how would you setup a dedicated drying tent?

[MrAwder]

I'm wanting to setup a tent dedicated to drying. It will need to hold about 20oz (dry/finished weight) at a time. I want the air exchange/humidity levels to be automated as much as possible. Basically I want to be able to load this thing up every few weeks, year round, and get the same results every time. This is not the case with how I dry now due to the changing seasons.

I think a 2x2x5 (20 cu ft) tent will work for this. Going to pair it with a 110CFM S&P fan and 4" carbon filter. I'm mostly looking for suggestions on setting up a dehuey and humidifer and finding a controller that will manage both.

 

[Jack Harer]

I built a drying cabinet and I dry 72 lollipopped plants in it. Air exchange once every 3 min, 30% RH & temps @ 72. As long as you consistently keep the RH in the room that houses your tent/cab at 30% or so, and have good air exchange, you'll get consistent results. The only variable would be the H2O content of the bud going in. I don't water for a week prior to harvest.

 

[ydijadoit]

MrAwder,
I fabricated a 6' long 4' wide 6' high drying tent for myself out of 1 1/2" PVC. I used T fittings, to get six legs, and 90's for the corners. I cemented the whole top frame, and left the legs a slip fit, so it would break down. A tarp stretched over the top, and black poly to wrap around the sides, held to the PVC with duct tape.
I set a can66 in there, punched a hole through the poly for a 6" hose, and used a bungee cord to hold the "Door" shut.
I had enough room to sit in a lawn chair, with a clamp light overhead, radio, beer, etc.
I don't know if you have the room, but I would not want one smaller than that, for my needs. It costs only a few dollars more, and takes a couple extra minutes, to have a setup big enough to work in, without going insane (Was about the same amount of trimming as you, last harvest.)
Wish I had a picture of it set up, but I can get a shot of the frame, if it would help.
It won't be till this weekend, when the kids are gone
As to the dehumidifier, a decent unit will have a digital readout, and maintain wherever you set it, 24/7. If you have low humidity, you might be able to use a good quality adjustable unit. Between the two, I don't see a huge need for a controller.

Regards

 

[MrAwder]

I'm mostly concerned about drying too fast. Especially in the winter here it gets very dry. That's why I was thinking of putting the exhaust fan and a humidifier on a controller. If the RH get's too low, kick on the humidifier, if it gets too high, kick on the exhaust fan.

I like you're idea of PVC and poly wrap. I do not need mine to be very big though as I do not work in it, just need to hang buds.

Right now my bud dries in about 4 days. I would like to extend that to 7-10 as I really think a nice slow dry is key to well harvested herb. Keeping the RH of my basement in check I think will be much more difficult than a tiny tent. I don't think I'm ready to go full house humidifer/dehuey.

thanks for the input

 

[qupee]

Like so https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=222057

 

[HatchBrew]

This place is awesome, just moved from another forum, and content questions and that's are superb. Just like this one.

I use my 4'x4' tent to dry, same set up as you describe humidifier and exhaust linked up. Summer and fall usually seven day cure, winter spring take bout 10-12 days hanging. But then also use my shed to deal with outdoor over flow.
Been working on trying to get/retain more flavor in my buds, taste great but trying to get even more.

 

[drsmoke69]

i dedicated a closet for drying, tired of having to set up the plant net all the time in different rooms. i hang the plant net from the ceiling obviously and have 6" exhaust fan in attic pulling the air outta the closet. then i use a 20" box fan to blow air on buds so no mold issues will arise. usually takes 7 -10 days to dry. then i sweat the buds in plastic bags to get even more moisture out. then another day or two back on the net to dry again.

to get the best flavor i have found an additional couple of weeks of curing in tightly sealed glass jars does the trick. now don't open the jars for a week or two and you will have the best tasting bud your gonna get from your strain, but be sure your bud is dry or else you might grow mold and fuck everything up. trust me i know from experience no one wants to by moldy shit.

 

[Yesca73]

secret jardin has a 3x3 dry tent that is about$100
4" fan with filter
dry rack
easy

 

[szachtb2]

My dry tent sits in a dry area, around 30 rh. I have a cap hum-1. It was about 100. It switches between a humidifing or dehumidifing outlet depending where you set the desired humidity at. I have a humidifier and a carbon filter set to dump the tent at 55 rh. I've been able to hang dry for over 4 weeks with this method and it has the best quality of any of the methods I've tried. Basically hang till u smoke.

 

[Weed Killer]

I to use a small tent with the same fan and 4” carbon filter, takes 3-4 days to dry with the fan on 24-7.

So I use a timer on the fan, 14 on 10 off extends the drying to about a week, never had mold issue.

 

[szachtb2]

Also use a circulating fan in the tent pointed away from buds.

 

[drsmoke69]

4 weeks and it don't crumble into nothing when you touch it?

 

[szachtb2]

No sir. Stems snap crisp but buds are perfect. The key is to never allow the moisture to drop below the point where you want your product to finish at. At 30 rh it would crumble to dust.. at 55 or so its perfect.

 

[szachtb2]

The humidifier will turn on to kick up humidity as basement is 30 rh and tent needs to be 55. Once it hits 57-58 it turns on tye dump fan that is carbon scrubbed than pulls In Dry basement air till down to 53. Than repeats all day. Best slow dry/cure I've ever had. Put many on this method and none are turning back.