I've got a sunlight supply 340 cfm fan clearing out a 224 cubic foot grow room. I originally had planned to use the fan for exhaust the room and cooling the lights and odor control through a carbon filter but the guy at the hydro store says that isn't such a good idea since I'd have to run the air backwards through the carbon filter causing it to wear out more quickly. So, having just spent quite a bit of money on my setup I'm light on cash and am wondering if the much more affordable type of fan that appears to just sit in a section of duct would be adequate to cool two 600 watt lights in yieldmaster II 6 inch hoods. I've seen a 500cfm variety for as low as 45 dollars and haven't looked too hard. The room has an air conditione as well. Thanks.
Good fan for cooling lights
- Thread starter Heyoka
- Start date
NoGutsGrower
Well-Known Member
I dont understand why/how you would be "running the air backwards through the filter". cant you only hook the ducting to one side of the filter? does your 340 cfm fan cool the lights, then a 500 would even if it is just a duct/booster fan! A fan for the light and a fan for the filter is nice because you can turn the fan for the light off when the lights go off, but still have the carbon filter going to keep the smell out.
It's a matter of push or pull. Pushing the air into the filter will utilize the much smaller surface area of the inner area of the filter whereas pulling the air through the filter will utilize the much larger surface area of the outside of the filter. The guy at Atlantis Hydroponics told me that the filters are intended to be used that way and using them the other way will tend to use up the carbon much more quickly.
I tend to think that the 500 cfm "inner duct fan" (I don't know what their proper name is) should do fine at just pushing the air from outside the room through the lights and back out again. The reason I'm asking is that I'd originally thought that the cheaper fan would have been fine for exchanging the air in the room and couldn't for the life of me undersand why anyone would spend the extra dough for the impeller type which is near 3 times the price for the econo versions let alone a can-fan. Apparently the inner duct type just doesn't have the nuts to push through resistances like a carbon filter and ducting.
I wanted to ask about the inner duct type just to be on the safe side and also figured that if they were excessively noisy or unreliable someone would post in that reguard as well.
BTW, thanks for your response.
I tend to think that the 500 cfm "inner duct fan" (I don't know what their proper name is) should do fine at just pushing the air from outside the room through the lights and back out again. The reason I'm asking is that I'd originally thought that the cheaper fan would have been fine for exchanging the air in the room and couldn't for the life of me undersand why anyone would spend the extra dough for the impeller type which is near 3 times the price for the econo versions let alone a can-fan. Apparently the inner duct type just doesn't have the nuts to push through resistances like a carbon filter and ducting.
I wanted to ask about the inner duct type just to be on the safe side and also figured that if they were excessively noisy or unreliable someone would post in that reguard as well.
BTW, thanks for your response.
ganjaluva2009
Well-Known Member
i use the 6" inner duct fans, just for dumping fresh air into my room... i personally dont think they are powerful enough for a carbon filter or cooling lights...just my opinion though....
fred flintstoned
Well-Known Member
For $45, you must be talking about the duct booster fans from Lowes/HD?
They wont do shit. As Ganjaluva said, they work for supplemental intake air, that's about it.
The most efficient setup is two fan circuits. One to cool the lights, one to ventilate the room. I'd suggest you get a 6in Vortex to cool the lights. It will cool 2x600W with no sweat. Try plantlightinghydroponics.com, they have the best Vortex fan prices on the net.
Fred
They wont do shit. As Ganjaluva said, they work for supplemental intake air, that's about it.
The most efficient setup is two fan circuits. One to cool the lights, one to ventilate the room. I'd suggest you get a 6in Vortex to cool the lights. It will cool 2x600W with no sweat. Try plantlightinghydroponics.com, they have the best Vortex fan prices on the net.
Fred