)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Amazingkaddycap,
  • Like
Reactions: Snappo

jds32

Well-Known Member
I'm just surprised that no one mentioned this relatively unique sound before... all I heard about was how quiet the fans were, that you could barely hear them at all.

The fan noise was first mentioned by Reflo in post 432262 in August. There was a series of follow-up posts by Vitolo (442317), Dreamerr and vtac. When I turned mine on the first time, it was what I was listening for.

This is an opinion thing, and for me, I got used to it very quickly and it doesn't bother me at all.
 
Last edited:

green2brown

Well-Known Member
I think there's some miscommunication/misunderstanding regarding the fans. The fan speed is only adjustable in aromatherapy mode where you can select "quiet mode" if you prefer. The noise marduk is experiencing is the unit maintaing temperature, as vtac explained in a prior post. With first use I heard it and was annoyed. However, I've found it quite easy to adjust to and now I don't even hear it anymore. So now I consider it to be quiet when at first I may not have.
 
Top Bottom