Can i use my water heater as a CO2 Gen???

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budbrothers

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I was wondering. the only thing i can think that would not be a go is that the burner is burning dirty and you cant control the flow.

actually you can control the flow. controller hooks up to a dampener that opens when controller demands and closes when co2 levels are reached. what do you guys think???
 
O

Oregonic

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Dude, I hope this is in someway possible, I am in the process of a room build in the garage and would fucking love to tap in to my water heater!

Good question.....
 
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budbrothers

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i know right i have a grow room like 8ft from my water heater. its just a thought. fuckin generators are expensive.
 
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Bobby Smith

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Go to RIU and search for a thread by a gentleman named Tat2ue - "DIY Natural Gas co2 Generator" - all you need is in that thread.
 
motherlode

motherlode

@Rolln_J
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it could be done with an on demand water heater, a big res and a chiller or an endless supply of water
 
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Bobby Smith

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motherlode said:
it could be done with an on demand water heater, a big res and a chiller or an endless supply of water
Click to expand...

I'm actually selling my Cap generator and buying a Marey Tankless Hot Water Heater (aka a "Hydrogen Water-Cooled CO2 Generator").

Gonna run it off of my hose and drain to waste.
 
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budbrothers

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Bobby Smith said:
I'm actually selling my Cap generator and buying a Marey Tankless Hot Water Heater (aka a "Hydrogen Water-Cooled CO2 Generator").

Gonna run it off of my hose and drain to waste.
Click to expand...

your gonna be going threw water like crazy. i hope you dont have a meter..

do you want to sell me your cap? is it LP or NG
 
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budbrothers

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motherlode said:
it could be done with an on demand water heater, a big res and a chiller or an endless supply of water
Click to expand...

sounds like it may be more probs than its worth. would the water in my tank just get to hot if it was running all the time. it has a pilot light that is running always i was just talking about taking that co2.
 
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budbrothers

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Bobby Smith said:
Go to RIU and search for a thread by a gentleman named Tat2ue - "DIY Natural Gas co2 Generator" - all you need is in that thread.
Click to expand...

also what is RIU???? i keep hearing it and i have no idea what that shit is...
 
B

Bobby Smith

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budbrothers said:
your gonna be going threw water like crazy. i hope you dont have a meter..

do you want to sell me your cap? is it LP or NG
Click to expand...

Not really; probably run for about a minute or two an hour, and waste 4-5 gallons each time.........50 gallons a day extra, nothing too crazy - it's the equivalent of an extra shower or two.

Water bill is about $18/month, might go all the way up to $25/month.........beats the shit outta the cost it would take to cool the unit with more AC (hundreds of dollars a month).

And yeah, I'd sell you my Cap, but if you're in Colorado, that's gonna be a helluva drive :004:

And "RIU" is another site like this called "rollitup".
 
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budbrothers

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here is what this guy did on RIU
its actually smart. i like it and i have most of the shit to do it here. in gonna give it a try tomorrow. i just dont have the little inline fan. and i dont want to have to buy it. i have a 6" but its over kill.


I have been wanting to add co2 to my grow room since I finished it a cpl months ago but the cash outlay kept me from doing it. Then I ran across an artical on the web titled "CO2 for FREE" written by David Oppenheimer (Great read). Simply put, he explained how you can use the exhaust gas from a natural gas hot water heater to enrich your growing area with co2 for a mere fraction of the cost of a tank system or one of those pricey co2 generators made by "CAP" or "BluOx". Since my water heater is about 10' from my grow room this worked out great for me. All I did was place a "T" in the exhaust line exiting the top of the heater. I then ran a 4" metal duct (not that flimsey 4" dryer duct) into my grow room. Once inside my grow room I continued it to a bathroom exhaust fan ($14.00 at Loews) I built into a box and attached to the wall. You can use a 4" inline booster fan but I would have had to order it online from Loews or HD .The exit side is a 3" duct fitting that I attached a 90 degree elbow to and directed the flow of exhaust gas (CO2) behind a 16" oscilating fan that I mounted close to the ceiling. The fan disperses the co2 over my entire grow area for complete co2 saturation.

