DIY Carbon scrubber and air exchange box

[pan4gold49]

Hi Yall!

This is a do it yourself carbon scrubber and air exchange using case fans and rubbermaid tubs.
Man this stuff smells and my old DIY box just can't keep up so time to build a new one.

Materials list for 300cfm unit (12'x14'x10' room)
6 lbs of activated carbon. about $20
8 Case fans 120mm 12vdc 80cfm. I got 10 for $40
2 Rubbermaid tubs (size depends on filters) about $20
6 furnace filters 16x20in about $15
1 computer power supply or any 12vdc @ 1amp adapter

Just waiting on fans to get here so I will post all construction details very soon.
Do it yourself the best of stoner tech.
Pan4

 

[PotPie]

Thanks for posting. I look forward to seeing your build.

Can this be scaled down for a small cab grow (about 6 plants) into smaller tubs with fewer fans?

PotPie

 

[pan4gold49]

Thanks for posting. I look forward to seeing your build.

Can this be scaled down for a small cab grow (about 6 plants) into smaller tubs with fewer fans?

PotPie

I don't think it will be a problem to scale this down a bit.

Mine is for at least 24 plants.

Fans are here and will be starting soon.

Pan4

 

[rc51sport]

any update on this? im getting interested in making my own

GFs parents will be staying a couple nights in about a month
thanks


-RC

 

[WeedyMcWeedWeed]

yeah im just about to start my grow and i need a carbon filter bad..

 

[pan4gold49]

Sorry guy's It didn't work worth a damm and was a waste of time and money.
I tought it would work but can't quite get enought surface area. So I have to buy one that works. The carbon was the biggest problem and it's very hard to find stuff thats made for air filtering the stuff I got was for water.

Pan4

 

[rc51sport]

lol that sucks pan, nice try i thought it sounded possible
ill keep my eyes and mind open for carbon scrubber ideas, i used to be in the HVAC field of work so maybe i can think of something creative and add a UV filter in there or something to kill mold spores lol actually i meant that as a joke but as i thought about it it kinda sounded good.



-RC

 

[pan4gold49]

I was thinking that same thing but as an Ozone generator.

Pan4

 

[doughboy79]

I read this thing in HT about a DIY scrubber, but it was a 5-gallon bucket with lots of holes drilled at the bottom, a heppa filter at the bottom of the bucket cut out to the dimensions of the bucket bottom (laid flat and traced around the bottom of the bucket) then 25 lbs of activated carbon *yes the water/aquarium stuff* and a 5 gallon lid with a 4" flange poked through the top and kept airtight and in place with calk, i havent tried it yet because activated carbon is so freakin expencive, like 12 bucks for 8 ounces, but i found some on ebay for pretty cheap, i'm going to try it out and if it works i'll make a full post about it later, it would be just an airscrubber but no box, if anyones got the $$ to throw at it and try, let me know how it works out

 

[albertgrow123]

how about forming chicken wire into the size of your fan vent,tie together with good old cable ties,find carbon/grease proof filter paper(£15)b & q,wrap around outside of the chicken wire cable tie up again,then place a nylon stocking over input end(tie once again),connect to 6" or 8" extractor fan out through roof space.would this work?????????

 

[gorillagrow]

Has anyone ever considered, crushing some charcoal like what is used for barbecueing, isn't this made by the same process but larger pieces? It might be a bit of work but surely would be a lot less expensive! I looked it up in wikapedia and seems to be about the same material. Or am I all wet here?

 

[fylthevoyd]

I built the 5 gallon bucket one like was in HT....and yes activated charcoal is expensive to fill a 5 gallon bucket....so I opted for using plain ol' charcoal...crushing some and leaving some whole...filling the bucket totally....I run an inline 6" duct fan..into a 6" to 4" reducer into the bucket top .....it works like a charm....and my smelly girls are no longer even a slight notice....my grow set up is a 2' X 6' home built air tight enclosure....so I also have my intake vents...and you can't smell a thing coming out....until you open the closet....the fan was the most expensive cost at $30....everything else was less than $25....a very good DIY build

 

[gorillagrow]

Thats great I thought it might be, a good subsitute for the expensive activated carbon sold in pet stores! Little late for the set-up I just started using, I rigged up a 3" computer fan to a 3" X 30" piece of pvc, seems to be working good venting out of my grow room that is 4' X 9' under basement stairs. It's only been running little more than 36 hrs, time will tell if I will need to upgrade to something larger. but still nice to know that cheaper charcoal will do the trick, Thanks for the reply, I believe many, of the growers will benefit from your experience!

Life without harmony, isn't life!

 

[MisterPeabody]

Sorry guy's It didn't work worth a damm and was a waste of time and money.
I tought it would work but can't quite get enought surface area. So I have to buy one that works. The carbon was the biggest problem and it's very hard to find stuff thats made for air filtering the stuff I got was for water.

Pan4

Hmmm...The stuff (carbon) I got is also for water, and it works GREAT. The granules are smaller, however, it lets more air come in contact with the granules. My first attempt, I had way too thick of a carbon bed, creating to great of a restriction. The carbon bed is around 2 inches thick now, air flow has increased, and if you had your nose directly over the exhaust, you couldn't smell a thing. Peace