Automatic Temperature Control

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Eddie McPot

Well-Known Member
I am thinking about upgrading my grow cabinet before the hot weather gets here. I am running it now with no outside ventilation except for checking it 3x a day. Temp inside the cabinet stays around 72-78F . I am just using CFLs at the moment, but I am adding a 70w HPS later on and I know it will raise my temps. My cabinet is close to a HVAC floor vent. I could fabricate a small duct to pump a small amount of A/C in the hot summer months. Again I am wanting to automate my fans to run till the temp drops to the ideal range.

I want to add a thermostat of some sort to run some PC fans. I thought about a PC fan controller and run it off an old PC power supply. Or should I buy a household digital thermostat? I am afraid I will be too busy in the warmer weather to check on my babies 3x a day.

Here is a rough sketch of my cabinet. I have not completed the HPS hood shown in the drawing yet. But I thought maybe cooling this hood would help.

Peace and thanks for reading.
 
AeroKing

AeroKing

Well-Known Member
You don't want to use a common household tstat unless you're going to run it to a relay. You will eventually burn the anticipator out of it. Ranco ETCs (electronic temperature controls) incorporate a relay and can be used in this situation. You would use 120v line power to power the controller and it will switch low voltage for your fans. PM me if you need help wiring it for such.

The 111000 is probably the one you want, unless you'd like to be able to control a heater also, then you'd want the 211000
 
Picasso345

Picasso345

Well-Known Member
AeroKing said:
You don't want to use a common household tstat unless you're going to run it to a relay. You will eventually burn the anticipator out of it. Ranco ETCs (electronic temperature controls) incorporate a relay and can be used in this situation. You would use 120v line power to power the controller and it will switch low voltage for your fans. PM me if you need help wiring it for such.

The 111000 is probably the one you want, unless you'd like to be able to control a heater also, then you'd want the 211000
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What about this unit? They are rated for 15A, ACs and electric heaters:

http://cgi.ebay.com/LUX-WIN100-PROGRAMMABLE-WALL-OUTLET-THERMOSTAT-must-go_W0QQitemZ140294249586QQ

 
AeroKing

AeroKing

Well-Known Member
Picasso345 said:
What about this unit? They are rated for 15A, ACs and electric heaters:

http://cgi.ebay.com/LUX-WIN100-PROGRAMMABLE-WALL-OUTLET-THERMOSTAT-must-go_W0QQitemZ140294249586QQ
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He's relaying two different voltages, though. He could jump off of that to a relay, but that complicates the hell out of everything.

Edit: I should say will probably relay 2 different voltages since the PC fans run on 12vdc. If you can find a line-voltage controller that operates on 12v, you could do that. They do make them to run on 24v, but I don't know how you're fan would react to 24v's.
 
AeroKing

AeroKing

Well-Known Member
Eddie McPot said:
I checked out both of them. I like the 111000 but it doesn't state output voltage. This one that Picasso recommended http://cgi.ebay.com/LUX-WIN100-PROGR...140294249586QQ would probably work because I can run the fans off my multi-adapter, I can change from 1.5 to 12v with a slider. It plugs in like a phone charger. Thanks again guys.
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Doh, That was stupid of me... you just plug the adapter into that controller... stoner moment (hope you understand).

BTW, just FYI, the Ranco controller doesn't have an 'output voltage'. It will switch on and off any voltage thats hooked to it. It wires to 120vac for it's power and then an in and an out for the controlled power.
 
Dirtfree

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
you could also get one from home depot, for an attic fan. cost 26 bucks. Works perfect in my set up. When temps go over 78 the exaust kicks on. But you have to hard wire it on a outlet.
 
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Eddie McPot

Well-Known Member
Ya I am going to order the one Picasso recommended. It looks plug and play. My cabinet temp was up to 80 scaring me. LOL Aero no prob man happens to the best of us. Smoke it up!
 
