HELP! 4 x 8 x 6.5 tent over heating like crazy!

[Screamz]

Hey fellas,

It's been a while since my first closet grow. I am trying to step up my game, second time around, but things are not working out exactly as planed. Currently the ladies are still in party cups and I'm running one 600w MH at 50% so I can keep the heat down in the tent. I was hoping to transplant this weekend to 5 galon pots and run both my 600w lights at 100%, but doing some testing this week I realized I will be running into major heat problems. I took the ladies out of the tent, and fired up both 600w and my temperatures jumped to 36C/97F, which is waaaay too hot. I made up this little sketch of my current set up, can someone please give me some advice on what to do.

This is my current set up


This is what I plan to do when the ladies start smell, I don't think it will decrease the temperatures that much.


Someone please help me, because I just blew like $1000 and wouldn't like my grow to go to waste because of high temps in the tent.

 

[guitarisgr8]

Hey mate.... so you have 2 air cooled hoods, and an exhaust with a filter.. Have you got an intake fan?

 

[Screamz]

2 air cooled hoods with 1 inline pulling air through them from the basement and back out to the basement. I have not yet added the exhaust with the carbon filter, because I still have to buy 1 more inline fan and the smell hasn't kicked in yet. My original setup was going to look something like this.



But than I realized that it's better to be cooling the lights with the air from the basement, since it's 22-24C(72-75F) outside the tent.

 

[blackforest]

Pull air through the carbon filter and have that exhaust air go through your hoods and vent out. Use the passive flaps at the bottom for intake. It will keep everything cool. You only need 1x 400cfm fan for the entire operation. I was setup like your diagram and slowly removed the extra fans and intake. Temps in tent are 3 deg above room temp.

 

[tazydevil93]

me 2 just posted a thread aswel almost same exact problem but worse lol check it out if you guys can

 

[Purpsdro420]

I run that same size tent and same lights and I have a 6" inline just for the lights and a 8" fan and filter to exhaust the tent. Putting in a second fan should drop your temps at least 5-10*

 

[Screamz]

Spoke to guy at the hydroponic store and he recommended I go with a 8" fan to cool the lights. So I'm heading over there now. I'll keep you guys posted how it goes.

Damn this is a expensive hobby lol.

 

[jondamon]

Spoke to guy at the hydroponic store and he recommended I go with a 8" fan to cool the lights. So I'm heading over there now. I'll keep you guys posted how it goes.

Damn this is a expensive hobby lol.

Ok here goes.


Picture 1.

All this shows is 2x600w vented.

Radiant heat from the lights will still heat up the grow area. You need to exhaust the area regardless if they "stink" or not. This is what keeps the area with a supply of air.

Picture 2
This shows how you should run your area.


From your explanation it sounds as though you are dumping all your heat from your lights straight into the room with you grow area located in it.

This is heating up the ambient air within the basement which is heating up your tent. The air is passing over your lights already warm and getting heated some more.

Unless you remove the heat from your lights out of the basement no amount of fan power will work.


Your hydro store guy just wants you to buy some more shit.


If you have everything in picture 2 already you DO NOT NEED ANYTHING MORE.

Duct your lights exhaust out of the basement.


Add some intake vents down low and hey presto your grow should be fine.




J

 

[Screamz]

Ok here goes.


Picture 1.

All this shows is 2x600w vented.

Radiant heat from the lights will still heat up the grow area. You need to exhaust the area regardless if they "stink" or not. This is what keeps the area with a supply of air.

Picture 2
This shows how you should run your area.


From your explanation it sounds as though you are dumping all your heat from your lights straight into the room with you grow area located in it.

This is heating up the ambient air within the basement which is heating up your tent. The air is passing over your lights already warm and getting heated some more.

Unless you remove the heat from your lights out of the basement no amount of fan power will work.


Your hydro store guy just wants you to buy some more shit.


If you have everything in picture 2 already you DO NOT NEED ANYTHING MORE.

Duct your lights exhaust out of the basement.


Add some intake vents down low and hey presto your grow should be fine.




J

Hey sorry for the mis understanding. I don't have everything for pic 2. I only got 1 too start with. Got a 8" 753 cfm now going to hook it up see what happens. I'll leave the 6" for the filter.

