Which Fan/Filter for This Setup?

[mellowmama]

I have on order a turnkey grow closet. Yes, I know, we could build one far cheaper with better components, but we don't have the time, talent and knowledge of components at this stage. AND it MUST absolutely look like it is supposed to be where it is. Where it will be is in a gun/storage room in the basement of our 110 year old house. This particular cabinet is solid black metal, so can easily pass for a gun cabinet on first sight.

The room stays locked because it contains guns, and we have grandchildren. The basement sees a lot of traffic because in addition to storage, it serves as living quarters for our cats, an exercise room, hubby's music room, workshop and grilling prep area. Because we keep that room locked, it is not likely the cabinet will be seen, but can't take any chances on tents, homemade looking stuff, etc.

There are no AC ducts or radiators in the basement or gun room, but currently all areas maintain a fairly even temperature year round with just a little help from fans and space heaters, oh, somewhere between 69 - 72. My concern is that once that closet with its air-cooled 600watt hps lighting system is in operation, the gun room and/or basement will get hot, and maybe stinky. There is a carbon filter on the cabinet, but it will vent into the gun room. The gun room is not at all airtight, something someone threw together who knows how many decades ago. My heat/odor fears may not come to realization, but...

Just to be absolutely sure, I would like to install a proper ventilation system with an inline fan/filter, vented to the chimney.

Neither of us know squat about fans/filters and the like. I do not want a can filter in the gun room, as that would draw attention. I need just a vent on the back wall of the room, with the other components mounted in the small space behind the backwall. Notice that to vent to the chimney the ductwork has to take a pretty sharp turn to attach to the flue. I've read that such bends reduce air flow considerably.

Can anyone recommend components and specs that would be suitable for this application? Please be specific - assume we know nothings, which is true! All suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Mellow

 

[dragontoker]

A couple of things you need to realize before venting through your chimney that has the boiler venting through it too. The air that you will be venting through it will be cooler then the boiler flue gas. Proper up draft through a chimney needs to be warm/hot. Hot air rises. Any decent (loyal) HVAC tech could figure this out for you. Not knowing what you are doing and just hooking it up,,,,,could work flawlessly or could cause back drafts, carbon monoxide or burner roll out.

Do you have a main sewer line close by you could vent through? Doing it this way is almost a no brainer if you have proper drain traps set up on all fixtures in the home.

Venting through a drain line IMO is more preferable. For the reasons stated above and because it wont spread the smell of dope around your neighborhood like a chimney would if the smell is not totally filtered before exiting the chimney.

Also, if you put the filter on the inside of the cabinet instead of on the gun room there will be less chance of smell when you open gun room door. As soon as you open the gun room door any negative pressure on the room might not be there if your filtering the room instead of the cabinet.

Hope I didnt make things more complicated.

 

[mellowmama]

Dang, I'm glad I asked! And I appreciate your help.

When you say main sewer line, I assume you mean not the vent pipe but a pipe where water actually exits the home? You can vent air into that?

Geez, this old house has the original plumbing in most areas, and I have no idea if proper drain traps are set up. I don't get any sewer smells from any fixtures, just from a drain hole in the basement floor, but that is common to our neighborhood.

I am confused about your suggestion to put the filter on the inside of the cabinet. It comes with an Odorsok and a fan on the inside of the cabinet, but I've read mixed reviews on the effectiveness. That's why I'm thinking we should take an extra step to filter the air in the gun room.

I readily admit I don't have any idea what is meant by negative pressure! Huh?

Thanks again!

 

[dragontoker]

One more thing I'll add. When you figure out exactly what you will be venting. Post length x width x height of the area. Cubic Ft. Then others will be able to give you a good idea of what size fan and filter you will need.

 

[mellowmama]

Thanks!

The closet is 2x3x6, but again, it has an Odorsok and fan. The gun room is roughly 8x8.5x7, 476, as shown on the floor plan.

