Keeping negative pressure without condensation

I have all my lights (12) tied to 1-12" canfan. When it got cooler I noticed condensation from my 8" uninsulated duct. Should I switch to insulated to avoid the condensation? I run a co2 burner so I try to keep the room sealed as much as possible but I'm worried with winter coming I might run into big humidity issues. Please I'm looking for real advice not guessing.pm me I live in northern Michigan area so I'd like to chat with someone up here
Thanks


Bawse!

If you use insulated duct, condensation will just pool up in your reflector. And when I say pool, I mean that literally.

What ever the cold air touches cool down the object massively, below the dew point, and causes condensation in a warm room. Such as a wall or ceiling or ducting. When its drywall, it doesn't take long for mold to set in.

I was thought about running duct through a liquid heat exchanger with a catch pan. Never tried it though.

Trying to use winter air that can fluctuate by 40 degrees f in a 24 hour period to cool can be a nightmare.

- Jiji

I'm in Colorado and everything she says is spot on. Pre warming your air or finding some way to catch and drain off the condensation are your options.

ttystikk said:

I'm in Colorado and everything she says is spot on. Pre warming your air or finding some way to catch and drain off the condensation are your options.

Click to expand...

Ok it sounds good but I need a little direction. Colder temps mean I can dial down my exhaust fan. & as far as pooling up I could see that if I had my fan blasted wide open in 20- weather. Maybe slow down the fan to compensate for temperature depending on temperature


Bawse!

DirtyEyeball696 said:

Ok it sounds good but I need a little direction. Colder temps mean I can dial down my exhaust fan. & as far as pooling up I could see that if I had my fan blasted wide open in 20- weather. Maybe slow down the fan to compensate for temperature depending on temperature


Bawse!

Click to expand...

I'm not saying it wont work, and by all means try it out.

But I tried this in a small room with a variac. Adjusting it daily, I was still unsuccessful.

- Jiji

Edit - Also, I've seen a few grows in Northern Michigan. Only a couple have cooled this way. One was redrywalling his room with greenboard this year. LOL, thats not going to fix his mold problem.

I don't have drywall but I can sort of prewarm the air. I have a 60x40 barn and vent warm air in my attic so I don't believe I'll have any pooling issues due to speed controller on my fan. #fingerscrossed.


Bawse!

venting warm air into attic in michigan winter = bad

watch for condensation and mold

- Jiji

jijiandfarmgang said:

venting warm air into attic in michigan winter = bad

watch for condensation and mold

- Jiji

Click to expand...

Let's just say it a huge vented attic that's about 8' tall & the full length of the barn. I have to climb 12' before the attic I vented last winter with no problem but didn't have neg pressure goin. If I have to stop the co2 in the winter due to tweeks I have to make then it's cool. Thanks for the input


Bawse!