Update you guys soon.

 

[Spirallight]

You need two fans. Intake is almost always passive. You do not need an intake fan. Cut holes at the bottom of your tent and use black plumber pipe and make two 90 degree angles to keep light out of the tent. Make sure the pressure stays negative.

One fan will control the heat from the lamps. If you can, run the exhaust upstairs for added heat. That way the basement can keep cool fresh air in it.

You need to buy that second fan for tent exhaust through carbon filtering. Remember. If your system is set with 6" ducting and hoods an 8" fan doesn't do much good.

An option is to run the lamp cooling fan at all times while the lights are on.

Remember high humidity can cause worse problems then high temps. Keep the humidity in check too.

 

[FilthyFletch]

I run 3 600 watt lights in open reflectors in my 4x8 tents temps stay around 78 ish to 81. I dont see where you have fresh air coming into the tent? I see air going through the filter and air through the closet hoods. You need a fan sucking air from outside the tent dumping that cool air in to the tent. You then also need to have the carbon filter sucking air from inside the tent and blowing it out throught the filter to outside the tent.

 

[Screamz]

I run 3 600 watt lights in open reflectors in my 4x8 tents temps stay around 78 ish to 81. I dont see where you have fresh air coming into the tent? I see air going through the filter and air through the closet hoods. You need a fan sucking air from outside the tent dumping that cool air in to the tent. You then also need to have the carbon filter sucking air from inside the tent and blowing it out throught the filter to outside the tent.

There are 4 flaps on the bottom of the tent that are open for passive air coming in.

I swapped the 6" 400 cfm with a 750 cfm 8". Had to put a 8"-6" reducer but it seems to be working fine. Temps are down to 28C with one 600w at 100%. Tomorrow I will mount my old 6" with a carbon filter sucking air to the out of the tent. Than I'll test temps with 2 lights running. Will update then.

 

[Screamz]

Update:

Hooked up the 6" inline with a carbon filter. Turned both lights on 100% 30 min ago and temps are at 32C. Not sure what to do. I know at these kind of temps I will have a shitty grow. Can someone please give me some advice.

 

[Screamz]

Right now I have every set up at per pic #2 that I posted in main post. Here are some pics, I really dont know why the lights are not getting cooled. Put a 8" 750CFM fan just for them.

 

[blackforest]

What is the temp outside the tent? Also, double check the temps w/ more than 1 thermometer. I have several and they are all off a little. One I had was off a lot.

 

[Screamz]

What is the temp outside the tent? Also, double check the temps w/ more than 1 thermometer. I have several and they are all off a little. One I had was off a lot.

Outside tent 22C all day and night. Checked with 2 thermometers same with both. One of them is brand new that's why I bought it. I was in shock when the temps climbed to 35C.

 

[jondamon]

When you place a therm gauge in direct light of the lamps you get radiant heat increasing temps and as such a false reading.

I take my own temp readings at the ambient wall and just UNDER the canopy created by the plants.

Your oscillating fans are NOWHERE near large enough.

You'll want at least 4x12" desk fans in each corner for circulation.

Place a thermometer over on the side wall of the tent and take a reading. If its under 25C you should be fine.



J

 

[NorthofEngland]

When you place a therm gauge in direct light of the lamps you get radiant heat increasing temps and as such a false reading.

I take my own temp readings at the ambient wall and just UNDER the canopy created by the plants.

Your oscillating fans are NOWHERE near large enough.

You'll want at least 4x12" desk fans in each corner for circulation.

Place a thermometer over on the side wall of the tent and take a reading. If its under 25C you should be fine.



J

I have a few of those 6" clip on, fixed head fans.
They're OK for circulating air under the canopy
but won't have any cooling effect.

I use a 12" and a 16" (both 3 speed, oscillating) fans in my 4 x 4.

In my 8 x 4 I'll probably use a 12 or 16" in each corner
and a few 6" fixed head, clip ons - in the centre, below the canopy.

 

[guitarisgr8]

Have you tried 'pulling' air from the hoods instead of 'pushing'?

So pull the hot air from the hoods and dump in the basement.

 

[Herb Man]

You will need to suck the hot air not just out of the tent but out of the room/area the tent is in.

You then get your cold air from a different place, then you should be good.