4x4 tent trouble

JCave said:

Is your ballast dimmable?
Can you use a lower power bulb on that ballast?

I have a 600w hps but growing indoors it makes way to much heat, so I always ran it dimmed at 75% power. Then my temps were a lot more manageable and I didn't have to run the A/C 24/7.

Click to expand...

astronautrob said:

With fans, blowing or sucking doesn't effect or change the efficiency. A lot would argue blowing is actually better but who knows. You'll have to break out that other fan unless you can vent cold air in to the tent like skyrocket said, that would be your best option

Click to expand...

CommercialGrow said:

Not sure what your current situation is but tents are a bit tricky to use. Haven't used one in years myself. Your options to control environment are limited.

Typically what I did in the past was to leave the doors open on the tent during lights on. This will dramatically lower your temps. Keep your can fan going to cool your lights at the same time. You need to crack that bedroom window to regulate the entire room temperature or hook up an intake from another cold air source. Close your tent door during lights off but still keep that can fan going to regulate humidity in the tent. You could also throw a dehumidifier in that room for night time use if needed. Just monitor your room temp and RH and act accordingly. Chances are the cold air from outside coming thru the window will keep you in a tolerable range without need for a dehumidifier. Your might even need a humidifier if RH gets to low.

Good luck

Click to expand...

kermit2692 said:

This. Your room will cool when your fan is at the end of your run after everything. You also are pulling air through your carbon filter too fast with your current set up

Click to expand...

JSB99 said:

I noticed that when my probe was in direct light. it reported much higher readings. I think the light warms up the probe. Taking temps from the top of the hood will throw off the temps as well.

With what you have, a single 6-inch fan should work. Taking the fan out of the tent will remove some of the heat too.

You can buy a fan muffler and use insulated ducting to reduce the noise. Also, insulate any post-light ducting. Feel how much heat comes off that part of the duct. Gets pretty warm.

Use a small fan pointed right under the hood. Heat will accumulate there.

I didn't recall seeing any oscillating fans running. Maybe I missed them. But they are essential to circulation, which will dissipate standing heat.

The other option is to run a dedicated fan and ducting for your hood. The way I did it was to have ducting draw cool air from under the house, then exhaust it with the shortest duct possible. Both the intake and exhaust are external air and will help remove much of the heat caused by the light. Then you could probably just use a 4" inline fan to draw in ambient room air and exhaust it outside or even right back into the same room if its air conditioned.

I'm rambling now after a big vape, but I hope you find some help in what I wrote. I've fought high temps in some rough situations. Much worse than what you have available. With that cool of a room, there's no reason you can't keep a 600w cool.

Click to expand...

nsb823 said:

I moved my thermometers and added a oscillating fab now where is the best spot for my thermometers? I took out the 2nd inline fan and will upload a new video I have a window cracked at all times and it keeps temps regulated

Click to expand...

JSB99 said:

You should be able to place them at various spots. The external probe should be attached (or taped) to the hood so it hangs at the distance where you can no longer feel the direct heat from the light on the back of your hand. Usually about 18" to 24" for 600w and 36" > for 1k

Where the probe hangs should tell you the distance your light should be to the top of your canopy.


If you have a small fan blowing blowing in the space right under your hood it'll remove any standing heat. Heat will build up there if not constantly circulated.

Click to expand...

nsb823 said:

Hello everyone,

I setup my new 4x4 grow tent earlier this week and powered it up to dial in my temp before I start my grow. Well turns out originally I was getting temperatures of 85 to 87. I spoke to a local grown shop and he told me it was cause of my in line fan being subpar so I replaced my active air 6 inch with a max fan pro series 6 inch which in turn only helped by 1 to 2 degrees at then most. So I decided maybe I should buy new ducting rather them the crap I had from lowes that was 6 years old but never used. Luckily it lowered my temp I had a steady 77 on top of my hood and 79.1 on the floor 3 hours later the tent climbed over 80 it's currently been on almost 5 hours I got 82.9 on top of hood 84.9 floor.

So here's a break down the room that the tent is in was 65 before the tent came on the setup is

4x4x72 lighthouse hydroponic tent
600w hps
6 inch max fan pro series

Ventilation setup
Carbon filter - (pull) fan (push) - duct - light - exhaust out door (door cracked just enough for vent to go into hall)
Currently the carbon filter is disconnected since it is a 4 inch carbon filter with a 6 to 4 flange I figured at first that may have have been the cause.


So I think I may know what my problem is but would like some insight to see if anyone comes up with something different.

I am thinking I may have to run a active intake instead of the passive vents on the bottom I believe the vents that are open on the tent are reflecting off my white walls and heating up the room the tent is in thus raising my Temps any ideas?
And if this is what I need can I get away with a 4 inch intake and how much come would I need?

Please help thanks in advance!

Click to expand...

nsb823 said:

So as far as feeling heat on back of my hand idea if I am just used to hot temps or what but I only feel it about 12 inches away. I have my hood 20 inches above my plants. Here is a video of current setup.

vid.me/XsX1


Shout to astronaut rob for the bungee cord comment works great!

Click to expand...

nsb823 said:

Here is a video of current setup.

vid.me/XsX1

Click to expand...

JSB99 said:

Hey, that's a great setup you got going. Very clean and everything looks perfect. With the plants that young you probably want to get your hood up to about 30" or so. Too much light isn't so good for the little ones.

Click to expand...

NVGrower said:

You need colder air going through your hood. I run my lights at night and pull 50-60* F air from outside the garage through an exhaust in the wall. Keeps the temp right under the light about 4 inch away at 79* F

Click to expand...

nsb823 said:

Thank you! I try not to skimp out with cheep quality equipment an do quality work when I put things together. I'll take the box out from under the plants to give more distance they haven't showed any negative signs.

Click to expand...

nsb823 said:

Is it normal for a little charcoal to come through my can filter and get trapped in my hood ontop of the glass or is it cause my fans to powerful

Click to expand...