HELP! 1st Grow - Heating problems!

avrum

avrum

Well-Known Member
stealth grow 11 said:
you don't want a full 12v will make the fans hum i use a 9v bb charger works great also i herd 12v will burn the fan motor if you leave it 24/7
I've noticed the fans run way to fast with a 12v charger i guess because when there in a pc there controlled by the motherboard
Click to expand...
pc fans are 12v and are designed to work with that voltage for many years. there's no problem running them 24/7, you just have to remember to clean them every now and then. if the fan runs way fast then it means its supposed to run in a high RPM by default. dont worry pistolpanda, 12V is the right voltage unless your fans are too loud/powerful and you want them to run slower, but I see that this is not the case here.
 
pistolpanda

pistolpanda

Active Member
UPDATE: I was using an old Gameboy charger from my childhood (cutting up childhood memories to power the growing of an illegal substance... /facepalm) and the fans were running really slow, so I went and took a 120V ---> 12V Super Nintendo power cord and hooked that up. Fans are now cleaned out and running like a dream! They are a little bit loud, a slight hum really, but I'll be able to deal with it. This grow case is supposed to be a server afterall, so I don't think that will be questioned.

Thanks for the help everyone, my heat is under control for now (I think...) and I will update once more with the actual numbers, for now have some old numbers.

Lights on - Cover off: 77F
Lights on - Cover on: 111F
Lights off - Cover off: 68F
Lights off - Cover on: 70F

Humidity varies, but it generally stays from 30-60% so it should be fine.
 
pistolpanda

pistolpanda

Active Member
UPDATE: It runs at a perfect 86°F. A bit high, but it will have to do, as I've used all available spots for fans (3). I'll post a grow journal once I get my seeds!
 
maineyankee

maineyankee

Active Member
Best of Luck here Pistol :-) I am glad that you are getting the problem dialed in. Don't give up. You will be ok with getting this dialed in.

MaineYankee :-)
 
stealth grow 11

stealth grow 11

Member
avrum said:
pc fans are 12v and are designed to work with that voltage for many years. there's no problem running them 24/7, you just have to remember to clean them every now and then. if the fan runs way fast then it means its supposed to run in a high RPM by default. dont worry pistolpanda, 12V is the right voltage unless your fans are too loud/powerful and you want them to run slower, but I see that this is not the case here.
Click to expand...
oh i see when i put my fans on 12v they went way to fast for me that's why i am using a 9v charger
 
pistolpanda

pistolpanda

Active Member
The fans are all rated at .99mA (a bit low, I know...) but they are very loud! Also, I need some way to fix the light leaking from these fans. I've got two intake in the back and one exhaust in the front. Not a clue how to stop the light leaking while leaving the fans strong enough to keep those temps down! I've got the case running all night with nothing in it just to do a temperature check on it, and see what we get after extended periods of time. I made a DIY Carbon filter for my exhaust, only to realize it was in front behind a grille -_- so, I'm considering moving my exhaust to the back. A diagram is below, as my camera is unavailable at the time.

_____________
| ..@ @ @ @ ..|
| .....................|
| .....................|
|-> ..................|
|-> ..................|
|___________->|

The @ represents a 26w CFL on the powerstrip, the -> represents the direction and placement of the fan, and the .'s represent empty space. Crude, but it'll have to do for now. Any suggestions for fixing these damn fans leaking light, and if applicable better placement of said fans?

EDIT: I was wondering if something like this would work for light leaking on the fans? I could easily set it up under the fan mounts, although I'm not sure about how well the fans would perform afterward...

EDIT II: I think I have found a solution for part of the heating problem, as well as the moving of the powerstrip. The RadioShack by my house sells these pretty cheap, and I figured I could just super glue them to the back and be able to adjust up and down. Hopefully they're strong enough that I can put more reflective material up so all sides of the case can reflect!
 
electronug

electronug

Active Member
Reverse your fans... Intake at the bottom, exhaust up top..

Heat rises, you're attempting to push it down.

Can you put 2 intake fans at the bottom (front)?
 
pistolpanda

pistolpanda

Active Member
No, I can't put anymore fans on the bottom front, not unless I gut all my reflective stuffs, bust the front shell off the case and do some pretty extensive modification to the case. I've only got three spots for fans. Something like this might work though, no?

