Quick question for air cooled users.

[cflauto]

I have a 1m x 1m x 2m tent, a 6" l1 rvk fan, a 6" a1 rvk fan, a 5" a1 rvk fan, a 5" cheapo in let fan and 2 x 4" cheapo inlet fans. I have recently got a 600w digi hps and a pre owned diamond reflector.

My questions are, do I need an air cooled reflector for a 600 in a 1x1x2 tent? if so how best could i best utilise my equipment? could a 5" air cooled reflector with my 5" rvk sufficiently cool a 600? Or should I get a 6" hood and use the 6" a1?

I will be extracting the reflector into same room from the same room(no other option)is that ok? With a small open window and and large occillating fan.

Sorry for the essay, I have researched but find Lots of different answers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[maimunji]

If you extract in to the same room I don't think air cooled is needed.

 

[cflauto]

i mean in the same room the tent will be in. Or would it be pointless.

 

[maimunji]

Yes I mean exactly same. How big is room when tent sit and what is ambient temp there.

 

[cflauto]

its in a 4m x 5m room with an ambient temp of about 17-20C (62-68f). i don't have the ability to cut any extraction holes in said room. it was fine with my 400w in the 1x1x2m tent using an sms twin with the 5" rvk extracting through a filter and the cheapo 5" intake fan. lights on temps topping at about 27-30c (80-82f). generally was about 25C ish (77f) but that was winter/spring.

 

[CoCoSativas]

If you extract in to the same room I don't think air cooled is needed.

I dont agree with you. I have a 600 in the same size tent and have temp issues out the ass sometimes with my cooltube. Venting into the same room, unless a basement wont help, you will suck that heat right back in.

Man get a cool tube or ac reflector, or a led, or exhaust outside. Even exhausted outside you will probably need to air cool the shit.

Use the daimond for cfl vegging or sell it. They suck with hid, hot spots... Cheap shit

 

[cflauto]

good info CoCo, thanks. so where do you extract to/from?
i wont use the diamond then, i have a 6 tube t5 for veg.
is that a 5 or 6" cool tube?

 

[maimunji]

If you extract in small room like 4x5 after 2 hours you will fuck this room with heat and temp there will be 30 C+ in summer. How air cooled will help you with ambient temp 30 C +. I agree with rvk 6 a1 you need air cooled hood because without you will have heat issues but extract heat outdoor is nessesary in summer out of this small open window if you can

 

[maimunji]

But if you have A\C unit in this room everithing will be different.

 

[CoCoSativas]

good info CoCo, thanks. so where do you extract to/from?
i wont use the diamond then, i have a 6 tube t5 for veg.
is that a 5 or 6" cool tube?

Blow it out the window, out of a duct.

Standard cool tubes come in 6 or 8 inch

 

[CoCoSativas]

But if you have A\C unit in this room everithing will be different.

Why ac the room if you can blow the heat outside?

Do you live in the tropics? Most people run their light at night so the temp isint that high...

Id take this posters advice with a grain of salt. His choices wouldnt be my first choices. First he says blow heat into the room. Next its ac the room. Waste of power and money a axial fan and ducting is alot cheaper than ac and powering it.

 

[cflauto]

ok it looks like I'm gonna have to blow out of the window. I was trying to avoid it, if if needs be. I'm thinking using the "6 a1 for the lights blowing out the window, and the 5" rvk for my pre existing carbon filter blowing into the room from the tent. And the cheapo 5" as an intake. sound reasonable?

 

[CoCoSativas]

If you blow the air from the cool tube or ac reflector out the window, as well as the exhaust from the filter you will not have any heat issues for sure. You can join the two with a y duct and tada no problem, only one hose to the window.

Buy a bunch of flexie duct. Good to have on hand for tents.

Match your exit cfm going in to whats going in. Otyerwise you will either balloon the tent or suck it really tight.

You may not need a intake fan. Mine has square vents on the side with easily removable covers. If you have a secret jardin (i have for veg), gorilla or a mammoth like my flower tent, your tent will have them. I run a can 33 with a 4" s&p inline for exhaust. With one vent open i have enough airflow my plants were happy, and the passive intake was good enough the tents pressure stayed neutral.

You can use the intake fan, but not needed really

 

[cflauto]

Good plan with the y splitter ill have grab a 6" to 5" reducer for the filter duct. I think if I air cool the light a 6" extracter and filter would be too much. So ill stick to my 5. My only issue is that the bit connected to the window frame (spigot?) would have to be easily removable due to rare inspections with notice., good velcro?

 

[CoCoSativas]

Good plan with the y splitter ill have grab a 6" to 5" reducer for the filter duct. I think if I air cool the light a 6" extracter and filter would be too much. So ill stick to my 5. My only issue is that the bit connected to the window frame (spigot?) would have to be easily removable due to rare inspections with notice., good velcro?

Man its up to you how you put up and take the hose down.

Myself, id get a metal strap, and screw it to the window frame with metal screws. Takes 2 seconds to unscrew and wont come off. Depending on te material of the window frame or surrounding trim or wall you pick the type of screw based on that. Use drywall screws for drywall etc...

Yeah neck the 5" hose with a reducer and strap it to the y split, then its only one hose. You got the idea man.

Sometimes a walk through home depot (or local hardware store) will solve your problem.



Heres how my cooltube is setup

 

[cflauto]

Thanks for your help.I think I've got a good idea now. nice setup. Although I would put your ballast on the outside your tent, that might help with some of your temp issues you were talking about.

 

[CoCoSativas]

I am aware ballasts produce heat. However that particular ballast, while being as good as a digi gets, produces Radio Frequency Interference. By cutting the cord down i dont worry about it. If it had a long cord its like a antenna and broadcasts the high frequency interference, drawing attention to me. I live in an appartment. Im not worried about the ballast with a case temp of 30c, compared to the 700 degree lamp its running.

If you use digitals, keep your cords minimum length.

Thats a gavita digistar 600 watt. The ballast is actually cool to touch. Gavita products are impressive, look at the pro series. Ballast attached to reflector. Tjey arent for tents tho, and gavita recomends you ac rooms rather than fixtures. I agree with them, and hate using air cool reflector however i need to in summer in my tent. Cant ac a tent properly without ballooning it unless your exit cfm is high enough, which mine isint it would be to loud.

Anyway, ill take the heat over the other kind of heat... I live in an appartment and even one ballast could fuck with some old persons am radio or shitty tv..

My problem is i am using a all glass cool tube. I need a hood, this thing is a piece of shit. I need a quality ac hood that works better than this "cooltube"... Its counter productive in my grow with top of the line gear, having this junk...

 

[cflauto]

i never knew that about digi ballasts. ive got some reading to do.
i was thinking of getting a larger air cooled reflector then a cool tube.

 

[CoCoSativas]

They all produce rfi. Some more than others the cheap chinese shit is the worst.

That said my quality ballast drives a bulb better than a cheapie digi or a magnetic.

Get the hood, forget cooltubes. I hate mine. Its a wack piece of shit.

My setup is fine, and grows great dope, it just needs a better reflector to drop it a few degrees

 

[CoCoSativas]

Cooltubes are good for putting 125 watt cfls in tho. Small grow cabs, plants can grow into it without getting contact burn. For a 200 watt cfl use a 8" tube...