I just read a thread where someone mentioned they might try a fridge with co2 and have the fridge cool the space. Then I thought why couldn't someone take the parts of a fridge and put them in a cab and keep it cool that way for co2 use. I haven't thought much about it just wondering if anyone has thought or tried this before or think it will work? I didn't like the idea of an air conditioner to much because it spits out water but a fridge doesn't, at least not much if it does. How much space do you think something like this would take? I'm guessing power consumption would be lower then an AC? Well just thought I would see if some of you think its a practical idea.
http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-room-design-setup/221245-newbie-stealth-grower-seeking-help.html is what I am currently using, testing and getting dialed in. if you are looking to go into larger refrigerator..... http://www.refriginator.com/ now, if you wanted to take POTS and built refrigeration or AC into an actual cab, it would be very challenging due to the plumbing involved for the freon lines as well as the compressor. you could however get a room size floor air conditioner (not a window unit) and disassemble it and if technically apt enough you could rig it into your already established system. your much better off actually just buying a refrigerator or finding a free one off of craigslist
Hey geharnischt, it was actually your thread I was reading that got me thinking about this. I just built a cab and wanted to add co2 but it was going to be too much for this time but I haven't stopped thinking about it. My initial thought was to get a portable AC but I couldn't figure out a good way to deal with the water, I don't want to be emptying it everyday. But I really like the idea of a fridge to cool it, using an actual fridge is too small for my needs and wouldn't work where I live, could never pull off having 2 fridges. I think I might just buy a used fridge cheap and see what I can do, looks like it could be fun. I'll be watching your thread to see how it goes, good luck!
If your needs are to large for a fridge, Go with the AC unit. If your room is sealed, it will run for maybe 3 mins at a time at most (if you get a unit big enough to cool the room size, and you are using a thermostat of some kind (like a controller). If you are worried about water though, I can not help that. I fear with my new sealed setup I am going to be emptying a bucket daily (but I think there may be an added bonus for the extra effort though; that water contains near zero dissolved solids, and only needs to be run through a clean cloth to filter out anything that my have fallen into your bucket, and you have as good as, if not better than RO water) I think it may run longer than expected and may cost more to run than a $100 AC window unit. As for the fridge not spitting out water, It may once you expose it to flowering fems and high humidity. The AC unit will remove humidity better than a fridge i think , and if you are going totally sealed, with fridge guts, and using co2, you may still need to vent, defeating co2 If you do try the fridge, Good luck. I hope it turns out. I suppose i shoulda asked how big your cab was before rambling, How big is it?
Just looked at your cab. You are way more High tech than I am going. Looks awesome. LOL I am seriously supprised you don't have A/C in there. Fridge guts may work fine for your ap. what I said before, I went on you saying "My needs are larger than a fridge" or something like that, and pictured a monster cab! Try it out. Post it. Good luck!
i was thinkin about getting a fridge and putting it on a timer to get it to stay around 75 degrees cause what im currently using is giving me temp problems and i cant get it cool enough. this would be perfectcause what im now using is the size of a large fridge. dont know how long a fridge can handle that before it quits workin what do you all think about this
Hi Don Piano, just read your thread I'll be posting over there soon. This definitely is a tough task to do efficiently, I was going to go with a small window AC but thought I would hold off for now. I can see lots of small problems that might occur so who knows how much it could end up costing to do it right. My main concern as I said was the water from an AC but as you mention some could come from a fridge as well. I could see an AC also acting as a vent for the box letting out a bunch of co2 when it turned on, just like an exhaust fan, it probably wouldn't work with the heat from the AC blowing back in the box. With a fridge or at least the parts from one that could probably be worked around, but I don't know for sure until I rip one apart. Humidity is the biggest concern of mine, once those plants get big lots of moisture comes off them, I had to run my fan in my other box 24/7 to keep it down to a decent level, 20 minutes off and the humidity jumped to 80% during later flowering. I think cold air helps keep humidity down, just wish I knew for sure. Hi bud_wiser, doing it in a fridge should work pretty good with a digital thermostat wired in, it probably wouldn't run very often as the fridge is completely sealed and insulated. It might be a good idea to hide a small fan in the back, (a bigger one if you want a carbon filter on it) to exhaust once and a while for humidity although the venting in a fridge might take care of it on its own. The only problem I see with a fridge is for the smell. I was looking at fridge wiring on the net and seen a diagram of a fridge put together, it had a few vents around it. You would have to close up some of them or customize some kind of filter to fit them I would think. Again don't really know until I take one apart but it looks that way. Well keep the thoughts coming, I'm definitely going to do it someday and could us all the input I can get. Does anyone think a freezer would be better?
Hey Rob, The AC unit would have to vent elsewhere (if you could back your cab to a window that would be perfect) In my case, I am in an attic and will vent into the attic, being that the face of the AC is the only part inside my cab. As for venting out the CO2, An AC unit will prevent that, it only vents the heat from the rear of the unit that it creates, not room air. The AC unit recycles the air inside the cab. AC does dry the air in an enclosed space. Funny thing though; Humidity actually has a harder time being present in hot air, as opposed to cold air which humidity has an easy time keeping high numbers. I was rethinking that fridge deal, and was thinking that quite possibly a small chest freezer's guts may provide better for your cab. If I hadn't purchased the AC unit already, I may have seriously considered trying that!!!! I was also thinking that the lid/seal from one of those chest freezers would actually make a great light/air tight door for a cab!