Need recommendations for stealth cab & ventilation

[Herb Connoisseur]

New guy here. I'm planning a stealthy, 1 full-size plant cabinet grow in a typical suburban house, and would really like you experienced folks' input.

First, is extensive carbon filtration really good enough to keep all odor under control without outside venting, even during flower? I've grown a plant before (without odor control in a legal state), and am familiar with how much it can really make your home smell. This time around I'd like zero odor. I'd like to keep it in a self-contained cabinet if possible, venting only into the room (filtered). Is that even possible? If that's not enough, is venting out a cracked window ok, or do you recommend venting to the attic/roof?

Secondly, are there any considerations on picking the type of cabinet? For example, is metal better than wood for any reason? If I use wood, are certain types better than other for sealing in odor or being mold resistant? Am I right in thinking that solid wood would be better at noise reduction (from fans)? Is there any type of caulk/sealant that I shouldn't use when making it air tight (i.e. fumes harmful to plants)? I'd like to use an armoire or something that doesn't look out of place in a normal home; any input?

Stealth is my primary concern. I don't mind spending money or time to make it as stealthy as possible. I don't want any nosy neighbors or unexpected visitors getting wind of it (pun intended).

 

[GreenthumbQC]

New guy here. I'm planning a stealthy, 1 full-size plant cabinet grow in a typical suburban house, and would really like you experienced folks' input.

First, is extensive carbon filtration really good enough to keep all odor under control without outside venting, even during flower? I've grown a plant before (without odor control in a legal state), and am familiar with how much it can really make your home smell. This time around I'd like zero odor. I'd like to keep it in a self-contained cabinet if possible, venting only into the room (filtered). Is that even possible? If that's not enough, is venting out a cracked window ok, or do you recommend venting to the attic/roof?

Secondly, are there any considerations on picking the type of cabinet? For example, is metal better than wood for any reason? If I use wood, are certain types better than other for sealing in odor or being mold resistant? Am I right in thinking that solid wood would be better at noise reduction (from fans)? Is there any type of caulk/sealant that I shouldn't use when making it air tight (i.e. fumes harmful to plants)? I'd like to use an armoire or something that doesn't look out of place in a normal home; any input?

Stealth is my primary concern. I don't mind spending money or time to make it as stealthy as possible. I don't want any nosy neighbors or unexpected visitors getting wind of it (pun intended).

Carbon scrubbers are rea;lly quite efficient. I think youll be happy with their ability. And what about a secret jardin propagator instead of a cabinet?

 

[Herb Connoisseur]

Carbon scrubbers are rea;lly quite efficient. I think youll be happy with their ability. And what about a secret jardin propagator instead of a cabinet?

I appreciate your input. I initially looked at grow tents or converting closet space...even building a false wall in one. I have plenty of space, but my issue is power. I'd love to do it, but none of the spaces I could hide a tent have outlets (nor venting, for that matter). They would result in either me hiring an electrician or running a suspicious (and potentially dangerous) extension cord. These seem like less desirable options than HIPS (hidden in plain sight) to me.

 

[GreenthumbQC]

That's cool dude you know what you want. If its any help, I do "fun grows". I know its not what your doing but just to give you an idea I have like a box set up with little girls in it that I lst the shit out of. Its 29 degrees in their and their happier then a pig in shit. Seems the temps not too big a factor at a good humidity. (45 rh) I don't know if that gives you some info to work on concerning temps ans humidity. Im subbed, I wanna see some big bud! Good luck!

 

[only1realhigh]

no matter what you want fresh air coming into the grow area, best down low near the floor, and the exhaust near top opposite of the intake side. A small fan moving the air around the plant is great for a few factors.
Venting the exhaust of the scrubber up into the attic space is a good idea over the cracked window in my book. Heck I grew in my attic with out a carbon scrubber. Only a few times when drying the plants did I smell them outside, or it was the skunks that lived in the near by drain pipe.
I built rooms with in rooms for growing, did the box in a closet, and used the Oreck air purifier (Ionizer) machine for smaller grows. That was costly crap, so a carbon scrubber is now cheaper I believe, but I could explain the Oreck machine in the room. It also had the oil scent door so I could change up the smell a bit and have reason for why it was there.
If it is your house, running a new breaker and the electrical wiring is not that hard as long as the breaker box has room for it. There is a main switch on the meter side to cut off power to the breaker side, turn it off, install the breaker, run the wire and new outlet, turn back on power, your good to go.

 

[Herb Connoisseur]

Messing with the electrical system is just something I'm not comfortable with (yet, at least). And, inviting an electrician in to do a semi-sketchy install seems to be adding another potential intel leak that I don't want. I'm following the forum's general advice on not telling anyone anything.

