Raising Humidity With A Lot Of Air Exchange

[cemchris]

So I'm trying to raise my humidity with a 12in fan exhausting 2 rooms. I have 6in intakes going into each room with fresh air.

So I'm thinking swamp coolers/humidifiers might be inefficient because of all the air exchange in the room. Has anyone done something like install a mister into the intake line hooked up to a controller? Would something like this even work? For years I have always fought humidity and removing it from rooms. This is the first time I've ever had it too low. Not to keen on this.

 

[Natural]

hmm...take these as questions rather than suggestions..but, slower out-takes if you can handle the heat..plus more frequent feedings if the plants ask..plus some foliar feeding. I'm comfortable with foliar up to the last 2-3 weeks of flower when humidity is low. swamp cooler and humidifiers should help, but if the air exchange is high it may not..perhaps if you can't slow exchange..maybe timed exchange fans

 

[cemchris]

hmm...take these as questions rather than suggestions..but, slower out-takes if you can handle the heat..plus more frequent feedings if the plants ask..plus some foliar feeding. I'm comfortable with foliar up to the last 2-3 weeks of flower when humidity is low. swamp cooler and humidifiers should help, but if the air exchange is high it may not..perhaps if you can't slow exchange..maybe timed exchange fans

I'm trying to get away without running a/c in my rooms and right now with it being in the 90's im creeping up to about 78 almost 80. Don't really want to go higher. Unfortunately if I crank the fan down that in turn will go above that. So I don't really want to do a timer on the intake/exhaust. If I have to bite the bullet and run A/C I will but its really not worth it for only 2-3 months out of the year. So any experience in using a really fine mister in the intake?

 

[jumpincactus]

I'm trying to get away without running a/c in my rooms and right now with it being in the 90's im creeping up to about 78 almost 80. Don't really want to go higher. Unfortunately if I crank the fan down that in turn will go above that. So I don't really want to do a timer on the intake/exhaust. If I have to bite the bullet and run A/C I will but its really not worth it for only 2-3 months out of the year. So any experience in using a really fine mister in the intake?

Will be waiting to hear some of the comments to this as I as well move so much air to keep room cooled even a fogger doesnt keep the Rh up to any degree as it gets sucked right back out very quickly. Great question!!!

 

[Savage Henry]

I'm going to tag along on this as well, dealing with a similar issue.

 

[Savage Henry]

Here's an idea, a greenhouse fogger, or several of them, the little rainbird ones that can be connected to an irrigation line. I believe they're in the irrigation aisle at Home Depot.
Run some pvc around the room with these connected to it and the PVC coming off the buildings water line with a solenoid. Connect the solenoid to a humidistat.

 

[X.rm]

I'm trying to get away without running a/c in my rooms and right now with it being in the 90's im creeping up to about 78 almost 80. Don't really want to go higher. Unfortunately if I crank the fan down that in turn will go above that. So I don't really want to do a timer on the intake/exhaust. If I have to bite the bullet and run A/C I will but its really not worth it for only 2-3 months out of the year. So any experience in using a really fine mister in the intake?

You dont mention CO2, if you dont want to use AC but if you underclock your fans the temps will rise i think the solution for you might be to supplement with CO2 in the form of compressed gas. It will raise your plants tolerance to heat and your buds wont run due to heat stress. Hell you might even increase your yields. Just make sure you dial in your exhaust or install some type of controller that will synch your exhaust with CO2 enrichment and ppm's

 

[Natural]

what about kicking your lights down? In my perpetual, I've been playing with finish halides that run cooler and 600's for transition. I bet I could turn a few lights down to 600's for summer and give them 1k for middle flower and still get decent yields. It's a give and take.

 

[DemonTrich]

Houseofhydro.com

I have a 12 disc ultrasonic fogger system from them. I can dial in my VDP perfectly.

 

[Nickracer9]

I ended up going with an autopilot environmental controller and 2 hyper fan exhaust fans. One is set at a low idle to keep a constant air exchange and the other is connected to the cooling circuit of the autopilot set to full speed. After some dialing in you can get the idle just right to where the high speed kicks on occasionally to get more fresh air in during lights on as the temp climbs. Usually when the cooling circuit kicks on(environment controller)it pulls in new air and will typically turn on the humidifier. As that high rh air is being pulled out that humidifier trying to keep up the rh also helps cool the room down faster as well. My room typically will float about 2 degrees and about 2-3 percent humidity. For a 10x10 room running 4K I only burn about 1-2 gallons a day which I think is pretty efficient and the humidifier isn't constantly running by any means. No a/c but I can keep temps around 78 which works for me. Hope this helps.

