65w Fluorex in a Rubbermade

[sampsonsimpson]

hi again-

anyone out there vegging in a rubbermade with a 65w
6500 K Fluorex on top? After 2 blown units...4 trips to
home dePOT and a cut finger, I have a decent veg box.

my question to those that have gone before me is quite
simple...does the box get too hot. It seems kinda hot to me,
but i dont have a thermometer. My box is currently unpainted,
(its navy blue right now) so does it get hotter when its flat
white on the inside? Cooler? Do I need a fan.

Please drop some knowledge on a noob.

thx

-Sam

 

[friendlyfriend]

yes you need a fan possibly two small fans... more air circulation the better... also make sure its not harzardous as in it wont catch fire or if it does it wont burn your house down ... hope this helps

 

[Hooked-On-Grown]

SS......you can get some small computer fans and put them in the box. Is it enclosed? You can also buy a digital themostat with humidity reading for $20. you want your humidity at least 50% or higher in veg. Floros don't put off that much heat so it won't take much to keep the heat out.
I build 50% or more of the things I use for growing. It is just a matter of correct venting and lighting and a little common sense.

You can't skim on nutes/thermostat/ or ppm/ph pen. Your pH and ppm need to be checked daily. Good luck and ask any other ???'s you may have.

 

[BuzzBob]

You can also buy a digital themostat with humidity reading for $20.

Hey!!! I actually get to contribute! If you go here: http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&product_id=63-1036 and print out their In-Store Coupon, you can pick up the Digital Indoor Thermometer/ Hygrometer for $10 {50% off}

 

[Guest]

You the man BUZZBOB I'm gonna get a couple today.

Blatant

 

[sampsonsimpson]

thanks for the hookup

thanks for the hookup

ff- thanks. would you (or anyone else) have an idea about
how to get FRESH air into the box. Right now the only hole
is in the lid and that hole is filled with the Fluorex...

hog- yeah, like i said above its totaly enclosed. seeing
as you build alot of stuff yourself, would you have any ideas
as to how to hook those fans into the box. Thanks!

BuzzBob - id like to echo Blatants sentiment, you are in fact
the man...thanks for saving me some cash.

thanks everybody!!!!

-Sam

 

[Guest]

Well your gonn a have to pop at least two more holes in your cabby. One for a fan placed somewhere high up and a passive intake hole (a regular hole) on the bottom. Air exchange is crucial to any kind of grow.

Blatant

 

[DarkLance]

Buzzbob, thanks for that link man! That rocks.

It should get cooler when you paint it white, as it is reflecting the light[heat].

For circulation, you have to decide upon a positive or negative pressure system. Floating between the two is going to kill you.

Negative would seal the chamber as much as possible and install a controlled inlet and exhaust vent. This allows you to force the air in one direction, as into an ozone generator in my case with a fan at the exhaust port.

Positive air pressure mounts the fan at the inlet, with either a controlled ehaust or an open system, were the exhaust is spread out around the area. Note that it takes a much more powerful fan to utilize a positive pressure system effectivly.

 

[Guest]

my babies like florex's . you want it as close to the light as possible, without the dreaded fried plant. leave the plastic shield on if your worried about it growing into the bulb, during a growth spurt. i use a couple plus some 20w tubes for veg state until flowering area is avaiable (hps+mh) where i finish vegging and initiate flowering (not a pertual grow but reduces the down time). i've ditched the lid of my dubbermaid and have one desk sized fan that blows on the plant and bulb at the same time. only time they'll burn with flouros is if they sit touching the bulb with no movement.

 

[Guest]

i use a couple florex lights as well, what i did was take them apart, so the light hangs on its own away from the ballast.... these lights generate A TON of heat when left in their cheap plastic reflectors. with the ballast moved away from my bulb and the reflector taken out of the picture i can let the light touch my plants without consequence. also, without the reflector i get better light coverage.

gonna need some 12AWG wire some solder and a bit of time if you want to do this.

