Carbon Filter Help!

Slimjim10

New Member
Currently deciding on picking between a 440 CFM filter with 6" fan or a 190 CFM with 4" fan. Question is would a 190 CFM keep a normal size bedroom, consisting of multiple plants mask the smell? Or should I upgrade to a 440CFM?
 

justugh

Well-Known Member
over kill is always best ..for unseen temp varibles later

u can use a speed varible controller with it
get the 6 inch fan 440cfm


crash info on carbon filters

1 always match filter cfms to fan
2 the outer covering is know as a dust jacket it needs to be replaced once every 2-3 months
3 carbon filters are good for about 12 to 15 months after that they need replacing (or replacing the active carbon inside)
4 reclaiming active carbon is possible but only with a auto clave (this is a pressure chamber with 600 to 700 degree steam) so avg person can not do it replace the unit/carbon
 
The 440CFM fan/filter combo will scrub the air in a 7x8x8 (approx.) room about once a minute. On the conservative side you want to have the capacity to scrub the air at least a couple (and ideally a few) times a minute to prevent odor seeping into the rest of your house, and keep in mind as justugh said, high temperature fluctuations can somewhat diminish a carbon filters ability to do its job.

A 10x10x8 (average sized bedroom) would require AT LEAST 800CFM to do the job ONCE a minute, so you're looking at quite the expense if you are going to buy a fan and filter capable of that. Not to mention, those massive filters are pretty tricky to dispose of.

As most of these questions are so "variable dependent", there is no way to truly tell until everything is up and running. Assuming you would be pretty pissed if you bought a fan and filter that weren't adequate and had to purchase another of each, you should avoid biting off more than you can chew.

IMO your best bet is to use the closet in the bedroom or buy a tent. It would be easier to control the odor and you would come out cheaper more than likely. In the long run I believe you will be much happier.

Side note: Keep in mind that lengths of ducting will effectively reduce the CFM of the filter. Meaning, a 440CFM filter attached to 10 feet of ducting is no longer capable of being driven efficiently by a 440CFM fan. You want to go with a slightly smaller filter to account for ducting runs. Also, depending on your wattage, duct length, area, etc…a speed controller will definitely give you a quieter fan, but MAY not in reality be effective at cooling and keeping your space odor free if used.

Be very thoughtful and meticulous in your planning and you will have fewer problems along the way. Nothing is worse than buying a bunch of new equipment and it not being conducive to your environment and your goals. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

If you have design questions feel free to ask and I will help the best I can. By evaluating all of your equipment specs, goals, and providing measurements I can help you better.

Happy Growing!
 
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