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Air Cooled Hoods when its snowing outside?

Space Case

Space Case

Well-known member
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We are running a 24kW room in a commercial warehouse space in Colorado. We just got a nice temp drop and a few inches of snow. I'm getting condensation on my hoods and and ducting since I'm pulling air from outside through my hoods. I am working on rerouting to pull air from the inside of my warehouse, that is warmer and dryer than the outside air. This will also help control odor, as I will have some negative pressure in the ambient space within the warehouse (but not in the grow room, which is sealed).

I seem to be getting puddles of moisture on the ground from the build up of condensation on the ducting and manifolds coming in. In fact, the manifolds were damn near frozen over tonight. I have about 3 tons of dehumidifiers running and 5 tons of A/C in the room. Now I'm wishing I went open bulb for the winter! LOL!

Anyone got any suggestions as how to reduce the humidity in the room and/or get rid of the condensation, other than what I stated above?
 
RicoT

RicoT

Active member
Insulated ducting may help:2cents: ...But as I've never had this problem, sorry I can't be more definitive in an answer. Interested in this one as well.:chin:
 
Space Case

Space Case

Well-known member
Veteran
Let me show an example.

Intake Manifold (the one freezing over)
IMG_5051.jpg


Exhaust Manifold
IMG_5054.jpg


Air Conditioner
IMG_5097.jpg


Ducted Room
IMG_6009.jpg
 
mr. bojangles

mr. bojangles

Member
Haha, thats crazy that you're dealing with it, too. Got home last nite, and my intake fan was iced over. Insulated ducting doesn't help, and may in fact hinder. Playing around with a thermostat on it, trying to dail it in so it doesnt run all the time, wish me luck. Also thinking about putting a damper on it. The ride home was pretty hairy, by the way:tiphat:
 
DiscoBiscuit

DiscoBiscuit

weed fiend
Veteran
An adjustable heater might keep your interior condensation down. I'm only familiar with duct heaters but you might be able to heat the plenum with single heater. If the heat was the right range, it wouldn't matter too much if and when the intake manifold frosts over.

I know you want cool air but a little heat might stop the condensation w/o working against you too bad.
 
Space Case

Space Case

Well-known member
Veteran
mr. bojangles said:
Haha, thats crazy that you're dealing with it, too. Got home last nite, and my intake fan was iced over. Insulated ducting doesn't help, and may in fact hinder. Playing around with a thermostat on it, trying to dail it in so it doesnt run all the time, wish me luck. Also thinking about putting a damper on it. The ride home was pretty hairy, by the way:tiphat:
Click to expand...

Yea, crazyness. I need one of those thermostats for the big fan pulling through the lights! Problem is, thats how my hood glass shattered last time!

I figured you'd be in for a suprise ridin' home. SGMeds called me this morning and told me he spun out his car on the highway at 55 mph, took out a few poles while he was at it. Him and his car are fine, but I think he got pretty shook up!
 
Space Case

Space Case

Well-known member
Veteran
DiscoBiscuit said:
An adjustable heater might keep your interior condensation down. I'm only familiar with duct heaters but you might be able to heat the plenum with single heater. If the heat was the right range, it wouldn't matter too much if and when the intake manifold frosts over.

I know you want cool air but a little heat might stop the condensation w/o working against you too bad.
Click to expand...

Doesn't have to be cool or cold air, it can be warm, it just has to keep moving. They make inline duct heaters? 8"?

I have 3x 1500 watt space heaters rocking in there right now, + 3 tons of dehuey, + 5 tons of AC + a couple of water chillers putting off heat in there (when they actually do cycle on). We had our badass 5 ton commercial HVAC unit installed without putting in a central heater...that was a bit of a mistake....

Also, the cheapo knock-off chinese hood we have don't let you just pull the glass out, cuz that would of been my next option.
 
E

eyes

Active member
Veteran
hard to avoid the condensation when pulling cold outside air.You could wrap the hoods with i.r shield but the glass will still get condensation on it and drip on the plants.

I believe the best option is to do as you said and pull the adjacent room air.With the air condition you have installed in the room more than makes up for the loss of cooling in the hoods due to warmer air youll be using.
 
whodair

whodair

Active member
Veteran
heater and air conditioners ?? wow !! sounds like a massive grow...maybe its time you went bare bulb like ya said !!!
 
E

eyes

Active member
Veteran
dont use a duct heater-defeats the purpose of cooling the lights-draw air from a different area and use your a/c to cool the room as u are already doing.The addition of air cooling the light will help take some of the load off the a/c.As long as you have some air getting into the other inside room you draw from youlll be fine.
 
L

louie

Member
I was thinking about air cooling my hoods with 20 degree outside air too, do you always get condensation on the hoods when pulling air in that is this cold or is this just a freak occurrence?
 
G

guest4098

Can you mix your light exhaust with your intake manifold somehow, before it enters the room? That would be using excess waste heat to do the job. Whatever you do, just draw warmer air, but hopefully you have some free heat to work with rather then drawing more amps to get 'er done.
 
W

Wise

Member
Push the air outside pulling from through the lights from another room. Sealed.. Problem solved.
 
D

designated

New member
I use a fan speed control slowed to needed level to maintain temperature. I have to adjust fan speed dependent on ambient temperature. Colder = slower I don't have any chillers though.
 
TruthOrLie

TruthOrLie

Active member
Veteran
This is just a shot in the dark.

Could you turn your intake around and intake from your grow room, over the lights, and exhaust out through wherever it is you're pulling in this condensation?

I'm guessing if its snowing outside you won't be risking high temps, but then again I don't know much about 24kw.
 
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