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CoolDrMoney
Stranger
Registered: 12/05/04
Posts: 14
Last seen: 17 years, 3 months
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Converted Fridge
#3633243 - 01/15/05 09:49 PM (19 years, 2 months ago) |
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So I've got a spare fridge that I've just converted into a fruiting chamber. Got some problems to sort out.
1: Heat. There's a 11 watt fluorescent grow bulb for light. It also produces heat, putting the temp in the mid 80's. This is probabaly too high and I've got to drop it down...maybe new lights? LED's? Something self solving.
2: Ultra-sonic has been modified to increase humidity/ decrease condinsation but still a little much, but no saturation of the cakes. Would a cool-mist solve this problem?
3: Thermo/Hygrometer sensor is mounted inside the fridge. The sensor acts up often (its and oregon scientific) Should I get sensor that reads the RH that I can mount outside the fridge and reads via a probe? Does RH vs Humidity make much of a difference?
My goal is to make everything automated via timers and a balanced enviornment. Heat is my first problem to solve. Humidity works fine but could improve. The cakes enjoy the new environment, new growth everywhere but its not ideal.
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
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13eetleJuice
the ghost with the most
Registered: 10/28/04
Posts: 2,253
Loc: 6' under pushin up shroom...
Last seen: 5 years, 4 months
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Agar could probably help you with this. He's the best fridge man around here that I can think of. I'm sure he could probably offer a few solutions to your temp problems. Maybe send him a PM with a link to this thread?
As for question 2 I can tell you to just put the ultrasonic on a timer. Cool Mists are usually run 24hrs a day by most people just for air exchange with the ultrasonic coming on for a few mins every couple of hours.
I think you pretty much answered question 3 for yourself. Yes, the hygrometers with the probes are best. Most people I've spoken to about this have reported thier digi hygros messing up after a short while if kept in a humid environment. I've been using mine for about 2 months now and it's still working fine but it could go bunk tomorrow.
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agar
old hand
Registered: 11/21/04
Posts: 9,056
Loc: Somewhere Else
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ya might try gallon pickle jar, with fish tank heater. Works good for constant temp. If you want to raise RH, without saturating things - used small fish tank pump (hung inside box) with bubbler in pickle jar.
Did you tape over all defrost vents, that frost free box's have?.
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CoolDrMoney
Stranger
Registered: 12/05/04
Posts: 14
Last seen: 17 years, 3 months
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Re: Converted Fridge [Re: agar]
#3633705 - 01/15/05 11:48 PM (19 years, 2 months ago) |
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The "guts" of the fridge have been stripped and sealed. Then cleaned with bleach. More-or-less, its just an insulated box. Which is why all the heat from the light has no where to go - the frige is doing its job, insulating.
I was thinking maybe an exhaust fan at the top with a temperature switch. Then the problem arise of loosing valuable humidity.
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13eetleJuice
the ghost with the most
Registered: 10/28/04
Posts: 2,253
Loc: 6' under pushin up shroom...
Last seen: 5 years, 4 months
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Maybe you could hook up an ultrasonic humidifier to come on whenever the exhaust fan runs to replenish whatever humidity is lost. You'd have to tinker with it to dial in the settings just right but it seems to be a possible solution.
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gsmith
reformed lurker
Registered: 12/07/04
Posts: 204
Last seen: 18 years, 3 months
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if you haven't already taken apart the flourescent light and put the ballast, starter and other crap outside of the grow chamber you should do that. that helps with a lot of the heat that those things produce.
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KaptKid
Spaced Pirate
Registered: 12/11/03
Posts: 6,252
Loc: Bright Side of the Sun
Last seen: 4 years, 1 month
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Re: Converted Fridge [Re: agar]
#3638462 - 01/17/05 10:52 AM (19 years, 2 months ago) |
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Why do the vents need to be tape over? I hooked up the fan in the freezer part to a switch so the air could circulated between top and bottom.Am willing to hook up timer if need.Only have 1 hole(about 2x4). Wanting to use a water bed heater with thermostat as heat.Still have to get it. But now I'm hearing about RH inside the inncubator.I thought this was not needed at all inside inncubator.Will mostly be using filter bags(I hope) and jars in top.Thats IF things work like I want. Will post pic's when I have it up and runnung.
-------------------- Child of the 60's, Tripping ever since.
Edited by KaptKid (01/17/05 10:54 AM)
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4hodmt
AspiringMycologist
Registered: 04/06/04
Posts: 759
Last seen: 9 years, 10 months
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Re: Converted Fridge [Re: KaptKid]
#3638539 - 01/17/05 11:14 AM (19 years, 2 months ago) |
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get urself like, a 6-12 inch flouro light. no heat. it would probably hooke up easier than LEDs
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agar
old hand
Registered: 11/21/04
Posts: 9,056
Loc: Somewhere Else
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Re: Converted Fridge [Re: KaptKid]
#3638600 - 01/17/05 11:29 AM (19 years, 2 months ago) |
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I don't know the design of vent system in your Fridge. My foaf's had several odd frost free vents & since they went through internal parts unknown & uncleaned. He simply taped them over, to be on safe side. Rather than dirty side.
He tracked 2 vents from freezer compartment, that exgaust into Fridge part & did NOT tape those over. He installed ultrasonic in freezer compartment & used fan already built into freezer compartment, to force moist air into Fridge compartment.
He also drilled holes in bottom of Fridge part & installed drain tubes, to pan below. As - once ultra ia on & with fan - this raises rh high, causes some condensation, which drips. So, a drain was required. Using as incubator NOW,
Will tweak lights, air exchange & rh when fruiting time comes.
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