CGE (Closed growing environment) (sealed)

[Don Piano]

Hello all. I don't see anything on here for design of a closed growing environment, I am building one, and thought I should share. This means it will be not vented, and will have air conditioning, a dehumidifier (for heat and RH control during dark period), Bottled Co2 regulated by a cycle timer, and a greenhouse controller to control the a/c, circulating fan, and Co2 (however this function will not be needed since venting will not take place, and co2 can be regulated to fill the room on a cycle timer.

NEWCOMERS TO GROWING, ASK QUESTIONS, I DONT MIND AT ALL.

BACKGROUND

The cab started as a SOG cabinet for flowering, built into a closet (see more details in grow journal) it was 3ftx4ft and vented, setup for co2 with a greenhouse cotroller to keep temps and humidity in check, Which my exhaust was not up to. This is why I am relocating, redesigning, and not relaxing. Here are the basics (for more pics of some of my equipment and plans, see my grow journal, which after construction, is where the fun will be. This thread is going to follow the construction only) (i have a seperate mom room as pictured in my journal, which will be left the way it is, where it is)

Here is the design (I will add real pics as soon as construction begins (I'm still sourcing a few things, I need to run some power up to my attic, and need some more wood)

Note about pic:: The door will be located on the end near dehumidifier, The dimensions are (not including the light hood, which will be mounted to the top) 40Wx48Hx66D. The pic is all to scale. SEE UPDATED PIC 3 POSTS BELOW

[Don Piano]

DESIGN

The cab will be constructed of 2x4s and plywood. The interior painted with elastomeric white roofiing coat, and the outside insulated and coated with Infrared blocking material, as well as an infrared blocking curtain hung above the lamp reflector so heat signature will not be a concern. The AC unit is a 5600BTU unit, I will put a hepa filter on the front intake of it to freshen the air. The ballast is 400 watt switchable MH and HPS.

Co2 is plumbed in from a 20lb tank through a flowmeter/regulator assm.
It will be controlled by my cycle timer (link for plans to build that on bottom of post)

The lamp will be air cooled in a DIY COOLTUBE, using a 6" inline duct fan (from HD) and a light trap

The dehumidifier will be in the room and keeping the RH down. Both the AC and Dehumidifier will be on their own circuits, and run independantly of each other.
The attic is vented on both ends. No one goes upstairs in my house (besides my wife and I) let alone in the attic, so this will be stealth to the tune of "out of sight out of mind"......

Any questions???

To Be Continued.........

[kangbee]

looks like a great set up plan. How much do you think it is going to cost to install it and run the electricity? I m trying to look at generating my own for this sort of thing.

[Don Piano]

Thank you for noticing.

Here is the pic with the power requirements of the major items.

I really have not calculated cost of electricity, but leading up to the grow, I have been consuming more and more power on purpose (over the last 4 months or so) and then have CFLs for the whole house (inside and out) to save power, and will keep the computer off, plus instead of running XM radio through my big screen tv and surround sound at night, we will use a small radio. All in all, once we start this grow, and switch to the new lights and habits, we will probably consume less power than we have been, even though we are going to run all this shit.

As far as the cost of everything so far, I estimate between 1200, and 1500 US Dollars.

The thing is, If we are yielding 1-2lbs every cycle, It has more than paid for itself, the electricity to run it all, hell, and even the EFFIN gas to run around and get all of this shit together is going to be paid for!

My advice for people who want to grow:

Money can not be an issue when it comes to the things you HAVE to buy. Stop smoking weed for a little while, or at least purchasing it, or even cut way down (I have been putting up with smoking 1hitters for the past 6 months or so while plotting and saving. Between my wife and I, we can make an eighth last a week!), and you can afford to spend money on supplies so that you will never have to buy it again. (In my eyes, putting up with not smoking/as much for a few months is worth it.) Be creative and make what you can (do this within reason! don't go burning your pad down, from seriously rigging shit, Don't rig, engineer, and if you can't do it right, that's something you HAVE to buy.

EDIT:::: 4-29-08 I think THE PIC IS NOT GOING TO BE ACCURATE TO MY FINAL DESIGN. It has been reshaped. Read on.

[Don Piano]

GOT WOOD? I do! I have a birthday dinner tonight (not mine), and I will begin taking pics and working on the framing wednesday! Stand by.

