Help with the skunk smell

Nizza said:
so if I get this right, you actually do have two fans. One in one out? If there is positive pressure... your problem is right there. The reason the match didn't suck in, is because the tent wasn't in negative pressure
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I guess I am bad at typing or explaining today and getting terms mixed up. 1 fan for the exhaust. Then I have a 4in passive intake setup (no fan). I had negative pressure which I identified by the walls sucking in.
 
Djdanko23 said:
I guess I am bad at typing or explaining today and getting terms mixed up. 1 fan for the exhaust. Then I have a 4in passive intake setup (no fan). I had negative pressure which I identified by the walls sucking in.
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I would start at upgrading that to a 8" intake, or at least 2-3 4" intakes or 1-2 6" intakes, then go from there. If that doesnt fix the smell consider the filter or fan being the issue. If your sides of your tent are sucking IN then you are likely doing it right!

If you wanna be totally sure, explain exactly how you set it all up or show a picture with some explanation how you set things up and we can give input!
 
Here are the best pictures I can get for now. The filter is off due to it restricting the flow. The intake is ghetto but plan to change it soon.
 

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Djdanko23 said:
I am using passive intake for those asking. Also, even though I am venting outside, I connected via Wye connector so the smell was back blowing into the house out of the other side of the of the wye. Since the furnace is not running in the summer, I closed the damper and that should help with that issue.
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If you are exhausting your tent into the same exhaust as your furnace then you need to find another place to exhaust your tent. This would not only violate codes but could cause carbon monoxide to back flow back into the house through the tent if your fan is ever turned off or fails.
 
@TreeFarmerCharlie is right on there. Carbon monoxide from teeing into the furnace exhaust could kill everyone in your home.

I have never seen insulated duct as a furnace exhaust before though. Are you sure that is what you are hooked up to?
 
Hydrowannabe said:
Why dont you just tell your plants about your cfm calculations. They probably just didnt know. Sometimes you have to set the ladies straight when they start going all renegade on you
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I told them. Not sure what that has anything to do with but thinks for the positive contribution.
 
Boatguy said:
@TreeFarmerCharlie is right on there. Carbon monoxide from teeing into the furnace exhaust could kill everyone in your home.

I have never seen insulated duct as a furnace exhaust before though. Are you sure that is what you are hooked up to?
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It is not the exhaust to the furnace no worries there. It's some type of fresh air intake or something I have never seen before. I closed the damper for now and am not suing the furnace anyway. Exhausts are typically through the roof right?
Thanks for the concern though that could have been bad.
 
Djdanko23 said:
It is not the exhaust to the furnace no worries there. It's some type of fresh air intake or something I have never seen before. I closed the damper for now and am not suing the furnace anyway. Exhausts are typically through the roof right?
Thanks for the concern though that could have been bad.
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If it is anything that is connected to the furnace then don't use it and find another way to get it outside. If you don't have a window to exhaust the tent out of then cut another exhaust hole a few feet away from the one going to the furnace. And not all furnace exhausts go out the roof. If you have a more modern and efficient furnace it may be using a double sleeved duct as an intake and exhaust.
 
Djdanko23 said:
My first grow has went fairly smooth so far. I have about two weeks left of flower and I finally get to cut her down. However, my house is starting to smell and I am wondering if there is any advice to remedy that some.

4X4 tent with only 3 plants growing. AC infinity T4 fan, controller and 4in AC infinity carbon filter. The rooms above the tent smell pretty skunk like and the wife doesn't care for it too much.
This filter fan combo should be enough. The only thought I had is because the fan is always running at full to try and combat the humidity, it's not giving the carbon enough time to absorb the smell?
Any tips on reducing the smell? Or maybe even reducing the humidity so the fan doesn't have to run full blast at all times? I have a dehumidifier running outside the temp at 40% RH and it can keep up fine.
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Get a better filter like a mountain air filter. I have a 3x3 tent. I use a 4 inch mountain air which does a great job but if i have some super smelly plants or have 3 big plants in there blooming you can sometimes smell a bit of skunk. My next filter is a 6 inch mountain air.
 
