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Help me design my new grow cab

Thanks CG, if it works it's ideal - we'll see when the heat gets here. Haven't figured out yet what I'll sacrifice during the summer in case it doesn't. Other idea is just to use it as a seed/clone veg box during june/july and move stuff outside to veg further once it's big enough or to finish if it's not too stinky.

Lots of things to think about....

I can't think of many things more terrifying than growing outdoors in FL :( What are you doing for smell? I assume nothing if you're willing to grow outdoors (no close neighbors)?
 

Dion

Active member
so i noticed that you have the fins covered with that L chanel, how hot are the sinks getting coz i wonder how well the fan is working like that
 

Dawn Patrol

Well this is some bullshit right here.....
Veteran
I can't think of many things more terrifying than growing outdoors in FL :( What are you doing for smell? I assume nothing if you're willing to grow outdoors (no close neighbors)?

I have a very unique spot with tons of cover plants, limited sight lines, fantastic natural water supply - everything you could want. But smell became an issue with the Triangle Trips - just the stinkiest bitch I've ever come across so inside we go.

so i noticed that you have the fins covered with that L chanel, how hot are the sinks getting coz i wonder how well the fan is working like that

So far no different than the two heatsinks that are oriented the other way - that said we are nowhere near the heat levels of summer. Fortunately it's just aluminum, if I have to hack the side rails down to open the fins up it will be a pain to take the lights apart to do it, but a fairly quick job to make those cuts.


Cut some of the EPDM roof lining and stapled it to the door frame facings where I had my light leaks and rectified that issue. Still not a tight enough seal to run C02 I'm afraid.

Then again I still don't have the lid on and everything sealed and the fan running yet so there may be hope.
 

Dawn Patrol

Well this is some bullshit right here.....
Veteran
Far Red fixture

Far Red fixture

Rethinking this as it is constructed - gonna be a pain in the ass as it will encircle the chains that the main lights hang from. I may remove the cross pieces and replace them with sections of rigid wire (coat hanger??) of different widths so I can adjust the coverage better depending on how big the plants are.

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Had another item arrive today so worked on that while thinking about this issue.....
 

Dawn Patrol

Well this is some bullshit right here.....
Veteran
A/C controller

A/C controller

So I originally bought an Inkbird digital controller from Amazon but once I got it I realized the two outlets were separately controlled and not suitable for what I wanted to do. I wanted the A/C and the inline duct fan that will cool the unit to run at the same time so this Ranco unit will do what I want.

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Also rethought the layout and decided to mount the outlet that will power the A/C and duct fan outside the cab so if I need to change out the A/C unit it will be a little easier.

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Dawn Patrol

Well this is some bullshit right here.....
Veteran
that does suck. i hope you get well soon.


peace

Get well soon brother!

Thanks guys, thought I might be joining Hugh in the hospital for a short time there. Fucking body pains were unreal for about 3 days. Sitting up for more than an hour would send me back to bed for 6.

Now just trying to get over the fatigue and dealing with this cough that just won't go away. Getting back on this project ASAP though.
 

bucketswithsoil

support your local surfboard builder...
Thanks guys, thought I might be joining Hugh in the hospital for a short time there. Fucking body pains were unreal for about 3 days. Sitting up for more than an hour would send me back to bed for 6.

Now just trying to get over the fatigue and dealing with this cough that just won't go away. Getting back on this project ASAP though.

damn dude thats a bummer.....what happened you just get mega sick really bad or something...???
 

Dropped Cat

Six Gummi Bears and Some Scotch
Veteran
Now I just have to build the lights and wire them up

View Image

A little explanation: top left is where the main power comes in to the board. Two timers in that outlet box, one for the main lights and one for the supplemental far red lights that will run on a different time schedule.

Two large drivers are for the COBs and are each dimmable, the two drivers to the right are for the far red LEDs (the black driver) and the white one runs the fans on the heatsink of each COB.

I left myself some room for additional lights if I eventually need them, that is why there are so many outlets and the extra bare space on the board.


That's real nice, here's mine:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=7182554&postcount=194

My lights are PL-L, two drivers for flower and one for veg. I wired the
flower area lights to switches for convenience.
 

Dawn Patrol

Well this is some bullshit right here.....
Veteran
damn dude thats a bummer.....what happened you just get mega sick really bad or something...???

Some zombie flu strain that my flu shot didn't protect me from - not traditional flu in any way but I've talked to 5-6 people that have had the same symptoms and are within 10 years +/- of my age. Remember that a flu shot won't protect you from all strains of the flu, its just a cocktail of what the CDC believes will be the most prevalent strains.

Not trying to discourage anyone from getting a flu shot, it's just reality that some times you'll get the shot and still get the flu.
 

Dawn Patrol

Well this is some bullshit right here.....
Veteran
Far Red Lights

Far Red Lights

Finally done. Possibly the hardest part of this build. An aggravating pain in the ass at the very least.

I haven't worked with these 3W LEDs for close to a year. I calculated that since they will only be on for 15-20 minutes that I won't need individual heat sinks for each LED, the aluminum stock should dissipate the heat just fine.

What I didn't count on was the mounting screws shorting out the lights if the holes weren't drilled exactly right and also forgot about stripping the wires really short or the exposed wire contacting the exposed metal at the edge of the star will also short them out.

Anyway, took about a week of trouble shooting to catch all my fuckups and then a solid day to rectify them. I ended up drilling holes in a zip tie and then cutting that up to make washers for the misdrilled sites and resoldering about half of the lights before I could get it to work.

Once I got that working, I assembled the other light bar start to finish in about 3 hours and it fired on the first try. At least that one was simple once I knew the issues.

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Dawn Patrol

Well this is some bullshit right here.....
Veteran
And we're nearing completion finally

And we're nearing completion finally

Installed the insulation in the ceiling

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After the tape job, the top will get a plywood cap, caulked and screwed down all the way around. Its currently sitting with weight on it as it warped while waiting for the install.

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Also insulated the inside of the doors and taped them up well

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I got inside and had a buddy put the doors on and after acclimating my eyes to the darkness, there is a tiny amount of light that comes through the A/C and some very tiny light leaks on the doors. I attempted to seal the doors better with EPDM but wasn't wowed by the results.

I'm less concerned with light leaks than air tightness as I was hoping to add CO2 next fall. May have to completely rethink the door designs to try and get a tighter seal....
 

bucketswithsoil

support your local surfboard builder...
bummer about the light leak,and it not being totally sealed for the co2..thats a bummer for.sure...
 

jikko77

Active member
what about some velcro?
i'm looking for a solution to shut the light leak as well, and the idea that came my mind was it, that's about the door.
for the a/c, what about plaster (is it right in english?) for wood (in my own language is stucco).

i hope it helps, anyway great work man
 
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