Box too hot. Need some cool tube advice/info.

[glopal]

My box is done... but I ran into a problem. My 175 dollar inline fan doesnt move enough air to keep my box cool enough, it gets all the way up to 92F with my 430 son agro bulb.

So, after all this time and money I invested into this project, this was somewhat devastating. I took a break, my seedling were dying anyways. Now though after some R and R I think I'm ready to try to fix the box.

The obvious solution... cool tube. Now I'm all for buying one, the only problem is there is no way in hell I'm going to buy one that has it's own socket and ballast included, then put aside my expensive ballast I have already.

Are there stand alone cool tubes or those closed reflector hoods that I could use with my 400 watt ballast I already have? Any place to buy them online, a place that ships to Canada?

And then the other route, DIY cool tube. Now I've seen some of the ways to do it, the pyrex bread thing, candle holders, lantern glass, etc. Personally I'd rather build a box/reflector and put a flat piece of glass at the bottom. The only problem is custom building this metal box would be beyond my resources at the moment.

Any alternative materials to build a reflector hood out of? Or any other ideas?

 

[4u2sm0ke]

Hey friend how about some more info on your box?..You said it right the first time..Lets fix the box you are all ready invested in...whats it made of?..what kind of inline fan...How about exhaust..how?..what about installing a cpu fan at the light to aid in cooling?..also you could put tempered glass just below the light wll block some heat..but must be tempered..But lets start with some more info on setup..

 

[glopal]

Dimensions are about 3X4X5. Frame is 2by2s the walls are osb boards.

400 watt ballast with a 430 son agro bulb.

4 inch elicent inline fan for exhaust attached to a DIY carbon filter.

Air comes in through holes in the the floor, its kinda complicated, the floor is raised about 2 inches off the actual bottom, air comes in through a space in the side.

Have a little fan inside for air flow.

On 4 casters.

 

[glopal]

Hey friend how about some more info on your box?..You said it right the first time..Lets fix the box you are all ready invested in...whats it made of?..what kind of inline fan...How about exhaust..how?..what about installing a cpu fan at the light to aid in cooling?..also you could put tempered glass just below the light wll block some heat..but must be tempered..But lets start with some more info on setup..

How do I go about getting a custom piece of tempered glass?

 

[Flyinghigh]

check out ur glass company or maybe home depote, local wedding shop might have then too

 

[4u2sm0ke]

Hey friend...Call any Glass shop...we have speedy auto glass here..be sure its Tempered, regular glas will brake in the heat...also recomend you ask for 3/8 inch thick...mesure the size of light and add 1/2 inch all around..when hanging it be sure to put about 1/4 in from bottom of light,,to allow heat to get out...Hangging the glass gets tricky..due to your Box..I used "L" brackets with tie wire..what ever you chose be sure its not flammable..Good luck

 

[gcarlin_818]

Just thought i'd add my opinion if your willing to spend some dough and want to cut heat go with a watercooled reflector....that will solve your problem right there....if you have recipts take back the fan and get a res for the watercooled reflector....

 

[massproducer]

please explain your fresh air intakes a bit more for me, because I have a slight idea that this could be the problem, especially if you have an elicent fan. Air wants to come in as fast as it is being exhausted, it is about the pressure inside the grow cab.

Try cutting larger intakes so that more fresh air can get into your cab

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Are there stand alone cool tubes or those closed reflector hoods that I could use with my 400 watt ballast I already have? Any place to buy them online, a place that ships to Canada?

Yes, there are tons of them on E-Bay. Most of them come with the socket, but not the ballast. Most people on E-Bay ship globally.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HYDROPONIC-COOL...ryZ43554QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[SweetSoca]

my cooltube came with its own socket which i didn't need because my ballast already had one. so what i did is rip out the one connected to the cooltube with some pliers and connected my own. it took a little work but i managed to do it.

 

[Aurora_Indicas_Dad]

just take a piece of hurricane glass (its like an open ended flower vase) you can get em from hobby lobby for like $5 take that..attach it to the socket,then hook up a 250 cfm 6'' duct fan (with plug in cord..its $20 at home depot) to the hurricane..then hook up a 6'' flexible tubing to that and vent it out..then you'll be good to go.check the diy threads..you'll see a few threads on how to make one.if you want a euro hood (air cooled hood) htgsupply.com has em.good luck man