Check out my PVC room design... Any suggestions?

[gl.pirate]

I plan on framing out a new 5' x 10' room with 1.5" PVC pipe. All my past rooms have been pretty poor and I'd like to finally end up with a quality room.

Anyways, below is the design for the framing. Main frame is in blue and any cross beams and supports are in red. I'm not sure if this is the best way to build a sturdy and safe structure. The T's for supports and the ceiling beam will be slip T's so the structure isn't weakened any by cutting the pipes.

My cooltube will hang from the middle cross beam. The outside will be covered with black/white poly.

I'd greatly appreciate suggestions, advice, tips, whatever.

Thanks.
gl.pirate

 

[Local420]

how are you planning to hang the poly?

I built some 'cubes' out of pvc before, and duct tape and aluminum foil tape would not hold the poly up.

 

[holla@yoboy]

how are you planning to hang the poly?

I built some 'cubes' out of pvc before, and duct tape and aluminum foil tape would not hold the poly up.

he could just drape it over the hole cube, so the weight of the poly rests on the frame, not tape

 

[Guest]

I've built several garden frames from PVC pipe. For that size, I'd use 2" pipe to get more rigidity.

You might plan in more cross-bracing and you may also want to run cross-braces from the sides to give the beam supporting the light more strength. PVC pipe will sag if it isn't braced at regular intervals, and long pieces that aren't connected to other pieces will sag the most.

Check the tent link in my sig block for pics of a couple of my PVC tent gardens. None of them are as large as yours, but they give ideas for bracing and a good source for the non-standard connectors that are so useful for builds like this.

Good luck and good growing!

 

[NorCal]

i just got done building a 4x5 room out of 1" pvc for my mommas
I bought a pack of zip ties and zip tied the panda film around each corner and it works great, pitch black in there no light leaks, and yeah the pvc needs to be supported properly if not it will sag and evntually bend like a soda can.

I would never hang my lights off of it though as im just paranoid as hell and dont trust that thing. i prefer to use metal shelving youd find @ the containerstore, real easy to put together and no worries, just put the light or lights on top of those things, i usually am able to air cool the lights alot easier using these shelves as i can usually fit the fan on there too and then i just run the ducting, come to think of it, ive never hung any lights ever, i just do the shelving thing and it works pretty good for me, you can find them home depot also for only like $50 AFAIK they only have 2 sizes though and they are i believe 54" tall by 36" widex 16" deep
or the same specs but 72" tall, hth

 

[gl.pirate]

Hey, thanks for the replies all.

For now, I'm sticking with my original design. I'm sure it will probably change as I build and discover weak points.

Ambre, thanks for stopping by. I've already spent some time awhile back mulling over your threads. Good stuff - some great innovation! (my cats enjoyed the read as well) Also, I've seen a smaller room out of 1.5" PVC and it was extremely sturdy. As long as there is adequate support, this size should definitely be sufficient.

NorCal: good call on the zip ties. I have seen a room completely held up by tape, but I think I'd like to reinforce it a bit. I'm also going to use a similar method to support my light beam. There's no way I'd feel comfortable hanging a 6' glass tube from a single 10' beam of PVC. I'm way too afraid that will come crashing down on my ladies. I have 2x8 floor beams directly above the room I'm building, so I now plan to support the light beam in a few spots by attaching to the 2x8s. That should be plenty safe now

Again, thanks and let me know if you have any more suggestions. It's great to hear from people that have actually done this, such as yourself NorCal.

Cheers
gl.pirate

 

[Red_Nine]

Hey gl.pirate

I'm new to this forum, but have been growing for quite some time. My current grow is constructed with PVC and I love it. Wish I would have thought of it sooner.

A few things I found out in the process.

-If your room is airtight, which it should be, as soon as you turn on your exhaust fan it will suck the poly inwards and you need to make sure you have intakes that are the right size to balance the suction of your exhaust blower.

-You should use tarp zippers for your doorway, and duct tape for all your seals. You need to get the best quality tape you can find. If you go to HD or L's they have better quality, higher priced tape if you look. Second, make sure your poly is clean before sticking tape to it or before you stick your tarp zippers on. Before I attach the tarp zippers, I pour some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel and wipe down the area I am applying the zipper too. This sounds like a pain but is really worth the extra couple minutes it takes, and you can get a bottle of rubbing alcohol anywhere for a couple of dollars(you can even get it at most convenience stores).The zippers are about 7 feet long. You hang your poly, stick the zipper where you want your door, then unzip it and us a razor blade to cut through the poly between the open zipper, and you now have a light proof door that zips open and closed.

- I found the best way to brace the frame is with verical braces, not horizontal. This way your horizontal pipes are shorter, being broken up by the T's you need for your vertical braces.If this makes no sense just ask me. Using this method I hang my light directly from a PVC pipe crossbrace and have no worries at all.

Let me know if you have any more questions. Glad to help.

 

[imnotcrazy]

Try to get Schedule 80 or if available (see plumbing supply) Schedule 120 PVC. It has thicker walls to handle more pressure. I'll be building 2 rooms 4' x 4' x 6.5' from 1" Schedule 80. Make a cube of PVC with cross braces between the verticle legs 1/2 or every 1/3 of the height and brace the top making a 2' x 2' grid or a grid of 6 openings for 2 lights. I figure you could make a "skirt" from B/W poly by wrapping the poly around the sides and folding the top down like you would when wrapping a present in wrapping paper and duct taping the middle. Easy to rip down once the pieces are cut and if you buy a roll of the B/W poly it gets cheaper as you make more.

PS: I believe the Sch 80 pipe will fit the cheaper Schedule 40 fittings just need to check that and if so save some money. You'd only need the Sch 80 for the longer sections anyway...

