Heat Issues?

[Guest]

I plan on converting my attic into a grow space. I'm used to about 68-78 degree temps (o2) while growing my DWC. It will be a recirculating DWC grow this time, with my controller keeping all my h2o temps at a perfect 68F.

My issue is the attic gets very warm during the summer, or even during the day for that matter. 90-100 degrees. I planned on tieing into the power in the attic and using a few surges up there for safety. How can I keep these temps at the optimum level while growing? Window AC unit is out of the question, no windows. What kinds of equipment do you guys use to cool quietly?

I'm also going to be using 2 air cooled 400 watt switchable-ballast lights.

A rez chiller, Hanna Ph,tds,temp meter in my controller mounted for easy viewing.

10 buckets, 6 inches of air snake per bucket. FF nutes all the way, and their feeding regimine.

Another thing, the temps lowers to about 65-75 at night. I want this to be perfect so please respond seriously.

One last question, if I decide to go with MK Ultra & Sour D, can I get away with using 3.5 gallon black buckets as opposed to 5 gal buckets? Just for the height reasons, will it limit my grow that much?

I'll be using a co2 tank and emitter at 05 cubic ft. per hr.

Thanks IC, too bad our harmless hobby is illegal : (

blazindro

 

[MTF-Sandman]

You can do it, but you need to basically build a room in the attic and insulate it. Get a small mini-split AC (most stealth option) or modify a window unit into a portable and duct the heat out the eaves - problem with this is the window units get real inefficient with high temps going across the back end. Either way will let you run a sealed room and CO2. It ain't gonna be cheap to do it right...

 

[badmf]

Howdy Blaze..., 3 gallon pots will be more than enough. I have had two plants in a 3g and good results.
Since it is dark in there, 24 I hope, lol. You can run "your" days at nite to help off set temps. A "two duct" portable a/c unit with a sealed room as MTF said, will contain co2, allowing for higher temps (90-95f) at plant tops. Since height can be an issue for you, LST them to maintain yeilds. Summer temps in attics can get very hot so be prepared to use a higher rated ac than you may need now. The chiller is a big help for you but I would insulate the rez to maintain coolness ( or put it in another part of the house) I can see you nixing this idea, lol. Just had to say it since I run my rezs piped through the walls to the hydro. Anyway you seem to be well enough funded to make this a great stealth grow. But don't forget smell! Good Luck!!

 

[chosen]

Great idea. Run at night in order to keep your temps down. Hope that you don't light up like a jack o lantern.

 

[The Slickster]

Building the room in the attic with insulation is the way to go. Mandatory is the sealing off of any light leaks whatsoever. One temporary cheap fix of an idea if you will, is to use the home air conditioner to vent out through the attic. It will remove hot air, but you still need a form of odor control. So what you do is get a strong vortex and a charcoal filter, pass the cleaned air through the lights with Y adaptor, and place your ballasts or anything hot next to the charcoal filter to take away. Insulate the cooltubes and you should have a place to start from. Also, isulate the roof of the attic with foil to mylar like poly-shield or heat reflective material, that way the cool air is not heated so much.

 

[2buds]

Sandman said it, it ain't gonna be cheap. Are you ready? Break out that stack of cash or that new credit card. Seriously. The split ac unit is about your only option inside an attic. I would try and run the lights on a sealed air system but with a stout split ac system and only 2 400's you could probably just cool the room with the lights in it. Put your ballasts outside the room, be less heat. Your cooler is making heat too plus your in an attic, suns right on the other side there. Make yourself a door in a wall that gets you into the storage part of the attic while you build it. Easier before than after, trust here. On the split units you can hang the outer portion on a wall or something. When you get it all figured out, sleep on it before you jump in with both feet just in case you forgot something.
Peace

 

[Guest]

I was wondering what the best ac unit is for our hobby? Anything specific. Plans are coming together quickly!

I'll post the pencil sketches soon.

Keep the input coming, your helping design a kick ass stealth grow.

blazin

 

[Guest]

Alright, I'm so F'ing confused. I want to add a circuit breaker to my breaker panel, then run the wire to my attic and power my entire stealth room from the one breaker. I wanted to power up 3 recepticals and then split from there with surges of some sort. I'm in the US and I have 120V coming in.

What do I need guys, I'm no electrician... but I'm no fool either so I know I can do this.

I thought one circuit breaker, I have no idea what kind of wire to buy and a few recepticals. Help me out so I can do this safely and correctly.

I'm going to be running 2 400 watt lights, mini split AC, vortex fan or 2, rez chiller and 10 bubble buckets.

I appreciate the help guys!

blazin

 

[MTF-Sandman]

Alright, I'm so F'ing confused. I want to add a circuit breaker to my breaker panel, then run the wire to my attic and power my entire stealth room from the one breaker. I wanted to power up 3 recepticals and then split from there with surges of some sort. I'm in the US and I have 120V coming in.

