Automating air intake/temp controls for winter

Dilemma: How do I best control the temp during the winter- since I'm running my system off of my home AC for spring/summer/fall. I'm in the south so the AC is running constantly in the hot months.

Equipment:
4x4x7 tent
4/6/8 inch ducting
One AC/heat register next to the tent
4/6 inch intake/exhaust ports on window box
Raspberry Pi 4 4GB w/Home Assistant
Misc wifi-controlled outlets
ECOWITT remote temp/humidity monitoring (linked into Home Assistant)
6" exhaust fan/carbon filter (pretty standard)

Limited budget

Thought: External air intake, use a motorized ducting damper, and link that ducting damper to a wifi-controlled switch. Do a "normal closed" damper and then turn on power from the wifi controlled switch to open the damper based on whatever threshold.

Nervous this might get too cold so I'd probably add a second air intake for ambient room air and get insulated ducting for the cold air intake.

Opinions?

*NOTE: this is just design/prep so I'm not caught off guard when the weather changes.

One of these connected to your fan?


I use an AC infinity fan with digital controller. Wish it had lights on/off ability.

Also an ecowitt fan.

TintEastwood said:

One of these connected to your fan?

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temperature-Controller-Controlling-Fermentation/dp/B07PVBG8K1/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=inkbird+temperature+controller&qid=1597084924&sprefix=inkbird&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A1RUFFFCQ74BCW&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE1VDhWNTVBMU1BNkomZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwODA4MDU5UTRNNDU0VElFUjEmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDkzMzQwMTI4M040NklYREc5TFAmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I use an AC infinity fan with digital controller. Wish it had lights on/off ability.

Also an ecowitt fan.

Click to expand...

So using Home Assistant I can flip wifi switches on/off using triggers from the Ecowitt sensors....

I'm more wondering about controlling the amount of cold air coming in. I'm not gonna be able to keep the tent low enough without AC so I'm wondering about regulating the intake of cold air from outside my house instead.

If I didn't love to over-engineer projects I would just run my intake ducting from outside however the tent temps would fluctuate with the external temperature.

Anyone else do air intake from outside during the fall/winter?

SpawnOfVader said:

So using Home Assistant I can flip wifi switches on/off using triggers from the Ecowitt sensors....

I'm more wondering about controlling the amount of cold air coming in. I'm not gonna be able to keep the tent low enough without AC so I'm wondering about regulating the intake of cold air from outside my house instead.

If I didn't love to over-engineer projects I would just run my intake ducting from outside however the tent temps would fluctuate with the external temperature.

Anyone else do air intake from outside during the fall/winter?

Click to expand...

I've also got external sensors going so the logic would be something like:

"If {external temp} < Tent temp
&
If {tent temp} > {X} turn on outlet (open baffle on external air intake)"

"If {tent temp} < {X} Turn off outlet {Baffle closes - only air intake is ambient internal air so temp rises)"

SpawnOfVader said:

So using Home Assistant I can flip wifi switches on/off using triggers from the Ecowitt sensors....

I'm more wondering about controlling the amount of cold air coming in. I'm not gonna be able to keep the tent low enough without AC so I'm wondering about regulating the intake of cold air from outside my house instead.

If I didn't love to over-engineer projects I would just run my intake ducting from outside however the tent temps would fluctuate with the external temperature.

Anyone else do air intake from outside during the fall/winter?

Click to expand...

I've had the same problem.
During the winter, I do ok venting air from my lung room as needed. Not ideal, but better than outside air.

Sounds like an application for your arduino dealio.

TintEastwood said:

I've had the same problem.
During the winter, I do ok venting air from my lung room as needed. Not ideal, but better than outside air.

Sounds like an application for your arduino dealio.

Click to expand...

You don't have issues with heat buildup without drawing air from AC/cooler sources? I figure if I take my drivers out of the tent it will buy me some wiggle room BUT my house is old and humid... and the dehumidifier in tent pumps out some serious heat.

SpawnOfVader said:

You don't have issues with heat buildup without drawing air from AC/cooler sources? I figure if I take my drivers out of the tent it will buy me some wiggle room BUT my house is old and humid... and the dehumidifier in tent pumps out some serious heat.

Click to expand...

My "tent" is in my uninsulated garage. I can pull air from outside, or the garage. Last resort, if needed I power up the window shaker AC.
If I run in the summer, it's sealed AC. 50pint dehuey sits in the room. I'm in Cali, relatively dry compared to many areas.

Nuts in summer here.
101f/25% Cool and clammy compared to outside. lol

TintEastwood said:

My "tent" is in my uninsulated garage. I can pull air from outside, or the garage. Last resort, if needed I power up the window shaker AC.
If I run in the summer, it's sealed AC. 50pint dehuey sits in the room. I'm in Cali, relatively dry compared to many areas.

Nuts in summer here.
101f/25% Cool and clammy compared to outside. lol
View attachment 4649736

Click to expand...

Jealous, yea this was much easier when I lived in the bay area. Today was 100F and 72RH in my area. Makes it tough to get ideal conditions in the tent.l

That does make me less worried though. I've been fighting while considering ~85 too hot during flowering (LED setup).