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 nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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 Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question 
#16734444 - 08/20/12 11:28 PM (8 months, 25 days ago) |
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What is the minimum depth of plenum necessary to achieve laminar flow? Most of the plans I've seen seem really deep making this appliance even larger than it needs to be. The super fancy ones you find online look like they have a relatively thin profile.
I have also been thinking about alternative placements for the blower to save space/increase portability without sacrificing performance.
ANY ideas welcome
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado 
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: nboy]
#16734476 - 08/20/12 11:33 PM (8 months, 25 days ago) |
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There's just no such thing as a small, cheap laminar flow hood. Doesn't work like that. 
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: Doc_T]
#16736908 - 08/21/12 04:21 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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THANK YOU Doc_T.
There are no references to saving money in my post. One of my other posts mentioned cheaper sources for filters, which I did find. I think it's pretty obvious that there is no such thing as a cheap laminar flow hood. But there are different ways to construct them, and less commercial sources for the necessary elements.
My questions were about plenum size and blower placement/orientation.
I did however say 'super fancy' because I was referring to the professional lab grade ones like these that although have a large 'work space' in front, have a relatively small sized area behind the filter... the depth with filter is 12". My guess would be the plenum is 6 inches deep.
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: nboy]
#16736932 - 08/21/12 04:24 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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I don't think that what you are seeing in those pics is a complete device, just the workstation part.
If it is, it's way more expensive than a normal flowhood. But I could be wrong. Got a link?
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: Doc_T]
#16737015 - 08/21/12 04:36 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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germ free BTW that's not what I'm looking to build. Just like the thin profile if you removed the sides and table aspect. The idea of having a rectangle or square without protruding fan is more appealing to me. I am not good at staying in one place so I would like my flow hood to be as portable/packable as possible given the necessary requirements.
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: nboy]
#16737031 - 08/21/12 04:37 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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See, you've got to get laminar flow- and that means a thick filter.
Ever see that episode of Mythbusters where they made laminar water?
Its like that. You just aren't going to get laminar flow with a thin filter.
If portability is an issue, use a glovebox. Small and cheap, plus discreet as well.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: Doc_T]
#16737104 - 08/21/12 04:49 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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Those are laminar flow hoods. They are 34" deep total with a work space area of 22" meaning there is 12" of filter and plenum. I'm assuming the filter is 5-7/8 (same as I plan to get), with the remaining area being the plenum. HOWEVER, most of the flow hoods I've seen constructed here are around 16 inches or more deep! Just want to understand the physics and requirements behind plenum size.
What are the dimensions of your flow hood Doc_T?
I have not seen that episode. Got a link?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: nboy]
#16737128 - 08/21/12 04:52 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. Laminar Flow Hood question [Re: nboy]
#16737132 - 08/21/12 04:54 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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I don't have a flowhood. Never have and I don't expect to.
I don't have room for something that big, even if I had the money for it.
^^^that pic is cool, but that's not something most hobbyists could build at home.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: Doc_T]
#16737189 - 08/21/12 05:05 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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NON SENSE! You don't give enough credit to 'hobbyists'
If you take away those walls and the electrical housing (which wouldn't be hard if you're making it yourself) you've got a standard flow hood, just with a larger enclosure for the fan and thus more pre-filtering area. It just seems so appealingly thin to be true and I really like the more pre-filter aspect.
Anyone out there have a flow hood with similar dimensions ??
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: nboy]
#16737197 - 08/21/12 05:06 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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What do you want a flowhood for anyway? And why portable?
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: Doc_T]
#16737448 - 08/21/12 05:43 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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I have been doing low tech outdoor mushroom cultivation in northern California. I do a lot of stem butt inoculations and spore slurries on wood chips, straw and card board, burlap sacks. I also colonize dowels with grain spawn, already inoculated dowels, colonized wood or chips, card board then inoculate logs or wood chip piles/matrix.
I would like a flow hood because I literally live in the woods which has tons of things flying around the air, not to mention the constant flow of dust from dirty boots inside a small bus or cabin. There is no sterility for miles outside of a borrowed pressure cooker. I would like to do agar work so as to grow wild species from spores and clones and want to be able to create reliable slants for storage in bags burried UNDERGROUND!
The portability thing is because I often migrate for the seasons and want to grow clean cultures and spread spores/spawn where ever I go. Like johnny apple-seed but different.
Edited by nboy (08/21/12 05:48 PM)
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: nboy]
#16737466 - 08/21/12 05:46 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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Glovebox works fine for agar, if you don't mind the crowding.
With practice you can do a surprising amount of work in open air, even in a cabin.
But a $10 SAB would be a nice thing to have while you wait for a flowhood.
I've never seen a flowhood I'd consider 'portable', btw.
They might exist, but the motor and the filter will be big and bulky and heavy.
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: Doc_T]
#16737482 - 08/21/12 05:50 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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What's a SAB? Pardon my lack of abbreviation knowledge.
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: nboy]
#16737503 - 08/21/12 05:53 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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portable as in will fit in the trunk or back seat of a car, or say tucked away when not in use.
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Doc_T
Random Dude
Registered: 03/06/09
Posts: 42,395
Loc: Colorado
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: nboy]
#16737506 - 08/21/12 05:54 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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SAB = still air box
If you can make a flowhood that folds up and goes in the trunk of a car, you should sell them.  
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You make it all possible. Doesn't it feel good?
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serotonin storm
Don't be scared, homie!
Registered: 07/15/12
Posts: 1,178
Loc: Holland
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: Doc_T]
#16737507 - 08/21/12 05:54 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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if you a want a slim profile, go with a centrifugal blower instead of a squirrle cage. check out transcendinglifes build. it's real slick.
centrifugal blowers vary in pricing depending on quality. i purchased an 8" hurrican for $88 bucks but if i had the money i would have gone with the 8" vortex. the vortex is super nice. the hurricane works good too, just not as good. if you want to settle in the middle of the two go with the valuline. they are actually more powerful than the vortex, but just not built as nicely. the hurricane comes with a 3 year warranty, valuline with a 5 year, and vortex with a 10 year.
also. www.filera-b2b.com has the cheapest filters i've found yet. if you've found cheaper, please let me know as i haven't placed an order for the filter yet, hope this helps,
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: serotonin storm]
#16737557 - 08/21/12 06:02 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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thanks SS! That is the site I have my eye on, and somehow the most informative.
Everyone seems to dis on the centrifugals. I found a source for several used dayton blower for nearly half (179) of it's price new (340) that would be good for filters larger than 12 x 24. Just not entirely sold on the used aspect. Can't really get much more info than "runs smoothly"
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serotonin storm
Don't be scared, homie!
Registered: 07/15/12
Posts: 1,178
Loc: Holland
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: nboy]
#16737755 - 08/21/12 06:34 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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monstergarden.com has alot of really good youtube videos that show performance tests. don't buy through them because they are over priced but they give great information. the only reason few knock on the centrifugal is because they are more expensive than a used squirrel cage blower which if you play your cards right can be free.
if you're down with getting a used fan then do it, i'm sure it's WAY cheaper. i had the option to get one used but i just figured i would spend a little more to make sure i know it will be good, plus the warranty that comes with them is great.
is the dayton you're eyeing a centrifugal or squirrel cage?
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nboy
Registered: 05/09/11
Posts: 86
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Re: Minimum Plenum Size? /Blower placement. HELP NEEDED [Re: serotonin storm]
#16737841 - 08/21/12 06:44 PM (8 months, 24 days ago) |
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squirrel cage. Its a 1xjx9. I would probably put a rotary switch on it .
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