Cabinet Fans... problems in view

[turtle420]

Hello guys,

I hope you are all well when you read this.

I'd like to ask you for your input... I'm having problems with my cabinet.

Today, I built the carbon air scrubber... so when flowering starts, I won't have odor problems.

The carbon air scrubber is 12"x12" with a 7" height. It has three layers of polyester filling, and two layers of activated carbon. It was not "jam-packed", just spread out over the layers.

My PROBLEM: The air suction now inside the cabinet is almost non-existant. I can place a piece of 8x11 paper on the air scrubber intake, and it barely sucks it in.

Just 4 hours ago, that Dayton did a heavy-duty vacuum effect inside the cabinet. It's a 10", 550CFM axial Dayton...

Please check out the uploaded picture... you can see the air scrubber box, and the Dayton on top. On top of the Dayton, there's lots of air flow, but underneath the scrubber box, there's very little air suction... I'm sure it won't be enough air flow for the 400W MH... let alone the MH AND the 600W HPS.

HELP!

What to do?! I think the "pulling" force of the axial Dayton isn't enough.

Time is running short for this (flowering in less than 4 weeks) and money is even shorter.

Ideas? Suggestions?

I'm about to buy a squirrel [?] cage-type fan... rated @ 300CFM. I was planning on using that for the cool tube, to keep it - um - cool.

Maybe I can use the Dayton for the cool tube, and the 300CFM squirrel cage for the cabinet?

I know that the best way to resolve this problem is by trial and error, but I wanted to expose my situation to you guys to see what kind of input/idea/suggestions/comments you might have. As I said, the situation is further compouned by the time, and money factors.

I thank you all for your time in reading this, and I thank you in advance for any and all suggestions.

Best to you all,

-turtle420
.

turtle420 Reviewed by turtle420 on 02-27-2006. Cabinet Fans... problems in view Hello guys, I hope you are all well when you read this. I'd like to ask you for your input... I'm having problems with my cabinet. Today, I built the carbon air scrubber... so when flowering starts, I won't have odor problems. The carbon air scrubber is 12"x12" with a 7" height. It has three layers of polyester filling, and two layers of activated carbon. It was not "jam-packed", just spread out over the layers. Rating: 5

[turtle420]

Just in case, I wanted to input how the polyester filling and activated carbon layers are done. What follows, is a quasi-diagram (in text) of the air scrubber box.

DAYTON
-----------------
polyester filling (3)
-----------------
activated carbon (2c)
-----------------
polyester filling (2)
-----------------
activated carbon (1c)
-----------------
polyester filling (1)
-----------------

Now, on this "diagram", the dashes " --- " are the window screens' material... the very little tiny square holes.

<><><><>

Thoughts on improvements:
If no input from you guys, I'll un-build the box, remove all but the lowest of the polyester fillings, and join both carbon layers to create one big one... I hope that helps.


This really has me puzzled...

[Powder Puff]

Dang..! I wish I knew how to help man.. But I don't .. Sorry..

I'll try to follow this, so that I'll learn though.. To bad I can't be of any help..

Later

[ICEToker]

I had to use a scrubber on my 1st skunk grow...I took a 5 gallon bucket, cut (10) 2" holes in the bottom, covered em with a piece of screen and filled bucket with activated charcoal...I put a 4" inline fan on the lid and ran the exhaust up and out of the closet...

this worked fine for my super skunk...no smell at all...it lasted 4 grows and then I quit growing skunky weed and didnt need it any more...I hear the charcoal can be reactivated by baking in a 350degree oven for an hour or so...(BTw, I would expect this to smell alot, I'd be sure I have plenty of ventilation)

[HungryMcNasty]

damn turtle u know i would help u out because you have helped me so much but to this subject i am lost

[Crispyfried]

Inline fans, even the smallest 4" ones, have a crapload of power compared to axial fans. I guess the squirrel fan is essentially the same as an inline fan.

[turtle420]

Hello everybody,

Thanks a million for your inputs.

Using all your comments, I've got a new action plan:
Tomorrow, I'll buy the 300CFM squirrel-cage fan. I'll re-build the carbon air scrubber box (I'll remove the poly filling), and I'll install the 300CFM on top of that box... I hope the squirrel-cage design pulls enough.

Second upgrade: I'll install the Dayton 10" so it cools the cool tube... so, hopefully the cool tube will have over 500CFM to get cooled.

Let's see how this goes.

pPuff, ICEToker, HungryMcNasty and Crispyfried, thanks a million for the support... I'll let you know tomorrow how it goes!

Best guys,

-turtle420
.

[Powder Puff]

nice...

I hope it works for you man!:thumbsup:

On another notice, come to the chat room!

[scottw225]

put the fan pulling air thru the filters. Fans, by nature, don't do well, pushing air. This may sound nuts, but like pc fans, they are designed for pulling air. They don't produce enough psi, to force air by pushing it. You will have to remember, that the cfm, cubic feet per minute, is based on unobstructed air flow. put your fan under the filter, so it pulls the air thru the filter, and out the box.

just my 2cents

[Zandor]

Ok 2 things

1. Is there a gap between the fan and the filters? If so how big? If not why?

2.What fan is that, it looks like a large muffin fan?

You can get a fart fan from Lowed or HD or even eBay. But you need the open gap between the last filter and the fan or you will only be drawing from one place in the filter and not the whole area. Plus the fan needs that space to even out the backpressure.

How far is the duct run for the 2 lights that is a factor in what fan you need. Also you push air through the hoods not pull it btw.