Trying to work out how I can overcome this heat problem... I think I have an answer, but the science behind it is something I pretty much just pulled out of my ass. Sounds good, but let me know what you think.
Problem: Tent is too hot since I added a second light. I expected the temperature to go up, as I am now dissipating twice the wattage in heat. I have <20% ambient humidity, so I supplement with a humidifier in the tent, which before the new light was happily keeping the RH at 50% (+/- 5 points). For this time of year, and with piles of computer equipment happily dissipating more heat, the room ambient hovers around 80F.
First thing I tried: Increase the speed of the fan. Seems obvious, right? I think the reality is that this only works to a point. I'll get into that in a minute. The problem with this approach is that now more 20% RH air is getting into the tent. This is pushing the tent RH down below 35%.
So now not only is it too hot, but its too dry as well. And turning up the fan? Didn't help. Once the fan got fast enough to lower the temperature delta between room and tent to 15 degrees, which still left me at 95F in the tent, all of that airflow meant the humidity was being vented faster than it could be produced. Now here's where the science-pulled-out-of-my-ass part kicks in.... There is no way I could exhaust enough air, and not exceed the rate the carbon filter is effective, to cool the tent. Even if humidity were not a concern. There's a limit on how much energy the 80 degree air can pick up. The only real solution is to lower the room's temperature. Cooler air will remove more heat, while lower air-flow will preserve humidity.
I can get a cheap window a/c unit, and it should have no problem exchanging out the amazing amount of heat this room produces.
Thoughts?
