8" Ice Box for Cooling my D.I.Y. UC Grow Room

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OneHaole

OneHaole

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I am in the final stages of completing the assembly of my grow room and I have a few questions I was hoping to get some solid advice on.
I built a D.I.Y. U.C. Double Barrel w/16 cells, I will be cooling it with a 1/2hp 6000btu chiller made from an Window AC Unit. I'm assuming it's built just like the Chillking. Here's the link,

I am plumbing this "In-Line" my re-circ loop. My return lines merge into a "Y", then into my pump, in chiller, out chiller and into my epicenter.
Here's my questions:
I want to add a tee in between my chiller and the epicenter to run a 1/2" line to an 8" Ice Box that I will install on my 8" intake fan. I will then run the "hot" line out of the 8" Ice Box and back into my return line before the chiller. Will this work? Is there any reason that I am not aware of that I shouldn't be running my Nutes through my chiller and Ice Box? If this is a no-no should I have a Reservoir "dedicated" to cooling and have a manifold running supply and returns to the Ice Box and CoolCoil inside my epicenter?
I figure running "in-line" through my system and chiller would be way more efficient than having to cool an extra 30-50 gallons inside a reservoir in addition to my 90 gallons within my UC system.
Feedback Please.
Also this is not a closed room, I have an 8" fresh air intake and 8" exhaust thru the ceiling. My lights are Gavitas which cannot be water cooled and I was figuring just using the ice box for efficient cooling vs. an A.C. unit. Will I be sucking my newly introduced cool air out as fast as my hot air gathering near the ceiling or do you think it will cool my room as I am hoping?
 
P

psilo

31
8
I am in the final stages of completing the assembly of my grow room and I have a few questions I was hoping to get some solid advice on.
I built a D.I.Y. U.C. Double Barrel w/16 cells, I will be cooling it with a 1/2hp 6000btu chiller made from an Window AC Unit. I'm assuming it's built just like the Chillking. Here's the link,

I am plumbing this "In-Line" my re-circ loop. My return lines merge into a "Y", then into my pump, in chiller, out chiller and into my epicenter.
Here's my questions:
I want to add a tee in between my chiller and the epicenter to run a 1/2" line to an 8" Ice Box that I will install on my 8" intake fan. I will then run the "hot" line out of the 8" Ice Box and back into my return line before the chiller. Will this work? Is there any reason that I am not aware of that I shouldn't be running my Nutes through my chiller and Ice Box? If this is a no-no should I have a Reservoir "dedicated" to cooling and have a manifold running supply and returns to the Ice Box and CoolCoil inside my epicenter?
I figure running "in-line" through my system and chiller would be way more efficient than having to cool an extra 30-50 gallons inside a reservoir in addition to my 90 gallons within my UC system.
Feedback Please.
Also this is not a closed room, I have an 8" fresh air intake and 8" exhaust thru the ceiling. My lights are Gavitas which cannot be water cooled and I was figuring just using the ice box for efficient cooling vs. an A.C. unit. Will I be sucking my newly introduced cool air out as fast as my hot air gathering near the ceiling or do you think it will cool my room as I am hoping?
How many lights (watts) will you be using?
 
OneHaole

OneHaole

6
1
Forgive me for leaving that valuable information out, 2 1000w Gavitas.
 
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psilo

31
8
You don't want to run your nutrient solution through the Ice Box because unlike the chiller which uses titanium coils the Ice Box uses copper and that will quickly become toxic to plants.
If you don't plan on supplementing CO2 you should consider simply creating more air exchange to control heat build up (assuming you run your lights at night and the outdoor temps don't get too high).
For 2k watts I would look at exchanging the air once per minute and if you plan on adding more lighting you can double that. Don't forget to take into account the loss of CFM's through filters and ducting. Use rigid ducting if possible.
If you go with a sealed room you'll probably want two Ice Box's and a 1 HP chiller to chill the UC as well and yes you'll need a separate reservoir and pumps and coil for the epicenter.
 
OneHaole

OneHaole

6
1
Thanks psilo for the advice!! I have a 10' X 11' X 8' room with 8" intake and exhaust. The exhaust fan and carbon filter is located above in the attic with the fan "pushing" through the filter. I live in Hawaii and temps outside are pretty consistent at 80 during the day and 75 at night. As I type this the room temp is 80.6 and humidity is 70%. I know these factors will change when lights are on, orbital fans circulating air and intake and exhaust going full bore. I'm hoping for lower humidity and the temps around the same during operation. And yes I will be running at night.
What do you think?
 
OneHaole

OneHaole

6
1
I had another idea, being that I already have the chiller and the ice box what about putting a cool coil inside my epicenter, pipe supply and return to ice box, install small circ pump and a throw a tee in the loop for "make up" water and a check valve to always insure water filled lines?
 
P

psilo

31
8
Thanks psilo for the advice!! I have a 10' X 11' X 8' room with 8" intake and exhaust. The exhaust fan and carbon filter is located above in the attic with the fan "pushing" through the filter. I live in Hawaii and temps outside are pretty consistent at 80 during the day and 75 at night. As I type this the room temp is 80.6 and humidity is 70%. I know these factors will change when lights are on, orbital fans circulating air and intake and exhaust going full bore. I'm hoping for lower humidity and the temps around the same during operation. And yes I will be running at night.
What do you think?
I think you'll probably need an A/C as well. The A/C will give you some additional cooling and de-humidification. Have the Ice Box come on only during lights on.
 
P

psilo

31
8
I had another idea, being that I already have the chiller and the ice box what about putting a cool coil inside my epicenter, pipe supply and return to ice box, install small circ pump and a throw a tee in the loop for "make up" water and a check valve to always insure water filled lines?
I suppose it could work though it seems easier to use a small reservoir with submersible pump(s).
 
OneHaole

OneHaole

6
1
Thanks psilo for the advice, Don't have to much more room to be adding an additional reservoir. Was wanting to add the ice box for cooling to steer clear of A/C.
I suppose time will tell what my environment will dictate. I just want to have it dialed before I start my girls. Maybe i'll fire it up and run it for several days to dial it before inserting females.
I was figuring my epicenter was my small reservoir! Lol.............
 
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