Venting Problem! Built a better Passive Intake and Temps Got Higher!?!?

**thrawn** · 12-18-2008, 07:34 AM

oi mates,

SO, my venting system for my closet (4x3x7) consists of...

insulated ducting attached to my hood that goes up about three feet to my squirrel fan which I have suspended mid air which then blows air through my outake and finally through the carbon scrubber attached outside of my closet.

last night I built a new intake that connected my closet to the long hallway outside of my room (see pics). I thought this would lower my temps, which have been around 85 degrees, at least 5 degrees because it would bring in colder more circulated air.

BUT!

for some reason, even with the closet door completely sealed with weather stripping, the temps rose 15 degreees! i was using the bottom of my door as the intake before but it was recirculating air that was vented out of my scrubber back into my closet. so i thought this was going to be a better option.

Check the pics!!!1 anyone see why this has not worked at all?!?!

im leaving for three weeks and wanted to get the closet sealed and maintain good temps, so this is a bummer.

thanks for your help!

**thrawn** · 12-19-2008, 06:32 AM

30 views and no responses? eh what can you do.

either way, problem was fixed by cleaning out the squirrel fan with duster.

thanks anyway...

**flamdrags420** · 12-19-2008, 08:27 AM

your post was a bit unclear. You have the squirel cage fan sucking air out of the closet and pushing it into the filter right?

i don't know what your layout is of the closet. But I think it could be possible that you aren't really venting the air out of the closet. Especially since you added another passive intake. You maybe recycling that hot stale air from this intake of yours. I'm not sure where the intake is in relation to the exhaust. But I think this is what's happening, especially if you have no air flow in your living space. Your taking the heat from the closet and dumping it in the living space it looks like thus heating up the living space. If you have no kind of air exchange or one of lesser rates than that which is in the closet, then you aren't doing yourself any good. They don't teach on here to dump exhaust outside of your home without good reason.

From what I see, you have 2 options:
Duct that exhaust outside or
make sure your living space is replacing or mixing up that freshly heated air at a higher rate than it's been supplied.

**thrawn** · 12-20-2008, 07:11 AM

yes. the air is being sucked from under the hood and then pushed through the scrubber outside the closet. the intake is OUTSIDE my room in the form of a vent on a long hallway. so the air is not mixing and the exhange is incredible

the fan just so happened to be fulll of dust. cleaned it, temps down to 78 degrees from 85!!!!

**latinrascal** · 01-05-2009, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by thrawn

yes. the air is being sucked from under the hood and then pushed through the scrubber outside the closet. the intake is OUTSIDE my room in the form of a vent on a long hallway. so the air is not mixing and the exhange is incredible

the fan just so happened to be fulll of dust. cleaned it, temps down to 78 degrees from 85!!!!

Good to hear you corrected your problem but i have something to throw at you. That carbon filter will work better if it was the first in line , meaning-Passive air inlet to room(vent in wall) Then Carbon filter, light then fan to outside of room, Yes it will take up some space in your room but it is more efficient this way and also you wont have anybody asking what that thing is hanging on your wall. Just a thought. Oh the reasons why its more efficient is when you push the air then it hits the resistive filter you may get blowback past the light or fan which may evenout the rooms pressure which will cause leaks to outside the room from other cracks. When its being sucked through the filter then your system will only take what it can handle. To test this theory place a straw in your favorite beverage of choice and then by sucking from the straw you will enjoy an enjoying sensation while it quenches your thirst, Now try blowing into the glass. Peace. If this dont make sense i was medicating.