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thanks red! I'm thinking about putting maybe 2 150w hps in a cab alot like yours and using your technique to cool the light...you have any experiance with higher wattage/temps? but you say that the glass plate is effective...does anyone know if this robs a grow of potential wattage going to the plant by having the glass barrier? thanks peace!
Like a few have said before me, Red was an inspiration with his tubs when I first joined. This is a great looking cabinet, and I'm sure you'll get some great yields in there. You kept it simple and clean, and I think those are two key, somewhat overlooked things.
Thanks for the pics, they really show how easy it is to do it.
blububbllelove - my coolbox is the same as a cooltube or vented hood. It's good for higher wattages, you just have to run a bigger fan sized to Watts/3 CFM. There may be some loss in light but the tradeoff is that a larger fan is needed to cool the growbox.
hey Bounty, nice to see ya popped in for a visit. Thanks for the kind words!!!
Tonight is a project night. I made a few mods to the growbox to tune it in a bit.
I noticed my plants stretching and wanted to get them closer to the light and had the growbox exhaust fan in the way. I relocated it back into the scrubber. I was originally thinking about making a SIS style cylindrical scrubber and hanging it out the back. I'm happy with the orginal scrubber so I'm going to keep it for now.
I haven't been too happy with the noise of the two 65CFM fans in the light section. I put a rubber mat cut as a gasket under each fan that took away all the vibration noise but the airflow through the duct makes quite a bit of noise.
I was thinking about having a backup fan and basically made a booster configuration. When you put two fans back to back, it doubles the pressure and at a higher flow than a single fan. I took a piece of hose and made a makeshift manometer by bending it in a U and filling it with a small amount of water. I got a pressure reading of about .2 inches from the intake and exhaust. I figure the airflow is up at least 100-130 cfm.
If you noticed, I didn't make double size air intakes on this design. I used these duct connectors, that flare out. This shape will reduce the pressure loss at the intakes.
To make a long story short. I pulled out the intake fan and the light section is getting cooled with only a single 65CFM fan. This dropped the noise down considerably and I can't see any increase in heat in the box. This design will run with a 38CFM fan. I proved that in the HPS Rubbermaid.
My last job tonight was to make a shelf so I can move the plants up and down. I had to cut it with my table saw and cut out a 2-1/2" x 10" intake for air flow.
I've watched all your grows and have seen what you can do with the 150.
Got me sold!!!
I was looking for either melamine or a wire shelf at home depot and came across a shelf with a scratch in it. I got it for $2 instead of $10. You can find all kinds of stuff in the bargain bin if you spend the time to root around.
Hey Smokateer and HTC
I'm in 10" pots and only have 12" depth in this cab.
That's it for repotting for these girls, they're maxxed out!
I will drop the shelf as the plants grow. There's a row of adjustment holes to go.
Now theres an excellent step up from the rubbermaid, like was said before - ridiculously clean.
Excellent job man, i'm thinking of building a 250watt cabinet and converting my current cab into a veg box and I might just be stealing that intake vent design!
Whoamg! I was just about to come back to take another stab at the green growing thing and this is exactly the thing I had in minded. I had planned to use CFLs for this if I can. I don't think I have the extra money to spend on the HPS, nor do I have the ability to vent the heat well. I think the CFL's will work well as long as I don't let the plants get too tall.
I'm curious if there is a state-side vendor that might carry a cab around the size of that one. It doesn't have to be exact, just something along those proportions.