I do plan on having a fan down low for intake and one up top for exhaust. I think this type of a push/pull system will help ensure no air is passively passing through any leaks. Also, I plan on using HEPA and carbon filtration on the intake to help with any pests or mold spores, and in the event of power outage, help maintain the smell from escaping the box. If I do vent to outside, I plan on using a small ozone generator post-filter just for additional insurance. I plan on using an LED so heat and power usage will be less of an issue. And, I plan on having 1 or 2 small oscillating fans inside to create natural wind simulation and disperse hot spots.

Another question for clarification: I've read that I need to calculate the volume of the cab, and need to use enough ventilation to replace that volume every minute. Is that accurate?

I've been scouring these (and other) forums for info for a while now, and keep learning new stuff each day thanks to you guys. I appreciate your input.

 

[only1realhigh]

Exchanging the volume of the grow area every minute, hum, kinda remember talk about it, but never pushed my grow area to that limit. The smaller high heat grow box I did in the closet I did, used a 465cfm blower for a 2' x 3' by 5' tall grow box, but had a 400 watt hps in it and needed to move air. But it also was connected to a thermal switch and ran only after 80 degree's. The better the air flow the cooler the grow area is the basic idea, but warm air in is only going to keep it so cool and that is where fans blowing it around is a huge help, plus helps keep mold from starting and stronger stemmed plants along with a stronger root system.

 

[Dragon311]

You can search for any of my threads if you want to take a peek at my cabinet.

Basically its a prefabbed sauder type with one fixed shelf up top. I cut a couple holes in that partition, one for power and the other for ventilation. I have an extraction fan sitting in that hole hooked up to a carbon filter all neatly contained in the top compartment.

That left me with the remaining 3/4 for a flowering chamber. I have 3x 80mm PC fans along the bottom bringing in fresh air constantly.

I started off with CFLs but have just upgraded to a LED panel for my current grow and love it!

 

[Herb Connoisseur]

You can search for any of my threads if you want to take a peek at my cabinet.

Basically its a prefabbed sauder type with one fixed shelf up top. I cut a couple holes in that partition, one for power and the other for ventilation. I have an extraction fan sitting in that hole hooked up to a carbon filter all neatly contained in the top compartment.

That left me with the remaining 3/4 for a flowering chamber. I have 3x 80mm PC fans along the bottom bringing in fresh air constantly.

I started off with CFLs but have just upgraded to a LED panel for my current grow and love it!

This is gonna be very good material to digest. Thanks for the tip, there's a lot of similarities.

 

[420Hazza]

New guy here. I'm planning a stealthy, 1 full-size plant cabinet grow in a typical suburban house, and would really like you experienced folks' input.

First, is extensive carbon filtration really good enough to keep all odor under control without outside venting, even during flower? I've grown a plant before (without odor control in a legal state), and am familiar with how much it can really make your home smell. This time around I'd like zero odor. I'd like to keep it in a self-contained cabinet if possible, venting only into the room (filtered). Is that even possible? If that's not enough, is venting out a cracked window ok, or do you recommend venting to the attic/roof?

Secondly, are there any considerations on picking the type of cabinet? For example, is metal better than wood for any reason? If I use wood, are certain types better than other for sealing in odor or being mold resistant? Am I right in thinking that solid wood would be better at noise reduction (from fans)? Is there any type of caulk/sealant that I shouldn't use when making it air tight (i.e. fumes harmful to plants)? I'd like to use an armoire or something that doesn't look out of place in a normal home; any input?

Stealth is my primary concern. I don't mind spending money or time to make it as stealthy as possible. I don't want any nosy neighbors or unexpected visitors getting wind of it (pun intended).

Hey grow cabinets are rather over expensive for what you can do your self for half of the price and if you problem is heat?! Try LED like this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291134928309
I had good input on these of friends if you more interested in DIY grow spaces look into one of my post I can get you the link if you want, am doin proper stealth grow room limited space so just 2 plants and false wall and IR insulation and airtight otherwise good look keep updating you progress sure all of us are interested

 

[dirtyrigger]

I had a similar issue figuring out how to get power to my closet grow when I was originally planning it. I built a small cab at the back of a walk in closet, it's at least 10-15ft from nearest bathroom outlet. I had to blow out my a/c condensate drain one day and while I was in the attic I remembered there is a 120v circuit run up there for when you gotta service the a/c. so I was able to run an extension cord through the attic and poke small hole in the ceiling just big enough to drop it down right by my cabinet. Even if you don't have an outlet in your attic it would be very simple to turn off the breaker to the light socket that you most likely have in there and replace it with an outlet from the hardware store.