What are the methods to cool HEAT?

[tekneeqs]

I know air conditioning is amongst the most popular method of cooling a grow room's heat. But in my setup an A/C is almost impractical, hard to setup, basically I don't want to use an AC, at all. Especially in the winter, wouldn't the water just freeze or something, causing malfunction? I don't know, I'm just guessing here.

I guess I'm looking for alternative solutions to cool the heat before I dispense it outside the window, because in the winter time all that heat will surely create a smokey affect outside my window, attracting curious pedestrians.

Also, I saw a thread from "SEALED ROOM 3LBS A LIGHT" by tranoble and he mentioned something about a device that exchanges water for heat? Can anyone with knowledge about this enlighten me?

Again, just to sum up, my two simple questions are:

1) What are alternative methods to cool all the heat in a grow room?
2) What is this device that uses water to kill heat?

[MegaOctane12]

There are watercooled lights that are very VERY expensive, they eliminate heat alltogether. Sorry I can't be more help.

[tekneeqs]

There are watercooled lights that are very VERY expensive, they eliminate heat alltogether. Sorry I can't be more help.

Thanks for your input. I'd really consider it if money weren't an issue =p
It seems complicated and still a developing technology. I've heard of water-cooled computer components and they sure work well but even for those little components it look like they require so much work and money.

[MegaOctane12]

Well here's an example http://www.1-hydroponics.co.uk/grow-lights/water-cooled-400w.htm

[dryst]

i was think about this while i was high a bit back...its just a threoy...so here it goes...

if ur grow room is relativly small, then u could freeze bottles of water, or even gallons if need be...have 1 set out in the grow room cool it down and have another set in the freezer and just alternate the 2 so ull always have 1 in the grow room and 1 set in the freezer...im nto sure if itll work but its feels like a good idea, i dunno maybe im just really high :p

[tekneeqs]

Well here's an example http://www.1-hydroponics.co.uk/grow-lights/water-cooled-400w.htm

Woah with money spent on one of those I can get myself a complete 3x1000watt light setup with all the goodies.

Damn.. arn't there any other methods to eliminate heat besides an A/C? Oh, this brings up another question. Would the AC work if I just let it sit on the ground, enclosed inside the room instead of being hung onto a window?

[tekneeqs]

i was think about this while i was high a bit back...its just a threoy...so here it goes...

if ur grow room is relativly small, then u could freeze bottles of water, or even gallons if need be...have 1 set out in the grow room cool it down and have another set in the freezer and just alternate the 2 so ull always have 1 in the grow room and 1 set in the freezer...im nto sure if itll work but its feels like a good idea, i dunno maybe im just really high :p


LOL.. That shit is hilarious! Must be some good shiet u smoking! hahaha.. I feel ya though, I get 'creative' all the time when I'm stoned..

Actually, that might be a pretty good idea, but on a larger scale. You said water bottles? haha I don't know about those, they're too small and they would just melt in seconds considering the 2x1000watt setup I have in mind. I was thinking that might work on a larger scale, like a bigass rubbermaid box or something, fill it with water, freeze it up then let the air pass through it then out the window. But that would mean I'd need to buy a separate freezer to fit the box in.

This brings up another question, are there anything out there that is like an AC but smaller? Just enough so I can create a box to mix the cold air with the hot lamp air before I push it out the window. An AC would work I guess but they're kinda big.

Hmmm.. I guess if worst comes to worst then I'd have to get myself a bulky AC and sit it inside the room. So, will an AC work without one side being outside the window?

[Stylus]

well around how hot it is in there? a good ventilation system goin outside or to an attic helps with heat dramtically. also throw some oscialting fans in there to blow some air around, also lowers the temp a few degress. but w/e ya come up with good luck and happy tokin:rasta:

[babystarbud]

im in the UK, but i picked up this unit a few months back from a shop called B&Q ( equivelant to home depot in U.S i guess )

i was having the same problem, air conditioners in this country start at about £200 for cheap ones, i needed cool air but not at that price, in a small grow like mine air-con is probably overkill.

this thing is called an "air cooler" it cost £40-50 and is a good compormise between air con and just a fan.
its a stand alone unit about 2feet high and about a foot square.
in the top part there is a fan unit, and in the bottom, a resevoir of water.

there is towel that slowly rotates through the water , and past the fan, so air is blown through the wet towel cooling the air, and out the vents at the front of the unit.

this, in combination with a decent duct fan to pull air out of the room has solved all my heat/air circulation problems.....but my set up is only small with 1 hps light,.

