Sorry i dont have an image of what im working with so every one use your imagination here lol. I was going to build from scratch using white pine but the i noticed a a cabinet set just sitting around. The dimensions are roughly 3 feet wide 3 foot tall and 2 feet deep with 2 cabinet doors in the front. My idea was to hang a 150w MH top center and have 3 dual socket cfls centered on all 3 walls. Then 2 single socket cfls on the floor seperating 3 rows of 2 plants ( 6 total). Then for ventilation i have 2 inline duct fans (not sure of cfm) one intake and one exhaust. Intake would be top right side with light trap and exhaust bottom left side feeding into a 5 gallon bucket active carbon filter. self mixed organic soil in air pots with a plastic tray to catch drainage with a condensation pump off an ac unit. Sound about right? Any input would be awesome!
Sounds good, but you should exhaust from the top if you can, will get hot with all them lights, heat rises, why pull it through the plants if you don't have to, get some pics up!
Thats a valid point but the box will be stored in an unfinished section of a home so i was hopeing that would combat the increasingly colder air temps outside the box. Im going to dry run everything for a day or 2 and see how it holds the heat and then compensate accordingly. Going to get the lights and in line fans today from a friend who upgraded to a hps system. Just gotta mix my soil and let it cook for a few weeks and ill be ready to roll Do you think the low outside air temps will have much effect on the inside temp? This is an increasing worry that would like to put to rest
When I'm flowering I have to open a window to cool off the room my box is in, seems to work fine, with that I'm mind I think you are right in down drafting, just for sure do that trial run before plants are in
I hope it will be ok. the cabinet material is real thin, its from a kitchen cabinet set so its got like 1/8" ply for sides. I might wrap it in insulation to fine tune the temp controls. Wiring up a t stat and a electric heating element was also a thought. Anyway i guess i wont know for sure untill i get my ass in gear and put everything together. Just waiting on a reflective liner and i can start assembling. I will def post pics, im rather proud of this one
Sounds like a solid plan. I do have to agree the intake should be at the bottom and the exhaust at the top, Also with a box that small passive intake is more then enough, no need for the powered fan intake. As for the dry run tests..make sure u fill the room with pots or something to block air flow when i did the "Dry" empty runs on my box my temps were 5-8 degrees lower then when i loaded everything up. And as the plants grow its going to restrict more airflow.
Ill give that a shot. It will be easy enough to switch the intake/exhaust. Unfortunately the cabinet i have is only 21" tall. Im guna see what else i can find to retro fit, or ill just knock the top out and extend it a foot or so. Still trying to decide if i wana mix my own organic and wait 3 weeks for it to cook or buy soil and have to feed them