Designing a dual 150-watt CMH cab

[HuffnPufferfish]

id consider longer veg times

if you run 12/12 for 7 weeks for 3 grams for 1 plant
another 3 gram would cost you another 7 weeks
or you veg them for xyz and have those 3 grams from the same plant?

a small pc for clones cant be the problem

 

[ReikoX]

In that case, I'd run a 13 week cycle this time round to make things easier and then convert the filing cabinet into a clone prepping machine to feed the dual cmh cab ASAP.

I think at the end of the day the difference in work won't be major for the comparative gain in yield, plus it will be better to have an excess of clones and be able to pick the healthiest/best structure.

A good eventual goal might be to retire everything except for the dual cmh cab and filing cabinet to feed it (or a new, larger veg cab dedicated to moms, clones and the occasional auto). You'll be able to focus on really getting everything you can from those watts, which is what this build and grow style is all about right?
Even on a 10 week cycle, a more simple and efficient process is bound to be less work than running 4 separate grows too!

Four separate grows is a bit too much. My original plan was to retire the PC, give away the filing cabinet to a fellow patient, and use the storage cabinet and dual cmh cab. The storage cab has a mother and clone area. It's just a bit small (19"Dx24"Wx24"H) but has room for plenty of bonsai mothers. It also has a flowering area that's pretty big (19"Dx33"Wx48"H) and has 220 actual watts of LEDs but there is no way I'm using that just for veg.

id consider longer veg times

if you run 12/12 for 7 weeks for 3 grams for 1 plant
another 3 gram would cost you another 7 weeks
or you veg them for xyz and have those 3 grams from the same plant?

a small pc for clones cant be the problem

I'm a bit confused. Are you suggesting I run fewer plants with longer veg times? I do plan on a week or two of veg time, the 13 week chart has two weeks to root and another week for veg. In my experience I have better luck with the SOG style grow. I could use the PC for cloning if I did perpetual cycles (that was my original plan). I don't think I could clone all 30 plants at once in there though.

 

[Gnz]

Four separate grows is a bit too much. My original plan was to retire the PC, give away the filing cabinet to a fellow patient, and use the storage cabinet and dual cmh cab. The storage cab has a mother and clone area. It's just a bit small (19"Dx24"Wx24"H) but has room for plenty of bonsai mothers. It also has a flowering area that's pretty big (19"Dx33"Wx48"H) and has 220 actual watts of LEDs but there is no way I'm using that just for veg.

You could run the LED flowering area of the storage cab as your new mom/clone/veg cab which would let you keep bigger mom's. That way you can take larger clones in higher numbers which will increase yield a little without adding veg time.
A few autos could fill out any leftover space, add some variety to your smoke and maybe add up to another 100g/yr. You could convert the current mother and clone area of the storage cab into your new drying space.

That means only two schedules to worry about, one veg process and one flower process.

 

[firetech89]

I haven't been around for a while, damn the work bench looks good brother! Can't wait for you to getit filled up. G'luck bro

 

[Goats]

when does the first run in this badboy start? i am excited to see it do its thing

 

[ReikoX]

You could run the LED flowering area of the storage cab as your new mom/clone/veg cab which would let you keep bigger mom's. That way you can take larger clones in higher numbers which will increase yield a little without adding veg time.
A few autos could fill out any leftover space, add some variety to your smoke and maybe add up to another 100g/yr. You could convert the current mother and clone area of the storage cab into your new drying space.

That means only two schedules to worry about, one veg process and one flower process.

Thanks for the input Gnz, I have had a lot to think about.


You know, with all these numbers and whatnot I may be losing sight of the goals of this project. The main goal is accomplished. That was to build a workbench for my workshop (AKA grow room). The next goal is to try using some HID lighting, CMH in this case.

It never really has been about yield. I have a surplus right now and just gave away a jar to another patient. I'm helping him setup a closet with a 400W HPS. He's about to start flowering some nice healthy plants. Another patient I've been helping has a 600W HPS and is on his second grow. He is killing it this time. Anyway, I got rambling...


I took a dozen clones yesterday and thought to myself, why not do one side a perpetual multi-strain phuck phest and the other side the mono-cropped efficient setup and see which will I like better. And then I remembered another goal for this project. I have two identical flowering areas to do side-by-side comparisons with!

I haven't been around for a while, damn the work bench looks good brother! Can't wait for you to getit filled up. G'luck bro

when does the first run in this badboy start? i am excited to see it do its thing

Hey guys, thanks for stopping by. I know the wait is killing me too! See I have this annoying thing called a job. We have a deadline we are trying to meet which requires me to travel to CA a lot right now. I have spent 3 out of 4 of the last work weeks there. This should have been complete and mid flower by now. I assure you once time permits there will be progress made. Stay tuned.


Got room for one more smiley... so...

