Embedded Files
Automatic Air Circulation System
Automatic Air Circulation System
According to the PF Tek method, the fruiting cakes need to be fanned with fresh air 3-4 times per day. This presents a problem because remembering to do this requires too much energy, not to mention the need to be on location. Setting up an automatic air circulation system is the ideal solution for the fruiting chamber. This is an added expense, about $25 per container, but fresh air is necessary for the cakes to produce mushrooms. You will need an exhaust vent, a fan, an electrostatic filter kit and a digital timer outlet. If you have more than one fruiting chamber, you will need a surge protector that plugs into the digital timer for all of the fans. The digital timer can turn the AC receptacle on for as little as one minute. Analog timers usually have a minimum on setting of 30 minutes, so it is best to use a digital timer. The fan should run for 10 minutes, 3 times a day.
Supplies
Supplies
Digital timer outlet & surge protector
4 bolts #8-32 0.5" course thread
4 bolts #8-32 1.25" course thread
8 nuts #8-32 course thread
11/64" drill bit
Drill
Black permanent marker
1/4 cup salt
1.5 gallon water
Instructions
Instructions
Using the exhaust vent as a template, place about 2/3 of the way up the narrow side of the tote in the middle and trace a circle with the marker. Repeat for the other side. One will be the exhaust and the other will be the intake.
Turn on the soldering iron to high. Once ready, melt a hole on the circle line and trace the circle with the solder iron. This is a slow process but it is much easier than finding something metal large enough or using a razor blade to cut it.
Place the exhaust vent in one of the holes, place drill with 11/64" drill bit in one of the screw holes on the exhaust vent and drill a hole. Place a screw through the hole in the exhaust vent AND in the tote to stabilize the exhaust vent while you drill 3 more holes in the tote around the remaining exhaust vent holes.Â
Once all 4 holes are drilled in the tote matching the holes in the vent, place four 0.5" #8-32 course thread bolts in the holes, screw on a #8-32 course thread nut on each bolt and tighten.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the fan but use four 1.25" #8-32 course thread bolts instead of the 0.5" bolt. Before securing fan to tote, follow next step for the air filter.
Using the electrostatic air filter kit, cut a square of filter that measures 130mm. The order for equipment is tote, electrostatic filter, fan.
Slowly dump bag of perlite in to fruiting chamber.
Add about a gallon and a half of water mixed with 1/4 salt to prevent microorganism growth. You only want about 1" of water in the perlite. If you put too much water in the perlite, it will cover up the perlite and humidity won't be created.
Mix up and saturate the perlite, then smooth out with your hand and place mycelium cakes in chamber. Has enough space for 20 single cakes, twice that if you stack them.
Plug fan into timed outlet on digital timer. Set for a 10 minute ON time once every 8 hours (3 time per day).
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