[plugged]

subscribing

[JuicyJBB]

Subscribed. What strains do you plan to grow? Can I send you some seeds of some stuff my friends grew? It's a strain they just recently perfected. I'll have seeds of it soon and I plan to spread it. With all that brain power and dollar power going into this, you should have some good stuff coming out of this. You should get some UFO LED Grow Lights and use them along with other lights. You got experience growing?

[Don Piano]

Gonna do big blue (NL#5xBlueBerry).
I have a few years under my belt. I just have not done anything SOG, or covert.
I appreciate the seed offer but must decline. Thank you though.
Keep on watching, its gonna be beautiful!

[Oldwomanslipper]

Originally Posted by Don Piano

Keep on watching, its gonna be beautiful!

This setup is extremely well thought out, nice job will definitely be watching you since I am soon starting my first SOG also. Best of luck to you!

[HATCH]

Look's like the Wheel's are in motion!!!~~~~~Keep putting feul on that fire, Ya work everything out on paper!!!~~~~& the construction goes much smoother!!!

Good Luck My Brother

[Don Piano]

Thank you to those watching. I got some of the framing up but did not get any pics taken today. Will get those up thursday. I got my CO2 tank today 20lbs. I've had the injection for a while, just needed a tank. Still need the plywood. We're (well my wife is, because I hate it) gonna paint the boards (edges, front and back) of all the plywood, with fungicide flat white primer (kilz) and use our infrared blocker doubled up on the outside. I still have to deconstruct my old closet.
funny, As I type this there is a chopper flying around. Those bastards!

[turbolaser4528]

hey man, cant wait to see this since there aren't many cge threads on the internet let alone on this forum. Going to be investing in a similar setup, so how do i subscribe?

O yeah i know what you mean about the choppers. I'm in my university's computer lab and there are snipers on the rooftops and choppers buzzing around because someone said there were going to shoot up the school or some shit lol

[Don Piano]

Ok well I know it ain't much but here are the 2 pics I took (trying to use regular duracell batts in my cam, Get 2 pics per 2 batteries!! Shit) Anyway, I took some pics before I started wiring today. Here is the sidewall framing. I won't be putting in the front and rear framing in until wiring is done. I have it pretty mapped out. I am taking a break now to grind up a nug and do a few 1E's.


TURBOLASER: Thanks for watching. I know you don't see many sealed grow posts, that is definately why I am posting this construction. As far as subscribing, I'm kinda old, but young to the forum, so I have no clue. I have to search for everything, everytime. The choppers are a concern for any grower here because there is a huge international airport here and the local boys take off and land their chopps their.
IR Blocking here is a must!

Won't be getting a whole lot done this weekend, THE INLAWS are coming, THE INLAWS are coming. I hate having to be so secretive and hide shit, lock doors, and NOT SMOKE POT!! And everytime thay cometo town I get set back on my fall vacation!! ( not going until first SOG harvest is dry) We have a wedding in the fam in a couple weeks so they have been here quite often!

[Don Piano]

Well I finally got my wiring for the a/c and dehumidifier run to an outlet on the frame.
I have to buy a charger and some rechargable batts for my camera.

I plan on running the power for the light and controller and such tomorrow when the inlaws are away. i still have to put a relay in on the A/C / Dehumidifier outlets. (REVISED 4-29-08) they will be on seperate outlets and circuits now, and only use a relay on the AC.

Once the other wiring is done, I can put the rest of the frame up and get some plywood. I am going to seal the joints with caulk, and paint with white rubber coating. Sta-Kool Elastomeric coating from home depot.
I will make a kiddie pool from plastic for the floor.

[Don Piano]

I know it's all slow going here, but I promise, It will be worth the wait folkers. Here we go knocking holes in the wall again to run wiring to the attic for everything but the dehumidifier and the A/C. Plaster sucks, And I hate wearing a mask, but the dust warrants that, and patching holes is not fun for me. I have to punch all these holes, then drill each stud to run wire through the wall. I can't wait, another few years and we are going to build a house from the ground up, with wiring everywhere I could possibly think of. Maybe even a secret room wired up for 240vac and and its own 60amp breaker! I still have to run that part of the plan by my wife (or maybe notlol I see another guy here has a covert room hidden from his family!)

Pic 1 and 2 are outside the closet that shares the back wall with the attic (pictured to the left in picture 3 from inside the closet)

YAY i got 2 duracells to take 3 pics today!!