Going out of my MIND venting HELP! :(

I'd like to think I'm fairly bright and can figure out things but I'm stumped and have no idea what to do.

I'm growing in a closet standard double doors and I have the entire thing covered in black/white plastic and sealed with tuck tape. The middle has a zipper from floor to ceiling tucktaped on the sides of each and only the zipper teeth showing.

Here's the PROBLEM. I have a exhaust it's just a Bathroom fan powered at 50 CFM. I have a Intake same deal also 50 CFM. Well the plastic immediately started to expand, so much so the doors couldn't be closed and whereever it found a gap i'd feel a draft and a lot of smell.

So i go to SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I go out and buy a 70 CFM fan and use that as my outtake. So set it up turn it on, same issue?!

I then run both the 50 CFM and the 70 CFM at the same time as out takes making it 120 CFM - to a 50 CFM intake.

SAME ISSUE?!? Expanding, I don't get it.

If I take off the intake the whole plastic sucks in like a sealed vaccum bag.

I don't know how to solve this, adding more powerfull outtakes didn't seem to have any effect, and the room is being filled with more air then it can take out.

I just don't want there to be a smell as it's a small apartment and need it all venting out, but don't want to deprive them of oxygen with no intake.

Suggestions?

Help?

• 

Maybe put a cloth in front of the intake?
Staples
Carbon filters are like $100, if you can afford an apartment you should be able to afford this.
Hope it works out, I'm growing in someone's apartment right now too, bottom floor, no ventilation, starting to stick...

When you are dealing with cfm values that low, it is going to be difficult to find a "balance" in the setup, I would put the larger fan on the exhaust and get it running with the plastic unzipped. Then start zipping it down to the point where it just starts to think about trying to collapse. Then leave the plastic unzipped to that point. Add your "intake" fan to the mix, then if you need to unzip more or less, will tell you if your are out of "balance" and which way you need to go( larger on intake more than likely ) Intakes usually are 2-3 times the size of the exhaust, but that is in a "passive" intake( meaning natural draw from exhaust only). You should be able to find a happy medium without using a "forced" intake. Also on a side note, it sounds like you may need to secure the plastic a bit better, it really shouldn't move around quite so much, deffinently not enough to stop the doors from closing. If it swells up with just the exhaust running, I would almost have to say ya got the bloody thing in backwards...lol

Hope this helps.

Peace

Asmallvoice

your intake is supposed to be larger than your exhaust, if i'm not mistaken.
imo, i'd use a passive intake system, if possible for your closet.

knowmad said:

your intake is supposed to be larger than your exhaust, if i'm not mistaken.
imo, i'd use a passive intake system, if possible for your closet.

Click to expand...

you are mistaken. to get negative pressure you want a bigger exhaust then intake.

I also vote for ditch the active intake all together. Those are really low CFM fans, so I hope you're not working with too much heat here. If you feel the need to have the intake because the exhaust alone is not effective enough, you just need a much stronger exhaust and stick with passive intake...

if smell is the issue, and it sounds like it is, then buy a carbon filter..and a real fan. I can't imaging that it is not hot in that tent.

mnmobbin said:

you are mistaken. to get negative pressure you want a bigger exhaust then intake.

Click to expand...

Hiya M8,

The size of the "intake" will be proprtional to the amount of cfm moved ( exchange rate) as in a 6" 300cfm fan will not work to well with an intake opening smaller than 6" on the other side of a grow tent, it will take a couple of openings 6" to make the area breathe right. It is exponential in nature, so to speak. 2-3 times for average equipment used is a good starting point.

Hope this helps


Asmallvoice

Actually SMELL is becoming the issue. I put holes in the vent with air hoses closing up the holes , kinda like ducts that allow intake in and the exhaust pulls it out.

But not SMELL is the issue. I can't figure it out, like most grow ops the SMELL is highest in the Lights on Period, when the are off the exhaust does it's jobs the room is nice and cool and the apartment smells ok. But during those 8 hours it is pungent!

I know it's a seperate issue but what can I do about the SMELL? I mean, I keep hearing carbon filter, but if the exhasut runs through hoses to the outside with barely any leaks where is the smell coming from?

Like does the venting not mean much when it comes to SMELL? Im worried if they need access to my apartment it will be during the lights on issue.

To figure it out best you need to figure out your closets volume. Then you do the math on how much cfm's you need for that volume to be replenished every 5min or w/e you decide. Always have your intake just slightly smaller/lower cfm then your exhaust (4" intake - 6" exhaust). You have the right idea of a 70cfm for out and a 50cfm for in. I run a passive intake because the temps are fine and doesn't need more airflow. The other variable is the restriction of your exhaust. Is it blowing outside or into the ceiling/wall? Try getting a small muffin fan for your intake, can usually find them in lowes n such for $10. Think they are around 20-30 cfm. Peace!!

Marijuana terpines are VOC's so they pass through drywall through cracks, etc.

It sounds like your learning a lesson that gets taught and taught and taught which is " hey, there is actually quite a bit to this growing weed properly thing..and it's kind of a big pain in the ass.

I still love it though, love the science and physics and I haven't gotten high in about a year.