Stealth exhaust in winter ideas?

[growstrong]

O.K. here is my problem. I am getting ready to set up my 4x4 grow tent in an apartment back room. I have to exhaust out of window. (only choice) this window directly faces the street and everyone can see. For summer I am not worried since I plan on putting a window fan in window and atach ducting to fan. it wont look suspicious. Now what I am worried about is exhausting in winter and having a big billowing cloud of steam coming out my window. Does anyone have any ideas to remedy this?

 

[Comrade]

I think it's no so big for a *cloud* or even sings of any steam

 

[growstrong]

It seems to me it will look a lot like a dryer exhaust, clouds of steam coming out. If I am exhausting humid 80f out window in 30f temps, I am going to have a big cloud of hot air everyone can see.

 

[DRM Ranch]

If you have a dryer vent...

If not, do a sealed room/tent grow with no or minimal exhaust. You will need much more by way of environmental control devices to keep your environment in check but it is what it is.

 

[growstrong]

There has got to be some stealth growers on here in cold climates that have some diy ideas on how to vent out in to cold air. Ninja style.

 

[TanR]

Hi growstrong!

Belated Welcome to 420 Magazine and the community of folks that gather here!

Personally, I don't think the air you vent will be nearly as noticable as you suggest, but I have to agree with DRM Ranch that if your really concerned with the exhaust/steam cloud then perhaps do a sealed grow or alternatively vent to your indoor space after passing through a carbon filter. You might also consider a cool tube or other type enclosed light fixture cooled by pulling outdoor air in, through the light fixture, and then venting it directly into your apartment. This may keep the heat in the tent down to a managable 80f - 85f during lights on and provide the benefit of supplemental indoor warmth. Since the air cooling the lights wouldn't interact with the air in the tent no carbon filter needed! In the summer just reverse the fan direction to blow outdoors.

Be well and happy growing!

 

[growstrong]

Now thats a thought. I was looking at room-cooltube-out window, but going opposite is a good idea. Then when summer heat comes I can just reverse out. Thank you, that just opened up a whole new world with that idea.

Hi growstrong!

Belated Welcome to 420 Magazine and the community of folks that gather here!

Personally, I don't think the air you vent will be nearly as noticable as you suggest, but I have to agree with DRM Ranch that if your really concerned with the exhaust/steam cloud then perhaps do a sealed grow or alternatively vent to your indoor space after passing through a carbon filter. You might also consider a cool tube or other type enclosed light fixture cooled by pulling outdoor air in, through the light fixture, and then venting it directly into your apartment. This may keep the heat in the tent down to a managable 80f - 85f during lights on and provide the benefit of supplemental indoor warmth. Since the air cooling the lights wouldn't interact with the air in the tent no carbon filter needed! In the summer just reverse the fan direction to blow outdoors.

Be well and happy growing!

 

[TanR]

Happy to help!

 

[DRM Ranch]

There is still the issue of air exchange for the plants; they will transpire a measurable quantity of moisture into the air. Passing this into the living area may require a dehumidifier depending on how airtight the apartment is and how much plant mass you end up with. I have two plants that easily put 1gal (3.7L) of moisture into the air every 12 hours or so based on what I pull out of my dehumidifier twice a day, and that's with a 400cfm fan exhausting room air to the outside.

I don't assume you want to live in a perpetual humid environment, which could happen with lots of plant mass. The less plant mass you have the less this would be an issue.

If the air will be filtered to minimize or eliminate any odor and the plan is to cycle grow room air into the living area and back to the grow room you will at the very least need to monitor your apartment humidity level. Then decide if a dehumidifier is needed.



There should be some form of bathroom vent, I'd try to stealth into that if it is at all possible and the dryer vent isn't an option.

It's hard enough to keep a good environment for the plants even when you don't need to be stealthy. It always seems that some new thing needs to be purchased or some modification needs to be made.

Obviously living in an apartment isn't ideal for stealth growing, but I think very much that once you complete your grow you will find the effort well worth the trouble.

My lights come on in 5min so I have to get to work on my own garden. Best of luck to you.

 

[growstrong]

These are exactly the problems I am trying to figure out. Summer I can exhaust out my window and draw cool air from the room. (central ac) and venting in house during winter is not an option. I am on second floor apartment with no way of venting to attic, bathroom, etc. and my only spot to put a grow tent is in a small room with a couple of big fishtanks that put off their own humidity, and are vulnerable to a lot of heat. So I have to vent out window for tent circulation at least. I just worry about physicaly seeing exhaust coming out of window in winter cold months. There are no washer dryer hook ups in apartments so it would look completely weird if someone can see this. I am not worried about police or anything, because I am legal, but property management or landlord/nosey neighbor would deffinately be a problem. I suppose I will just have to vent out window, and keep an eye on it in the freezing morning from outside to see how "stealthy" it looks.

 

[DRM Ranch]

These are exactly the problems I am trying to figure out. Summer I can exhaust out my window and draw cool air from the room. (central ac) and venting in house during winter is not an option. I am on second floor apartment with no way of venting to attic, bathroom, etc. and my only spot to put a grow tent is in a small room with a couple of big fishtanks that put off their own humidity, and are vulnerable to a lot of heat. So I have to vent out window for tent circulation at least. I just worry about physicaly seeing exhaust coming out of window in winter cold months. There are no washer dryer hook ups in apartments so it would look completely weird if someone can see this. I am not worried about police or anything, because I am legal, but property management or landlord/nosey neighbor would deffinately be a problem. I suppose I will just have to vent out window, and keep an eye on it in the freezing morning from outside to see how "stealthy" it looks.

Look at running the lights at different times, mid day might be an option or perhaps at night when there is less activity in the area.

It sounds like you are going to have to get creative.

 

[Kingsnake235]

have you tested your system with the cool tube exhaust running out the window?

if it makes steam, i would suggest trying to make it work to vent into the room, or the rest of the apartment; try an oscillating fan in the room to control the humidity from the tanks, and open a window a bit..

if you absolutely can't, then yeah you may need to get creative.. you need to cool down your exhaust and/or dehumidify it some how. You could try using extra long ducting for your exhaust, giving the air a longer run; or an inline dehumidifier, or makeshift air mixing chamber… try shaping your exhaust like a vertical zigzag or elbow so the vapour can condense at the bottom or running it across the floor and up a wall like a smokestack to the top of a window. Or..

thats all i got for now..

i would try it out tho and see how bad it really is before you make any rash decisions i vent my 4x4 in my apartment, but i have very high ceilings with fans on them, so I'm sure that helps.

 

[CAT345longsti]

USE CARBON FILTER ...I would even put the end of ducting in a big plastic tub the bottom.. make a rack of some sort put in furnace flters then put filter cloth on top of them...get some high oder cat litter ,,iv heard barbecue charcoal break it up put on top of filter cloth then put filter cloth on top then furnace filters on top of that...the lid I would make a lot of thin slices up and down so there can be a lot of air exchange... I would buy some lavender plugins for the room too...good luck at trim time >>>DO late at night>>>

 

[CAT345longsti]

in the tub a lot of bottom space so air can hold while it raises up >>>i would go 4-6 inch of charcoal u could prob buy activated charcoal to which would work better

 

[Glitch911]

Apartment grows are scary in general. I would use a carbon filter and vent up into the crawlspace if your upstairs. You will have to damage the sheet rock. If not just like everyone has said sealed room, just make sure odor is taken care of. I have a stealthy 2x2 indoors and I vent inside.

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