Cheap way to exhaust using PC fans!?!?! 400w tent

I have an 4" aircooled hood,4" carbon filter, tent, and 400w. Is there a way I can use PC fans (80cfm) for ventilation. If yes, how do I rig them to fit carbon filter, hood etc. ?

No offense, but what I would tell you is that you already spent the $ and went out and got the good stuff so why go cheap now and risk burning everything up.

I don't know off any computer fans that could possibly have enough sucking power to pull through a carbon filter. You could certainly try to mount a 120mm computer fan to a flange that fits the carbon filter and see what happens. As long as you can keep a positive suction in your room you should be set.

Also, Check this out:
http://stores.indoorgrowsource.com/-strse-166/Active-Air-4-inch/Detail.bok

I can confirm after numerous attempts to cool my room using PC fans that it cannot be done easily.

I had to spend the money and get an INLINE RVK fan to run my cooltube and exhaust

and i have a 120mm 84CFM PC fan as a small powered intake.

I did try mounting pc fans at either end of the cooltube one blowing one sucking but unless you can completely seal the housing around the cooltube and fan then you are loosing power and the fans become useless.


As already advised just spend the extra money now instead of wasting money before you have to buy the right bit of kit in the end.


J

As said, no way a simple pc fan, or even a handful of them, will easily overcome the pressures created by the ducting and filter.

check out my tent bro I am using a 250W and temps stay around 84

If you are going to move air properly through a cool tube or air hood, you need a good fan. There is no way around it. Your hood ducting should be in and out, nothing else. The scrubber should be on it's own, more powerful fan.

Ok Clearly I need to get the duct fans. But why cant I go filter--light/air hood--exhaust? Why do I need a separate exhaust for the filter? I have a 400w and Im not planning on expanding, so the heat isnt going to be that horrible. Plus I live in Vermont so it will be winter soon, and I might need the heat.

u need a separate one because your plants need it for cooler temps

jim beam said:

Ok Clearly I need to get the duct fans. But why cant I go filter--light/air hood--exhaust? Why do I need a separate exhaust for the filter? I have a 400w and Im not planning on expanding, so the heat isnt going to be that horrible. Plus I live in Vermont so it will be winter soon, and I might need the heat.

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Computer fans would work to circulate air around the room but you would need something like a fan like the one in your bathroom to push air through your bonnet or cooltube. When setting up ventilation systems in sealed ops be sure you have equal or positive air pressure in the room. Negative air pressure can harm your plants.

jim beam said:

Ok Clearly I need to get the duct fans. But why cant I go filter--light/air hood--exhaust? Why do I need a separate exhaust for the filter? I have a 400w and Im not planning on expanding, so the heat isnt going to be that horrible. Plus I live in Vermont so it will be winter soon, and I might need the heat.

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You could do that just fine. It'll work fine for a single 400w light. Try it before you decide on buying a second one.

computer fans will not move much air at all and bathroom fans move about 50-90 cfms not enough air

fabfun said:

computer fans will not move much air at all and bathroom fans move about 50-90 cfms not enough air

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The exhaust blower that is for a range and comes with a charcoal filtre uses the same electric motor as a bathroom fan.

sure like a whisperline 240 cfm but ones in most bathrooms or 50-60 cfm highest available at home stores is 90 cfm but a whisperline is $170 and he is looking for a cheap way

Any fan you purchase new will involve some sort of expense. I have access to a recycling facility that puts reusable things in a reuse area on the site. I got permission to salvage from the scrap metal pile. I got every thing but the plants and the light bulbs from the recycling station. I even found expensive hps 1000w ballasts. When I need a blower I'll find a plastic fan about the same size as a 5 gallon bucket. I'll trim the fan blades down if I have to. After mounting the fan securely inside the bucket make a hole in the bottom of the bucket and a (similar hole in the lid of the bucket). Sometimes I mount the bucket to the port eliminating the lid part. Screw and duct tape your vents to the bucket. A ten inch table fan can cost between $20-$30. Blowers usually start out at $100. I use F&D systems so I use small fans to circulate the air under the tables and through the center of the plants. I also use larger blower fans to circulate upper layer air and ducts with small fans to send the hot air under the beds. Like I said earlier there's nothing cheap about buying fans but you may be able to find fans that you might be able to make do with. I use reused 4" computer fans to circulate air from my moms and back to my grow through 4" venting. I like nice fresh air in my op and I always situate my intake so it has more cfm coming in than my exhaust fans are pushing out in the op. Venting depends a lot on whether it's 20 above outside or 50 below. Sometimes I open up my bonnets, sometimes I run their heat straight outside. Depends on the weather. All of the ouside air is vented into the top of the room. I situate my exhaust about plant level. Once I used a 2 foot square floor fan and situated at the intake(the attic door) and mounted six four inch vent pipes to it leading it into the op with plastic bags and duct tape. Each vent was situated over each table without bonnets(1000w hps). There was only a hole cut through the eves for exhaust venting. You have to take what you have and apply your skills to it.

bird mcbride said:

Negative air pressure can harm your plants.

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can you please explain this?