THC

 

[sampsonsimpson]

ahhhh...

ahhhh...

i never even though @ the fact that the more light is being
reflected, the less is being absorbed, and thus...lower temps..
thanks BigErn...btw how did you wire your fluorex. I did mine
with a simple extension cord. Im new to growing and new
to wiring. Ive blown out 3 ballasts so far. Any idea about what
im doing wrong?

thanks
-Sam

 

[Einsteinguy]

Blown Ballast

Blown Ballast

Hey Sam
I've Blown 3 of the 65 watt floerex. (Glad Can return no prob).
I think it might be timer. Used third light for 2 months no prob with no timer. Then I hooked it up to timer and it fried in like 3 hours.

Going to try no timer on this new one and see if it lives.

Later
Einstein

 

[Guest]

i think our experience is typical. i used a simple two-prong extension cord. one of mine just blew out last night as a matter of fact. small metal halide setups may take some work and be less available, but would be more durable equipment and up to the task. no shortcuts.

 

[sampsonsimpson]

thanks fellas

thanks fellas

talked with a buddy of mine who is a very experenced
rogue electrician (sp?), he said that like alot of electrical
equipment the fluorex's prefer activity to...well..not being
active. In other words you plug it in..works fine....unplug
it and then plug it back in...(sometimes) and POOF. Blown.

fluorex's are ment to be hardwired into a home circuit,
and they come on when the light sensor detects darkness.
we take the clear sensor cover and replace it with the
dark one...so when we plug it in..the sensor automaticaly
detects darkness and fires the ignitor.

He said it might have something to do with the fact that
(im ASSuMEing) we dont have a switch wired into the circuit.
So when I plug it into the wall a surge of electricity flows into
the ballast and overloads what is a pretty flimsy connector.

Im taking it back to home dePOT this weekend and picking
up a simple toggle switch..hopefully this will take some of that
instant stress of the ballast.

assuiming this next fluorex blows like the other...does anyone
have opinions about just using a couple daylight comp.floros,
wired into a 2-blub socket.

sorry for the long post..

-Sam

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Hey Sam!

Hey Sam!

Good to see you din't fly the coop for long.

T

 

[sampsonsimpson]

hey hey...told ya Id be back

hey hey...told ya Id be back

PassTheDoobie-

yeah....i wrote about i my absence in another thread.

i just had to solve some security issues. with a 9mm. heheh
(just joking..the last time i joked about killing my friends
and girl some people got offended....go figure)

i didnt have any herb and was stressed and paranoid...
totaly overreacted...
anyway...its nice to be back here at ICMag where everyone.....

<operator with an emergency breakthrough from your sister>

"Sampson, its Sheila...momma fell....."
"SHUT UP BITCH...."

-Sam

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Actually Sam, I must be evil inside!

Actually Sam, I must be evil inside!

Dude you made me laugh my ass of that night! I fucking almost hurt myself. You were classic! It was tooo fucking funny! You ran out of here like your ass was on fire. I'm laughing so hard now I'm hurting myself again to remember it! LOL!!!!!!

I love you dude! You are way too self depricating. I don't think you have to kiss ass here like you did over there. At least that's the vibe I'm getting. This is sort of like a very cool stoners club, once you're in, it doesn't really matter what you're doin outside.

T

 

[sampsonsimpson]

self depricating? I think you meant self defacateing...
(not sure i spelled that right...i meant shitting on myself)

 

[Kaus]

Those 65watt florexs are a pain... I got a lamp cord 18g and a 18$ florex and poof never worked.. I prolly didnt have neg and pos right.. Sigh I really wanted to see that thing light up :/

 

[Guest]

a florex will not work without the proper ballast.

you cant just go use a regular cord and light socket.

need to get the security light fixture and take that sucker apart to get the ballast, they cost around 35$, and include a bulb.


THC