Zach's Grow Cabinet Build

This all started with an older TV cabinet which was no longer in use because everyone has a flat panel TV so I got the cabinet for free. I did a ton of research before I started this build am always wanting it to be the best so if you see anything that can be improved upon please feel free to critique. This is my first build soon to be my first grow so input from vets is appreciated.

In the upper portion of the cabinet I will be using a 250 watt hps/ mh light and in the lower portion I will be using CFL. I haven't decided if i will be doing my starts in the lower portion and finishing in the upper or growing autoflower in the lower and regular plants up top.

Ventilation for the system will be using a 4 inch inline 160 cfm fan pulling air and heat from the top of the cabinet and putting it all through a carbon filter. Air intake will be on the bottom of the cabinet through two 2" inlets in the lowest portion of the cab. Air will flow through five 1 1/2" holes in the middle shelf of the cabinet that seperates the upper and lower units. Each hole has a piece of rubber tubing on the inside of it with a 3/4" pvc elbow attached to a 10" piece of pvc (pictures below) to keep light from passing from the top to bottom of the cabinet.



This is the cabinet I started with.





Most of the parts I used for the build, 6 outlet power strips x4, bulb receptacle to 110 outlet for CFL bulbs to plug into x6, roll of mylar, 4" duct fan, 1 ft of 1 1/4" tube, 4 ft of 3/4" pvc cut into five 10" pieces, five 3/4" pvc elbows, 1 roll of bracket tape, 1 roll of electrical tape, 100w equivalent 26w actual cfl bulbs x6, 1 1/2" and 2" hole saws, 3ft of 2" pvc cut into 2 one and a half ft sections., two 2" pvc elbows, light timer x2, 3m spray adhesive, 1 tube gorilla glue, 1 tube of white caulking




URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/441/20130205193145.jpg/][/URL]


The back of the cabinet had 1/16" plywood covering it with a large hole already cut for the back of an old TV. I went to Lowes Hardware store and had a piece of 1/2" plywood cut to fit the back. Removing the old plywood took a hammer and flat head screwdriver. It was both stapled and glued.



Here is a picture from the front before the rear plywood was removed. I forgot to take pictures beforehand but the upper portion of the cabinet originally had a shelf with a lazy susan on it for the TV and the lower portion of the cabinet had drawers on one side (where there is no stain) and a shelf for a VCR on the other side. I removed those things before I had taken any pictures.



Rear Plywood removed getting ready to line the inside with mylar. If you look closely I used a 1 1/2" hole saw and cut 5 vent holes in the middle shelf later in the build how these vents will work will be explained.




Here is the cabinet layed on the floor with the doors facing the carpet and the rear plywood still removed. This was a much easier way to line the inside walls with mylar. For this whole build sticking the mylar to the walls was the most time consuming part. To make the mylar stick I used 3M spray adhesive that is available at most any craft or hobby store. The Mylar I bought from Ebay a 50 ft roll that is 50" tall for $25 delivered.






The next step was to install the lights for the lower portion of the cabinet I choose 100w equivelent CFL bulbs (25watt actual). 6 bulbs total using two different 6 outlet plug ins with 3 bulb recepticle to 110v plugs on each one. (If you have never seen these all hardware stores have them. In one side a standard light bulb screws in and directly on the other side is a plug to plug into any outlet. They are only about 3 inches long and $3 each. After much reading decided I could start my plants in the lower portion or use it to grow autoflower or lowrider strains with the CFL bulbs. To mount the outlets to the inside of the box I cant rememebr what the stuff is called it comes in a roll like tape but is metal with a bunch of holes in it its like brakcet tape or something $5 for a roll. I cut 4 inch pieces and coated them with electrical tape. there are already holes 1/4" apart on the metal tape so I ran some screws on each side of the tape to hold the outlets down.



Before install I lined the new 1/2" plywood for the rear of the cabinet with mylar (this was by far the easiest piece to do and turned out the nicest. I layed it on the cabinet while it was still facedown and screwed it to the back with about a dozen screws to make sure everything would be solid Here is how it looked when it was stood back up.



