Slider Window Exhaust/Intake/Light Trap Ideas?

[Grooven420]

Hello,
I hope what I am asking for is not right in front of my nose but I have searched for ~3days across the internet including 420Mag site and still have not found quite what I am looking for.

I have a 26x8x9(LxWxH) room that I have built and done a great job on sealing airtight and insulating. Where I am running into problems now is figuring out the best method for bringing in Fresh Air and also exhausting stale air. I have a single slider window in the room that I have completely sealed off temporarily until I can find a light-proof way to vent and exhaust the room. Currently I open a window in the other room and let the fan suck air in. I will not hesitate at buying the equipment I need but I need some ideas on what will work best that won't allow light out.

With that being said I have seen general diagrams of light-traps. What I am trying to understand is with a basement casement window what is a feasible design to allow fresh-air in and also provide a way to exhaust air out(inline with a carbon filter) via a single slider window? I have seen Dark-Room vents which seem like they might be a good fit but what I am trying to envision is how I can exhaust and intake from a single slider window and at the same time provide a light trap?

Does anyone have any slider window Vent/Exhaust/Light-Trap designs they could share with me? I am quite technical and also quite handy as far as construction but having some ideas that are know to have worked will help me get started with this next project in the grow room. I would be glad to post PICs with the completed project afterwards.

Thanks a TON!!

 

[McBudz]

How what are dimensions of the "open" part of the window? The empty space when the window is fully open?



I have a similar challenge but a much larger window to work with. But light proof and discrete looking from the outside are paramount.

As it gets warmer I need to put something into place...

My window is recessed into the wall. I was planning on enclosing this space in with ply wood or similar material but somehow giving me access to open and close the window. I still have blinds on the window which would stay so it looks normal outside. I would then mount my 6 inch exhaust ducting to a flange on the ply wood. I would run duct from the back side of the flange straight up to the window as close as I can without disturbing the blinds. This would ensure the exhaust mostly makes it out the window and not just into the empty space behind the baffle.

The intake would be connected to just the baffle and would passively bring air in through the baffle space and from the outside through the open window.

This would be more for a closed circulation system to keep my lights cool and exhaust the hot air produced by the lights to the outside, without exhausting the air conditioning outside at 450cfm.

I may also setup my other fan to run periodically to and bring fresh air into the room.

 

[Grooven420]

Hey McBudz,
Thanks for the reply...we are in the same boat I have to get this done before
the HOT summers I live in and my slider sounds very similar to your window description.

Your idea is a great suggestion one, I also have a recessed window in which I have to get a blind up. The key on the box is making it easy to close the window via just putting some hinges on the inside of the plywood with a latch and you could have a latch door to get to the window.

For ducting I think we are both thinking the same of just mounting the exhaust higher up of course on the plywood(hot air rises), for the passive intake it would be quite easy and relatively cheap to just use darkroom vents which you can get in 12x12" and 12x24". From what I have read sounds like you want roughly a 3x increase in size for a passive intake to a active exhaust.

Something else that has recently piqued my curiousity is using a Dual vent portable A/C unit. These suckers have 2 ports intake/exhaust and they come with vent hole window attachments. I would think one could seal that up pretty tight. The can filter exhaust could be connected by a Y connector to the A/C exhaust. Would be very easy to build a plywood latch door that would block the light behind tight curtains and you have yourself a climate controlled
environment also.

The beauty is some even have heat and dehumidify features giving you a completely controlled environment. Not Bad...

I have seen good ones that advertise being very quiet in the $400-500 range. Expensive but could pay huge dividends...?

We got some good ideas flowing let continue to chat...

Anyone else have any experience or suggestions?

L8R,
Grooven420

 

[McBudz]

I would love to get a portable AC in my setup I'm just not sure how it is going to effect my elec bill. Guess I need to find out the watt rating of one and do the math. I would obviously only run it during 12 hours lights on. Not that I dont mind paying the higher elec bill just dont want it setting off any flags. No need for unwanted attention. I live in a development where condo is the same pretty much so they have a lot of people to compare my bill to which is not good because I notice there are a lot of cheap mofo's around here who dont run their AC in the summer and just leave the windows open. Of course most of them are foreign and from a hot native country. I'm a freakin polar bear. I start to over heat and 68-70 degrees. Tried to keep my grow room cool by jacking up the central air and my bill was close to 500 from the average 160 in the winter.

I need to start getting serious about figuring out my new exhaust setup over the next month or so so I'll keep my journal up to date on the progress.

 

[zolar]

a lot of newer high effiecency gas appliances have low temp ex and intakes out of some plastic piping any pipe run that has 2 right angles with the insides of the pipe and unions/angles spray painted black will be light tight and there are regular adapter plates for this to most windows just make the outlet of exhaust tall enough to be smell stealthy etc

there are darkroom exhaust vents intakes that do just what you need if you can find them designed to fit a retrofit window ...

digital has put lots of this stuff to a rarity but bigger older established commercial serving photo dealers [B&H ADORAMA CALUMET freestyle some names i've seen regulary for 30 yrs+ in photo] either styill can get these or may know of a used dealer commercial printing and traditional graphics arts pre computer types use them too.... need to vent small darkroom
from basement window with high exhaust venting because storefront next to me is a daycare.... that spiel should find you exactly what you need reasdy made... those darkroom supply places also sell sinks of abs that are 3-6 foot long 6-10 incjhes deepor so and 24 to 34 inches front to back with drains
sound like an instant ebb and flow table to you to do a graphics arts table youi would need a couple 55 gallon drums or garbage cans that would hold water a pump some tubing and a cycle timer and some fittings

 

[Grooven420]

Hey Zolar/McBudz,
Yup I am quite familiar with the Darkroom vents but you do bring up a good point in that those places also sell big sinks which could come in quite handy. I can't do the high exhaust unfortunately, just don't have anywhere to tie it into though I could possibly tie into a Sewer pipe not sure...if that is the case it would be sweet as then all I would need to do is have the Darkroom vent from the slider window and hang a tight curtain, it is a basement egress window and I am stealthizing the outside to make it look like there is not even a window well there with Shrubs, landscape matting over the top with bark chips which still makes it breathable. I have a Central Air vent in the room but I don't usually leave it open as the smell carries through the house. I have recently bought an OZONE generator and it has cut the smell down dramatically. I am about 3 weeks away from knowing if it can keep the smell down even with the vent open...

McBudz -> Yeah I need to check into the wattage thing also for the portable A/C unit.

I would love to get solar or some sort of wind turbine to help with Elec bill...How about a STIMULUS PACKAGE that actually gave Homeowners $2000 bucks that had to be used towards renewable energy. Instead of giving all these W-St. and Banker fucks all the money so they can buy their personal jets and extravagant vacations. Talk about taking a huge chunk out of the National Energy requirements...and something of course should be done for Condo/HOA style units also...

L8R,
Grooven420

 

[Grooven420]

Zolar -> meant to tell you I grow in soil and nothing but soil...did the hydro thing long time ago and I tell ya what there is nothing like the taste of budz grown in the real thing...thanks for the reply!!

L8R,
Grooven420