Using bathroom vent as an exhaust

[growdatshitefinally]

Hey folks. I've just moved into an apartment wich is in a fairly new building. I'm on the second floor but the building has 9 floors. Since I have an extra bathroom, I'd like to use it as a grow space. The tent would be 4' by 4'.

Can I attach an inline exhaust fan (420 CFM) to the vent on the bathroom ceiling? I have no idea how this vent system works, so I don't want it to mess up the whole system that's in place.

[iwanttoknow]

We live in a private home and what you are proposing is exactly what we do. Un-used bathroom is our grow space, in the tub, cloth pots elevated on wire closet shelving. No need for shop vacuuming the run off - just goes down the drain.
At one time I boxed in the exhaust vent with an amazon box. Took off the vent cover and cut the hole in the box slightly smaller than the cover, slipped the cover into the box and replaced the screws to hold the cover from inside the box. It was tricky to hold the box, cover and screws to get it all mounted. Had a hole in the side of the box for round duct tube from the semi-permanent foam board that closed in the long side of the bathtub.
We are now in the process of having the light fixture that is mounted over the bathtub removed, and an electric in-line fan to be mounted where he light fixture is.

Good luck on your grow!

[Ckbrew]

You might want to see if you can determine if other units share the same vent. If they do, you don't want to be pumping even a hint of dank into the system.

[Gingerbeard]

Ckbrew your vent is not shared with anyone else unless you are in a very old building. Every space has it's own vent stack (vent's poo-gas), supply/return air for HVAC. Kitchen and bath vents go outside.
growdatshitefinally if you use the exhaust vent, remove the exhaust fan.

[SoOrbudgal]

Great tips guys

[growdatshitefinally]

Gingerbeard There is no fan to be removed. Behind the white cap on the photo, there is just ducting. What I'm concerned about is that maybe there's some advanced system that manages all the airflow from a central unit or something like that.

What I want to do is to run the inline fan as an experiment without putting the tent and lights on for like a week or so and see how it acts like. Is it possible that the ducting goes all the way up to the top of the building? If so, would I need a really powerful inline fan to push the air out?

[growdatshitefinally]

SoOrbudgal I remember you commenting on my first grow as well a couple of years back. Good to see you are still around

[Mollisol]

You can definitely make this work. You just need to be inventive and crafty.

[90Gizmo]

Sure. But is that exhaust 4 inch? You may need a "high pressure" fan to get 400 cfpm. I know enough math to know there are formulas to figure out "the number" but not good enough to actually do the math. So if you have ventilation issues check out "high static pressure duct fan."

[growdatshitefinally]

Yes, it's 4 inch. I'll look into the term that you mentioned. Thank you

[Bluey]

If you're in a relatively modern apartment it should vent to above a balcony window/door....if you draw it through the carbon filter you should be right

[Floopydoop]

Once upon a time I made a nice little compact box with a fan and lights and timers and it was so fancy. I used my dryer exhaust to "vent" it. Turns out, the dryer just dumped into the attic. People smelled very good in my building for a while. :P

[Gingerbeard]

Okay. No bathroom fan and you spell shit 'shite.' What part of the world are you in?

[growdatshitefinally]

Haha. I'm in Europe.

[Going2fast]

Your vent is an external " common" exhaust. It draws air from probably a roof top source. All of your neighbors are attached to it but it is drawing air so you may not need an exhaust fan. Light a match or something and see if the smoke is drawn through the vent. They are called fart fans for a reason. You don't smell your neighbors gas do you? just hook a carbon filter to it and your good.