timed split duct valve anyone?

[Guest]

What is a stadium setup?

Stadium set up

I'll have pics soon of a 3rd set up. There was a lot of space so I scrapped the flip flop and put all 8 bulbs in one longer room to run at night.

My standard size is a flip flop 4 1000w x 4 1000w in two 10x6.5x6.5 high.

 

[smurfin'herb]

That sounds like a good idea being that electricity is cheaper at night (at least here in the states). But you have 8 1000watt lights on at one time now? How on earth you and other people on here pull that stuff off without raising eyebrows at the electric company. I understand you can disconnect like the water heater for a few extra 1k's, and the fridge and stuff, but how do people who live at home and use these appliances still get away with using like 6-10 seperate 1000watt lights? Im putting in 4 600watt lights in a 2 story, 2 bedroom house and im paranoid as hell that in a few weeks my meterman is gonna start asking questions. They will be on flip/flop so no spikes, but im still using 2,4000 watts per day either regardless of how i use it. I have also heard that if you turn on all your gear as soon as you get the electric of the house in a different name, that it will help in eliminating suspicion, because to them it looks like a new tennant moved in and they figure that that tennant has more electrical appliances than the last, is this true?

 

[smurfin'herb]

And also Northern, why is the reason you choose to flower with halides? Do you not own hps? I dont see too many people round here doin halide. Is there some crazy advantage to using halide over hps for flower?

 

[Guest]

I live in BC. 8 bulbs is not considered a lot here. There are some municipalities that do "excessive use" inspections now(fire chief inspects and shuts you down, no criminal charges). I don't happen to be in any of those areas and besides they seem to be focusing on the set ups that have bulbs in the double digits.

I do very well with MH's and most people I know have dropped HPS all together. You get a lighter/nicer color bud with halides.

I have considered bucking up to try some Hortilux Conversion bulbs. I have friends who are doing incredible with them but they cost a lot. I will try one room and compare.

 

[smurfin'herb]

So you still get the same taste and potentcy as with hps? Do you ever have trouble with scraggly or leafy plants? I have just always thought that mj needs a different color spectrum in flower. Have you ever compared your halide grows to an hps grow of the same strain? If so, how do they compare? Im very interested to know

 

[smurfin'herb]

exactly adverse reaction. I would be dumping hot air into the "off" room and already being in an attic in the summer i need be as cool efficient as possible! I am actually in the process of having someone build me a flip/flop for digital ballasts (i guess the key is that you have to have seperate timers on the flip unit to turn the digital ballasts off before the flip and back on after, but doesnt that create a spike in the flow unlike regular magnetic ballast flip/flops where they have no need to turn off and on again? He's still to get back to me on that one!) anyway thanks for lettin me know about being able to hook a damper up to a flip also, i will have my sparky set that up for me.

Now heres what he told me about the spike. I also re-asked him to let me know why the digitals must be turned off by a timer before and after the flip so i will post when i get it.

I can easilly ad another relay to flip between 120V, for your dampers. As the
bulbs flip, so will the dampers. You just have to plug them into the flip.
Those Lumateks have special lampcords and receptacles. Are you able to
purchase
them and send them to me, it will save you money and time if I have to order
them, it will cost more. As for the spike, it will only be for a few minutes,
the AUBE timers will take long time for them to out of sync as long as you
program them at the same time. When you program them, don't hit "ENTER" until
both timers have the clock and programs set. Then press "ENTER" at the same
time on both timers. The spike won't be detected. The only time a spike
will be
detected is if you have a pole meter on your location. That I doubt
will happen.

Now i dont know what this means. What the hek is a pole meter? If its an electricity usage meter then of course i have one, we all do .right? How is spike detected and how much of a spike would be unsafe? lil help here yall. Id like some input! thx

 

[Guest]

So you still get the same taste and potentcy as with hps? Do you ever have trouble with scraggly or leafy plants? I have just always thought that mj needs a different color spectrum in flower. Have you ever compared your halide grows to an hps grow of the same strain? If so, how do they compare? Im very interested to know

I haven't tried the HPS on the strains I'm running now but I have in the past with others. I didn't get a higher yield. I did get a more reddish color to my weed though and here that can get you turned away if you sell. I know guys who grow fantastic herb with HPS but it seems to be pointless in my system for me.

Now i don't know what this means. What the hek is a pole meter? If its an electricity usage meter then of course i have one, we all do .right? How is spike detected and how much of a spike would be unsafe? lil help here yall. Id like some input! thx

I doubt there will be an element of danger unless you are doing a considerably large grow. I don't know what the authorities and electrical company are like in your area but I wouldn't be too concerned about the spike around here.

I still wonder about using complicated flip flops on a smaller grow? Kind of defeats the purpose. If money is the issue for equipment, go standard ballasts and invest in better exhaust/cooling/scent control.

 

[smurfin'herb]

Still, it would be nice to have just so that i dont have to go buy a bunch of timers and set each one. I just wanna be safe and 4 600watt hps and 2 400watt halides plus fans,pumps,a/c, is a lot of electricity and im just tryin to find the best way to keep the power company from noticing me and off my back.

 

[Guest]

I didnt mean drop the flip flop, just keep it simpler with conventional ballasts. Power saving with the digital I don't think will make a whole lot of difference on such little draw.

Good luck!

 

[Guest]

There seems to be virtually no power savings with the digitals. The local store, actually a 3 store 'chain' has run digitals side-by-side against magnetics/coils and there seems to be a fractional savings in total power usage with the digitals as registered on the meters. I switched from 1000 coils to 600 digitals and was pretty surprised with the electric bill but this just seems to be the efficiency of the 600's over the 1000's and nothing more.

 

[vhGhost]

about your exhaust you are talking about something like this.

Run 2 rooms with 1 fan/scrubber.

same deal ass Balast flip flops , except you need 2x digital timers($13) and mimic your lights time exactly. works great especially with cool tubes.
+ i installed a dimmer for the Fan, from homedepot sometimes it cools the rooms to much

 

[Guest]

That's very interesting. So it comes down to the noise level and how cool they run?

What's you input on that?

 

[smurfin'herb]

Ok here is why the digital ballasts must be turned off before the flip and on after according to my guy. i quote

" The digital ballasts have circuit that detects the bulb
> before firing. Won't fire if the bulb is burnt or there is no bulb."

I dont know what to say to that. what does that mean? Im pretty sure this is the issue that he gave that response for but maybe im just an idiot