Upgrade Time...Completely Sealed Room

[KUSHPILES]

I use a 15' length of 3/8" inside diameter copper pipe, stuff for hvac contractors. I could it around a blank that was small enough so that the coil I made fits down into a 5 gallon bucket.

The water running through my chiller circuit- which does not mix with any other water, btw- runs through these copper coils and keeps my RDWC water temps at 60 as well. Other circuits go to Icebox heart exchangers that serve as the heart of the grow room's cooling or dehumidification system. ANY of the circuits servicing individual devices can be shut off and isolated by shutting off the valves to the intake and return manifolds, altering me to move, reconfigure or replace it WITHOUT taking the rest of the system offline. I thought that was a lil slicker than average, mah-seff!

So to be clear-you tap into the existing plumbing of the unit, run a copper loop (wart chiller style) into a reservoir-cooling it-and back to the units plumbing? Love the disconnect setup, very slick indeed, I like your style!

 

[ttystikk]

So to be clear-you tap into the existing plumbing of the unit, run a copper loop (wart chiller style) into a reservoir-cooling it-and back to the units plumbing? Love the disconnect setup, very slick indeed, I like your style!

The chiller system is its own closed loop, it doesn't go through the plumbing system of the house. Water flows from the reservoir through a 1/2hp Flotec pump and then to the cold water manifold, where they go through one of six circuits, back through a return manifold and back to the reservoir. There is a separate circuit from the pump to the chiller, which pours cold water into the reservoir until it reaches its setpoint. End of cycle!

 

[KUSHPILES]

The chiller system is its own closed loop, it doesn't go through the plumbing system of the house. Water flows from the reservoir through a 1/2hp Flotec pump and then to the cold water manifold, where they go through one of six circuits, back through a return manifold and back to the reservoir. There is a separate circuit from the pump to the chiller, which pours cold water into the reservoir until it reaches its setpoint. End of cycle!

Sorry ya thats what I meant. Sounds efficient, I will probably end up implementing something like this.

 

[ttystikk]

Sorry ya thats what I meant. Sounds efficient, I will probably end up implementing something like this.

I used a big 1" line from my pump outlet to a T fitting that brought it down to two 3/4" lines. Each of these runs to an inlet manifold- which you can put anywhere you can reach with all the circuit lines. I used 6 way copper Pex manifolds, for like $30 each at home dePot. 3/4" inlets at both ends, so cap one end and use the other. 1/2" fittings leave the manifold and go through a plastic 1/2" valve and then on to the serviced device; cooler, dehuey, or RDWC coil. The return trip goes to another Pex manifold- but not before another set of 1/2" valves, to isolate each circuit at both ends and allow for your access while the system remains online... (!!) The 3/4" line carrying water from the return manifold back to the reservoir should NOT be combined with other returns, so as to maintain a state of lower pressure than the inlet lines and thereby self balance water flows.

The line to the chiller is a separate 1/2" line that feeds from a fitting screwed into the face of the pump- mine has two such fittings- and then travels to the chiller, through its chiller tank and then back to the same reservoir as the return water. The pump itself sits beneath the res- a 55 gallon drum- and is fed through a nylon reinforced hose, necessary to resist the pump's low inlet pressure that tries to suck it flat! Yes, it is wise to install another valve, mine is a 1" ball valve type, at the base of the reservoir. This gives you the perfect place to store all the fluid in your chiller system should you ever need to replace a major component, because you will. Might as well make it painless...

I did mention earlier my 2 Ton chiller is a window mount style, and therefore portable. Two guys can put it in the back of any station wagon and take it to the hvac shop. Handy- and saves the cost of a service call, let alone smirking explanations!

This concludes today's class in Applied Water Cooling in Indoor Agriculture.

 

[purpleberry]

Im suprissed no one said to just run open hoods. With 3ton of ac you should be fine with 8k, ditch all the glass, ducting, fans, holes, ect. Ive done it and will never run air cooled hoods again unless for reason i had to. Doesnt really take that much more to cool. Makes for a clean setup. Saves money and time on install

 

[ttystikk]

Im suprissed no one said to just run open hoods. With 3ton of ac you should be fine with 8k, ditch all the glass, ducting, fans, holes, ect. Ive done it and will never run air cooled hoods again unless for reason i had to. Doesnt really take that much more to cool. Makes for a clean setup. Saves money and time on install

While it is definitely les efficient, it can make up for it in terms of yields potential. Just be sure your skills can reach that potential, because that power bill can bite you!

One more point; I'd shoeing like this is a long term goal, then seriously consider water cooling instead of ac. The savings in electricity is well worth the additional up front cost. Try 50% lower, and I dehuey with it, too.

 

[One Flip]

Im suprissed no one said to just run open hoods. With 3ton of ac you should be fine with 8k, ditch all the glass, ducting, fans, holes, ect. Ive done it and will never run air cooled hoods again unless for reason i had to. Doesnt really take that much more to cool. Makes for a clean setup. Saves money and time on install

Can you estimate the difference in your bill each month? I'm down with non vented hoods but I'm still on the fence when it comes to 6's or 1k's.

Anyone know the difference in heat output between a 6 & 1k?

 

[purpleberry]

Im just guessing, Your 3 ton would run %50-100 more than it would with air cooled hoods. 3000w ac? running 12 hours a day at .20 cent kw wouldd be a couple hundred dollars. Even if it cost you $200 extra to run, I think it will mkae up for it in yeild, and you should save $1000 on hoods, fans, ducting.

