Help!!!

[Joshua Ntr]

I have a series of questions on building a grow box and equipment placement. I have a utility unit that I want to build a 5 x 5 x 8 grow box. I'm insulating all the walls of the enclosure but need to know where to place my equipment and ventilation ports. I will be running raptor hood(1000 watts), dehumidifier , carbon scrubber and window unit. The temps in the building never gets above 90 but I. Do exhaust the air inside the unit. Any suggestions on placement of the equipment or even increase the size of the grow box to accommodate the equipment is needed. I will also modify the ac to blow cold air in the box. Should I blow air from the top or bottom of the enclosure ? The hood is air cooled. Any suggestion from you guys that have experience in this field is needed!

 

[Joshua Ntr]

Hmm....thanks for the advice. Peace!

 

[El Jefe]

Hi I don't know how big of a building you're gonna have your grow room in, but if you have the space and resources you should build a separate room for all the utilities (ballast, fans, etc.) I have even been thinking about how I could operate a dehumidifier in a separate space. This will lower your temps and put less stress on the ac.

What kind of ac are you using? Portable, modified window unit, minisplit? Or are you ducting in air from a central ac? With the first two you should be near a wall or window and exhaust to the outside, the latter already are placed outside. If you try to cool a grow room and you ac is pumping air into your utility unit your gonna break your equipment. As for blowing cold air anywheres fine but don't freeze your plants with a constant blast. Just make sure your temps are proper and you can blow it anywhere.

The light's exhaust should also be directed outdoors, and if it gets to 90 in the building then the intake should probably come from outside as well. It's better on the fan to "push" air through the light than to "pull" air so you'll want to take that into account. You could pull air from the box, through the light, and outside but you'll also be pulling out all your precious chilled air. Shit ain't free.

You're gonna need another fan for exhaust, which would be best served near or on top of your box to extract more heat. And another for intake somewhere near the bottom. You can set these on timers for a 5 minute blast of fresh air every 15 minutes or so.

Now a 5x5 box sounds awfully small for a 1000w light. Your gonna want to be able to move around in there without knocking things over. A 1000w will grow a 4x4 plot decently which only leaves you 6" to move. That's without anything else in the room.

Whats the power of your ac? You'll need to cool ~3000btu from the light, 500 per fan, and 2500 or so from the dehumidifier depending on its power usage. Not to mention it sounds like you'll be growing in an oven @ 90.

Throw out some more details on your equipment, space, budget, grow style, etc. and we can be of more help to you. Good luck brother!