My tent is fairly close to my outdoor fridge/freezer. The ice maker is disconnected but the freezer still has the little spot in the door for ice to go through. My air pump runs pretty hot, so I can leave it outside my tent which is fine. I wonder if there is any problem running the pump from inside my freezer and running one tube out of the door hole (along with the power cable) to the manifold inside the tent. Any problem running an air pump from inside a freezer and is it worth doing?
air pump in a freezer?
- Thread starter odin44
- Start date
Sativied
Well-Known Member
Frankly that sounds like a bad idea and possibly a hazardous situation. Airpumps are not designed to run at such low temps, unless of course you can find one that does.
I used to put my air pump in the passive intake (which is a small box to prevent light leaks) to keep it cool, helped with rez temp too.
I used to put my air pump in the passive intake (which is a small box to prevent light leaks) to keep it cool, helped with rez temp too.
East Coast
Well-Known Member
I would bet a peanut slab the freezer may become a hot box, if that air pump gets as hot as you say.
East Coast
Well-Known Member
BUT - you may be onto something with the freezer idea, may be bend s/s tubing / some type of tubing inside the freezer and suck air via the pump, this cooler air may cool the pump / water. Submerse the coil in a glycol mixture of water, and you will have very low temps, basically the same way they cool your beer lines in a pub.
I have some copper tubing that is probably about the right size. I was thinking maybe just a box or something attached to the door where the ice dispenser "hole" is. I could run some exhaust tubing or something and put the pump in that.
I buy a portable AC unit for the tent in 2 days, but it will be easy to change the location of the air pump. I want the AC unit inside the tent (it's big) so if possible I would like to locate the air pump outside of the tent.
I buy a portable AC unit for the tent in 2 days, but it will be easy to change the location of the air pump. I want the AC unit inside the tent (it's big) so if possible I would like to locate the air pump outside of the tent.
bicit
Well-Known Member
Honestly, you could get away with just a little 80mm PC fan. 2.5 watts of power and it keeps it just warm to the touch.
Putting the air pump in your freezer is going to significantly raise the temps of the freezer. They aren't designed to keep a continual heat source cool, you'll end up ruining the compressor in your freezer. Just a word of caution.
Putting the air pump in your freezer is going to significantly raise the temps of the freezer. They aren't designed to keep a continual heat source cool, you'll end up ruining the compressor in your freezer. Just a word of caution.
jijiandfarmgang
Well-Known Member
That simply won't work.
When I was doing DWC, using medium to large air pumps they just got plain hot. I can't remember the figures but measuring with an infrared thermometer the air running through the hose was approx 50 degrees F above ambient.
During winter I put the pumps outside which solved everything. I then ditched DWC before summer.
Don't really think throwing it in a freezer is ideal, plus they are pretty airtight. It's not like the pump would be to cold or anything, but just not efficient and large load on freezer. I'd have to think a while for a good solution.
- Jiji
bicit
Well-Known Member
Larger air pumps just need a larger fan 120mm fans work very well and are typically cheaper. It's all I use and my temps stay with specs, but I use slightly longer runs of air line as well. The air pumps have heat fins to keep them cool, they just need adequate air flow in order to do so.
I don't mean it would wear out the air pump. It would ruin the freezers refrigeration compressor. They aren't designed to run continuously.
jijiandfarmgang
Well-Known Member
I know a lot of air pumps have cooling fins. Putting a shit computer fan on one isn't going to cool one. Like I said I used a thermometer. The aluminum fins acting as a heat sink might be cooler to the touch but try measuring the output air temperature.
Sativied said the air pumps aren't designed to run at low temps.
- Jiji
bicit
Well-Known Member
Everyone's situation is a little different I guess. I use a metal air diverter and that stays cool to the touch with just an 80mm USB fan on an Ecoplus air 1. If the air going through the tube was 120*F one would assume that the air lines and valves would be similar in temperature right? I used a normal oscillating fan to cool my old 250watt air pump. However I found multiple, smaller pumps to be more effective and efficient.
Maybe coil some of the air line, run it through a water bath, and throw a frozen water bottle in once or twice a day. On top of directly cooling the air pump with a fan. Or maybe move to a diaphragm pump instead of piston?
tip top toker
Well-Known Member
depends on pump naturally, but here is my initial thought. Rubber turns brittle when cold. Most airpumps seem to use a rubber seal that is pumped back and forth at a very rapid rate to create the air flow. I would NOT want that rubber seal becoming in any way brittle. Bye bye airpump.
jijiandfarmgang
Well-Known Member
One of the points I'm trying to explain is that the cold won't hurt the friggin pump. If its running its going to be hot. Whether you put it in a freezer or not. I guess most can't understand that concept.
- Jiji
jijiandfarmgang
Well-Known Member
Ok tested an Ecoplus air 3 today. Ran it for a few hours with air stones submerged in a tank of water.
Ambient room air temp 74 F.
Air output temp was 106 F.
Don't have a freezer to destroy but I say put an air pump in the freezer if you want. Drill 2 holes through the freezer one for the intake and one for the outake. Keep the pump in the freezer.
Obviously it isn't the best thing for the freezer, and it will work the compressor more. But I really don't think it matters. I've seen home style refridgerator/freezer combos in non-air conditioned buildings in areas where its above 90 F and 90 percent humidity for weeks. The refrigerator’s usually can't keep up though and require buying bags of ice to help them.
- Jiji
Ambient room air temp 74 F.
Air output temp was 106 F.
Don't have a freezer to destroy but I say put an air pump in the freezer if you want. Drill 2 holes through the freezer one for the intake and one for the outake. Keep the pump in the freezer.
Obviously it isn't the best thing for the freezer, and it will work the compressor more. But I really don't think it matters. I've seen home style refridgerator/freezer combos in non-air conditioned buildings in areas where its above 90 F and 90 percent humidity for weeks. The refrigerator’s usually can't keep up though and require buying bags of ice to help them.
- Jiji
Last edited:
airmarkes
Member
I realize mine is to loud, to solve that I put it into a meter of insulated duct to keep the sound in..
Now to solve your problem, just add an fan in one end of the duct.. leave the entreance air near an window for clean oxigen.. you dont want your pump inside the tent pumping supposed high level co2 air to suffocate your roots..
Actually you can use 1 fan at each end if needed..
Now to solve your problem, just add an fan in one end of the duct.. leave the entreance air near an window for clean oxigen.. you dont want your pump inside the tent pumping supposed high level co2 air to suffocate your roots..
Actually you can use 1 fan at each end if needed..
bicit
Well-Known Member
Just out of curiosity, how did you take your measurement of the output air temp? Do you have any fans blowing on the pump? If not would you be willing to redo the experiment with a fan blowing on the pump?
jijiandfarmgang
Well-Known Member
Infrared thermometer pointed at vynil tubing output.
Yeah I suppose so. *maybe* tomorrow.
- Jiji
Yeah I suppose so. *maybe* tomorrow.
- Jiji