_____________
| ..@ @ @ @ ..|
| .....................|
| .....................|
|-> ..................|
|<- ..................|
|___________<-|

As the lights will be adjustable as of tomorrow evening, the temperature will drop due to the lights being in the direct path of the fans. The lights will be a bit closer to the fans for the entirety of the grow, seeing as I plan to ScroG it. After I adjust the lights, it will look more like this while the plants are sprouting.

_____________
| .....................|
| .....................|
| .....................|
|->@ @ @ @ ..|
|<- ..................|
|___________<-|

...and this for the majority of the grow.

_____________
| .....................|
| .....................|
| ..@ @ @ @ ..|
|-> ..................|
|<- ..................|
|___________<-|

EDIT: Just wondering what the public opinion might be; should I ScroG one plant and just try to get it to fill the whole case, or ScroG two (2) plants and just train them really well? Which do you guys think would have the best (highest) output? I know I'm shooting high, but I'm hoping to get 2 oz. per plant if I veg long enough and micromanage nutrients and light placement the whole way through. The strain I'll be growing is this pretty little one, as my girlfriend says she thinks it will smell good. I do not smoke weed myself, nor does she, but I'm hoping our friends will like it! That's what really gives me satisfaction, is hearing someone else enjoy and compliment your hard work and effort. Well, plus the extra cash... economy being gimped and all...
 
avrum

avrum

Well-Known Member
I would grow 1 plant with a bigger pot in a pc case. 2 ounces per plant in a pc case??? in your first grow? those are some high expectations dude. between half an ounce and an ounce for your first grow might be more realistic, for both plants if you choose to grow 2.. that case is just not big enough to house a 2 ounce plant.
 
electronug

electronug

Active Member
Wow, that's a fair amount of work just to give it away - very generous, though! +rep

If anything, put the most powerful fan (buy one of you must) at the front of the case for intake and the other two blowing out.

I was able to mount a fan using the holes designed to hold the PSU at the very top/back of my case .. That's the ideal placment for your exhaust to remove the most hot air. Maybe another intake in the lower fan mount at the back to move more air.

Things look alright, but you seem to hav skipped on some homework before you built :p
 
pistolpanda

pistolpanda

Active Member
@avrum, I know it's a high expectation. I figure the higher I shoot, the better I'll do. I work well under pressure and I'll put pressure on myself to ensure that I have those plants producing as much as they can.

@electronug, I will admit, I did skip a bit of homework. I was on Rollitup with a different account for a few years (I never posted though lol, just lurked) but then took a break and forgot some basic stuff, while remembering bits and pieces. I did a quick brush through the Newbie section and then plopped over here, lurked for a while and then got my hands on materials. I -COMPLETELY- forgot about the whole heat rises thing, even though I complain about it most every day (I've got a bedroom upstairs in a part of the country where it's VERY hot and humid).

I'm stopping by the bank today and throwing some cash in, then I'll order my seeds from Nirvana, hopefully shipping is hasty!

EDIT/UPDATE: I swapped my fans around but the temperatures are still going high! Last night my temps were steady at 90°F, and today I got up to 88°F from 73°F in about 10 minutes =/ I'm hoping the move of the lights will make the temps easier to manage. I'm going to RadioShack and I'll look into a stronger adapter along with stronger fans. My little seed that I pulled out of some pot my cousin had seems to be coming along well, just popped about a MM of root out of the shell, and I'll have it in the ground tonight. The little seed isn't my grow though, just a simple test until my real seeds get here. Honestly it's just there to see whether or not my box can sustain life.
 
pistolpanda

pistolpanda

Active Member
Excuse me while I pick up my jaw. Thank you for that phenomenal picture electronug! +rep! I ordered my seeds from Nirvana today and they should be here in a week or two. I'll slap a grow journal up when they germ, or possibly once the grow is over so I can get it all in one big chain-post (having to hunt through a thread for the grower's posts just kills me inside). Alternatively, I could just reserve "x" amount of posts (most likely what I'll do). Here with an update though, I stopped at RadioShack and got those magnets and attached them with Gorilla Glue, I hate to say it, but they're not strong enough to hold it up, so I'm going to have to use a little bit of painters tape to help hold it. The painters tape will allow it to be sturdy, yet still mobile, so it should work out. I'll see what I can do about that case design you posted.
 
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