Air Flow / Carbon Filtration - the order of things

[Hashslag]

So I'm planning out my micro cabinet grow. Very small space (micro, obvs) but I obviously need extraction/carbon filtration, which (due to space limitations) may have to be external to the cabinet. I'll worry about disguising the gubbins later, but for now I have a question regarding this. To my mind, you really want the extractor fan to PULL through the filter, (filter being at the start of the chain) expelling filtered air out of the grow environment. Which is great if you can have all the gear inside the cab, but if not, then really you'll have to hook it all up so the fan PUSHES air through the filter, (the filter being at the end of the chain.)

 

Correct me if I'm worrying about fuck all, but does this actually work properly?

[Shumroom]

A long time ago(it feels longer than it really was) I used to blow through my filter,

I was unable to extract to the outside and I didn't fancy trying to lift the filter up to ceiling level. 

 

It works

 

 

 

A 3rd option would be to attach the carbon filter to the lid of a bucket, 

on the inside. 

 

The fan can still pull(suck) through this filter. 

 

Next make a hole in the bottom of the bucket and run ducting from here to to grow space. 

 

Once you fit the lid to the bucket and make sure the connections are airtight you've essentially made an Inline filter. 

 

Atb 

 

 

 

[MindSoup]

You can get away with blowing through them although it's best to use some part of pre filter. Or you could try the idea on the thread linked below 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by MindSoup

[Hashslag]

3 hours ago, MindSoup said:

You can get away with blowing through them although it's best to use some part of pre filter. Or you could try the idea on the thread linked below 

 

 

Please forgive my idiocy - but what does adding the bucket around the CF actually do? Is it any different from just connecting the CF to the fan?

[Goodbloke]

Extract duct from grow space to airtight container enclosing filter. Fan connected to filter. 

DIY Inline filter basically. 

[Hashslag]

Thanks for taking the time to reply chaps, appreciate it. 

 

Looking around my shedudio, I spotted something that I thought could come in handy. It's this old cardboard tube packaging, I've had it years so it being visible is nothing unusual whatsoever (stelfy innit bruh):

 

 

Presently it stores old cables, but I can fuck them off elsewhere. Then I thought about how I could use it with filtration in mind. I came up with this - is there any reason why this wouldn't work? I know it's blowing into the filter rather than sucking air through it, but I don't think I've got that much choice, all things considered. The tube is large enough to accommodate a fan and filter together, which, because of the diminutive size of my intended grow space, should be sufficient at a 4" / 100mm size.

 

[sweepy]

I suppose I'm missing the obvious but if theres room in the cardboard tube for the fan and the filter why don't you just put the fiter at the bottom and the fan on top?

[Wacky Wardrobe]

6 hours ago, Hashslag said:

blowing into the filter rather than sucking air through it

I do this.

Four years in with a Rhino Pro.

I just obscure the fan and filter on top of the drobe behind innocent looking cardboard boxes.

Your idea should be ok.

[MindSoup]

8 hours ago, sweepy said:

I suppose I'm missing the obvious but if theres room in the cardboard tube for the fan and the filter why don't you just put the fiter at the bottom and the fan on top?

My thoughts exactly. 

[Hashslag]

8 hours ago, sweepy said:

I suppose I'm missing the obvious but if theres room in the cardboard tube for the fan and the filter why don't you just put the fiter at the bottom and the fan on top?

 

Because the tube itself isn't really for anything except hiding the external filtration system - it's not air tight or anything like that so it's really just there to keep everything out of sight - the filter only has one end that is 'ductable' doesn't it? Honestly - I'm really not very clever at this sort of thing so forgive me in advance for any outward displays of stupidity  

[MindSoup]

12 hours ago, Hashslag said:

Please forgive my idiocy - but what does adding the bucket around the CF actually do? Is it any different from just connecting the CF to the fan?

 

It allows you to mount the CF externally but still pull through it/ make use of the pre filter that wraps around the outside of it. You can push through a filter, but without some sort of pre filter for all the the dust etc it will get clogged prematurely. Also when you push through a filter you have positive pressure between the fan and the filter, so if you get a leak in the seal smell will escape, when your pulling through, the same leak will just suck clean air into the fan and out of the duct so you'll just lose a tiny bit of efficiency. 

 

1 hour ago, Hashslag said:

it's not air tight or anything

 

Doesn't really have to be totally air tight, a few slight leaks will be fine. 

 

E2A just in case it's causing confusion, in the last picture of that guide the assembly is upside down, air flows in through the bottom of the bucket and out of the filter. 

 

Like this. 

 

 

With a bit of ingenuity you could use the bottom half of your tube as an in-line filter and use the top half to disguise the fan.

Edited March 9, 2023 by MindSoup

[Hashslag]

AAAAAAAH I SEEEEE! Right, yes I think I see what you mean now. I was wondering what difference all this made, but yeah - you're basically getting around the filter having only one open end, so to speak. Ingenious. Not sure I'm definitely going to go that route or not... the tube is quite special to me (!) and I don't really want to be hacking into it if I can help it... time will tell but thank you for clarifying. I'd never have made an engineer.