Making use of my new loft UK

[mrfog]

Hello friends.

I have recently moved house and intend to start a one or two plant grow in the loft. The new loft usable space is about 6.6' tall by about 3' across then the trusses start angling down. I have several soil grows and one hydro under my belt but these were with CFL's. I now want to move to a 400w hps but was getting a little paranoid about heat. I don't want to be the only roof in the street with no frost on if you know what I mean. Having never used a hps can someone please offer a few nuggets of advice? I'm familiar with ballasts, I have an envirolite timer with a hefty rated switch.

 

[PharmaCan]

Is this a loft (a finished area that is part of the main dwelling) or an attic? If it's a loft, that's where the hot air will accumulate anyway however, the ceiling should be finished and there should be insulation above the finished ceiling - depends on the age of the house and if any insulation upgrades have ever been done.

In any event, if it's snowing outside, you're heating the inside so why not use the heat from your light to warm part of the house? Get an air-cooled reflector and duct it down to near floor level and you have an auxiliary heater that will make your other heater need to work less.

PC

 

[mrfog]

Is this a loft (a finished area that is part of the main dwelling) or an attic? If it's a loft, that's where the hot air will accumulate anyway however, the ceiling should be finished and there should be insulation above the finished ceiling - depends on the age of the house and if any insulation upgrades have ever been done.

In any event, if it's snowing outside, you're heating the inside so why not use the heat from your light to warm part of the house? Get an air-cooled reflector and duct it down to near floor level and you have an auxiliary heater that will make your other heater need to work less.

PC

Yes its an attic, old and dusty with exposed brickwork. All that covers the roof is the waterproofing and roof tiles so it will get as cold as outside.

 

[PharmaCan]

Yes its an attic, old and dusty with exposed brickwork. All that covers the roof is the waterproofing and roof tiles so it will get as cold as outside.

You pretty much need to build a climate controlled enclosure in an attic. Once the roof is covered with snow, the attic will stay around 0*C (32*F), because that's the temp of the snow. During the summer the temps can get up 40* - 45*C. MJ likes temps of +20*C or so.

Attic growing presents special problems. You can probably search "attic" here on IC and find some info from people who have done it.

PC

 

[m@rg]

how dusty is ur loft ? get a spray bottle mix 5 % pva glue with water and spray all around
temp are gonna get a little funky up there, and lol dont worry about the snow melting . ..Unless u r planning on running multiple 1ks.

400 is gonna be perfect . best to run at night for minimum temp diff, but its gonna get cold soon so a little heater fan up there is a must really for when the lights are off.
with a 400, u need a 1nice sized fan blowing over the light

enclose if poss, but temps will go up
raise pots off ground and ur sorted ..for the time being ...



edit - oh and get urself a inline rca kill switch ,about £12 from asda lol
dont burn it down