Looking to vertically move two 150 hps bulbs 12-14 inches.

[Vernal Equinox]

I'm trying to raise two bare 150's in a cabinet grow, around 14 vertical inches. I've seen it done, with a rail light mover and a pulley system, but it seems like overkill in a small cab.

Has anyone ever used Linear Actuators? They seem like they could work, as long as they're not too noisy.

Does anyone have any experience with doing this?


Pic is from another thread.

 

[hektic54]

So you want a bulb to move up and down about a foot?

What's your experience with DIY and do you have tools?

How big is your cab? Dimensions? We need as much information as possible.

 

[Stonefree69]

IDK, here's a Linux Baby Rocker You'd need more horsepower though I bet. Also look up Rube Goldberg contraptions and see what they might use for vertical lifting, they're ingenious.

 

[Vernal Equinox]

So you want a bulb to move up and down about a foot?

What's your experience with DIY and do you have tools?

How big is your cab? Dimensions? We need as much information as possible.

14"- 16" maybe. Two bulbs, yo-yo style (while one is high in cab, the other is low, counterbalanced. They somehow set it up with the mover pictured. A little movement will make a lot of difference in my 32 x 20 x 48 dresser conversion.

Not My Drawing, but this is close to what I'm doing; two tubes, in a cab, and I need the lights to move!.

 

[hektic54]

Can the mechanics of this 'Yo Yo' be outside the cab? Or does it need to be internal?

 

[Stonefree69]

14"- 16" maybe. Two bulbs, yo-yo style (while one is high in cab, the other is low, counterbalanced. They somehow set it up with the mover pictured. A little movement will make a lot of difference in my 32 x 20 x 48 dresser conversion

Well if you have some tools and time: DIY homemade glide track / slide cam

DIY:Motorizing Glide Track Hybrid HD camera slider

DIY linear motor 102

I like your idea though and I'd use that rigged with a store bought light mover.

Linear actuators many times are specialized and not cheap, but there's DIY for that too. Got me thinking servos now, yo's yo's, flip flop... Slower may be better for movement and even coverage, guess look up flip flop too. Try Reflectix and/or Orca film over everything.

 

[Stonefree69]

Aha! Vert on a mover: A nice tight one grow thread by Zen Master.

 

[Vernal Equinox]

Aha! Vert on a mover: A nice tight one grow thread by Zen Master.

View Image

Thanks Stonefree. I think that picture says is all. I guess I need as light a unit as they make, as two bare 150's are all that need to be lifted. This will work, but Is there an easier way?

Now I need to figure the best placement of the bulb wires, to prevent lamp burn and cracks in them. And also to find the lightest rail/mover available.

 

[village green]

Thanks Stonefree. I think that picture says is all. I guess I need as light a unit as they make, as two bare 150's are all that need to be lifted. This will work, but Is there an easier way?

Now I need to figure the best placement of the bulb wires, to prevent lamp burn and cracks in them. And also to find the lightest rail/mover available.

I'm not aware of a unit that is lighter and have never seen an easier way. You're only other option is a flip flop.

 

[Stonefree69]

Thanks Stonefree. I think that picture says is all. I guess I need as light a unit as they make, as two bare 150's are all that need to be lifted. This will work, but Is there an easier way?

Rig w/oscillating fan? Maybe kill 2 birds, you also get air circulation. That's what I thought when I saw you had a smaller grow.

 

[hektic54]

That will work, but you only need to have a track as long as your 'plunge' distance.

I can't help but notice. You are a maven. You need all the information before you make a decision often leading you to decision indecision: The inability to move forward because you feel you don't have all the information yet. I suffer from this also.

Spend some money, mock some stuff up, see if it works, go back to the drawing board and do it better next time. Oh, and keep receipts, you will be returning to your local hardware store, a lot, if you grow.

 

[Stonefree69]

I can't help but notice. You are a maven. You need all the information before you make a decision often leading you to decision indecision: The inability to move forward because you feel you don't have all the information yet. I suffer from this also.

