I need help with the ventilation

[Schnitzy]

So, I have 2 rooms in my basement each equipped with 4x Mars Hydro FC 6500 lights, intake fan, extractor and ventilator. The basement itself is pretty much like a bunker - the temperature rarely goes below 20 or over 22 (in both summer and winter). Now here's the problem: the moment I turn on the ventilation, the temperature drops too low since the outside temperature is currently -1. It gets even worse when the lights are turned off, obviously. Problem is, I can't bring the air from the rest of the house and considering that basement is pretty big - it would suck up the entire air from the house very quickly. I also have radiators but they're pretty close to my plants so I'm afraid they will burn the closest ones no matter the ventilation and moving them further simply isn't doable due to space. I'm seriously going mental here as I've never dealt with ventilation in my life. How the hell am I supposed to vent my room when the air brought in is basically polar cold? I assume ventilators themselves only circulate the air rather than bring fresh one, and since the extractor pulls that air outside, it means I'll basically create a frickin vacuum with no CO2. I need your help guys because this is the last step to finishing this project and it's driving me mad.

Thanks in advance!

 

[bluter]

So, I have 2 rooms in my basement each equipped with 4x Mars Hydro FC 6500 lights, intake fan, extractor and ventilator. The basement itself is pretty much like a bunker - the temperature rarely goes below 20 or over 22 (in both summer and winter). Now here's the problem: the moment I turn on the ventilation, the temperature drops too low since the outside temperature is currently -1. It gets even worse when the lights are turned off, obviously. Problem is, I can't bring the air from the rest of the house and considering that basement is pretty big - it would suck up the entire air from the house very quickly. I also have radiators but they're pretty close to my plants so I'm afraid they will burn the closest ones no matter the ventilation and moving them further simply isn't doable due to space. I'm seriously going mental here as I've never dealt with ventilation in my life. How the hell am I supposed to vent my room when the air brought in is basically polar cold? I assume ventilators themselves only circulate the air rather than bring fresh one, and since the extractor pulls that air outside, it means I'll basically create a frickin vacuum with no CO2. I need your help guys because this is the last step to finishing this project and it's driving me mad.

Thanks in advance!

try a damper on the exhaust side, or run a fan with temp control. the damper is old school and will work if you run your fan constant. the temp control is a bit higher tech, and may be easier to implement.


for intake just use passive intake pulling air from the interior of the basement. you don't need to bring in outside air, especially if your exhaust fan is decent.

 

[Schnitzy]

for intake just use passive intake pulling air from the interior of the basement. you don't need to bring in outside air, especially if your exhaust fan is decent.

This is what I dont understand. So the extractor extracts the air but where the hell does the new air come from? I'm sorry for elementary school level of questions but I honestly have no frickin clue how this shit works.

 

[Roy Growin]

Hiya @Schnitzy - I know this problem and it's a tough one
Best I managed was to warm the room with a heater, then ventilate in thoroughly once a day, at the warmest time
The circulating fan will mix the air pretty quick and average out the temps
Might get a bit cold temporarily but I don't see what else can be done to get some fresh air in that isn't freezing cold, it's got to be mixed with warm air

 

[Schnitzy]

Hiya @Schnitzy - I know this problem and it's a tough one
Best I managed was to warm the room with a heater, then ventilate in thoroughly once a day, at the warmest time
The circulating fan will mix the air pretty quick and average out the temps
Might get a bit cold temporarily but I don't see what else can be done to get some fresh air in that isn't freezing cold, it's got to be mixed with warm air

If you thought it doesn't get worse, my lights are literally working on almost full electricity capacity and since all the heaters are above 2000W it would disconnect my electricity hence forcing me to use the damn radiators that are so close to the plants.

