Hi guys an gals. I just wanted to know what you thought of putting a 250w hps in the freezer section of a fridge freezer. Cutting out the floor of the freezer to leave a hole down into the fridge compartment, and sticking a piece of glass in place of the floor. Fully sealed do you think this would keep it cool enough? Anyone done anything like this before? I'm thinking it could be 50/50 either working beautifully or not at all. Cheers for any opinions or suggestions
Hps in freezer? Fridge freezer grow
Jack Tambo
Active Member
Hi,
you could probably make it work, but the effort is pretty big.
You'd still need to get air in and out. MEaning you need big holes in the fridge.
And when you cut out the freezer floor, you may cut open the cooling liquid pipes. That stuff is probably toxic.
And the fridge wouldn't work anymore.
I personally think its not a great idea. It would be easier to use a cooltube.
you could probably make it work, but the effort is pretty big.
You'd still need to get air in and out. MEaning you need big holes in the fridge.
And when you cut out the freezer floor, you may cut open the cooling liquid pipes. That stuff is probably toxic.
And the fridge wouldn't work anymore.
I personally think its not a great idea. It would be easier to use a cooltube.
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
The cooling tubes are in the floor of the freezer compartment so just drain the system before cutting them out. There should be a valve at the back near the compressor or a pinched off end of copper tubing. Not toxic so just open the windows to vent it out.
Take the evaporator coils off the back so you can cut a vent hole in the back of the freezer compartment to vent exhaust air and you'll need to put holes in the floor of the fridge to let fresh air in or cut a hole near the bottom of the back wall of the fridge. Personally I'd mark off a nice grid on the floor and drill about 100 3/8" holes. There should be a catch pan under the fridge that is used to evaporate water that drips out when the fridge does it's defrost cycle. Any spills in the fridge will be taken care of easily.
Little small for my liking but some dudes grow plants in a computer case so why not a fridge.
Take the evaporator coils off the back so you can cut a vent hole in the back of the freezer compartment to vent exhaust air and you'll need to put holes in the floor of the fridge to let fresh air in or cut a hole near the bottom of the back wall of the fridge. Personally I'd mark off a nice grid on the floor and drill about 100 3/8" holes. There should be a catch pan under the fridge that is used to evaporate water that drips out when the fridge does it's defrost cycle. Any spills in the fridge will be taken care of easily.
Little small for my liking but some dudes grow plants in a computer case so why not a fridge.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
So just to clarify here. If I'm getting this right the OP wants to use the fridge part to cool the area, is this right? Also don't vent the shit outdoors, we are trying not to do that btw, if cutting the lines which would also destroy the cooling if that's what the OP had in mind. There is no valve in a fridge unless it has been serviced at the process tube. If you cut the lines the excaping refrigerant will be about -40 f so it can do some damage to your skin re frost bite or blind you, all handy things to know lol.,
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
He doesn't want to keep the cooling just use the fridge as a grow box. Not a big deal to cut the line and let the refrigerant out. Just whack the coils on the back with an axe if you want to keep your distance You could do it in a small closed up room if you want as it's totally non toxic to humans. Safety glasses if you snip the end of the tubing down near the motor where the gas originally went in would be a good idea.
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
I think I'd rather use a big chest freezer than a fridge. Take the motor and compressor out and stand it on that end. All the cooling coils are in the walls so no problem putting holes the back and there would be no restriction at the area the freezer compartment meets the fridge section. Nice smooth white walls from top to bottom.
Not as stealthy as a fridge but that's a minor concern.
Not as stealthy as a fridge but that's a minor concern.
sonson176
Well-Known Member
With some plywood, mylar, a few pieces of hardware and some poly foam insulation you could make a well insulated sealed enclosure to whatever dimensions you like. Not saying a freezer wouldnt work, but those things get ultra gross when they get warm usually, and youd be taking most of it apart to make it work. Definitely scrub the inside down with a diluted bleach solution first.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Well yes it is nontoxic but really shouldn't be venting into the air, as for the small closed up room it displaces oxygen lol. Really do you think you have given good advice here? There are people that actually will come and pull the charge and do it properly, that's what they do. But yup you could whack it with an ax I guess, as the shit sprays out and freezes instantly anything it touches, you know like your face, just throwing that out.
chemphlegm
Well-Known Member
looks like op is speaking of keeping the fridge running while growing in the freezer section, using the fridge to keep it cool he asks.
could be wrong and we need clarification from @Zecter9
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
Says he wants to cut the floor out so I don't think he plans to run the fridge.
