CO2 Enriched Grow Room Exhaust Requirements

CannaBusiness
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Hey everyone. The cultivation facility at a company I work with has a grow in downtown LA. They have recently gotten hit with some code about an exhaust system for CO2 in their grow room. They were given a crazy 7 figure quote for a system to do this on their existing grow rooms. Anyone else have to deal with this?

Looking for recommendations of people anyone here has worked with in the LA area on this type of thing.

Here are the requirements listed in the code.

Gas Detection System: A continuous gas detection system shall be provided in the room or indoor area in which the CO2 enrichment process is located, in the room or indoor area in which the container systems are located and in other areas.

where CO2 is expected to accumulate, including rooms or areas directly adjacent to the enrichment area connected by doors or other means of travel. CO2 sensors shall be provided within 12 inches of the floor in the area where the gas is expected to accumulate or where leaks are most likely to occur. The
system shall be designed as follows:

  1. Activate a low-level alarm upon detection of a CO2
    concentration not to exceed 5,000 ppm per CFC.
  2. Activate a high-level alarm upon detection of a CO2
    concentration not to exceed 30,000 ppm per CFC.

g. System Activation:

  1. Activation of the low-level gas detection system alarm
    shall automatically:
    a) Stop the flow of CO2 to the piping system.
    b) Activate the mechanical exhaust ventilation
    system.
    c) Activate an audible and visible supervisory alarm
    signal at an approved location within the building.
  2. Activation of the high-level gas detection system alarm
    shall automatically:
    a) Stop the flow of CO2 to the piping system.
    b) Activate the mechanical exhaust ventilation
    system.
    c) Activate an audible and visible evacuation alarm,
    both inside and outside of the CO2 enrichment
    area, and the area in which the CO2 containers
    are located.

i. Pressurization and Ventilation: Rooms or indoor areas, in which CO2 enrichment is provided, shall maintain at a negative pressure in relation to the surrounding areas in the building. A mechanical ventilation system shall be provided in accordance
with the California Mechanical Code that complies with all of
the following:

  1. Mechanical ventilation in the room or area shall be at a rate of not less than 1 cubic foot per minute per square
    foot.
  2. When activated by the gas detection system the
    mechanical ventilation system shall remain on until
    manually reset.
  3. The exhaust system intakes shall be taken from points
    within 12 inches of the floor.
  4. The ventilation systems piping shall terminate outdoors in an approved location.
  5. The pressure differential system and the ventilation
    system shall be interlocked to the CO2 enrichment
    system. Failure of either the pressure differential system or the ventilation system shall immediately result in the shutdown of the CO2 enrichment system.

Anyone else going through this currently? I guess if they can’t deal with it quickly it is going to require them stopping using CO2 which would be a big blow.

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This is kinda crazy. Exhaust intakes 12 inches from the floor? Pressure differential systems. Ouch.

I bet a lot of people stop co2.

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What’s the outdoor ppm in LA? New York City was a solid 800ppm outside 20 years ago.

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I said the same thing. Ambient may be an option but the issue is it will require a pretty significant make up are unit to do a fresh air intake room and have it hold a temp. It’s insane this is all brought up over a single tank in a 4000 SQ ft room but this is where they are at. On one of the hottest blocks in the entire country I might add, this is what they have to deal with.

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It’s what’s required for parking garges also, DM me I have a few companies I can set you up with down there.

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Are they not using environmental controllers? You can set up an iponic or trollmaster to do everything you need with the installation off an exhaust fan/setting up warning alarms.

Were setting up our 3rd grow rn and have never had to do more than install a exhaust fan in the ceiling, you just need 1 cfm per sq ft its relatively easy to size have 5k sq ft get a 7k cfm fan or 2 3.5k’s etc etc. be a lil over cause why not. Have them hooked up to your Evironmental controller to turn on whenever u hit the PPM of co2 you are happy at.

The controllers - stop the co2 when limit is reached, you can set the alarm to whatever level you want too in case theres a malfunction(not only do they do it for your room audibly - but they send it to your phone as well more than the requirements needed)

As for pressure/ventilation(if your in a concrete building its going to be a lot more work) but if you worked with wood/ the normal 8x4 panelings(obviously theres another layer before to avoid mold/ make cleaning easier and such) you can just add an exhaust vent at the bottom that trails to the fan/ceiling via an exhaust line:. Most all this is easier done in the building process but can be added pretty cheaply - especially if you own the building and can just hire people to do so instead of a contractor. You may be able to exhaust straight out from the 12 inches out the same height level but that wasnt feasible for us. There isnt a set rulee/regulation on how high the fan needs to be just that it needs to be “sucked” out the bottom due to Co2’s weight.

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It’s a concrete building sadly. Ya I told them same a trollmaster CO2 controller can do a lot of this but adding the exhaust into the existing concrete grow rooms is a pain but it’s gonna have to happen.

The negative pressure requirement is pretty annoying.

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Damn yea gl concretes a bitch. and yea fuck most the regulations lol. We had to instal a fire sprinkler system in one of the buildings that was a mother fucker and a half

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