A quick test of the CFL bulbs shows they are working and with the reflective interior of the box almost enough to make y'ou blind



Removed doors and all door hardware lined with mylar and reinstalled




For my ventilation intake I cut a 2" hole in the lowest corner of each side of the lower portion of the box




this is the rear where the 2" holes were cut. Installed 2" black pve 90 degree fitting in each hole using Gorilla Glue to hold them in place (given 24hrs that stuff dries SOLID). Glue was cured so slipped the 2" white pvc pieces each 1 1/2 ft long into 90 degree fitting for fresh cool air for intake.

While I did this I also cut a 1 1/2" hole in the bottom center of the box to run the power cords out for the 6 outlet strips running the lower CFL bulbs

This view is if you were laying in the very bottom of the box looking up to where the lower CFL bulbs are mounted. Each 1 1/2" hole in the shelf that seperates the upper and lower units had a mini snorkel connected to it made from a 90 degree 3/4 " pvc elbow and a 10 inch piece of 3/4" pvc they all work just like the vents on the rear of the cabinet

To get all of the hot and smelly air out of the cabinet I used my 2" hole saw and cut a vent near the top of the upper portion of the cabinet. (It looks kind of ugly now I need to get proper tools this weekend to clean it up)



Here is the outside of the vent hole. To attach the ducting for the fan and carbon filter assembly. I found a 4" flange on Ebay that from a hydroponics store for like $10. Used caulking to seal it to the the rear of the cab.





4" ducting connected to rear vent running to a 4" fan into a carbon filter. The fan pulls a decent vacuum on the whole cabinet but I think I will do some sealing around the upper and lower doors so less air will be pulled in through them and more through the bottom vents.




The bottom of the cabinet was ready so I went to my local dispensary and got some starts 2 Lavender, 1 Chem Dawg, and 1 Headband

 

Received 3 boxes from Fed Ex. Got my 250 watt switchable ballast mh/hps light, hangers, and timer. One box with 25' of 4" ducting. Finally my carbon filter grow cabinet will be complete tomorrow pics to will be on their way...

Glad I also made the second comment on here I can no longer add to the first.

Here is the 250 watt hps/mh light hung and running keeping my babes going



Used small chain and screw-close chain links connected to i-hangers in the top of the cabinet

 

Thanks and whats subbed mean?

 

Here is my new stuff that will finish the cabinet up. I will be adding the rest of the pictures to the first post to keep everything together.



I was asked to photo the fan again so it is in the pic, there is a 250 watt switchable ballast, a 250 watt mh bulb on thop of it is the 250 watt hps bulb, wing reflector, ducting, light hangers. And the carbon filter and light timer. The kit which was everything on the table except for the carbon filter and ducting was $130

 

It came from Gotham Products on Ebay The ballast is Revolt brand made in China. I looked up a ton of reviews on different forums everyone seemed happy enough with their light products they bought more.

250W HPS MH Grow Light Digital Ballast Kit Hangers Timer Complete 250 Watt | eBay

 

When it gets low on the page I have been making sure I add a comment, thanks for all the kind words. Now that it has been running a couple days I have found I need to seal around the doors better. Will be hanging the upper light later today.

Critical the fan noise is probably equivalent to a box fan on high, or closer an air purifier on high if you know what one sounds like (generally a little higher pitched then a box fan)

 

Found some thin sticky back foam in the weatherstrip section of the local mom and pop hardware store. I am happy to say 90% of the things I used to build this cabinet came from a small local hardware store. Besides the fan, filter and the hps/mh light set from ebay.

I was out getting some new dirt to grow in tonight to move my new plants to grow pots from the small starter pots they were in and I was rear ended. Put kind of a damper on things but when I got home got the upper cabinet light hung (250 watt mh/hps) and plants all in their new containers. Pictures to come

 

new pictures added... upper light hung and running