Air Cooled Hood vs. Cooling The Room

[BoneMan1000]

I have one issue that's troubling me and I keep flip-flopping on which way to go.

It seems that an air-cooled hood has the advantages of being able to keep heat down from the light's output, increase bulb life, as well as allowing you to place the light closer to the plants. The negatives are that the glass in the hood can cut the lumen output by up to 10%, and also having air move across the bulb can cause a voltage drop decreasing light output even more, up to 25% total loss of lumen output with this setup.

With that being said, wouldn't a grower be better off by controlling the temperature in a tent (for example) with solely a powerful speed controlled fan maybe in combination with controlling the temperature in the room, outside the tent? Of course you'd use a batwing or some other type of simple reflector instead of an air-cooled hood. On paper this seems to be the best way to go but I could be completely wrong, that's why I'm asking. Thanks.

 

[bwanabud]

I think you will have serious heat issues...plus the vented light is giving air exchange for plant growth.

A vented lite only increases ambient temp by 5% or so...the amount of ventilation needed inside a tent, without cooled lites....will be a wind tunnel...JMHO

 

[BoneMan1000]

I think you will have serious heat issues...plus the vented light is giving air exchange for plant growth.

A vented lite only increases ambient temp by 5% or so...the amount of ventilation needed inside a tent, without cooled lites....will be a wind tunnel...JMHO

It's gonna be a 1000w light in a little bigger than a 4x4 tent, so I'd need to be sucking out a lot air in order to cool the tent without an air-cooled hood. Thanks for that.

I'm not sure about your comment about air exchange. If I go the air-cooled hood route it would be setup: (FILTER)--->(FAN)--->(HOOD)--->(DUCTING)------>.

Without the air-cooled hood: (FILTER)--->(FAN)--->(DUCTING)------>.

It seems either way the air exchange would be the same? Thanks.

 

[pcduck]

I run mine filter>Hood>fan>exhaust and place ducting where needed. I pull instead of push.

I was wondering where you got your information on the total loss of lumens when using a/c reflectors? That seems like an awful high percentage loss for going a/c to me.

 

[OGKushman]

IMHO if I had to do it all over again....4ft parabolics and a mini split

 

[BoneMan1000]

IMHO if I had to do it all over again....4ft parabolics and a mini split

Thanks, can you explain what this is? Don't know what a "parabolic" is or a "mini-split". Thanks.

 

[OGKushman]

Hehehe

Sorry, If I had to start over with no equipment I would spend the ~1200$ on a mini split Air conditioner, and instead of sealed glass hoods I would buy open "parabolic" hoods.

I would have saved 4-500$ on expensive hoods and spent that towards a proper cooling system that could cool the open parabolic hoods.

 

[BoneMan1000]

I run mine filter>Hood>fan>exhaust and place ducting where needed. I pull instead of push.

I was wondering where you got your information on the total loss of lumens when using a/c reflectors? That seems like an awful high percentage loss for going a/c to me.

pcduck, It was from a video with a lighting pro. I tried to relocate it but can't find it. The common knowledge is that light is lost from having glass in the hood, but what was new in this video was the claim of a voltage drop from having air flow across the bulb. Something about the "arc" inside the bulb. I'll keep trying to find it and post it if I locate it.

 

[BoneMan1000]

Hehehe

Sorry, If I had to start over with no equipment I would spend the ~1200$ on a mini split Air conditioner, and instead of sealed glass hoods I would buy open "parabolic" hoods.

I would have saved 4-500$ on expensive hoods and spent that towards a proper cooling system that could cool the open parabolic hoods.

OGKushman, So a "proper cooling system that could cool the open parabolic hoods" would mean cooling the room instead of cooling the hoods, like I mentioned in my original post? Thanks.

 

[BoneMan1000]

I run mine filter>Hood>fan>exhaust and place ducting where needed. I pull instead of push.

I was wondering where you got your information on the total loss of lumens when using a/c reflectors? That seems like an awful high percentage loss for going a/c to me.

