It's Too Darn Hot!

[OldManGrower]

Climate change has reached my garage. My tent has been clocking temps of 86 degrees or more for the last month. It has never been this bad before ,when I usually clocked in temps of 78 degrees. This has occurred in the middle of my first "all auto" grow. I have started adding silica to my water and watering more often.

A year ago I built a 12" platform for my tent. The added elevation made it much easier to work my grow but I noticed an increase in temps when I did this . Apparently the concrete floor acted a pretty efficient heat sink. Right now the temperature difference between my tent and the concrete is 9 degrees.

IF anyone out there has any brilliant ideas, I am certainly open to hearing them. Removing the platform is a major hassle and I really do not know if it will make a difference.

[90Gizmo]

How about running some aluminum duct around on the floor and then into the tent as an air input?

[OldManGrower]

That would only work using a fan to push/pull it through. The temp differential is not enough to cool the air quickly enough as it comes in but its an interesting idea.

[OldManGrower]

Interesting idea. However the temperature differential is not sufficient to cool the air as a fan pulls it through.

[3Berries]

If you have room water makes a great temp moderator. Takes a long time to heat up and cool down. I use to store water in my grow closet in 7 gallons storage containers and one gallon jugs.


I would like to see a flat water storage container one could use as a base in the tent.

[OldManGrower]

Thank you! Very interesting. I do not have much room as I have 5 plants in a 32"x32" space but I will look into this.

[3Berries]

If you have room for a milk crate you can put 4-1 gal jugs in that and then stack them.

[Ace1973]

Do you have a dimming feature on your lights? If you do, try to lessen the intensity of the lights, it may help.

[OldManGrower]

I cannot dim them but I have raised them.

[SoOrbudgal]

Wish i could send you what we got right now, cool and rainy overnight again. I've not had that issue like you yet but i'll find out when summer finally does arrive here. I plan on using the garage to set up my tents. I put a 8x10 old rug down and hung fly paper so far LOL . Man i will use a stand up ocillating fan also. I have not grown indoors during the heat of summer in a tent yet ever and only do indoor grows in fall an winter time. Wish i could help you out

[OldManGrower]

Thanks SoOrbudgal. Hasn't rained in a week and it was 80 degrees at 7am today, heading to 99. I have an internal fan and an exhaust fan. Doesn't help much with a very high ambient temperature,

[Ckbrew]

Switch the lights to be on at night and dark during the day might help.

[OldManGrower]

Thanks CK. I have already done that. I also raised the lights.

[90Gizmo]

How about a clear sheet between the plants and the LEDs and exhausting them separately?

[OldManGrower]

Interesting idea 90Gizmo. I shall consider it.

[Gingerbeard]

Can you leave your tent open when the lights are on, and use an external fan?

[OldManGrower]

I have do so but the interior of the garage is not a whole lot cooler than the tent.

[BR2K]

How about some sort of portable swamp cooler? The ones I'm thinking of are much too big for just you plants but maybe for the entire garage? I think I got mine at Home Depot...

[OldManGrower]

BR2K Great Minds Think Alike. I have a tiny cordless AC evaporation unit. I'm gonna try it tonight or tomorrow. Have to cut the fan back to keep from sucking the cold out, but I don't see that as much or a drawback.

[3Berries]

You can make swamp coolers out of 5 gallon buckets, some water wicking material and small fans.

[Gingerbeard]

I can disarm a nuclear bomb with an emery board, a standard size ice cube, and a bird feather.

[alltatup]

Gingerbeard You are the Great White Red-Bearded Healer.

[BR2K]

Also, is there a window you can keep open at night?

[alltatup]

AIR CONDITIONER! I don't know about a swamp cooler's humidity production; I'd be skeptical about using one around cannabis plants for that reason. Why not install an AC? If that's your grow room, it's worth the investment; it may be a necessity with global warming. This is why I bought some solar panels around 5 years ago, because I knew electricity costs were going to go up. Another reason why I'm firmly committed to indoor growing...

[BR2K]

Back to the swamp cooler idea...

[bdeegan]

You don’t necessarily need a window to vent a portable ac, but definitely a through-wall vent. How well insulated is the garage?

[90Gizmo]

Could be adapted to for under a garage door.

[Gingerbeard]

How about popping a couple extra dryer vents in your walls and work some inline fans? Super easy if you're not into the handyman thing.