Cooling advice

Hi RIU,
I tried doing the math, but I dont know what my fans CFM is (have 2 4" fans atm) and the new 5" ones i've seen dont list it either.

I have a 2m tall 1.2m² tent. The light causing the temp problems is a 600w HPS. I am currently running at 23c/73f with my CFL, when i use the HPS temps rise fast to a steady 35c/95f.

So has anyone got any tips or links to some good fans you know will do the trick. I've seen a few cheap mini air con units I was wondering if these would work too. Any help is appreciated, thanks guys!

What hood are you using? I run 6" 409cfm wind tunnels by Sunleaves for 600W and it can still get 90's in there if you don't have air movement in the room the tent is in. I only use house's AC or open a window and never had a problem. That's with two tents in a room as well. How do you have you ventilation setup?

What's the temp outside the tent?

Invest in the correct kit to begin with or you'll just pay the same amount in the long run on electricity bills, or replacement fans for the shitty cheap ones which will inevitably break.

Air con pulls a significant amount of electricity, and should really only be used as a last resort, not as a long term solution.

You need an air cooled reflector, some ducting, a RVK fan, and blow the air from the fan OVER the light and out of the grow room....i.e out of the room the tent is in.

Thanks for the replies guys!

I currently have 2 4" fans, one intake at the bottom and one exhaust at the top connected to my filter. Ducting only connected from outside the tent so nothing blowing on lights right now.

Temps outside sit about 20c ish, not sure what they rise to with the HPS, I never checked.

Ive had a look at those RVK fans and they look good, I have an awesome reflector in mind also.

MoodyShoes said:

Invest in the correct kit to begin with or you'll just pay the same amount in the long run on electricity bills, or replacement fans for the shitty cheap ones which will inevitably break.

Air con pulls a significant amount of electricity, and should really only be used as a last resort, not as a long term solution.

You need an air cooled reflector, some ducting, a RVK fan, and blow the air from the fan OVER the light and out of the grow room....i.e out of the room the tent is in.

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This is what I would do^^^

Use your intake fan to blow through an aircooled reflector, and use the other fan as you are using it to pull air through the carbon filter, the make up air as it is called will get pulled in through vents in your tent.

I will probs have to buy new fans im guessing, mine are cheap 4" ones right now, I have room for 6", but i really need to keep the noise low, cos my neighbours are nosey btards!

TheLemon said:

I will probs have to buy new fans im guessing, mine are cheap 4" ones right now, I have room for 6", but i really need to keep the noise low, cos my neighbours are nosey btards!

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I live in a duplex where our master bedrooms are the connecting wall and I have 2 tents with 409cfm wind tunnels in each, in my bedroom, and you can't hear it through the walls. Hell I can't even hear it in the living room with my door closed unless right up on it and it just sounds like someone running a box fan. Think you'll be good.

TheLemon said:

I will probs have to buy new fans im guessing, mine are cheap 4" ones right now, I have room for 6", but i really need to keep the noise low, cos my neighbours are nosey btards!

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If your neighbors are nosey avoid them, and when or if my neighbors ask to many questions I smile and turn it into a game, but first they have to tell me something about there wifes vagina, then I can answer any questions they want.

The reality is a lot of stuff in a house can have a fan that makes noise. If they ask what the noise is just keep them guessing, just shrug and say you don't hear anything.

^^^^ I'm dying over here!!

I would imagine that would stop them in there tracks hee hee

OMG awesome, the asking about the wife's vag is perhaps the best way to deal with such situations haha.

I always thought that if they ever ask about noise I'd say its a game server rack, which put out a shit load of db.

So regarding cooling, you think the 2 6" fans with the intake blowing directly on the bulb will do the trick?

Ive also seen a cooling reflector with a glass door to keep the heat inside which i thought was a good idea also.

Directly on the bulb? Are you wanting to do bare bulb vertical, or you talking about getting a sealed hood?

If you're talking about an open wing reflector yes any air flowing across the bold is enough to keep it cool I've used bare vert bulbs in a 4x4 tent with box fan under blowing up. The real problem is the ambient heat put off. I don't know if a 4" fan has enough cfm to keep it cool enough. Maybe if the room the tent is in has a serious A/C.

Do you have an A/C vent over your tent?

I removed my supply vent and the duct was 6" so
I went to Home Depot and bought a 6" X 3' semi rigid duct.
I shoved it up into the duct in the ceiling and I taped a yard stick to the duct right on top of my tent, the yardstick keeps my connection tight.
(Yardstick holds duct up in the ceiling supply)

So I have my Home A/C set at 75 and my drop in my tent is 65 degrees at the opening.
I spread it with a 10" fan and my tent stays under 75 degrees under my 600 HPS in a sealed hood with a 6" fan ducted out the top of my tent.
My layout is carbon filter, light hood and then fan out the top of my tent.
At night the tent is 71-73 degrees.
I wish I thought to do this 3 years ago o my smaller tent.
The A/C goes into a sun hut Fortess 5.9" X 5.9" X 7'3".

Bless,
DZ

Trich_holmes, awesome name btw. at the moment I have an cheapo open wing reflector, but I was always gonna replace that, the one I have seen is a horizontal reflector with the normal cooling holes and a glass door, so I guess it is a sealed hood one, let me link you it if you dnt mind checking it out.
http://www.growell.co.uk/darkstar-air-cooled-lighting-systems.html

DZ. I live in the UK so we dont really have AC in our houses by default like you lucky buggers. When im talking bout AC, i mean the cheapo portable units you can get off amazon for like $100.
I have 3 fan holes in the tent and the standard 3 vents, do you mind sharing a pic so I can take a look at your yard stick setup lol, its kinda hard to imagine.

Thanks again guys!

The yardstick is taped to the duct and the weight of it all rests on the top of the tent.
I will have to climb up to get you a photo of the yardstick.

Hell you don't have yardsticks in the UK do you?

I would still do the same thing, I would put a shelf up on the Wall so the A/C is even with the top of your tent and then drop into the tent and exaust filtered air out a window.

Two fans in your tent is raising your temp.
Use one to draw air out of your tent and use passive air supplies.
That's one less motor running in your tent.
Bless,
DZ

Just to get an idea. I run 3, 600w open reflectors in a 20ft x 15ft room, using a 10000 btu window unit that I payed around $250 for and I have no issue even when it's 115f here where I live. I also run 2 4x4 tents (600w sealed in each) in my bedroom just off of an open patio door and a lil A/C here and there. With strong enough extraction fans, you won't really have an issue. And don't worry bout sound. Unless you can hear your neighbor talk though the wall then they'll never hear these fans. The Wind tunnels are extremely quiet.

I did not use tape, I forgot I used zip ties to secure the yardstick to the duct.
DZ

Dogenzengi said:

The yardstick is taped to the duct and the weight of it all rests on the top of the tent.
I will have to climb up to get you a photo of the yardstick.

Hell you don't have yardsticks in the UK do you?

I would still do the same thing, I would put a shelf up on the Wall so the A/C is even with the top of your tent and then drop into the tent and exaust filtered air out a window.

Two fans in your tent is raising your temp.
Use one to draw air out of your tent and use passive air supplies.
That's one less motor running in your tent.
Bless,
DZ

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Genius!! I used to have a manifold I made from a large box and tin foil to do this from a floor vent. Whatever works my friend!!