 

[bluter]

This is what I dont understand. So the extractor extracts the air but where the hell does the new air come from? I'm sorry for elementary school level of questions but I honestly have no frickin clue how this shit works.

just gets sucked in through the sides of tent. cracks in door edges etc. most tents come with intake vents lower down. when i build my grow spaces i incorporate an air column or use a light trap left open for extra air.

for a small grow it's not worth it to pull air in from outdoor and is usually easier to control with inside air.


edit : in short - don't worry about intake, just exhaust. if you get that right there is no issues.

 

[Schnitzy]

just gets sucked in through the sides of tent. cracks in door edges etc. most tents come with intake vents lower down. when i build my grow spaces i incorporate an air column or use a light trap left open for extra air.

for a small grow it's not worth it to pull air in from outdoor and is usually easier to control with inside air.


edit : in short - don't worry about intake, just exhaust. if you get that right there is no issues.

Yeah, the problem here is that I'm not using a tent but rather an entire basement and it would require of me to basically tear down the ceiling to bring the warm air from the house. It's just so ridiculous that there isn't any solution to this in 2021, like a little heater before the van to regulate the temperature or at least some light heating of the pipes to warm it up before it enters the room.

 

[bluter]

Yeah, the problem here is that I'm not using a tent but rather an entire basement and it would require of me to basically tear down the ceiling to bring the warm air from the house. It's just so ridiculous that there isn't any solution to this in 2021, like a little heater before the van to regulate the temperature or at least some light heating of the pipes to warm it up before it enters the room.

you are way over thinking. i ran 2 flower rooms with over 200 plants, 2 8 x 8 veg rooms, a 6 x 6 seedling room, and drying rooms. all of it on one giant extractor exhausting a bit over 500 sq ft from two rooms.

all of our intake was passive. not one issue, including odor. we did run lung rooms though.

 

[Schnitzy]

you are way over thinking. i ran 2 flower rooms with over 200 plants, 2 8 x 8 veg rooms, a 6 x 6 seedling room, and drying rooms. all of it on one giant extractor exhausting a bit over 500 sq ft from two rooms.

all of our intake was passive. not one issue, including odor. we did run lung rooms though.

Overthinking - that's one thing I always do, years of working as an analyst did its job. My problem is that I don't even have a passive intake because the basement is sealed like a frickin can of soda. I mean its basically bunker.

 

[bluter]

Overthinking - that's one thing I always do, years of working as an analyst did its job. My problem is that I don't even have a passive intake because the basement is sealed like a frickin can of soda. I mean its basically bunker.

would have to see your set up. sounds like you should set it up as a lung room - room within room - and exhaust the main room to outdoor. essentially subdividing with tents or rooms. i built my own 8 x 8 x 8 tent pods for the main flower area.

i would use active intake and exhaust on the individual rooms, both pulling and exhausting from the main (lung) room, not from outdoor. you won't need much for intake and exhaust on the individual rooms / tents. we used amplifier fans, which are like heavy duty computer fans, but they move more air.

the main extractor exhausted direct to outdoor and was scrubbed.

 

[Schnitzy]

Hope this helps mate!

 

[Schnitzy]

would have to see your set up. sounds like you should set it up as a lung room - room within room - and exhaust the main room to outdoor. essentially subdividing with tents or rooms. i built my own 8 x 8 x 8 tent pods for the main flower area.

i would use active intake and exhaust on the individual rooms, both pulling and exhausting from the main (lung) room, not from outdoor. you won't need much for intake and exhaust on the individual rooms / tents. we used amplifier fans, which are like heavy duty computer fans, but they move more air.

the main extractor exhausted direct to outdoor and was scrubbed.

Check above

 

[bluter]

just close off the outside intake. don't use it at all. better yet put a damper on it and you can open it for summer grows.

by the way it's a bit close to the exhaust.

edit : just monitor your temps and humidity. if they climb to much open the damper a touch. it takes very little. i wouldn't have bothered with the intake at all. it's gonna pull plenty without.

 

[Schnitzy]

just close off the outside intake. don't use it at all. better yet put a damper on it and you can open it for summer grows.

by the way it's a bit close to the exhaust.

edit : just monitor your temps and humidity. if they climb to much open the damper a touch. it takes very little. i wouldn't have bothered with the intake at all. it's gonna pull plenty without.

