So Hydro Innovations (HI) was kind enough to send me some of their quality hoses to replace the black vinyl versions of mine. I had originally picked up vinyl hoses from the nearest hardware store for my chiller waterways. Stephen and Brandy at Hydro Innovations helped me see the error of my ways. They also sent some other gear to try out.
Below are some pictures of the way to PROPERLY install the ChillKing/IceBox combo—unlike what I had done previously. Take note of the new hoses and worm-gear clamps used to secure everything. Your local hardware store will stock a variety of typically cheap hoses. The hoses from Hydro Innovations are industrial quality and tailored to their cooling and CO2 generator systems—-perfect diameter, inner and outer. The most significant differences between HI’s hoses and the average water hoses are HI’s superior insulation and kink-resistance. The vinyl black hoses kink and have no insulation. Bad for chilling.
Removing my old hoses, I prepped the complete re-hosing by drilling through my garage wall. With a quality hose setup, I removed all of the hack-job connectors which I previously utilized (see Chillaxing with Hydro Innovations, part 1). The entire system is powered by an 1850 GPH submersible water pump sitting in my water reservoir.
After teflon-taping all hose bibs, because I am paranoid about leaks, I connected all of the hoses and cinched them with worm clamps. From the ChillKing, we feed the cold hose into the first of two IceBoxes, then to the second IceBox.
The IceBox hose bibs have a ripple around each one which will probably well-seal the hose connection by itself. But, I want this setup to function even better than a Depends undergarment—no leaks. Worm clamps, ahoy!
I looped the hoses across the grow room ceiling and cinched them with twist ties. With the weight of the hoses and water passing through them, I don’t want to stress the rope pulls supporting my reflector, the IceBoxes, and the vortex fan.
Then, from the first IceBox to the second IceBox. With this setup, I’ll feed the coldest water to the environmental cooling system AND the heat source which will be constantly running. Sure, the IceBoxes will remove heat from the reflector. Where the first IceBox nullifies some heat at the source, the second IceBox will add even more cooling to my grow room.
From the second IceBox, I feed the outgoing ‘hot’ water (still very, very cool) into Hydro Innovations’ MiniGen CO2 and then out to my water reservoir. (More on Hydro Innovations’ MiniGen and CO2 Monitor, later)
Lastly, I did something that I’ve never considered. I turned off my ceiling exhaust fan in my grow room. The 8-inch air duct booster fan was installed to remove the hottest air in my grow chamber—near the top. At all times, this would pull in fresh air from the base of the grow tent. With CO2 generating, I don’t want this. I want a sealed environment.
RESULTS:
With everything running/generating heat (reflector & MiniGen), the ChillKing & IceBoxes maintain a cool 71 degrees F at the canopy level. All openings to the grow tent are sealed. A completely sealed, cool environment!
Happy Gardening,
One additional note:
With this new set-up, during the flowering/lights-out period I’m easily seeing temps hit under 63 degrees F with the ChillKing set to 65 degrees F.
I’m in my second week of flowering now, and I anticipate even cooler temperatures as I fine-tune the ChillKing. The ChillKing can lower the water to low, low temps. However, by doing so, I could risk condensation. I will continue to fine-tune and post the results.
My next goal will be to swap out my 600W for a 1000W electronic, dimmable ballast setup to see how much cooling the 2 IceBoxes can really do.
The 1000W is a bit overkill for my 3×3x7ft tall grow room, but it will also really put cooling to the test.
Stay tuned!
Hey Curtis, thanks for doing some research. I was looking into the Ice Box system and I’m glad to see that you’ve had success. What temp do you set the ChillKing at? Do you think it would work to just have a huge res of ice water?
Hi Steve,
No, a huge res of ice water won’t work. Your suggestion there, was the first method that I tried. I filled up my 35 gal water res with ice, then water. I then continually added ice and freezable cool packets (usually for cooling food in gift packages). Huge waste of resources. Didn’t work.
I set my ChillKing at 62 F. I had set it for 55. At 55, I experienced my first issues of condensation with my CO2 generation.
That said, if you live in a cold climate and had a sealed water res sitting outside, I can see how rotating water through that reservoir might work—during the cold months.
Another solution, if you want to avoid a chiller and have access to cold municipal water, is Hydro Innovations’ HydroGEN water valve.
http://www.hydroinnovations.com/product4.htm
The water could come in through that activated valve, pushed by pipe pressure, to cool the IceBox. Where will the warm water exit to? The house water? Well, that will only work as water is drawn into the home and pulled out of the exit spout on the IceBox.
P.S. I don’t work for Hydro Innovations.
Thanks for the quick reply Curtis. I was wondering what happened with your 35 gallons, did they heat up really quickly? It stays pretty cool in my basement so I thought I could maybe throw 100 gallon res down there and it might work if I pump it up to the grow room. Maybe not though.
I’ve thought about just running the cold water to waste but that sure is a lot of water, if you go at 300 gph for 12 hours a day that adds up very fast.
The water from my 35 gal, before I used a chiller, did not heat up quickly. However, once it got hot, I had to work forever to chill it back down.
Don’t run cold water to waste. Pure evil. That goes against everything we try to do as indoor gardeners (conservation, production density, etc). If you’re able to actively rotate this water throughout your own cold-water house plumbing, then do it. Only use the cold water path or you’ll undo what you’re trying to accomplish and damage your gardening gear.
A 100-gal water res might work in your basement. However, your house heat, if it reaches the area housing your water res, will aid in increasing the heat in your water reservoir.
As a followup to adding this second IceBox, I moved the 440 CFM 6″ vortex fan to the end of the chain. Instead of pushing air through the setup, the fan now pulls air.
The walls of my grow room were being sucked in occasionally to the mouth of the fan. Until I find a 7′ long x 40″ deep x 6′ tall (or thereabouts) grow tent, I moved the fan to the end of the chain.
A side benefit of this is, with the first IceBox in front of the reflector, the fins of the Icebox function as a minor air filter to keep out bugs in the reflector. I don’t have that much of a problem, but it’s a nice bonus.
Hey Curtis…I have the whole set up from Water Cooled Gardens. Everything is working except the HydroGen. I can’t get it to light. I’ve sent it back to HI once and there was a faulty valve which prevented gas from coming in. So they fixed it and it still doesn’t work. I think I have all the air out of the gas line. Anyway, did you have any problems with this?
Hi Ken,
The only thing that I can think of is if the power supply isn’t connected or isn’t triggered (i.e. a CO2 Controller turning on the unit).
I have no experience (yet
) with the HydroGEN Pro—only the MiniGEN.
I’ve not had any problems with the MiniGEN. It always fires—always always always—when instructed to by the CO2 Monitor.
I would give them a call. They’ve always provided me with awesome support.
Ken,
The most common reason for hydrogen failure to light is a weak pump. If you are not getting significant pressure at 15′ per the spec of your pump, then the hydrogen will not light. Please see this link: http://www.hydroinnovations.com/pdf/HydroGEN_Guide.pdf. Good luck.
hello. did u put ur chiller in a window or where did u put it. what was the lowest temp u could get ur water. i would like to cool 2 600 watt lights – what would u recommend. the reservoir would be inside my house at 75 degree room temp. is a smaller reservoir better. i was wondering how the 1/2 chiller would do with two 8 inch ice boxes.