Hello all, thank you to anyone reading this
I have been having serious difficulties with my Medicine grow box -- mostly because of choices that I have made! But I am stuck with those choices now, and still trying to march onward. Originally this project was to help save me money in the long run, and it is turning into a huge money-pit with no bottom! Heeeeelp
Here is what I am working with.
Location:
Garage - temps in the winter time inside the garage can/may reach as low as the mid 50's I am guessing. Perhaps even lower if it a very cold winter.
Box:
I have a 2' x 4' x 4' wooden box I constructed. Inside it is caulked air tight. I then laid 2" styro insulation throughout all sides. This was then covered with mylar reflective film. Weatherstripping around the doors, and it is indeed air tight and thoroughly insulated.
Lights:
AdvancedLED Diamond series full spectrum grow light
Heat:
Ceramic Heat Emitter, 60 watt (From pet store)
Exhaust Fan: (my problem..)
VenTech IF4 4" inline duct fan, 190 CFM's
Intake: (2) 4" holes, with grating.
Exhaust: (1) 4" hole, attached to exhaust fan + DIY carbon filter.
Filter - > Fan -> exhaust (PULLING the air through the filter.)
-----------------------------------------
So here is my problem. Heat. I went and bought this super duper expensive state of the art LED light, cause I was impressed with the lack of heat it made and the efficiency of it's energy use and durability and years of life. I thought to myself "man, how great is it that i won't have to worry about exhausting all that excess light/lamp heat!".... but to my unhappiness, I then realized "oh yeah, I won't have ANY heat now... in a garage-based box." ... then the forehead slapping began.
Currently my garage ambient temperature is around 65 degrees in the daytime.
Inside-box temperature with the exhaust running, is the same, 65 degrees.
So i added the CHE for heat... this did not add any noticable heat. Maybe 1 degree.
So then i did an experiment, and turned the fan off. My box quickly heated up into the 80's and even hit 90 degrees! .... So this told me right away, "ok genius, you got WAY too much fan... and it is sucking all your hot air right out of your box." --- this was confirmed as, when i turned the exhaust on, the temperature dropped 20 degrees in literally a few minutes, settling down to the same temp as the ambient garage temperature.
I would like some ideas and feedback and heeeeelllppp on what I should do to fix this problem. It is such a sweet box, it is paining me to have these heat problems.
Obvious answer: New fan? -- I just ordered a 100CFM in-line-duct-booster type fan.. and am going to try this..
Another answer: Bleed/dump excess air out the exhaust? .... would this work? Perhaps use a backdraft dampener and a Y connector.. and dump air out back into the box, and only allow part of it to go out the actual exhaust? ..... or....... maybe poke holes in the exhaust duct itself, bleeding air out that way before it leaves the box?
I have read in multiple forums that connecting an AC motor/fan like I have to a typical "dimmer switch" to adjust the speed of the fan is a fire hazzard and just asking to break your fan... and my fan only has 1 speed.
So i do not know how to control this problem. I am fairly positive I have too much exhaust, and it is pulling all the heat out of my box. What is every ones suggestion to solving this problem.. any work-around or advice is welcome. This has been wracking my brain.
Thanks
-SMILES
I have been having serious difficulties with my Medicine grow box -- mostly because of choices that I have made! But I am stuck with those choices now, and still trying to march onward. Originally this project was to help save me money in the long run, and it is turning into a huge money-pit with no bottom! Heeeeelp
Here is what I am working with.
Location:
Garage - temps in the winter time inside the garage can/may reach as low as the mid 50's I am guessing. Perhaps even lower if it a very cold winter.
Box:
I have a 2' x 4' x 4' wooden box I constructed. Inside it is caulked air tight. I then laid 2" styro insulation throughout all sides. This was then covered with mylar reflective film. Weatherstripping around the doors, and it is indeed air tight and thoroughly insulated.
Lights:
AdvancedLED Diamond series full spectrum grow light
Heat:
Ceramic Heat Emitter, 60 watt (From pet store)
Exhaust Fan: (my problem..)
VenTech IF4 4" inline duct fan, 190 CFM's
Intake: (2) 4" holes, with grating.
Exhaust: (1) 4" hole, attached to exhaust fan + DIY carbon filter.
Filter - > Fan -> exhaust (PULLING the air through the filter.)
-----------------------------------------
So here is my problem. Heat. I went and bought this super duper expensive state of the art LED light, cause I was impressed with the lack of heat it made and the efficiency of it's energy use and durability and years of life. I thought to myself "man, how great is it that i won't have to worry about exhausting all that excess light/lamp heat!".... but to my unhappiness, I then realized "oh yeah, I won't have ANY heat now... in a garage-based box." ... then the forehead slapping began.
Currently my garage ambient temperature is around 65 degrees in the daytime.
Inside-box temperature with the exhaust running, is the same, 65 degrees.
So i added the CHE for heat... this did not add any noticable heat. Maybe 1 degree.
So then i did an experiment, and turned the fan off. My box quickly heated up into the 80's and even hit 90 degrees! .... So this told me right away, "ok genius, you got WAY too much fan... and it is sucking all your hot air right out of your box." --- this was confirmed as, when i turned the exhaust on, the temperature dropped 20 degrees in literally a few minutes, settling down to the same temp as the ambient garage temperature.
I would like some ideas and feedback and heeeeelllppp on what I should do to fix this problem. It is such a sweet box, it is paining me to have these heat problems.
Obvious answer: New fan? -- I just ordered a 100CFM in-line-duct-booster type fan.. and am going to try this..
Another answer: Bleed/dump excess air out the exhaust? .... would this work? Perhaps use a backdraft dampener and a Y connector.. and dump air out back into the box, and only allow part of it to go out the actual exhaust? ..... or....... maybe poke holes in the exhaust duct itself, bleeding air out that way before it leaves the box?
I have read in multiple forums that connecting an AC motor/fan like I have to a typical "dimmer switch" to adjust the speed of the fan is a fire hazzard and just asking to break your fan... and my fan only has 1 speed.
So i do not know how to control this problem. I am fairly positive I have too much exhaust, and it is pulling all the heat out of my box. What is every ones suggestion to solving this problem.. any work-around or advice is welcome. This has been wracking my brain.
Thanks
-SMILES