I think a maven is more like a trusted expert. But being a "maven" has usually paid off for me too. What do they say, persistence and patience are virtues?

 

[hektic54]

Meh, read a book about interpersonal relationships that classified most people into three categories. Mavens, relaters, and evangelists. People who get things done based on knowledge, people who get things done using connections with other people, and people who have the balls to just do things when the idea hits them.

I thought the book was complete crap until I read the decision indecision part. I thought yea...thats me.

Kinda just another way to stereotype people but it seems to fit in most situations.

 

[Vernal Equinox]

That will work, but you only need to have a track as long as your 'plunge' distance.

I can't help but notice. You are a maven. You need all the information before you make a decision often leading you to decision indecision: The inability to move forward because you feel you don't have all the information yet. I suffer from this also.

I dunno about all that.

I want the lights moving here for two reasons:

1.) Hits the dark spots.
2.) Lowers the chances of bleaching/burning from the hot bulb.

 

[hektic54]

I do. Your lights will only move 12-14'' right? So you only need maybe an 18" track. (extra 2 inches on each side). If the light mover is in the middle the bulbs are at equal height. Move it 7 inches to the right, and one bulb is 14 inches higher than the other.

So if your plunge is 14 inches, well...get and 18 inch track and make a shorter version of whats pictured.

 

[hektic54]

I do. Your lights will only move 12-14'' right? So you only need maybe an 18" track. (extra 2 inches on each side). If the light mover is in the middle the bulbs are at equal height. Move it 7 inches to the right, and one bulb is 14 inches higher than the other.

So if your plunge is 14 inches, well...get and 18 inch track and make a shorter version of whats pictured.

You are already using low wattage, if you are bleaching your plants you just don't have enough space. Moving the bulb won't help.

 

[Vernal Equinox]

OK, so I've decided on a copy of a Mill's Pride C24 I saw at lowes; 48 x 20 x 70, so I'll have around a 48 inch track for the mover, or around 20-22 inches run on each side. How would you align the cable holding the lights? I'm thinking a pulley at the ends of each run, then fed into a pulley that is directly above where I want the bulbs to drop. I don't think I could just use a single pulley (per side), as it wouldn't move in a 1:1 ratio with the inches on the mover's track.

Any mechanically-inclined opinions?

Thanks.

 

[village green]

OK, so I've decided on a copy of a Mill's Pride C24 I saw at lowes; 48 x 20 x 70, so I'll have around a 48 inch track for the mover, or around 20-22 inches run on each side. How would you align the cable holding the lights? I'm thinking a pulley at the ends of each run, then fed into a pulley that is directly above where I want the bulbs to drop. I don't think I could just use a single pulley (per side), as it wouldn't move in a 1:1 ratio with the inches on the mover's track.

Any mechanically-inclined opinions?

Thanks.

I did this with only a pulley on each end lined up with where I wanted my bulb to move. I merely adjusted the length the motor traveled with the brackets that came with the rail.

 

[GanjaPharma]

these days i use flip boxes as my light movers. you can have 2 lights running on a simple 2 light flip. switch from A-B every 3 hours, 1 ballast no pulleys, no moving bits. easy peezsy DIY for a 2 light flip (and @ 150W...cheeeep)

 

[Vernal Equinox]

I did this with only a pulley on each end lined up with where I wanted my bulb to move. I merely adjusted the length the motor traveled with the brackets that came with the rail.

Hi village green,

Were you doing this in a restrictive area like a cab? The problem as I see it is that I'm going to need to "double back" to get to where I need the bulbs to drop...maybe some drawings will help.


In this first drawing, there is a direct line as you suggest. Due to where my bulb needs to drop, it would limit the mover to only around a 12 inch run either side of center, but I want to run @ 22 inches either side of midpoint.





To get the full 20-22 inch run on either side, I think I'm going to have to use two pulleys for each side; one at the end of each run, and one directly over where I want to drop the bulb.





Does this make sense? How would be the best way to route the pulleys, as I don't want them to jump track...are there special pulleys that will enclose the wires holding the bulbs?