To correct my previous post, my cabinet is 3'x1.5'x5' which equals 22.5cf. So my 4" vortex fan with 176cfm replaces the approx 8 times per minute. That's why the tube stays so cool.
Thanks! It's nice to see some actual feedback, I always thought the tube would get about as hot as a CFL bulb or maybe an incandescent one but people always say the tube will melt blah blah blah I always here people freaking out that the lamp will melt the glass if it's not some kind of superglass tube or a real store bought cooltube... But seriously, I doubt the bulb will generate enough heat with that much airflow around it. And come on people, glass softens at around 500*C / 1000*F (glass only actually melt at around 1000*C / 1800*F). And if the DIY cooltube would start to melt at a couple inches away from the bulb, how hot do you think the bulb would have to be and it's also glass! yes it might be higher grade glass but would still melt just as much as the cooltube itself. If the failure is attributed to something like a dead fan or exploding bulb the store bought cooltube will break just as much. I admit some people are just dumb and might use very thin or weak glass, or even plexiglass if dumb enough But you just have to use simple logic and do your research on what you are actually using as materials.
hahahaha. you guys are stoned! uh 300 c or like 2000 f or well something like that.... but becareful cuz that glass is gonna blow, man! hahaha. I think you all should just buy a good grow light hahahahaha.
I work with 400-600 watt per inch hid uv lighting. Believe me when I tell you that even If you use quartz glass, you are going to have a failure of some kind be it fan or hose related. When you do, I can only hope that you will be prepared, and your not near the lamp when said failure happens. That being said, I am happy for you and your success. Good grow karma to you.
with all do respect for your field, hes not using NEARLY as much as you have experience with but boy do I wish I could see a lamp explode in slow motion
I'm curious to see what happens when an HPS lamp fails But yeah if you end up with hose or fan failure even high quality glass will fail also, that's why it is so important to do proper maintenance regularly on your set up, espacially with DIY setups. I'm actually glad I use a LED lamp, or else my appartment would probably have burnt down by now. In the first 24hrs of installing my exhaust fan, the hose fell off the fan so it ended up pushing hot air directly on the plants and no recirculation from the outside. Temps raised to 125*F when I got home, But my cabinet would have probably caught fire if the same shit happened with an HPS lamp. Some lamps must have a failsafe where they shutoff when they reach a certain temp?
I have seen the results of a medium pressure lamp fail. It's not pertty. The lamps that really explode like a hand granade are the high pressure lamps used in theatre projectors. Granted that he is not using any where near the power that I regularly use at work, the risk of a melt down is still real. Melted glass and a blown circuit breaker might be the least of the damage that would result, the most damage is incident dependant. So i guess i have to agree with yomandude when he says maintenance is of the utmost importance. Also I am reminded of Murphy Law.
Here's the DIY 400 watt cool tube. Been running for about 80 hours without a break. I can place my hand on it no prob. 23 cubic foot cabinet with temps maxing out at about 80 degrees.
good, now people can shut up about thinking the glass will somehow melt and burn down your house like its thermite! and I hope you have holes drilled in those buckets!
here's my DIY 400w HPS Hurricane Glass cool tube that I have been running for a few months now. The tall plant doesn't look good but that's because I had no idea what it was when I grew it and it turned out to be a outdoor sativa and I see they don't like indoors. The other is My Diablos Kush. Otherwise its temps in cabinet stay around 78-81f. Have a tower fan in bottom with vent holes to draw from. then all my other fans are PC fans for venting running off a jumpered PC power supply. 2 high cfm fans venting cabinet into a closed off shelf at top with 3 fans venting from shelf so no light to my ladies. Then a fan as you can see just below light for circulation.
I know this is a few months old.. can I ask where that hurricane tube is called.. at a store like Wal-Mart.. lol.. I have two 150 HID if love to try and stuff into one of these.. they sell a tube at local hydro place for 100 bucks.... just bare nothing.. tube only... 6 in... just was curious.. thanks for the pic to show it off
http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/hometrends-glass-hurricane-candle-holder/6000016942437 i know this is old but i was looking for myself too
I dont think i would risk plain glass around anything over 100 degrees for up to or more then 12 hours at a time. It will break its just a matter of when. This is why they invented pyrex and even then for some temp's you need a specific type of pyrex glass.
This is pretty slick....I would love to see how long you run them untill something happens....keep updating. BzerkO
Welp.... still no probs with my Hurricane glass cooltube. Goto any craft store and ask for a Hurricane glass tube. Got mine at Micheals for 14$
There's no way in the universe we currently occupy that any grow light is melting glass. It will def cause it to break prob within a couple days. But not melt. Do you know how hot glory holes have to be (not those kind lol) To start Melting glass?