The Mill's Pride Club

[Guest]

My darkroom vents arrived today. I installed them on the floor of my c25 ( 2 8" vents). I also installed a wire shelf that i had cut about 6" off the floor to hold the plants. The plan was to have the intake and exhause as far away from each other as possible, like your supposed to. Unfortunately i have to exhaust back into the room the cab is housed in. I'm only going to be using a batwing reflector with a 6" inline. The exhaust is going to blow into a DIY Pro-Style carbon filter. The filter is going to housed along with the ballast in a rubbermaid container on top (for stealth and also to create more separation b/w intake and exhaust. I will be running the cab at night while i'm sleeping so that the window a/c will be used as per normal, i.e. no cab. All that must done is to install the light and exhaust and finish light-proofing. What size foam stripping is everyone using? I used auto and marine rubber stripping. i think foam may be the way to go. I've adjusted the doors almost perfectly but am still thinking some light may leak around the bottom. I would really like to install a black and white poly door with a zipper right inside the real doors. Something like that wouldn't have to be the entire the cab, but rather just a couple inches deep with a nice light proof zipper to provide easy access, while still providing essential light proofing. I've designed this cab in my head for months now, hoping to get it right the first time. I've wasted a lot of money in prior cabs that i'm never satisfied with.

Another idea i thought of today is to buy a 250w ballast and bulb and splice the wires coming from my 400w ballast (about a foot of cord) and install quick connects. Also i would install quick connects on the wires coming from the 250w ballast. This would allow quick changing of ballasts while still maintaining the same ceramic socket. All that would need to be done is to switch ballast and bulb to convert the hood from 250w to 400w. This would be handy in my area due to hot summers and cool winters. I'll post some pics, but first i need to find that damn usb cable.

I'm also in the market for some sturdy locks. Any suggestions?

 

[JH151399-OG]

Philo, that's a great idea about the quick disconnects!

And for locks, try tot-locks, I've only heard good things about them.

 

[sumo]

I can understand the stunned hushed response to my California sequoia bud. P.A. by quick connects I'm sure you mean using common plugs and sockets. The "hot" side or ballast would get common outlet receptacle like off an extension cord. It could actually be installed just like original cord by opening ballast and connecting just like cord. Or could be attached like replacing damaged receptacle on extension cord. Light fixture would get common electrical plug. Be careful when wiring because polarity does matter. That aint alternating current comming off ballast. Need any more help ask someone who knows what they are talking about.

 

[Guest]

The electrical stuff for me is no problem. I've wired all kinds of things and with great success. The main problem is finding a 250w ballast in town. Home depot sells the 250w bulbs.

 

[bostrom155]

I can understand the stunned hushed response to my California sequoia bud.

sumo, thats a nice grow with your 250, when those buds fill in, they will be very nice, indeed. What are those?

 

[sumo]

Thanks bostrom155. That's a 400w hps. 3 Ak48 and two shishkaberry.

 

[Guest]

You know as soon as i go gloating about wiring things i get stumped. I bought 2 73 cfm comp fans from best buy last night and they are designed to be used with comp power supply. The fans have 3 wires (black, red and white). I've tried every combination of wires connected to my cell phone charger with no luck. Any suggestions on how to proceed.

 

[bostrom155]

Sorry, I was looking at the ealier post, I'm looking at AK48 too, is it really a big yielder?

 

[Guest]

Yo sumo!

Hey man i have to give you major recognition for your ingenious batwing/pc fan cooling system. I wired up to 73 cfm computer fans in the same position you have yours and my temps are 75.9 F in the light right at two feet away. The funny thing is that i once had a cool tube and it heated up the room way more than this does. Major props, my plants and i thank you. KISS, my new moto.

 

[sumo]

Well thanks P.A. but I'm sure your 6" centrifugal fan and your darkroom vent are doing the lion's share of the cooling. The PC fans are from Maliboo's design and they work first on the seedlings to strengthen them when light is far away from plants. Then they serve the 2nd purpose of keeping air moving under light and keeping heat from building up. The white wires off pc fans are either ground or like 2nd speed. I forget which but mine are just hanging there unused and uninsulated so I think they are ground. The main advantage of not venting hood is it makes the light very easy to move up and down and you can avoid a moving shelf and keep plants on floor.