 

[cemchris]

Houseofhydro.com

I have a 12 disc ultrasonic fogger system from them. I can dial in my VDP perfectly.

Very nice man! Lots of air exchange? The kicker for me was I have 4 separate rooms with separate intakes but I'm exhausting all of them with a 12in fan which kind of limits the possibilities for me on dialing down the fan ect. on an indy basis. Why I'm looking for more of a supp I can dial per room. Are you just running it open in your room currently? Could this be adapted to the ducting you think?

Don't get me wrong I come from the school of totally sealed spray foamed rooms w/ minisplits and all the bells and whistles. Not what I'm trying to do right now. Trying to keep it simple but If I have to go that route I'm gonna go back to it full tilt.

I ended up going with an autopilot environmental controller and 2 hyper fan exhaust fans. One is set at a low idle to keep a constant air exchange and the other is connected to the cooling circuit of the autopilot set to full speed. After some dialing in you can get the idle just right to where the high speed kicks on occasionally to get more fresh air in during lights on as the temp climbs. Usually when the cooling circuit kicks on(environment controller)it pulls in new air and will typically turn on the humidifier. As that high rh air is being pulled out that humidifier trying to keep up the rh also helps cool the room down faster as well. My room typically will float about 2 degrees and about 2-3 percent humidity. For a 10x10 room running 4K I only burn about 1-2 gallons a day which I think is pretty efficient and the humidifier isn't constantly running by any means. No a/c but I can keep temps around 78 which works for me. Hope this helps.

Yeah this is a real dry environment. Something I never dealt with. It was always 100 outside with like 80% humidity where I was. You only ran dehus and big ass A/C's even in the winter. Problem is its creaping up into the 90's here everyday now almost 100 so its really starting to climb but this is only for a month or 2 out of the year. Rest of the year I can dial down the air exchange to keep a constant temp/humd. But good idea none the less. Thx for the input!

 

[DemonTrich]

I have my 20 gal drum outside the tent so I can fit one more plant in there. I then use pvc and pipe it thru a slice in my tent. I run all seperate rooms, flower, veg, clone, harvest, dry. Only the veg and flower share same room, all my exhaust gets dumped on the other side (20'+ away).

 

[cemchris]

I have my 20 gal drum outside the tent so I can fit one more plant in there. I then use pvc and pipe it thru a slice in my tent. I run all seperate rooms, flower, veg, clone, harvest, dry. Only the veg and flower share same room, all my exhaust gets dumped on the other side (20'+ away).

You sir are a baus Thx!

 

[Savage Henry]

Looks like I'm about to order the 12 disk and fan for my 4kw air exchange room, @DemonTrich , thanks for the heads up. Oddly the instruction manual says not to use ro water and I was planning on piping my a/c condensate from another room into the tote with the disks.

Do you use tap water in yours?

Also, did you pay extra for the special coating on the disks and 2yr warranty?

 

[DemonTrich]

I believe I do have the coating. I always buy ext warranties. You never know when shit might go south on ya. Tap only, other water they say is bad for the unit.

I sourced the drum.on ebay, 30 shipped. Tall and skinny foot print.

 

[peta1111]

I believe I do have the coating. I always buy ext warranties. You never know when shit might go south on ya. Tap only, other water they say is bad for the unit.

I sourced the drum.on ebay, 30 shipped. Tall and skinny foot print.

How often does it run? How do you keep your humidity dialed in?
I took a look at their 12 disc fogger and it is intriguing but I am not sure it's very cost effective. A decent humidifier is probably half the price of their 12 disc fogger. Although I did see one on amazon for only $100 that looks identical. Looks like you would need a controller though which makes it even less cost effective.
I am intrigued by the idea but it has to be cost effective.

 

[Megadude]

I have a similar issue. Also curious, do the foggers eventually generate warm mist/raise the temps of the room? Or is that only if they run for extended periods of time?

 

[SlabLabCO]

Run RO or your air handler will be blowing out calcified dust from the foggers not ionizing the water properly to mix it into the air entirely. I have 2 MHS6s from MM and they just aren't what they need to be at all for the price.

 

[JSmokes420]

I would build a homemade swamp cooler and mount it on the intake. Could be as simple as a tiny submersible pump, sheet of cooler material and a tub to set it in

 

[brimck325]

i'm curious how this worked out for u cem??? what exactly did you use and how was it applied???