Here's the video I was talking about. It's later in the video where he discusses light loss from air flowing over the bulb:

hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUPlaKadogc&feature=relmfu

 

[pcduck]

I agree with OGK a proper cooling system is the best way to go for many, but it really depends on the growing conditions of each individual grow. And the cost involved to maintain the system.

As an example:My ac could never keep up with the heat of two 600's in my tent, without a/c hoods. My fan already sucks in the sides real good, so a bigger fan might collapse the tent. Having an intake air temp. that was cool enough to accomplish this without a/c hoods is detrimental to the growth of the plant in general.ime

 

[BoneMan1000]

I agree with OGK a proper cooling system is the best way to go for many, but it really depends on the growing conditions of each individual grow. And the cost involved to maintain the system.

As an example:My ac could never keep up with the heat of two 600's in my tent, without a/c hoods. My fan already sucks in the sides real good, so a bigger fan might collapse the tent. Having an intake air temp. that was cool enough to accomplish this without a/c hoods is detrimental to the growth of the plant in general.ime

I never knew about the collapsing the tent issue. I'm leaning towards an air-cooled hood. Thanks.

 

[pcduck]

Yeah I have 6" Vortex on a speed controller pulling through ducting,a wye then through 2 lights another wye,ductting, then to the carbon filter and it still sucks in the tent really good.

 

[BoneMan1000]

Yeah I have 6" Vortex on a speed controller pulling through ducting,a wye then through 2 lights another wye,ductting, then to the carbon filter and it still sucks in the tent really good.

pcduck, what's the cfm of that fan?

 

[pcduck]

pcduck, what's the cfm of that fan?

Vortex High Power, 449 CFM 6 inch Inline Fan

purchased from here:

plantlightinghydroponics.com/vortex-inch-449-cfm-high-power-inline-fan-p-353.html

 

[BoneMan1000]

Vortex High Power, 449 CFM 6 inch Inline Fan

purchased from here:

plantlightinghydroponics.com/vortex-inch-449-cfm-high-power-inline-fan-p-353.html

Thanks, I'm looking at similar type of fan, 6"/ 424 cfm. I'm gonna get a speed controller too. I am glad to hear that that size fan is plenty powerful enough.

 

[bwanabud]

Stick with the 6" PCD recommended....I bought the Vortex 8", it'll suck the chrome off a trailer hitch ball

 

[nouvellechef]

I would say it depends on the state you live in really. Hands down air cooled hood over cool tube.

OG is correct for his state. Sealed room running a mini split or frost box and CO2 in parabolics or the large bat wing reflectors suits a state that has high temp issues throughout the year. Here like in WA. Outside air can be pulled virtually 12 months a year thru the aircooled hoods and not bat an eye over 82 or so. Cooling with air will vastly be cheaper from a net cost(your cost) per gram of bud produced. However it could be argued that a sealed room will always yield more than a outside air cooler room. I see it every year in July/August in veg and flower. They just grow "harder" from the elevated CO2.

Sorry long response. I would go with air cooled hoods(local depending). I also dont think CO2 is right for a grower that has not mastered the piece of how to grow a plant and have it lush at harvest time w/ no problems the entire cycles either. Baby steps

 

[bwanabud]

Yea, dat ^^^

 

[BoneMan1000]

I would say it depends on the state you live in really. Hands down air cooled hood over cool tube.

OG is correct for his state. Sealed room running a mini split or frost box and CO2 in parabolics or the large bat wing reflectors suits a state that has high temp issues throughout the year. Here like in WA. Outside air can be pulled virtually 12 months a year thru the aircooled hoods and not bat an eye over 82 or so. Cooling with air will vastly be cheaper from a net cost(your cost) per gram of bud produced. However it could be argued that a sealed room will always yield more than a outside air cooler room. I see it every year in July/August in veg and flower. They just grow "harder" from the elevated CO2.

Sorry long response. I would go with air cooled hoods(local depending). I also dont think CO2 is right for a grower that has not mastered the piece of how to grow a plant and have it lush at harvest time w/ no problems the entire cycles either. Baby steps

Thankyou, I'm all straightened out now. Air-cooled hood and 6" fan. I'm in the northeast USA, Massachusetts, so that seems to fit your recommendation. Thanks for taking the time, and thanks to everyone.

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