[babystarbud]

heres the unit in action! lol

it might be worth noting that this unit blows out moist air, rather than dry air that you get with air-con.

i havent had any problems with humidity, i get a constant 50-60%

but if you live in a huimid climate it may be an issue. saying that though, power is ajustable, low medium, high so you can set it to what you need. i doubt youll get much more humid than ambient levels anyway, ive found that it barely increases humidity.

[tekneeqs]

heres the unit in action! lol

it might be worth noting that this unit blows out moist air, rather than dry air that you get with air-con.

i havent had any problems with humidity, i get a constant 50-60%

but if you live in a huimid climate it may be an issue. saying that though, power is ajustable, low medium, high so you can set it to what you need. i doubt youll get much more humid than ambient levels anyway, ive found that it barely increases humidity.


How many watts is ur HPS? I have a 2 x 1000 watt setup in mind, maybe even 3. I wonder if that unit will be adaquate to cool the air, or atleast cool it enough so when its blown outside into the -30celcius winter air it won't create a smoke?

[babystarbud]

im using a single hi-spec 400 watter on 6 plants.

the air cooler im using would cope with 2 400 watters easey i think if you have a good size grow room.

im growing in a closet in a spare room that is light proofed, so all the air in the room acts as a buffer zone to provide fresh air, i open the door to the main room daily to let new air in.

i only need to use the unit on low/medium power, and only when the lights are on.

so i guess at most you would need two units on full power.

saying that, 2 x 1000 watt bulbs is kinda big if your not an experianced grower, if your looking to get a large area of light covered then 2 x 600 watts or 3/4 x 400 watts might be more economical.
for power consumed V's volume of finished product? its somthing you should maybe look into.

[babystarbud]

heres a plan view of my set up.

[babystarbud]

another thing to mention, if your comfortable in the grow room, then the plants are too......in which case any air thats vented wont be too hot either.

if your venting hot air, then your plants are too hot. ( unless your using cool tubes or cooled reflector housing )

[tekneeqs]

another thing to mention, if your comfortable in the grow room, then the plants are too......in which case any air thats vented wont be too hot either.

if your venting hot air, then your plants are too hot. ( unless your using cool tubes or cooled reflector housing )

Oh no, I just want the heat to cool down before I send it outside the window so it won't be smokey so that it won't look like the room is on fire or something.

[babystarbud]

wtf? lol last time i checked plants dont give off smoke unless they are on fire.

i asumed you were talking about the mirage effect caused by rising heat...youd have to have a VERY HOT room in a very cold environmrnt for that to happen.

[tekneeqs]

No, I mentioned earlier if u scroll up, there's a post that I mentioned that I'm concerned about the heat in the winter time because I will be dispensing it out the window. Hot and cold air will create smoke and might cause people to call the fire department on my ass =p

[babystarbud]

oh, right i understand now.

your worried about a mirage ( shimmering air ) caused by rising heat.

if thats a problem you can just run some small ducting outside the house from the vent exit, so the air has chance to cool down outside before it reaches the final exit point.

or if your venting into the atticc just have a nice long vent duct curled up in the corner.

using an open window for vent is fine, but on the scale of 3 1kw lamps you are going to need some kind of custom/improvised ventilation system.

unless you live in alaska or norway, i cant see it even being an issue to be honest....where do you live and what set up have you got?

[tekneeqs]

I live in Canada, so the winter is pretty harsh and cold. As for setup, I've got nothing for this one I have in mind so far, still planning it out. But right now I have a 2x400W setup in a closet of 3x2ft with 6 plants sitting inside. Good idea with venting it outside and giving it a chance to cool down but this is actually going to be an apartment complex so I can't do that even if I wanted to.

[babystarbud]

sorry with my limited knowledge i cant help you then mate, looks like a cheap air-con unit or some kind of heat exchange is your only option if your dead set on using that kind of power.

all i can suggest is looking at building a large scale version of what they use for hard core computer cooling, but thats basicly an air-con system anyway.

by the sound of it, you need to get the exhaust heat spread out, so maybe you could have multiple long exhust pipes....but in an apartment thts gonna be impossible.

a portble standalone air-con unit is your only option really.