1000 watt cooltube venting CFM

[growstrong]

I am going to be growing in a 4x4 tent running a 1000 watt mh and hps through whole grow. I am wondering about cfm in regards to cooling the light. No scrubber just outside of tent to outside of tent sealed from the inside of the tent (if that makes sense.) I will be running a 6 inch fan with scrubber for the air in the tent itself. So will a duct fan be enough for just the cooltube? It will not be running very far. Or do I need to pony up and buy another 6 inch inline fan? It can get quite warm in my house around summer, even with the ac.

 

[Smcizme]

I ran the same setup but I had my exhaust going to a window outside which I recommend you do as well be the 1000w gets really hot and that hot air will just build up in your grow room and cause your tent to have really high temps. During the summer I had to have a window ac and exhaust through a window just to keep temps down.

So to see if your version will work set everything up and run it for like 6 hours, without the plants, and come back and see what your temps are at. If they are extremely high then you know you need to exhaust that hot air somewhere else like another room or attic, etc. but you will find that it is worth if because 1000w grow some dense nugs.

 

[growstrong]

This is what I was planning to do exhaust out window some 3 foot away from grow tent. But I still need to know how much cfm to cool cooltube. not the tent itself, that will be a whole nother fan. for just the cooltube will a booster fan work or will I need another 6 inch inline (it's a 6 inch cooltube).

 

[Smcizme]

Just go Carbon scrubber | Fan | duct | air cool tube | duct | window. And what is cfm on the 6" fan? I think the one I have is 440 cfm and works well enough.

 

[growstrong]

The 6 inch is 440 cfm. My room can have some pretty wide fluctuations in temp. depending on the season. (Cold in winter Hot as hell in summer.) But I think your right. It should be enough, and if not I can always get another fan at a later date. (like summer)

I have another question concerning exhaust out a window. Anyone have advice on exhausting when it's cold out. I live in an apartment complex and everyone can see my window. I'm cheifly concerned about a giant billowing cloud of steam (only in winter) coming out my window. That would look sketchy as hell. any advice on that?

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

You could look at dual speed fans as an idea with two settings !

 

[growstrong]

One step ahead of you on that. the 6 inch inline will have a speed control on it for heat/humidity adjustment.

 

[mrbubbles87]

I struggle to keep temps down in my 4x4 with only a 600 watt HPS using a 6in 440cfm inline fan. In the summer I crank the central AC in our house and still have to dim it sometimes. You may want to consider an LED or a 400 watt HPS with supplemental t5s.
In the wintertime I have 0 issues tho.

 

[growstrong]

That is exactly why I want to dedicate a fan just for the cooltube. Like outside cooler air to light, to window. Then another fan from scrubber to window. Get my meaning. cooling the light with outside air. hot tent air will never be used to cool the light.

 

[mrbubbles87]

I understand what your saying and technically it's the proper way to hook up a cool tube but the major problem I've ran into is fluctuations in outdoor temperature. If it's above 60f outside your tents gonna get hot. Also, in an apartment I would want my setup to be as stealthy as possible which means minimizing the windows I use for ventilation. During tell winter you'll probably be fine but come spring you'll need some serious AC.

I've helped a few friends setup grows and they always think they need more wattage but honestly for a newer grower more wattage ends up causing more problems. I'd wager you'll get equal yields with less wattage just because your environment will be much easier to manage.

Just my 2 cents. I've learned a lot of hard lessons on temps vs wattage.