Attic grow - Where to send my exhaust?

[hoosierdaddy]

The damper and thermostat can be key.
Sounds like you have a handle on what it takes to make it work, just try to keep efficiency in mind.

Exchanging the air from chamber to chamber to keep each other warm may work out well.
Also, small ceramic element heaters can keep a small space warm using very little energy...although for what they are, they are energy hogs. But if mounted safely and controlled properly, they can take care of your grow for two or three extreme months without incurring too much extra cost.

I know I stay on the efficiency thing lots...but in my situation, I have no choice. The old lady makes out the bills, and she monitors my energy usage with the utmost of scrutiny. I ran a large industrial sized fan to help keep my garage cool during July this year, and the old lady blew a good sized cork when the bill came in.
Things like that compromise my grow, and I can't have that!

 

[BudSmoker]

How about - I don't want to use this word - but the "wasted" air being pumped out of the house, how much will this tax my central ac unit?

 

[hoosierdaddy]

If you draw air from the house, you will always be sucking at the AC units intake (I would assume a furnace unit getting air from a plenum), whether the AC unit is running or not. Now, when the AC unit is running, you will be sucking on the cool air that would have been used to cool the house. You could do some math and figure your intake plenum size, how often the cycle is now, how much air you are taking out of the original volume, etc, etc... and come up with a near figure. But the proof is in the electric bill 30 days from start. That will tell you how much the unit is being taxed...or how much it taxes your wallet.
Not to mention the years of loss service...and don't think the unit will last a full 15-20 years if it is working twice as hard as normal. AC units aint cheap.

My question is why? You have access to good clean outside air. That is what you want. You can always exhaust the air any way you chose, and it won't effect the bottom line, but making a poor choice of intake air can and will greatly effect the bottom line.
There is a point of diminished returns on growing weed, especially if you put a good sized tag on the importance of the risk we take. Make it a big expensive venture, and you might as well buy rope.

 

[BudSmoker]

Hoosier - Thanks for all the advice . I am going to be drawing air from a window in the attic. I just have to do a bit of tweaking and thinking. I definitely want the grow to be efficient, low cost to operate, and most importantly safe.

How safe are these ceramic heaters?

Also could you explain the
"Big ventures... Buy a rope".
Sometimes I can be a little shallow

I think I may first construct a small mother and veg chamber.

I am going to start construction this weekend for the chamber. My ultimate goal for this veg chamber is to house a couple of moms and to supply me with 16-25 cutting every 2 months. I will be running SOG in 6" square pots.

I choose SOG for the following reasons.

• Good yeild - I have grown using several techniques. For me SOG provides more quality nugs and less popcorn fluff.
• Easy maintance - Set up a wick or drip organic soil grow. Just fill the res. with water and manually feed when needed.
• Fast and efficient - No veg time and Max yeild
• Flexible - ability to run multiple strains and/or perpetual cycles.

A new veg cabinet design is in the works.

The BudSmoker Attic Saga continues.....

 

[hoosierdaddy]

My point was that if your grow is going to be inefficient, and cost lots of money to run and maintain, you might as well buy rope (weed, herb, pot, dope, etc...) instead of grow it.

 

[BudSmoker]

Cool - never heard it called rope!