I'm not saying anyone should lock themselves up in a small room and vent the gas but it's not a big f'n deal.
It doesn't happen that way. It forms a gas as it spews from the tubes. When we were kids we busted them, TVs, etc at the dump. We found a few dozen 8' fluoro tubes in a dumpster at a factory near my place when we were about 12 - 13 and busted them all jousting on our bikes in their parking lot one Sunday. These days if you break a CFL you have to call a half dozen agencies to come save you from it.
I'm not saying anyone should lock themselves up in a small room and vent the gas but it's not a big f'n deal.
justugh
Well-Known Member
HPS lights will not work for u
LED or a COB would
HPS lights make 70% ir heat ......between the heat of the bulb itself plus the IR heat unless u are running a exchange system for every 10-15 secs u are going to run into issuses (if u are venting that much air it is pointless to use a frig a tent is a better buy for the money)
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
No it comes out as a liquid if you cut the condenser coils, that's why it's called a condenser. Anywho it's just really shitty advice to tell people to wack open the coil in a fridge for fucks sake and yes it is a big deal.Says he wants to cut the floor out so I don't think he plans to run the fridge.
It doesn't happen that way. It forms a gas as it spews from the tubes. When we were kids we busted them, TVs, etc at the dump. We found a few dozen 8' fluoro tubes in a dumpster at a factory near my place when we were about 12 - 13 and busted them all jousting on our bikes in their parking lot one Sunday. These days if you break a CFL you have to call a half dozen agencies to come save you from it.
I'm not saying anyone should lock themselves up in a small room and vent the gas but it's not a big f'n deal.
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
Just let it go. You've obviously never done it and I have multiple times and would do again should the need arise. I worked as a chemist in a hazardous waste facility for a few years and handled stuff that makes letting a little gas out of a fridge a cake walk. I distill solvents with my home made still and even distill butane with a couple of boiling balls and some copper tubing when I make BHO. In other words I know of which I speak and have the skills to do dangerous stuff safely.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Lol yup ok then you must be very smart then. Glad you weren't at a hazardous waste facility around here. 134a (that's the stuff in a fridge btw) is illegal to vent but you knew that right. You also know that when under pressure in the condenser it will be in a liquid form and releasing it through the small outlet will actually lower the temp right? And no your not distilling butane, that's the best yet, your condensing it lol. Your right, I know nothing about it lol. Yes I'll let it go and hopefully people will realize that whacking the refrigerant lines with an ax is not the accepted practice to empty a fridge. Perhaps listening to a refrigeration mechanic of 30 years would be more helpful....again just throwing that out. Sorry you got so butt hurt when I spoke up about actually doing it properly.
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
That's what I got as well.
coreywebster
Well-Known Member
This is something I thought about long before I started growing.
I would imagine the cost to run a fridge or freezer with a hole in it to keep a grow cool would not warrant the effort.
Not to mention not knowing if the plastic would react to the IR heat or any other safety issues.
It would be far more cost effective to just get a tent or build a cab and exchange the air at a good rate to maintain temps. Since you need to exchange the air anyway.
Edit, assuming I read it right and the fridge is intended to still work as a cooling method.
I would imagine the cost to run a fridge or freezer with a hole in it to keep a grow cool would not warrant the effort.
Not to mention not knowing if the plastic would react to the IR heat or any other safety issues.
It would be far more cost effective to just get a tent or build a cab and exchange the air at a good rate to maintain temps. Since you need to exchange the air anyway.
Edit, assuming I read it right and the fridge is intended to still work as a cooling method.
chemphlegm
Well-Known Member
he really does want to use the fridge section to cool the freezer section, really, just saying.
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chemphlegm
Well-Known Member
gassin off is a fine point!
some years ago china grow tents were killing plants for the same reason
besides when lights were off his plants would be very cold....lol
Budley Doright
Well-Known Member
Not sure I would want that tent in my house lol.