 

[Red_Nine]

I didn't know there was a Schedule 80 and a Schedule 120 PVC. Thanks for the heads up. I already have my room, but will check into this soon, as I want to expand and improve mine.

 

[imnotcrazy]

I know as fact Schedule 80 is available. 120 is available as black gas/air pipe, but not sure about PVC. Inquire @ a plumbing supply

 

[Red_Nine]

Do you happen to know off the top of your head about how much of a price difference there is between the regular PVC and the schedule 80? Just wondering.

 

[imnotcrazy]

shouldn't be more than double in price. But a 10' length cna be had for $5 or less I'm pretty sure. Alot of places (ie construction sites) toss this shit in the trash bin. They'd be happy to let you take it so they don't have to pay to have it removed, I'm sure

 

[Dreamscape]

ABS pipe ... I think it is either the same as the sched. 120 like he mentioned above or is thinner but 4x as strong. GoogL - "abs" "sewer pipe" or something similar and it'll come up.

good luck
~ Dream

 

[Guest]

yea, what everyone else is saying about the thicker/sturdier piping is definitely good advice. Your 1.5 inch piping, especially with intervals that wide, won't hold up shit in terms of lights or fans. Not really sure why you're skimping on the cross bracing either. its gonna cost u a lot more when one of those 1.5 inch pvc pipes gets warm, bends, then snaps and your light falls, settin your place on fire. not to be an ass about it, just move up to something sturdier

 

[Guest]

Cut a 1/4 inch strip out of whatever size pipe your using and Bam!instant pvc clip,good for holding polly on to frames of pvc greenhouses,just like store bought but only better.

 

[gl.pirate]

Red_Nine: Thanks for the tips. I've been using those tarp zippers for a few years, couldn't live without 'em. Would you mind elaborating a bit on how your frame is designed?

imnotcrazy: schedule 80. I'll look into that. Do you know if they carry it at home depot?

irishSoCo: I'm not trying to skimp on anything. I want to do this right... that is why I am asking for advice. Let me know where you think I need to add or change things. That is exactly the sort of info I'm looking for before I build.

Hey red, good idea for those clips. They are a lot more expensive when you buy the pre-mades. Have you had experience with hanging poly using these? I was considering using a few to hold everything up before I duct tape it.

Thanks all. Hope to hear more.

gl.pirate

 

[Red_Nine]

gl pirate, I'll try to get some pics for you as soon as I can of the interior of my room so you can see everything. I have to go to work right now so I'll try to do it tonight.

 

[imnotcrazy]

They may have Schedule 80 POSSIBLY 120 at The Home DePot, I guess it would be better if you went to one that catered more to general contractors rather than to the one in a ritzy town where they won't have shit... ANOTHER GOOD IDEA, get one length of 1/2-3/4" BLACK GAS PIPE and before you put everything together run one piece of black pipe through the section that light/fan/filter would hang from. Drill holes through black and PVC/ABS pipe and get threaded eye bolts. Attach eye bolts through drilled holes and secure w/nut (preferably locking style) For little added investment, you spread the weight of whatever hangs and no matter how flexible (even though PVC gets BRITTLE from heat not flexible, ABS OTOH, I'm not too sure) and it will only flex till the black pipe stopped it.

Let's keep throwing ideas around, I'm planning 2 - 1200W rooms in a room from PVC/Panda. I have alot of other ideas too.

If Air cooling lights for room in a room setups, you can stealth the setup into a sealed loop using fresh outside air from a window. How you ask, find an old/broken window air conditioner on the street out for garbage, hopefully not too banged up, sticking some POS in place of what wasn't there before could draw an eye. Condition shouldn't be new either cause we're gonna GUT the bitch. Everything BUT the Evaporator coil come off the bottom tray (that's motor, compressor, condenser coil and front panel) cut a piece of MINIMUM 3/4" plywood to fit the opening in the A/C's cover where the condenser coil used to be. Run some sheet metal screws through the cover into the plywood to secure it. Cut 2 openings to fit the duct work for the aircooling setup and loop the input/output back to the gutted A/C in the window. Place a 90 degree fitting on each duct facing down and out to the sides of the old A/C unit so you don't just recirculate the same hot air.

The sound of air coming from an AIR CONDITIONER, that isn't suspect is it? :wink:

 

[Red_Nine]

gl pirate,

Sorry man my camera won't work. I'm gonna have to get a new one if I can't figure out what's wrong with it. Anyway I dug up two pictures that you can see the back corner of my frame, but I have changed it a bit since then.

I am using 1" PVC. I know this sounds weak, but trust me, it's anything but. However, I have a vertical brace every 18", so the pieces of PVC are very short and therefore very strong. I just put a "T" in between each piece , which allows you to run your vertical brace. For the corners, I had to buy 2 different pieces, one that screws onto the other. Man this would be easier to explain with my camera. I tried to make a little diagram with paintshop, but I suck with computers so don't laugh! It will be hard not to though! lol

I will try to borrow my friends camera and just use my memory card.If I forget, post me a reminder and I will get it done for you.

If you notice in the picture with all the containers. Look on the left back corner, you will see two of the same containers sticking out of the wall. I needed an air inlet,and since this is in another room with no light leaks, I just cut a plus sign " + " in the poly, cut the bottom off of the container so air could pass through and slid the container into the poly. By cutting the plus sign smaller than needed and slowly adjusting it, I was able to get a really tight fit, and after a little duct tape it is air tight. If you make a pvc room with poly that is anywhere close to airtight, you will find the walls sucking in really bad, so make sure you have intakes. I added a second right beside the first because I needed more airflow.

Hope this helps. Sorry it's such a long post.

 

[gl.pirate]

Room is almost done.

I'm not sure what I want to use for my door... velcro or tarp zippers?