 

[Mr_GreenGenes]

Good info here folks. Ive decided on some equipment. Already got the AC taken care of, should be plenty cool. Goin with the Solis Tek Matrix 1K'ers and the Solis Tek 1K HPS bulbs, the new Maxfan variable speed 8in in the middle of each 4 light run, hopefull that will keep the lights cool enough if not Ill get 2 more and mount 1 at the front and back end of each run and be done with it. The room will be sealed during the day and will be exhausted at night. Gonna run bottled CO2 with a controller...white paint on the walls and 7mil plastic on the floors...things are comin together.

 

[One Flip]

Good info here folks. Ive decided on some equipment. Already got the AC taken care of, should be plenty cool. Goin with the Solis Tek Matrix 1K'ers and the Solis Tek 1K HPS bulbs, the new Maxfan variable speed 8in in the middle of each 4 light run, hopefull that will keep the lights cool enough if not Ill get 2 more and mount 1 at the front and back end of each run and be done with it. The room will be sealed during the day and will be exhausted at night. Gonna run bottled CO2 with a controller...white paint on the walls and 7mil plastic on the floors...things are comin together.

Nice! Sounds like it is going to work out good for you.. Let me know how you like the new variable speed max fan. Like I mentioned before its best to use a 8 for an 8" duct.. But the plastic 8's that they have been selling up until about a year and a half ago are made so cheap they would come apart and or seize from the blades rubbing against the side.. Therefore I was always buying the metal 10's and using those for everything.. Metal = zero issues :). When i saw the new adjustable speed max's it didn't look like the cheap two piece snap together one so I'm thinking they have corrected the issue.. Glad your room is on track and coming together!

 

[Mr_GreenGenes]

Nice! Sounds like it is going to work out good for you.. Let me know how you like the new variable speed max fan. Like I mentioned before its best to use a 8 for an 8" duct.. But the plastic 8's that they have been selling up until about a year and a half ago are made so cheap they would come apart and or seize from the blades rubbing against the side.. Therefore I was always buying the metal 10's and using those for everything.. Metal = zero issues :). When i saw the new adjustable speed max's it didn't look like the cheap two piece snap together one so I'm thinking they have corrected the issue.. Glad your room is on track and coming together!

Thanks man. Well, after actually lookin at the Maxfans I went with 4 8in Vortex. Just looked like junk compared to the Vortex fans I'm already runnin.

Ill have one of the Vortex at the intake end of each light run and one at the exhaust end of each run...that should allow plenty of air movement through the hoods and keep the temps in the hoods pretty even from one end to the other.

 

[ttystikk]

Thanks man. Well, after actually lookin at the Maxfans I went with 4 8in Vortex. Just looked like junk compared to the Vortex fans I'm already runnin.

Ill have one of the Vortex at the intake end of each light run and one at the exhaust end of each run...that should allow plenty of air movement through the hoods and keep the temps in the hoods pretty even from one end to the other.

The fans upstream of the hoods will heat the air you're trying to use to cool them. Remove those fans and then check your room temps. I'll bet they're lower, even with half the fans!

 

[Jboys3]

Hello all--I am glad I have found this thread as it appears you folks all have a similar set-up as I do. Couple of quick forum questions???
1. How do you tag/highlight this thread so I know someone has posted to it so it comes up in my 'Alert' box?
2. Is there anywhere else in this sight where a majority of the growers are using sealed CO2 rooms that I might check out.
Thanks from a newbie to the sight...

 

[KUSHPILES]

Once you reply to a thread, or like a post in it you will be alerted of activity after that. Im not sure how to tag it sorry. Also if you haven't seen it, try the "search forums" tab at the top to look for sealed rooms.

 

[Jboys3]

Once you reply to a thread, or like a post in it you will be alerted of activity after that. Im not sure how to tag it sorry. Also if you haven't seen it, try the "search forums" tab at the top to look for sealed rooms.

Have been using the 'search forums' tab, but there are so many threads that one can get lost for days. Thanks for the info on how you are automatically alerted. I think this has solved my problem.

Any other threads you know of where a majority of the growers are indoor sealed system users?

 

[KUSHPILES]

Mine its pretty new but there is some info regarding sealed-32 light flip-flop..not 100% sealed but damn close.. lung room and whatnot.. I can't actually think of any others that are definitely sealed off the top of my head right now..a little medicated haha.

 

[KUSHPILES]

check out the thread- shooting for a 3lb + wifi, Getto"s new 6 planter..its sealed and great work.

 

[ttystikk]

Mine its pretty new but there is some info regarding sealed-32 light flip-flop..not 100% sealed but damn close.. lung room and whatnot.. I can't actually think of any others that are definitely sealed off the top of my head right now..a little medicated haha.

'Sealed' refers to an approach, not so much to whether the room itself is hermetically sealed. If no air is exchanged between the room and anywhere else, then it's said to be a sealed room. If you seal and vent your hoods, but draw the air from outside the room and exhaust it outside, the room is still a sealed room style.

Yes, of course leaks count- usually against you, so close them. I'm just saying that it's not necessary to be obsessive about it.

 

[One Flip]

Hello all--I am glad I have found this thread as it appears you folks all have a similar set-up as I do. Couple of quick forum questions???
1. How do you tag/highlight this thread so I know someone has posted to it so it comes up in my 'Alert' box?
2. Is there anywhere else in this sight where a majority of the growers are using sealed CO2 rooms that I might check out.
Thanks from a newbie to the sight...

At the top right hand corner of each page in a thread there is a "watch thread" that a you can click.. You can also go into your preferences and change options on how you a alerted for posts and threads.

 

[One Flip]

Mine its pretty new but there is some info regarding sealed-32 light flip-flop..not 100% sealed but damn close.. lung room and whatnot.. I can't actually think of any others that are definitely sealed off the top of my head right now..a little medicated haha.

I love your thread because you rock the ol school hoods and mount a butt load of open ballasts on plywood.. When I first saw your board I thought to myself.. BC Baby!!! :)