Back to the drawing board today. I've realized that I should go with the smallest form factor possible that will supply my needs. The usable interior in this cab is 14" x 18" x 20". I could use 4 x 23 watt PL-L compact florescent tubes for light. I imagine the side will swing open like a wide cabinet door allowing access to both the lighting and grow area. I found some 4" circular dark room louvers. I can use 4 high quality, high output 120mm computer fans to cool the CFLs without leaking light. Air will travel in to the cab through the gap at the top of the upper drawer making it's way through the light louvers, past the fans, over the CFLs, past some exhaust fans, through another set of light louvers and finally exiting through a gap in the back panel of the cabinet near the top. Notice the glass that separates the grow area from the lights. No carbon filter or high capacity exhaust fans are needed because of the closed grow area. The design reduces the noise this cabinet would produce. If the interior gets too hot I'm going to bring the temps down using forced air cold water chilling system. Just like a hospital or mall, I can use small scale components to create air conditioning inside the grow area. 120mm computer fan Computer water cooling radiator Computer water cooling pump (speed controllable) CoolWorks Ice Probe This is an easy cabinet to build in terms of size and materials. The lights will run about $150 with two sets of bulbs (2700k/6500k). The light cooling fans and forced air cold water chilling air conditioning will run about $300. Not bad for a little 100 watt cabinet that will be absolutely light tight. Since this is a closed grow design I'll supplement CO2 with a Boost Bucket. I'll use a CO2 monitor to maintain the level of CO2 in the grow environment. Just the right size to supply a single stoner, I think. Material List $150 material to build cabinet $150 ballasts, reflectors and bulbs $300 light cooling and air conditioning components $130 CO2 Boost Bucket $200 CO2 controller Comes in just under a thousand dollars. It's cheap enough that I can build it now if I choose. What do you guys think? One stoner. Maybe 4 - 6 ounces dried per grow? Is that unrealistic considering the CO2 supplementation? Let me know what you think?
Today I was pondering a way to get rid of my day job and maybe work doing something low key that I would enjoy. I was thinking to myself that I could build people grow cabinets using confirmat screws and knock down construction. You would hire me to build your cabinet with the dimensions you specify. I would ship the finished product to you for assembly much like an Ikea piece of furniture. Anyway, if you're thinking about using MDF for your cabinet that type of screw is the way to go. And if you're going to use MDF you need to seal it for moisture. In this case I would use a latex rubber pool paint in white.
PL-L bulbs are great I use the 55w ones. At one point I was running 16 of them but considering using the new High efficiency 28w ones because they have the best light to power usage. If you have not bought the TEC yet I would consider just getting a regular Phase change water chiller, it will be a lot more effective. As for you yield that is shooting pretty high, hard to get that much out of that space. I was getting about 3-4 oz from a 24"x24"x36" on average. I am going to be making new micro cab in the future and decrease size and wattage and maintain yield but will be extremely difficult and requires a very low profile container and slim lights. The PL-L can get pretty close and generally will not burn the leaves to quickly if they touch the lights as long as your temps are in check. Most you heat on those bulbs is located on the socket end so venting across them helps.
Hi liking the sound of 880w but how hot do these bulbs actually get as I am new to these bulbs an am keen to start a setup happy growin PEACE