OpTikPhiber

OpTikPhiber

Well-Known Member
Dirtfree said:
you could also get one from home depot, for an attic fan. cost 26 bucks. Works perfect in my set up. When temps go over 78 the exaust kicks on. But you have to hard wire it on a outlet.
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I was at home depot this weekend and the guy I was getting help from said a thermostat like this didn't exist, ha ;)

Is this like the one you bought? http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100098472

Thanks, I want to hook a thermostat up to my in and out inline ductfans I just installed.
 
Dirtfree

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
OP that is exactly what i am talking about. And the people at home depot are f-ing retards , they told me the same thing. Its where the lumber and roofing is. Find the attic fans and its somewhere around that. Or you could just order it online. Very easy to install. I only have it on my exaust and a dimmer on my intake.
 
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Eddie McPot

Well-Known Member
the357ink said:
i stick with products that are specifically designed for your hobby...
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I hear ya man but some of those products are out of my price range or over exceed my requirements. Most of the stuff out there is designed for a big space. Feel free to recommend something.
 
tusseltussel

tusseltussel

Well-Known Member
didn't read but a few posts here but would like to let everyone know what i did..... i have a heater in my grow room for winter, i went to the local hardwhere store and picked up a attic vent fan temp controll switch.

my oil filled electric space heater has its own thermostat on it so i set it to where it keeps the room above 64 during lights out and i hooked my exhaust fan up through the temp switch so when the light comes on and the room heats up its set to turn the exhaust on at 78 degrees and shuts off at 71 and i keep a circulation fan running at all times in the room it seems to work quite well.. it costed 15 bucks i think
 
tusseltussel

tusseltussel

Well-Known Member
Dirtfree said:
you could also get one from home depot, for an attic fan. cost 26 bucks. Works perfect in my set up. When temps go over 78 the exaust kicks on. But you have to hard wire it on a outlet.
Click to expand...
OpTikPhiber said:
I was at home depot this weekend and the guy I was getting help from said a thermostat like this didn't exist, ha ;)

Is this like the one you bought? http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100098472

Thanks, I want to hook a thermostat up to my in and out inline ductfans I just installed.
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ahhhhh i see so i went back and read the thread and see you done the same thing


that thermostate is basically the same one i got........ mine cane from lowes and was found down by thw wood section just befor it with all the insulation and attic fans good luck
 
Dirtfree

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
im surprised the local hydro stores dont sell them. They are ideal for a grow room.

And to the guy who only buys things specificly for his hobby.... Good for you. Pay twice as much for everthing. So if it said hydrofarm on it and it cost twice as much you would be ok with that. Everything except my grow light is DIY. Think outside the box! I think this entire hoppy started out that way.
 
OpTikPhiber

OpTikPhiber

Well-Known Member
Dirtfree said:
OP that is exactly what i am talking about. And the people at home depot are f-ing retards , they told me the same thing. Its where the lumber and roofing is. Find the attic fans and its somewhere around that. Or you could just order it online. Very easy to install. I only have it on my exaust and a dimmer on my intake.
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You rock, thanks for the tip! :hump:

Before reading this I actually got a floor board heating thermostat. It is compatible with the duct fans but is for heating only. So if the room gets too hot the thermostat will never turn on because it thinks the room is "hot enough" already. But of course this did not all occur to me until after I wired and hooked it all up...perfectly ;) And then luckily I unhooked it before getting caught with a hot hot hot room lol.

Back off the home depot....to the roffing section this time though ;)
 
tusseltussel

tusseltussel

Well-Known Member
OpTikPhiber said:
You rock, thanks for the tip! :hump:

Before reading this I actually got a floor board heating thermostat. It is compatible with the duct fans but is for heating only. So if the room gets too hot the thermostat will never turn on because it thinks the room is "hot enough" already. But of course this did not all occur to me until after I wired and hooked it all up...perfectly ;) And then luckily I unhooked it before getting caught with a hot hot hot room lol.

Back off the home depot....to the roffing section this time though ;)
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you cant just reverse the polarity of it?????
 
Dirtfree

Dirtfree

Well-Known Member
Cool op! Im glad I could help someone after all the help ive gotten from other people on here! Pass it on!


We get high with a lil help from our friends!!
 
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