HEAT in mini fridge CFL grow. HELP

Mayjor

Member
First off i wanna say hi guys, i been browsing the forums for years and finally decided to register. I started a bag seed grow in a mini fridge with some CFLs...ill post pics of my setup but im having a heat problem. Im runnin a homemade 6 inch fan in a 6-4in reducer for exhaust with a couple of passive intake tubes in the bottom of the box. My temp stays in the 85-90 degree range which i just found out today and this is with the passive intake. My plants have kinda gone into shock and just dont seem to be growing anymore. Will anyone take a look at my setup and give me any suggestions? Im using all 23 watt bulbs, 4 are 6000k and two 2700k just to get that red spectrum in there. Am i using too many bulbs? I have about 10-15 seedlings all are about 6 weeks old and they still look skimpy. Is it the bulbs or am i just not getting enough cool air in there to them? Pics below







 

*BUDS

Well-Known Member
They need feeding and the temp is too hot, can you leave the door off for summer and blow a large fan from the out side in.
 

Mayjor

Member
Im in an apartment so i wouldnt just want to leave the door open unless i absolutely have to due to them just recently starting to smell. U think some of the damage is from nute deficiency? And ya...im in the South so the summers here are always 90+
 

DO3SHA

Well-Known Member
Better ventilation , ventilation is key your growing way too many seedlings for the amount of light, add more exhaust fans Walmart sells te personal 4" fans for 6$ they are in season on those stock up on some for fire can builds also
 

Mayjor

Member
I put my thermometer in the middle of all of my lights and the temps right between the lights are about 89-91 degrees still. Im still thinking im not getting enough cool air in there or do you really thing i need more exhaust? a 6 inch fan should be able to keep a mini fridge cool right? Maybe i should add more intake tubes to the bottom? i also have a couple of 12v pc fans im not using...should i do something with them?
 

Austin420

Active Member
I'm going to be starting a mini fridge grow too. From what I've read/seen/talked with people about I'm going out on a limb in saying that you need to almost completely re-do your setup.

1) That 6" fan on the top, IMO, should be more than enough to vent that space. Thus, it's probably a lack of intake and I would suggest cutting larger vents and placing the PC fans you talked about in those vents.

2) Think logically here. All that white plastic you see covering all areas of the fridge? That's all insulation! It is meant to keep the cold in, in this case I think it's keeping the heat in. Rip all that off, even off of the door.

If you do this I'd bet you see a nice drop in temps.
 

Mayjor

Member
The only insulation left is on the door and the two sides...behind the plastic in the back is absolutely nothing...but since it is all one piece if i remove it there wouldnt be a back wall at all. Maybe ill try the two pc fans for the intake and see what the temps read then and just take it from there. I feel the same as you about the exhaust fan...if anything it would be too much fan from what ive seen. Ive seen a couple of mini fridge grows using nothing but pc fans with pretty good results. I hope i dont have too much further to go as my temps are now about 88f/30c right at the lights
 
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