 

[Gnz]

I took a dozen clones yesterday and thought to myself, why not do one side a perpetual multi-strain phuck phest and the other side the mono-cropped efficient setup and see which will I like better. And then I remembered another goal for this project. I have two identical flowering areas to do side-by-side comparisons with!

Got room for one more smiley... so...

Don't forget it makes things way more exciting for all of us watching with a bunch of different strains running!
IMHO variety>quantity for daily smoking too.

Looking forward to hearing what strains are going in and when

By the sound of things, with how hard you've been working and all these jars piling up... it must be about time for a week off!

 

[ReikoX]

2016.07.29

2016.07.29


Alright, so I managed to get a couple of hours to work on the cab this week. I wired up my bulb bases, timers, and plugs. The plug on the left will be connected to the timer, while the one on the right will be connected to power all the time. I'm using 14-3 wire so I don't have to run two cables for each box. The empty box below will house my fan controller. I started some work on that, but pictures will have to wait until I get back.


I wired up the bulb base and plug using conduit. The conduit exits by the plug into the top of the center box. The hole is my exhaust port. And the same was done for the other side. I started organizing the conduit on the top side, but ran out of parts and time before I could finish.

So I still have a lot to do. I need to complete my temperature controller, wire up the main power and conduit on the top, silicone the seams, finish the ventillation ducting, install the doors and light proof them, and install the drawers and exterior hardware.

 

[Gnz]

Looking clean, those mini junction boxes are perfect for keeping wiring tidy.

The to-do list isn't very long now, hopefully you can get some foliage inside soon!

 

[ReikoX]

2016.08.16

2016.08.16

I've gotten most of the ventillation figured out. I didn't notice the potential light leak from left to right chamber, so I'm making some simple light traps to install. It's going to be tight, I can barely fit them on either side of the Vortex. After those are installed, I will seal the fan to vent connection, it's crooked right now. Once that's done, I'll screw in the false back with some weatherstrip to seal it up nice and air tight.

I ran into a snag with the drawers. Turns out I had the wrong clearance for the slides I bought. I'm going to have to re-cut the bottoms. I can reuse the back and sides. The good news is the glue holds the joints real tight. The bad news is the glue holds the joints real tight.

The next thing I did was run all of the wiring through the conduit. This part was a bitch! I still have to make the connections to power to the sides and wire up the fan controller.

But, I'VE GOT LIGHT! *evil laugh*

 

[HuffnPufferfish]

i know that feeling, working on something till middle of the night thinking and then it hits.. OH SHIT

 

[Goats]

oh yeah, that looks great!

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Looking good, just a bit more work and we will be seeing some green, keep it up

 

[Gnz]

So close! Hopefully those drawers don't end up being a nightmare.
It's satisfying seeing those lights running at last haha.

Because of the effort you're taking to light proof between halves I assume you're only going to run one side at a time?

 

[ReikoX]

So close! Hopefully those drawers don't end up being a nightmare.
It's satisfying seeing those lights running at last haha.

Because of the effort you're taking to light proof between halves I assume you're only going to run one side at a time?

The plants will grow without the drawers just fine. I have plenty of scrap to fix the drawers with.


I designed it originally to be a flip-flop running with one ballast. Since I have three of them, I decided to buy another timer for flexibility. Running both at the same time would solve the light leak issue though.

 

[HuffnPufferfish]

but less time to check up on plants, more heat and more wear on filter

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

but less time to check up on plants, more heat and more wear on filter

Well same heat, and filter wear would be the same well if running just the one exhaust which is fine, if anything it will probably run cooler, because you wont have two boxes heating up the ambient at once, so you will have a bit warmer night and less warm day, vs running both at the same time.


But im with you on the less time to check on plants , would just have to time it, but im probably like you and enjoy checking on how there doing, some times taking abit more than required cause you like to play .

 

[Gnz]

Plus if it's on flip flop we don't get to see the whole thing in action at the same time haha.

I think for your situation being able to check on all your plants simultaneously beats any of the advantages to running flip flop unless you end up having heat issues.

If it was my grow and I was being selfish, I'd run flip flop so I always had something to look at

 

[HuffnPufferfish]

Plus if it's on flip flop we don't get to see the whole thing in action at the same time haha.

good point

 

[ReikoX]

More progress!

More progress!


By adding the second ballast and timer, I have many more options. This cab should be quite versatile.

More progress! I got the power wired up and closed up in the junction box up top. I also got the temperature controller hooked up. I did a dry run and the temp was pretty steady at 25°C. Now that all the electrical and ventilation at the top are all taken care of, I put the top piece on. I also got the drawers re-cut and put back together.

The whole thing is running, fans, exhaust, lights! And less than 450W total!


So im getting I to the home stretch. I have to install the light traps, drawers and slides, doors hinges and locks, external hardware, the Lazy Susan for each side, and the second coliseum.

But first,