Question about my carbon extractor fan

[fixer]

Good evening 420M

As the title suggests, I am currently on my first indoor LED grow (last 2 grows were out doors) so all of this is kind of new to me, having a great success with the Mars hydro 700 so far.

As far as I was aware, the open ended side extracted all of the odours/air which sucked in to the filter and releasing fresh filtered air. But after reading on various posts, I have got it all wrong, or have I? Can it be used this way?

My grow room is a storing cupboard, thick concreted walls, opening up the wall in NOT a option and the nearest window is several metres away.

I just wanted for some one on here to confirm my carbon extractor has been set up properly or my options, I am not wanting to attract the attention of the in laws

The ladies... What do you all think.. Thanks.

 

[arteekay]

This'd be a recirculating odor reduction setup. I've read you need to pump up the cfm but it should work fine. I've also read anecdotal suggestions that the smell reduction isn't limited to the air, and your girls might end up smelling less themselves.

I've seen similar setup in a video from a carbon filter manufacturer, so I'm fairly confident you're fine.

 

[fixer]

Hey thanks for the reply.

When you say I need to pump up the cfm, do you mean turning the speed up on my room fan? The extractor fan pictured has no speed control, only a on/off switch.

Anybody else want to chip in, I can really start these smell the sweet fruit as I am here typing this reply out

 

[Sascwatch]

The air in the room should go from the filter to the fan and out of the room, fresh air can be drawn in with a passive intake.

With your current setup you will be filtering the air in the room over and over. It's always good to exhaust the hot humid air and filter it on its way out.

 

[arteekay]

Hey thanks for the reply.

When you say I need to pump up the cfm, do you mean turning the speed up on my room fan? The extractor fan pictured has no speed control, only a on/off switch.

Not that there is anything you can do with your current setup, but I'd read or watched a video where the recommendation was that if you needed 100 cfm to refresh the entire grow space from an exterior source, you should look at scrubbing 200 cfm if it's being recirculated.

The air in the room should go from the filter to the fan and out of the room, fresh air can be drawn in with a passive intake.

With your current setup you will be filtering the air in the room over and over. It's always good to exhaust the hot humid air and filter it on its way out.

That is without question the preferred configuration, but if I remember correctly Fixer said he can't do much about it.

Without a source of fresh air, controlling the closed environment is paramount and I'm guessing somewhat difficult.

 

[fixer]

The air in the room should go from the filter to the fan and out of the room, fresh air can be drawn in with a passive intake.

With your current setup you will be filtering the air in the room over and over. It's always good to exhaust the hot humid air and filter it on its way out.

I know this would be the ideal set up, but what I am saying is, I am growing in a sealed room, surrounded by concreted walls, the nearest window being metres.

arteekay... So do you think with my current set up, "some" of the odours will get scooped in to the filter and release fresh(ish) air? The odours are my main concern.

Have you got a link to the video you mentioned, i have tried searching, but turned up nada.

 

[arteekay]

Absolutely it will, the odor just needs contact with the carbon to become neutralized, you'll reduce the smell but not sure even if you could eliminate it that you'd want to. The environment the plant exists in smells, not a thing we can do about that.

Might have to re-evaluate your growspace as a completely closed system will require far more monitoring and adjustment than most new growers could handle well. They need fresh air to survive, by mid to late veg or early bloom, that could mean replacing all the air every minute or two.

If it's a closed and sealed system, the smell will stay inside and I don't see the value in odor removal. If it's an open system you need to force the exhaust to come through the carbon filter by creating a slightly negative pressure space so that leaks occur inward.

I'll try and find the video or source again, just not sure it's the most important consideration you currently have to think about.

 

[fixer]

That is a good point you mention, I currently have the door slightly ajar to allow odour/air/smell to move in/out during the day. As long it does eliminate some degree of the odours, i'd be happy. Will have to resort to the sealed room once the in laws stay for the week ends and hope there nostrils don't detect my crop.

Thanks.

 

[arteekay]

An Ona jar will help as well, assuming your in-laws don't regularly visit grow ops the smell of it shouldn't be familiar.

 

[Bill Baggs]

You should be exhausting the carbon filter outside of the tent to maintain negative pressure. You will also need 'make up air' coming in from outside. Also, lower CFM's (but not too low) means longer dwell time in the activated carbon.