 

[Guest]

It may have been someone else's design, but on sites like this people have the opinion that things must be a certain way or they just wont work. People like you who go against the grain give people a second viewpoint. If i hadn't found your thread then i wouldn't be as happy as i am now. Simple. Btw i actually have 2 8" darkroom vents and intake temp is about 67 (godbless windoe units).

 

[Guest]

Hey sumo, how hot does your hand get if placed near the plant tops i see in your pics. Mine feels kinda hot for 12" and then there is little to no heat.

 

[sumo]

At 6" my plants start to get burnt. I put the tall plants on outside with one short plant in the middle under light. The one in the middle is getting burnt now. It will probably get topped a little. Only had 4 plants last grow and only three before that. So the one in middle is a bonus plant and will give plenty despite a little burning.

 

[Where'sMyBud?]

Will an Eco Plus 4" inline fan (170cfm) be sufficient in exhausting warm air as well as deodorizing my c24 if I have it pulling through a 4" carbon filter (5lbs cocnut charcoal). I will be running a 400W air cooled HPS. My intake plan for now is to have about 10, 1-2" holes in the bottom of the cabinet (floor) with light proof, black PVC elbows.

 

[Jnugg]

Will an Eco Plus 4" inline fan (170cfm) be sufficient in exhausting warm air as well as deodorizing my c24 if I have it pulling through a 4" carbon filter (5lbs cocnut charcoal). I will be running a 400W air cooled HPS. My intake plan for now is to have about 10, 1-2" holes in the bottom of the cabinet (floor) with light proof, black PVC elbows.

Unless te room your cab sits in has low temps (45-50F) then no.Get eiter a 6" 265cfm Can Fan or a 6" 449cfm Vortex.You can always hook the fan up to a solid state speed controller to run the fan at a lower speed/airflow.


If you go the PVC route for intakes be sure to use 2" PVC tubing and use four to 8 of them but they do take up space and darkroom vnts are better becuase they are 100% light tight while allowing air to pass through and can be mounted either to the wall of your cab near the floor of the cab,in the floor of the cab so they don't take up any space.

 

[mysta177]

Jnugg is right go with the Louvers it will be well worth it...
Here is what I did that dropped the temps 3-4 deg. I said screw the 4-6 reducer and I taped half of the 6in duct to the hood and the other half right next to the glass. It seems to be working so far

 

[sumo]

What did everybody do for daylight savings time? I run my lights from 10pm-10am. Springing forward made my lights run from 11pm-11am. Didn't like the new schedule so I sprang the timer forward too reducing one dark period to 11 hrs. What do you think?

 

[Guest]

That's what i did. As long as they didn't recieve any LESS of dark a period theres nothing to worry about. Even then, once or twice won't do much if there aren't other stress issues going.

 

[sumo]

Damn I'm glad I don't have to brew my own beer too. If I could just go to the smoke shop and buy buds would I quit growing? Only if prices were reasonable. My beer is about $8.00 a twelve pack which comes out to about 67 cents a beer. Smoke even in Amsterdam aint that cheap. After getting some grows under my belt I realize it isn't easy but I'm not sure it is really worth the prices people pay. Hazard tax I guess. That is why all smokers need a grow box. I wish I would have started growing long before I did. So if there are any of you out there on the fence and you are handy, build a box and post pictures here. While building mine I felt like the dad in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, totally ignoring family on a mission to finish project as family watches with interest the activity. I get on productive kicks like that. It's fun to loose yourself in a project. Loose yourself.

 

[przcvctm]

Does anyone else filter the air at the 1.5" light-trapped intakes at the bottom of the cab like I do. If so, what type of material do you use. I was thinking about buying a cheap furnace filter, taking it apart and cutting the filter fabric to size. Thoughts? I currently cut out pieces of filter material that came with my carbon filter and was wondering if there was something better. Ideally, I'd like to find a good compromise of adequate air flow in and keeping dust out. Thanks.