Before I installed my "Ghetto Generator" my co2 ppm in my sealed grow room ranged from 400 - 500 ppm. After the instalation it measured 3000 ppm WAAAAY to high. And since I don't have one of those co2 monitors like a CAP1/2 or 3 I had to dial my Ghetto Generator"in with a $17.00 timer. After trial and error I got it to keep a constant 1500 -1900 ppm with lights on by setting my timer at 15 min on and 30 min off. I also installed a Carbon Monoxide alarm to be on the safe side....Total cost was around $80.00 and install time ran 3-4 hours.

I run 4 x 1000w HPS lights in cool tubes vented into the attic w/ an 800cfm inline fan drawing from outside air and the temps stay in the range of 82 to 85 degrees while venting the warm air from the water heater into the room. I do have a line from my central air running into the 8 x 12 grow room to help keep it cool also. Well anyway I hope this helps a few of yall out. Here are a few more specs on my grow-op.

Room Size is 8 x 12

Set up two ebb & flow tables that are 3 x 8, one on each side of the room. Each table has eighty 3" netpots for a total of 160 plant sites (I lollypop all my plants and they go straight from the DIY aero cloner into flower)

Ea table is covered by 2 x 1000w HPS cool tubes

Ph range is 5.8 to 6.0

Nute ppm range is kept close to 1500ppm at all times

Night time temps (lights off) is 69 to 71 degrees

Day temps w/ co2 and lights on ranges from 82 to 86 degrees.

CO2 ranges (lights on) 1500 to 1900 ppm (and is now FREEEEEEE)

Thats All Folks ...Hope this helps someone cause it sure saved me a bundle of $$$$$$
 
H

HerbinGrower

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How does one of those buckets filled with some mulching crap. with a pump on it work for ya.
 
G

glshemp

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How about one of these?

Heater0001_Portable_Buddy_Heater.jpg


I have one but have not used it yet. Waiting for the plants on my first grow to get bigger. Scenario is grow tent one end of the place 200 cfm fan venting window sealed tight. Other end of place window cracked cold air sucking in passing over this little heater to help warm the place and enrich air with co2.

It's got a 4000 and 9000 btu setting. Should be safe as milk with the 200 cfm fan pulling outside air past it.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

6,892
313
Bobby Smith said:
I'm actually selling my Cap generator and buying a Marey Tankless Hot Water Heater (aka a "Hydrogen Water-Cooled CO2 Generator").

Gonna run it off of my hose and drain to waste.
Click to expand...

No way, man- at least do what my buddy does, and use an old hot tub shell outside as a reservoir/dissipator; control the pump with a CO2 controller in/from your hot tub shell, run the water thru the CO2 burner, then back to the hot tub shell. Low temps outside, plus natural evaporative cooling will dissipate the heat and save your water bill. If not a shell, then any sizeable tub with plenty of surface area and the ability to hold at least 100 gallons will work. The key is not to cover the tub.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

6,892
313
Don't forget about one little detail buried in that DIY post; INSTALL A CARBON MONOXIDE SENSOR! The reason why they run propane fuel in forklifts in big warehouses is because propane doesn't create any harmful byproducts. Depending on the type of natural gas you're getting in your area, it could have a lot of dirty gasses- or even a cruddy burner on your water tank- some of which very well may combust imcompletely to CO. I thought about doing this at my house, but my CO alarm kept going off, so I had to scrap that plan.

Carbon monoxide is no joke- shit will put you to sleep, permanent-like... Grow big, but be safe.
 
N

nashcp

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1
Why not cannabalize an old grill from the curb on garbage day? Free + uses propane, has correct connections to tank.... and maybe just add some additional venting.

I guess the one thing that is not included or free is a pilot/electronic valve....

Besides those pieces that's all my Greenhouse Generator is! And a pilot & electronic valve can be bought for under $50 at your local "Mechanical Supply" store that feeds HVAC contractors.

...just my $0.02 :-)
 
motherlode

motherlode

@Rolln_J
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if the flame burns any color but blue you are also putting carbon monoxide into your grow - bad juju
 
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