Air intercooler construction

[cjf2612]

Ive been playing with ideas about how to build an intercooler for the supply of fresh air because ive been having temp problems.

I have two cfm fans ******* air in from outside and two cfm's exhausting but the temp is still going from 80 - 90.

Im thinking of incorporating a pot filled with ice cubes some how into the inlet route somehow. Has anyone done this before or has anyone got any suggestions about using an intercooler.

With my box door open a touch the temp is around 82 but this is still a touch high and not realistic to leave door open all day.

I pray I find the answer because ive spent so much time trying to get it right

 

[Bubby]

The idea of ice cubes seems a little 'out there', I don't know how you'd get that to work efficiently, over the long run.

What temperature is your reservoir? If they're cooler because of being on the ground, you could have the air run through a bunch of small lines in your reservoir.

CFM = cubic feet per minute

I'd recommend first trying some more, or more powerful fans. In a box, outside air exchange is usually the most practical solution to heat problems.

What size is your box, and how many CFM do your fans move? What kind of light are you using?

 

[cjf2612]

I have a 400 hps, fixxed glass to it myself.
My box is 44 ft cubed.
Out of the 4 fans only two are at full power at the moment as I only have one adapter to power them. Two are currently being powered by phone chargers but they only pump out 5 volts and obviously the fans are 12v so running just under half speed.

 

[cjf2612]

I ment cmf not cfm.lol

 

[Rocker420]

Their is actually a post in the DIY forum about someone who took an ice chest , drilled 2 holes on each side and ran his ducting through it to cool the air down. Look it up and see if its what your looking for.

 

[alaskabud]

I have two cfm fans ******* air in from outside and two cfm's exhausting but the temp is still going from 80 - 90.

whoever told you 80-90 degrees is bad for growing MJ knows nothing. You're right where you want to be, when it goes past 95 then do something to lower it.

 

[3patas]

me my self have a regular fan and a cop. fan and they work well but i have central air at the house so i dont know with out air conditioner

 

[cjf2612]

Thanks all

I believed and have read here many times that mj does best between 70-80 unless u have good co2 enrichment and high light levels.

Well my lumens per sq ft is 6875 (2ft x 4ft) with my 400 hps (55000)
which is pretty good but I have nothing else to compensate for temps I currently.

 

[cjf2612]

Their is actually a post in the DIY forum about someone who took an ice chest , drilled 2 holes on each side and ran his ducting through it to cool the air down. Look it up and see if its what your looking for.

Cheers Rocker

Found that post and similar on another site.
Not that far from wot I was thinking about.

 

[Firepower]

i have also read that if your temperature isnt clos to 74-76 F and hotter it will slow down growth..

 

[Stoney Bud]

i have also read that if your temperature isnt clos to 74-76 F and hotter it will slow down growth..

You're correct Firepower. It's the root zone that needs to be at that temp. The above ground temps can be as high as 80 degrees and still have optimum growth as long as the roots are kept at 75.

 

[Firepower]

then can i get a cookie??? LOL....
now that you bring that up, do people actually do anything to keep their roots temps down? like putting a fan at the bottom of the area blowing at the pots?? just curious..

 

[Stoney Bud]

then can i get a cookie??? LOL....
now that you bring that up, do people actually do anything to keep their roots temps down? like putting a fan at the bottom of the area blowing at the pots?? just curious..

<Stoney passes a HUGE cookie to Firepower>

Hahaha, I've used many methods to cool the root zone during a grow. The Moist towel method is my favorite. I've used them by draping them over the plant container while a fan blows through them. You can drop the temp of the root mass by ten degrees this way. For use during only the hottest part of the day, it's perfect. Too much and mold becomes a real problem.

Watering just before the hottest time of the day also helps. You can train yourself to water only enough to last until 24 hours later. It's really not rocket science. This will help keep the roots within the proper temp range longer than without. Combined with cooling cloths, it's no problem keeping the root zone at the best temps, even in very hot climates.

Having a nice BIG growing chamber is very important. The mass of the container will retard the heating of the soil, dramatically.

 

[Firepower]

Thats is some pretty good info Stoney, im surprised people arent using that method that much.. Thanks a lot..:cool2:

 

[cjf2612]

The above ground temps can be as high as 80 degrees and still have optimum growth as long as the roots are kept at 75.

Would 82 still be too high?

 

[Stoney Bud]

Would 82 still be too high?

As long as your root zone is close to 75, 82 isn't too hot. Measure the temp of your root zone.