TreeFarmerCharlie said:
If it is anything that is connected to the furnace then don't use it and find another way to get it outside. If you don't have a window to exhaust the tent out of then cut another exhaust hole a few feet away from the one going to the furnace. And not all furnace exhausts go out the roof. If you have a more modern and efficient furnace it may be using a double sleeved duct as an intake and exhaust.
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Thanks for the info. I'll make changes. I really appreciate it.
 
Djdanko23 said:
It is not the exhaust to the furnace no worries there. It's some type of fresh air intake or something I have never seen before.
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You are exhausting your tent to a fresh air intake? That would be my guess as to why you are smelling it in the house. Just because the duct connects to outside doesnt mean the air flows that way. Seems like by design its going to pull air in. So even if you close the duct off so you no longer use it for fresh air, wont it be fighting you the whole time and negating your exhaust?

Try this. If you disconnect the fan from ducting, and hold your hand up or put a piece of paper in front, is air blowing thru it?

Im guessing you just need to find a different place to exhaust to, and that your fan and filter will probably be fine as is.
 
TreeFarmerCharlie said:
If it is anything that is connected to the furnace then don't use it and find another way to get it outside. If you don't have a window to exhaust the tent out of then cut another exhaust hole a few feet away from the one going to the furnace. And not all furnace exhausts go out the roof. If you have a more modern and efficient furnace it may be using a double sleeved duct as an intake and exhaust.
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What he said ^^^. I was just guessing and do not have any HVAC knowledge
 
ilovereggae said:
You are exhausting your tent to a fresh air intake? That would be my guess as to why you are smelling it in the house. Just because the duct connects to outside doesnt mean the air flows that way. Seems like by design its going to pull air in. So even if you close the duct off so you no longer use it for fresh air, wont it be fighting you the whole time and negating your exhaust?

Try this. If you disconnect the fan from ducting, and hold your hand up or put a piece of paper in front, is air blowing thru it?

Im guessing you just need to find a different place to exhaust to, and that your fan and filter will probably be fine as is.
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I think it might be the fresh air intake, just surprised at the outside vent they used. The opposite end of the vent leads to a intake vent in my back room. It then goes down to the intake of the furnace and then continues past it outside via the outside vent. So I'm guessing it pulls from the outside and house via that same vent?

The furnace is off and I shut the damper right before the rooms so that should help.

I agree I should move it. It was just so convenient as far as location. Is a drier vent okay if you use a spring baffle?
 

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Djdanko23 said:
My first grow has went fairly smooth so far. I have about two weeks left of flower and I finally get to cut her down. However, my house is starting to smell and I am wondering if there is any advice to remedy that some.

4X4 tent with only 3 plants growing. AC infinity T4 fan, controller and 4in AC infinity carbon filter. The rooms above the tent smell pretty skunk like and the wife doesn't care for it too much.
This filter fan combo should be enough. The only thought I had is because the fan is always running at full to try and combat the humidity, it's not giving the carbon enough time to absorb the smell?
Any tips on reducing the smell? Or maybe even reducing the humidity so the fan doesn't have to run full blast at all times? I have a dehumidifier running outside the temp at 40% RH and it can keep up fine.
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Best way I have found to handle smell is double filter. There is a fan in the tent pulling the air through one filter. Then there is another filter/fan in the trash can filtering the air a second time. I vent the grow room to the basement. NO SMELL WHAT SO EVER. Obviously you can vent the air wherever you want, basement just makes the most sense to me.

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Djdanko23 said:
I think it might be the fresh air intake, just surprised at the outside vent they used. The opposite end of the vent leads to a intake vent in my back room. It then goes down to the intake of the furnace and then continues past it outside via the outside vent. So I'm guessing it pulls from the outside and house via that same vent?

The furnace is off and I shut the damper right before the rooms so that should help.

I agree I should move it. It was just so convenient as far as location. Is a drier vent okay if you use a spring baffle?
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I defer @TreeFarmerCharlie I am not sure. I have always just exhausted out a window. My current closet came with a magical built in vent that goes right outside. Its an old building and no clue what it was originally for.
 
TreeFarmerCharlie said:
I wouldn't recommend ever tapping into any existing vents. I also exhaust mine out a window to avoid having to cut additional vents into my house.
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I should clarify mine has no ducting, its literally just a hole with a screen and metal vent grille. My guess is it was originally for a bathroom exhaust fan. I agree windows are usually the simplest solution.
 
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