12K Medical Grow. Looking for some opinions/info.

Yeah I didnt read ALL the posts from the 3 pages but I did read your ventilation plan w one fan at the roof. I understand the concept of heat rises but heat falls before it rises, it gets pushed to where the light ends and then disperses from there. Your entire room will become a hot box even with an attic fan blowing directly out of your roof.

What you need to do (and I speak from a smaller growing set up experience) is with that exhaust fan at the top of the room install fans that are set to blow in pattern to circulate the air in a way that it will scoop the heat from directly under the lights and bring it to the exhaust fan.

For instance in a very small scale lets say a 5x5 room - If the lights running the time you need them creates a heat of lets say 100 degrees + in that room, it will take a certain amount of ventilation to do it, measured by CFMs. You want to make sure that the exhaust fan you install will vent OUT as many square feet are in the room (of air). You also need a couple more fans in there on the floor blowing up. I prefer a circular pattern as to blowing directly on the plants.

Place one room sized fan in each corner of the room blowing in a clockwise pattern and one fan in the middle of the room facing straight up. I am NOT a specialist in room ventilation but what this LOGICALLY will produce is a tornado effect which will push all of the colder ground air up to the hot air by the lights. It will cool the hot air at the same time as tornado this up to the exhaust fan.

The key is to make sure that your main EXHAUST fan has enough CFM to clear the room easily. As for the other fans I dont think its a big deal what you get, the ones on the floor can just be regular window fans or the circular ones w the base so u can point them the way u want them.

Sorry for the long post and please let me finish by saying I AM NOT AN EXPERIENCED GROWER OF THIS MAGNITUDE - However what I can say is your system need a serious thought of proper ventilation or you will end up killing your plants and or burning your house down.

Ps put multiple smoke detectors in that room and if you cant hear the smoke detectors go off from where you usually are in the house (living room, kitchen, bedroom) then spend the extra 20 bucks on a baby monitor w a supply of batteries, put one in the room by a detector and the other in your house.

Safety first man. lol

a mongo frog said:

no it wont. some of the best grow rooms, sealed rooms dont have any in or out venting.

Click to expand...

Unless you have a cooling system and or a 50 ft high ceiling, I think your an idiot for saying that lol.

I personally think you should elaborate when you say "dont have ventilation" next thing you kno some retard is going to set his apartment complex on fire because you said the 5 HID lamps hes using in a small room dont need ventilation.

The ventilation isnt really for the HEAT itself its for the fresh air getting to the plants - it also cools the room and scoops the hot air out of the ceiling and blows it out the window.

I didnt read every post between you two, maybe the poster understands you, but from what you just said? well idk i wouldnt take much of your advice lol

5-10 HID lamps + 20 plants + small room + no ventilation = extreme fire hazard. On the other hand 5-10 HID lamps + 20 plants + small room + no ventilation +cooling system = OK Big difference between the two.

I don't like that on the 12' wall you have lights with no plants between the bulbs and the wall. Lots of wasted light there.

I threw away the idea of trying to exhaust the heat. Im going to be cool tubing, and sealing her up. Co2 and A/c. Now im trying to figure out the best way to cool the room. Like i said i have an opportunity to get a new in box 2.5 ton AC unit. But i dont know the best way to hook it up. Im leaning towards the idea of placing the coil above my lights(somewhat near the ballasts) and using a blower to blow the air. Will this work without a box/air exchanger? Wasted light? Yes. Seems i will be adding patients after a run or 2. I will be setting up for 12 lights though. It leaves room to expand if necessary.

Byron said:

I threw away the idea of trying to exhaust the heat. Im going to be cool tubing, and sealing her up. Co2 and A/c. Now im trying to figure out the best way to cool the room. Like i said i have an opportunity to get a new in box 2.5 ton AC unit. But i dont know the best way to hook it up. Im leaning towards the idea of placing the coil above my lights(somewhat near the ballasts) and using a blower to blow the air. Will this work without a box/air exchanger? Wasted light? Yes. Seems i will be adding patients after a run or 2. I will be setting up for 12 lights though. It leaves room to expand if necessary.

Click to expand...

Check into the Icebox, it's a heat exchanger made for sealing a room with air cooled lights. It's a great concept, really simple, and if combined with a buried water barrel outside you don't even need a chiller. Lookup Legallyflying's post about his tankless water heater and you'll see what I mean about the buried water barrel...

Didn't read everything but ur def. Gonna wanna get air cooled hoods. That's just to much heat to "efficiently" cool with ac. Sealed rooms are great. You do need co2 but virtually eliminate pest problems.

You should look up collectivegardeners "20,000 watt midical grow". Tons of good info and good peeps and great pictures. If you look at pics starting around pg 45 you can get a good idea of how to setup ventilation and lights. Obviously read the first few pgs as well but the best pics start around pg 45 and on