How can I maintain the heat in my Grow room tent

**iloveit** · 01-19-2008, 05:53 PM

How do growers maintain the heat in grow tents especially in the smaller grow tents?
Do they keep a small heat fan in their with a thermostat or oil heater,or does the HPS ligths take care of that?

Im really confused on at this point...

**Al B. Fuct** · 01-20-2008, 04:56 AM

Depends on the ambient air temp around your op. If you live in Alaska, you're going to find it harder to control temps well enough to grow in your garage than most.

Most grows are harder to keep cool than keep warm. A thermostatically controlled exhaust fan is the starting point. The HPS lighting and ballast will provide plenty of heat for most grows (unless you're in Alaska...

)If you can't keep your temps under 28C, then other measures are required. Move the HPS ballast/s outside the grow room airspace. Use cooltube/s.

If your grow gets too cool in lights-off hours, add a dehumidifier. They can make enough heat to keep an op above 16C as well as keep humidity from spiking due to your thermostatically operated exhaust fan that won't be triggered during lights-off. Free distilled water, too.

**VictorVIcious** · 01-20-2008, 05:00 AM

If your grow gets too cool in lights-off hours, add a dehumidifier. They can make enough heat to keep an op above 16C as well as keep humidity from spiking due to your thermostatically operated exhaust fan that won't be triggered during lights-off. Free distilled water, too.

I don't think I had ever read this before. Is there a setting for the rh that you use? VV

**iloveit** · 01-20-2008, 05:01 AM

Good starting point for me, thanks!

**psyclone** · 01-20-2008, 05:06 AM

I had a huge winter condensation problem with my hydro system in a grow tent, in a garage, also low temps during lights out. A cheap thermostatic fan heater sorted it right out-temps between 70/75 now and ends humidity by drying the air out (takes a day or two of fiddling with the thermostat).
Al B. has it right about the cooling I think, I usually grow outdoors when temps rise. This year, fully formed and flowering girls are going out for the Spring 12/12 photoperiod. Two outdoor crops a year I hope

**Al B. Fuct** · 01-20-2008, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by VictorVIcious

I don't think I had ever read this before. Is there a setting for the rh that you use? VV

yeah... always on, 24/7.

If I had a more powerful dehumidifier, it would not run all the time, but the little one I have runs constantly when set for 40%RH.

**Al B. Fuct** · 01-20-2008, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by psyclone

I had a huge winter condensation problem with my hydro system in a grow tent, in a garage, also low temps during lights out. A cheap thermostatic fan heater sorted it right out-temps between 70/75 now and ends humidity by drying the air out (takes a day or two of fiddling with the thermostat).

The only problem with heaters is that they are expensive to run. Most draw about 1000-1200W even on "low."

A dehumidifier draws about 300W, making a little bit of heat while dehumidifiying.

**psyclone** · 01-21-2008, 01:40 AM

I count not the cost, compared to the agg of going out, paying too much to fill my stash, and then doing it all again next week, but for the Summer months, dehumidifier could be crucial. Again with the good advice Al B. I won't rep you again or people will talk.

**Al B. Fuct** · 01-21-2008, 01:57 AM

Dehumidifiers are most useful in winter. If the ambient air around the grow is very cool, thermostatically controlled exhaust fans may not run often enough. No grow should be allowed to go under 16C; a dehumidifier may put out just enough heat to keep the kids happy.

In summer, ambient air temps will often be high enough to trigger thermostatically controlled exhaust fans all by itself. A humidistatic switch can replace a dehumidifier for summer grow room operation. Your local building trade supply house will have thermo and humidistats.