 

[dragontoker]

That will work, if the cabinet already has a filter on it that vents to room. Then filter the room again like your plan shows. Add an intake vent to the gun room. Hole in the wall, vent plate on outside of room, maybe a furnace filter on inside of room.

Dont vent through the plumbing vent stack. This stack allows stinky gas to escape and also serves as a pressure regulator for the plumbing system. (adds air to system). If you vented through it, no air could come through and everytime you used a plumbing fixture in the house it would gurgle and burp. Burp stinky into your home.

The sewer drain that goes to the street is what you want to vent through. Which is never full of water or shouldnt be. Not even when you flush.

 

[dragontoker]

Amazon has panasonic whisper inline fans. The biggest one is 340cfm. Might be a tad small for the room but since you are filtering twice it will be fine. I love these fans, very quiet compared to other inline fans.

 

[dragontoker]

If you vent through sewer drain, make sure angle of air is shooting towards the street.

 

[mellowmama]

Thanks, puffpuff. Amazon and I are best of friends!

Gawd, to find a plumber I can trust...

 

[dragontoker]

If you have a clean out on your main to the street that isnt facing in a way that will let stuff dump out if opened, vent here. A clean out is a Y fitting that has a removable threaded cap. Do you have a PVC main or old cast iron one?

 

[mellowmama]

Hoo, boy! Our plumbing is a mixture of old cast iron and pvc. There are actually two lines out of the house. One carries bathroom water out, the other carries kitchen and laundry water out. I assume the bathroom line was added later.

The kitchen sewer line is real fat cast iron, and has one 2-inch cast iron pipe draining into it, plus a newer 2-inch pvc added via y-connector. I don't see a clean out plug on that apparatus. The bathroom sewer line is much bigger, but no clean out plug on that either.

No way we'll try this ourselves, so guess I'll have to bribe someone with pick of the first harvest!

 

[dragontoker]

Another way since your filtering twice before exit of the house, vent through the sill plate to the outdoors but for an extra precaution build a Ona fan bucket and place it in the gun room.

DIY Odor Control Bucket

 

[mellowmama]

Thinking along the same lines...

Currently two of our basement windows have panes removed and filled in with wood or metal, for venting other stuff such as the dryer and the water heater. Thinking of doing the same for this purpose. I do not think it would ever be noticed that we added a vent, particularly if the air being vented doesn't stink.

I had planned to use ONA as an extra precaution anyway, and can easily explain that away as occassionally in our neck of the woods, sewer odors come through the drain holes in basement floors. Plus all those dang cats...

SO, NEW QUESTION:

Can anyone recommend an effective inline fan/filter system for this application? I don't mind spending a little for the extra peace of mind.

Will I need another fan at the exit end of the ductwork?


Revised Plan:

 

[mellowmama]

puffpuff, does that panasonic fan come with a standard plug, or is some wiring required?

Thanks,
Mellow

 

[dragontoker]

puffpuff, does that panasonic fan come with a standard plug, or is some wiring required?

Thanks,
Mellow

Wiring required. Easy peasy. Just buy a 120v pigtail whip from a home improvement store. Black to black on fan, white to white on fan, green to green on fan.

Pigtail whip can be made with an extension cord too. Use a 14 gauge cord. Cut off the female end of the extension cord and you now have a whip.


For a filter, just match the cfm of the filter up to the cfm of the fan or go a little higher on the cfm of the filter. Just dont under size the filter or your fan will work harder.

 

[mellowmama]

Thanks so much for all your help, puffpuff. I can do this!! And get away with it!!

 

[dragontoker]

Search Homedepot " Husky 8 ft. 16/2 Medium-Duty Tool Replacement Cord "

Search Homedepot " Halex 3/8 in. Twin Screw Non-Metallic Cable Clamp Connectors (5-Pack) "

These are the only 2 things you will need to get that fan working

The connector keeps the cord from pulling out of the electrical box on the fan.

 

[mellowmama]

I'm on it, puffpuff. You've been tremendously helpful. Thanks a bunch!