What do I need guys, I'm no electrician... but I'm no fool either so I know I can do this.

I thought one circuit breaker, I have no idea what kind of wire to buy and a few recepticals. Help me out so I can do this safely and correctly.

I'm going to be running 2 400 watt lights, mini split AC, vortex fan or 2, rez chiller and 10 bubble buckets.

I appreciate the help guys!

blazin

Basically go to the local home improvement store and pick up a home wiring book, a 20a/120v breaker (same brand as the others in your main panel), enough 12/2 wire to reach to your desired location (remember it's easier to cut wire than stretch it :wink, a junction box, some red wirenuts, and enough outlet boxes for how ever many outlets you want to put in (along with the outlets of course).

IME, it's gonna be a smarter move to put a seperate circuit in for the AC...AC's, lights and chillers can suck up some serious juice - plus you might need a dehumidifier in there for night time use and they pretty much start at 400w of consumption. So with 800w of light, a 1/4hp chiller and a 32pt dehum you'd be looking at ~2000w total - and that doesn't leave anything for the AC.

For general use, mini-splits are about the most efficient out there...unless you want to spend big money - which isn't necessary for a small setup like this. As far as which one is "best" - just look at the specs of what's available to you. There's alot of junk on Ebay and a few excellent ones, so check the SEER/EER ratings of the ones that suit your needs and go from there.

 

[Guest]

Alright, I've come up with a few innovative ideas for my space. I will be building a room Sandman, and insulating it. I also will be running my electric exactly as your said.

Those AC units, even cheap are like 500 +. I just can't afford to swing that on top of my chiller, lights and equipment. I'm going to break my AC vent in 2 and split some duct to my grow space and mount a air vent in my room. I figure, it will be as cool as the rest of my apartment and save a lot of cash.

If anyone can think of any ideas to help me out in any way I'd appreciate it IC!

IC rules the herbal cultivation forums... FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM! Write to your congressmen, don't be a pussy. Stand up for what we believe in. It's the safest medicine out to date. I'd rather smoke a j and watch a movie then eat a handful of man-made chemicals from the doctor... who probably doesn't know what he gave you to begin with. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, don't be an asshole and sell all your pot and make us "grow to smoke group" look like jerks. Help your buddy set up a grow!

Stand the fuck up for what we do, it's not wrong. Don't let people fool you and always, be responsible IC.

blazindro212

 

[badmf]

An added piece; if you enclose the grow area really well, you'll only need to concern yourself with cooling that space. This will be much more efficient. If you build a "tent" and insulate it (or use plywood, with insulation) and then you may vent hot air out of the attic if you have a sealed tent. A/c the grow area and run any extra into your crib. So basically you would have a room within the attic that is a/c'ed! Any smell leaskage can be dealt with by sealing and odor elimination like Ona before it can exit the attic, or you could add ina carbon scrubber to get the best security. Just a thought.

 

[Guest]

Badmf, try to explain this to me a little better. I've gotten my feet wet today and climed up there, took some solid measurements and have come up with this.

12.5L x 9.5W x 8H... in feet of course. I'm going to build this room in my attic, exactly like a freaking bedroom. I will split 2 readily available AC ducts into my room. One duct from the north side of the room and one from the south side for maximum cooling. Should take care of my heat problem.

Then I will power the sealed room by adding a circuit to my current system... 20 amps should be plenty, and about 4-6 outlets in my grow space... right in the walls like a normal room. Should I add a switch to control these outlets or should I just time everything? If so, are those massive controllers for like 500+ worth it?

* Please help me figure out if I have a main breaker switch, not in my breaker box but next to my meter outside... I DO NOT WANT TO DIE! *

I have a 6inch duct running through the very middle of my grow room, can't I just cut that duct in half, put a T fitting on it and add a scrubber + vortex fan to move, hot/stinky/co2 + 02 out of my cab at a constant rate?

Is mylar needed, if so what's the benefit of using thicker mylar? Insulating I thought?

Ideas are finally coming together, help me make this a very efficent/stealth grow room, IC.



No main breaker to flip off, right?



Thanks,

blazin

 

[MTF-Sandman]

That looks like it is the main disconnect...flip it and see if your meter stops spinning.

Personally, I'd use a switch (mounted downstairs somewhere) to kill all those outlets...it's a nice safety incase someone comes over unexpected (like property management). You don't need one of those panels for a 20a setup...those are intended for 30a or 50a 240v connections.

If you tap that duct, it's probably gonna end up pushing hot air through the damper to the room below since it's a shorter path....which may be fine - just be aware of the possible outcome before doing it.

Mylar is for reflecting light back to the plants...thicker mylar is easier to apply without tearing, but neither offer any real insulating properties. Personally, I like Panda film...super durable, easy to clean and easier to hang than mylar (as well as being cheaper!).