I already bought 4x dampers few hours ago and ngl that piece of plastic cost WAY too much. As for the intake being close, it's because thats the only window I have there so I'll just buy more pipes to move it around. In fact, I'm going to buy 30 metres of it and make a little vent avenue on the wall so by the time it leaves the pipe it will hopefully be a tad warmer. Thanks a lot for all the input mate, youve been a lifesaver!

 

[Schnitzy]

I already bought 4x dampers few hours ago and ngl that piece of plastic cost WAY too much. As for the intake being close, it's because thats the only window I have there so I'll just buy more pipes to move it around. In fact, I'm going to buy 30 metres of it and make a little vent avenue on the wall so by the time it leaves the pipe it will hopefully be a tad warmer. Thanks a lot for all the input mate, youve been a lifesaver!

Sorry to bother but since you know what youre talking about, could you please tell me how should I set my extractor settings to? 15 mins every hour? Also, will opening the basement door once a day be enough since I legit have no passive intake?

 

[bluter]

Sorry to bother but since you know what youre talking about, could you please tell me how should I set my extractor settings to? 15 mins every hour? Also, will opening the basement door once a day be enough since I legit have no passive intake?

extractor settings will change with the plants growth. i run old school. my fans go 24/7. it's overkill on the flower room. it was from a much larger grow lol.

if the fans are compatible you can simply put a speed adjuster in. turn up or down as needed by your temp or humidity. at some point i'm gonna put an adjustable fan in my flower room.


pests are another reason i would board those intakes right up. mites are microscopic and could get in that way no problem. if you only do winter grows it's not an issue so much.

 

[Schnitzy]

extractor settings will change with the plants growth. i run old school. my fans go 24/7. it's overkill on the flower room. it was from a much larger grow lol.

if the fans are compatible you can simply put a speed adjuster in. turn up or down as needed by you temp or humidity. at some point i'm gonna put an adjustable fan in my flower room.


pests are another reason i would board those intakes right up. mites are microscopic and could get in that way no problem. if you only do winter grows it's not an issue so much.

Didn't even think about it, you're completely right, I'm going to seal those damn intakes until spring. Also, I just got an idea, I'm going to buy those net openings for the bottom of the door and simply make passive intake from the main room. I wanted to bring the active intake from there but unfortunately I share this room with people and the doors have to be closed otherwise they might ruin the night cycle. I think it should work!

 

[TysonOG]

I say lung room or invest in a co2 tank and don't bother with ventilation.

 

[Bill284]

extractor settings will change with the plants growth. i run old school. my fans go 24/7. it's overkill on the flower room. it was from a much larger grow lol.

if the fans are compatible you can simply put a speed adjuster in. turn up or down as needed by you temp or humidity. at some point i'm gonna put an adjustable fan in my flower room.


pests are another reason i would board those intakes right up. mites are microscopic and could get in that way no problem. if you only do winter grows it's not an issue so much.

Looking at that pic, mind you I haven't read everything.
Don't you think that radiator would heat the room without hurting the plants?


Stay safe
Bill

 

[bluter]

Didn't even think about it, you're completely right, I'm going to seal those damn intakes until spring. Also, I just got an idea, I'm going to buy those net openings for the bottom of the door and simply make passive intake from the main room. I wanted to bring the active intake from there but unfortunately I share this room with people and the doors have to be closed otherwise they might ruin the night cycle. I think it should work!

run the space first. you can always add passive indoor intake after if your conditions warrant

I say lung room or invest in a co2 tank and don't bother with ventilation.

essentially where i been pushing him. didn't want to add confusion over adding c02



for extractor fans you want it big enough to exchange air every 5 mins minimum.
mine actually do it in under 2 cause i like going big

the measurement of air movement is cfm. cubic feet per minute. it measures how much air the fan moves. your fans will have a cfm rating. to determine the fan size you determine your grow space and do the math.