My Solution to high Res Temps

Ok, so after I got my 400w lamp, I noticed the temp in my res shot up about 5 degrees.

My solution was to use an heat exchange system. Then I remembered that my computer case used to be a functioning liquid cooling system, and the parts are still inside just sitting.

So I crack open my case. Yank out the parts I need, then close the comp back up.

The only part I really need right now is the 12V AC to 12V DC Molex converter, which I just ordered.

The setup I salvaged from my computer has 3 fans blowing down through a Radiator, that is connected to a submersible pump in my res.

Also, it has a built in Digital Temperature sensor so that I can see what the current temp is, as well as a speed setting. Over all I cannot wait till I get this hooked up.

Here is what I salvaged.

The Far left pic: Radiator hooked up to the pump in the kitchen sink.
I Let it run for about an hour to clear out anything that might hurt my plant.

If this thing can cool down a computer that normally reaches temps of 120F down to about 85F, then I think this will work find for a measly 5F.

I don't think you can clean that enough... Won't the nutrients in the water react with the metal of the radiator?

Cool idea, just not sure it'll work long term, could just eat that radiator up or kill plants.

Actually, aluminum does corrode. However the corrosion is aluminum oxide, which is very hard and protects the aluminum from further corrosion.

So in short, it won't hurt my plants.

Just incase though, I figured I would research a bit. Alot of testing was done on the effects of aluminum, and plant growth. The results show that alot of aluminum nanoparticles might stunt the plants growth. However the amount needed to hurt a plant is relativly large. So the extreamly minute traces that may show up in the water, will not be enough to hurt the plant.

Not only that, but I change my res about once every two weeks, so even if a small amount did collect in the res, it would never have a chance to comming even close to hurting the plant.

I should also mention that aluminum is already present in water.
The only way to get rid of it is by way of reverse osmoses, or distillation.
Also, the water company adds aluminum to the drinking water .

"Why is aluminum added to drinking water during treatment?
Microorganisms present in drinking water include viruses, bacteria (e.g., E. coli), and protozoa (e.g., Cryptosporidium and the beaver fever causing organism, Giardia). At low levels, these organisms can cause sickness and disease (incl. severe diarrhea) and are generally very difficult to remove from water. The parasites Giardia and Cryptosporidium are very resistant to most types of disinfection, including chlorination. Water treatment with aluminum sulphate is, however, effective at removing these parasites when used in a chemical treatment process called coagulation." ***

***[http://www.pwgazette.com/aluminum.htm]

I did my home work for sure haha.

Cool idea, if it doesn't cool enough you could use a bong chiller, ever see 1 of those?

sparat1k said:

Cool idea, if it doesn't cool enough you could use a bong chiller, ever see 1 of those?

Click to expand...

I have not, I'll check it out.

Nice inventive skills!!

What is a bong chiller i tried to google it didnt get anything

http://www.overclock.net/water-cooling/282164-bong-chiller-project-56k-warning-update.html

I found this when I googled bong chiller. It looks pretty sweet, and I am sure something like that could be adapted for growing. It does how ever look like alot more work. Maybe that would be something I could try later down the road.

The concept is simple as shown by this diagram.


Here's one, hope you get the idea. It uses evaporation to take several degrees off temperature to offset the added warmth of a cpu or in our case a pump. It may be possible to get below ambient temperature with one I believe.

You would just need to connect it to your reservoir rather than cool a cpu with it. The only downside I see is that it would add humidity to the room, not good for us growers Maybe you could run it in another room and pipe the water in, dunno...


Here's one...

OMFG!!, that is simple!. DAMN now I have to build one lol.

Dam thats intense. a simple low cost solution that i would do is just freeze like 10 bottles of water and place one in the Res and keep on switching them out when they are fully melted. usually only need one in the morning and one in the evening

motoracer110 said:

Dam thats intense. a simple low cost solution that i would do is just freeze like 10 bottles of water and place one in the Res and keep on switching them out when they are fully melted. usually only need one in the morning and one in the evening

Click to expand...

What a frakking gr8 idea. Much less expensive than a H2O chiller.
+rep

motoracer110 said:

Dam thats intense. a simple low cost solution that i would do is just freeze like 10 bottles of water and place one in the Res and keep on switching them out when they are fully melted. usually only need one in the morning and one in the evening

Click to expand...

I will be honest, I am a lazy bastard. However I will go out of my way to make sure I can remain lazy, and if that involves putting forth a higher effort in the begining then hell, it works for me.

So now instead of needing to constantly change out water bottles. I just turn it on, and it does all the work, and because I will be using a filter bag, I won't have to clean the pump, or worry about clogs in the heat exchanger.

Also, I might be able to build a power switch into it so that instead of unplugging it if I don't need it turned on, I can just flick a switch.

Ok guys, Here is the the finished & working model

So far its working great. the only thing I may need to change is the length of the temperature probe. It's a little short, so you can't put the unit far away from the tank.

I did a hack job at making a housing for it, I am sure I could have done better with that, but this was really just a test to see if something like this would work, and so far so good.

Let me know what you all think.

That looks very cool but whats cooling your computer now .... jk.

atrumblood Im kinda confused as to how exactly this will cool you reservoir temp. Does the water circulate within the radiator & the fans cool the radiator thus cooling the water before it travels back into the reservoir? Excuse my ignorance but Id really like to know because Im having the same problem.

While I suck at explaining shit like this. Here are the parts I have and the function.

1. water pump 60 gph inside tank
2. tubing.
3. radiator.
4. fans.

Water is pumped up from the tank, into the radiator, where the fans blow through the radiator cooling the liquid, and the liquid then travels back into the tank, a few degrees cooler.

So far, the setup seems to be helping, the temp sits at about 21C degrees. (71 F) which if I understand correctly is ideal for cannabis.

I am debating on if i want to spent the money on an inline pump or not. I have one, but it was meant for computer cooling, and doesn't have a high GPH (Gallons per Hour)