How to vent a T5? Heat issues.

Auzzie07

Auzzie07

Well-Known Member
So here's my issue: I've got my 4' 6 lamp T5 in a 22"x75" closet. Right now I've got an oscillating fan used for air circulation and then a three speed floor fan that sits at the corner of the closet (the entrance of the closet is a 5'x7' opening with poly-film on 3 corners and the bottom-right flap opened with the fan there). I've got my one plant about 5" from the lamp with my thermometer right next to it. Before I put in the second floor fan, my temps ran in the high 80's (lights on) and now with the second exhaust floor fan I've got the temps down to low 80's, but I am trying to get to that magic area of the mid 70's. The only problem, I feel, is my light. There are no good venting solutions for directly pulling the heat from the perimeter of the lamp itself (like there is the Cooltubes for HID lamps). So my question is: How do I get these god damn temperatures down?

Is there a product out there for T5's? Should I get an exhaust fan and put the intake duct next to the lamp? Or should I put it higher up (as heat rises)?

Distance from plant to lamp.
2010-09-30 16.50.17.jpg
Circulation fan.
2010-09-27 17.18.33.jpg
Closet from outside.
2010-09-27 17.18.01.jpg
 
CrazyBudz

CrazyBudz

Active Member
try to face the fan directly at the bulbs of the light....it will then move air and keep the light cooler (hopefully) and grow a couple more plants...i hate seeing all the efforts being put into only 1 plant :wink:
 
Auzzie07

Auzzie07

Well-Known Member
CrazyBudz said:
try to face the fan directly at the bulbs of the light....it will then move air and keep the light cooler (hopefully) and grow a couple more plants...i hate seeing all the efforts being put into only 1 plant :wink:
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. I have more beans in the mail; Nirvana is just taking forever to get them to me (Note to Self: Use Attitude next time.) And the small 6" clip-on fan is pointing directly at the light (this may not be enough), I just used an old picture I had from a couple days ago.
 
reggaerican

reggaerican

Well-Known Member
dude i have a 8 lamp t5 that doesnt get that hot.. fans brother.. one occilating in room and an exhaust and intake.. start with the circulating if there is budget issues.. strike that man if your in a sealed closet you need to get that heat out of there...
 
Auzzie07

Auzzie07

Well-Known Member
reggaerican said:
dude i have a 8 lamp t5 that doesnt get that hot.. fans brother.. one occilating in room and an exhaust and intake.. start with the circulating if there is budget issues.. strike that man if your in a sealed closet you need to get that heat out of there...
Click to expand...
Now comes the cfm question: How many cfm's for my closet? It's an odd shape, and I'm having trouble calculating volume of it. It's 8' tall and this size:

Closet.jpg
 
Auzzie07

Auzzie07

Well-Known Member
Thank you. When I did the math, I somehow came up with over 2000 cubic feet, figured I was too high, and put down the calculator for the night.
 
jawbrodt

jawbrodt

Well-Known Member
Go with their 6" model, it's only $10 more, and twice the CFM. As long as you're just using it to move air, they work great. Where they fail, is trying to pull air through carbon filters. They don't have the 'umph' for that. 'Free flowing' they do pretty good.
 
Auzzie07

Auzzie07

Well-Known Member
Right now, smell is not an issue, so I'd say I would be moving it just to move air, and Wouldn't be moving it through more than 6 feet.
 
C

Chunky

Well-Known Member
Mate get a el cheapo case fan any size you probably have a spare one lying around if not your local computer shop will, wire it up to a power pack for something like modem or something it works a treat I have 2 fans running off an old modem power pack and they keep my stuff nice and cool.
 
Serapis

Serapis

Well-Known Member
Chunky said:
Mate get a el cheapo case fan any size you probably have a spare one lying around if not your local computer shop will, wire it up to a power pack for something like modem or something it works a treat I have 2 fans running off an old modem power pack and they keep my stuff nice and cool.
Click to expand...
Those fans aren't going to do shit for a 100 sq ft closet. A grow box? yes, a closet? no...

I use the fan below to vent from my closet into my master bathroom, then outside. Perfect for no attic space.
 
Total Head

Total Head

Well-Known Member
the problem you are going to have even if you vent the space is that the air that replaces the heat in the closet as some heat in it. say for example the air in your house is 75 degrees. that means that under your light the air will NEVER get below 75 degrees, it can only be higher because there is a heat source right over it. the best you can do is come up with a series of about 3 small fans to blow the air over your light and blow it out of your closet. you're never going to "cool" the air below the temps in your house with any fan. you would need an a/c for that, and since you are using t5s i think that might be overkill. i have never had heat issues with my t5s except for on warmer summer days, but i did have a small fan and its only purpose was to act as an exhaust. it just sat on my plant shelf pointing toward the door that i opened a crack. a big fan pushed the heat and air towrd this fan, and this fan pushed it out the door. i'll put up pics if i find them. dilluting the heat should be enough with t5.
 
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