Hello all

I will be starting my first grow in my wardrobe which measures 72 inches high x 27 inches wide x 19.5 inches deep.. for all you centimeter types 182cm high x 68.5cm wide x 49.5cm deep...

im currently compiling a list of items i need to get before i start.. so i was wondering..

1) if a 600w hps would be too much for the area i have and if i should "downgrade" to a 400w hps?

2) if a 150mm fan for extraction would be enough to remove heat etc.. and if a 150mm in fan is enough to crack air about

3) if white paint is enough for reflection..

The reason im asking and not doing is because im not the type of person to go by the "trial and error" way of life. not because im a mong.. just because im a perfectionist!

help is needed!

cheers!

jah

I'd say a 600w would be far too hot for that space - I've run 400s in my drobe in the past, but have even changed down to a 250w due to excessive heat and burning of the plants - and that's in a cool tube! I've got a 150mm extracting and passive intakes, so I can't say if you'll get temperatures down a bit more using an intake fan as well...

If you're saving money on the light now, you can afford some mylar in there - better than white paint. If you do go with white paint though make sure it's matt white.

Good luck, and welcome to the world of Drobe growing

C

answers :
erh...: i think 400 watt is hard for noice grower in such dimensions
250 watt would be my personal choice in this case

no ..i think on hot days you wished you had stronger extraction.
Also you need some air scrubber mounted in front of air flow extraction point
i think u need a lil stronger one from the hydro store, possiibly equipped with a dim- funktion , so you will be able to set it to your needs..( squirrelcage fans better be a bit too powerfull, so you can run it at lower speed, enabling it to be virtually silent.


yes.white non reflective paint is one of the best options for most indoor grows
it will reflect up to 80% of the light , optimizing your growdrobe a lil more.(light equals yield)
also , white walls keep it cooler than darker colors.
( in case you'd be growing pure sativas, black walls would be a good choice ...warm walls stay warm when light goes out..less temperature shock...resembling the natural state it grows in)
novices better grow indicas first.. hybrids a lil later...

Hey Church,
ive recently required a larger wardrobe, the one i had was a single wardrobe and seemed a bit small for the project i had in mind, the mesurements for this are, 185cm high (including one draw), 90cm wide, 52cm deep...

im thinking this surely can cater for a 400w HPS?

As extraction goes, i think im going to stick with a larger extraction unit. I could be right in saying that more extraction is better than none at all!

I'll be sticking to your thread..
seems i can pick up pointers as i go along!

Cheers
Jah

Hey Yoda

i've got a bigger wardrobe now so like a said to Church, surely 400w HPS should cater for the dimensions?
(185cm high (including one draw), 90cm wide, 52cm deep)

i can regulate the extraction so i think that isnt going to be a problem.

Im still stiuck between the old Mylar v.s Paint..
i'll probably go with the paint, just for the sheer fact i have it in abundance! also, its probably a good time to mention i can be a cheap cunt at times!

1Love
Jah

a 400 will be fine although you may need to cool tube it or use an enclosure , mylar reflects 95/98% of the light and converts 2% to heat energy, where as white paint will reflect 80% and convert 20% to heat energy , it will absorb some of the heat but not much, could be worth the investment considering the size of the space, Rj

get a 4" intake also, this will bring the drobe temp down a few degrees, if you can intake cooler air too that will help! I draw air from my attic, I have a 600w in a large drobe (more than twice the size of yours), I have a 5" extract, 4" intake and a normal reflector (not air cooled) and its only because Im pumping cool air from my attic into my grow drobe that I can maintain temps between 24-28c lights on. here's my drobe http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=110489

Hey Rastajedi
Thats good to know, i think i might have to dig deep for some mylar!

Cheers
Jah

Hey Est1976
I think you right, im going to invest in an intake fan, the cooler the better.

As your running air from you attic into your grow area, i was wondering if i could do the same but from my window? litterally stick some ducting out of my window, obviously filtering the bugs out, ive heard if you stick some nylon tights at the end of the ducting it gets rid of pest?! i dunno...

just wondered if you had any idea of this?

Cheers
Jah

yeah i used to intake from the window, see this post http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?s=&a...t&p=1048865

you just need some perspex, its much more stealthy in the attic than by a window. I also have both my fans up there now so more room in the drobe. I have to heat the drobe at lights out with a small oil filled radiator,

I'd get 2 x 150mm 1 x(A), 1 x(L) the L model for extraction , i know it pushes the budget up, but i think if your going to use a 400 anything less and there going to cook, your going to lose around 2 feet allowing for pots and (based on enclosed) lighting, filter etc , the margins will get even smaller with an open shade, the only option apart from upscaling your ventilation is to down scale your lighting as been suggested, goodluck Rj

2 x 6" rvk's is more than enough you'd have to be careful the thing didnt take off, me personally if I was building a 400w drobe I would get a 4" and 5" same as my 600w setup.

When I was having heat issues I bought a 6" L1 rvk and added it into the mix so I had 3 fans in there (2 extracting) and it made sod all difference. I tell you what the 6" is sooooo much noisier than the 4" and 5" too, I returned it to the shop. I found the only way to manage my temp really was to bring the cool air from outside. Thats what makes all the difference when trying to cool a drobe.

Now Im not recommended you get a 4 & 5" here Im just saying thats what i would get and I have the experience of building one already and tweaking it over the months. I would suggest you get a 6" A1 extract and a 4" or 5" intake. That way you going to be able to deal with those hot summer nights easier than me but you certainly dont need them full speed this time of year.

thats perfect!
i dont have any issues with noise, i think i could go in the guiness book of records for the loudest house ever.

I think i'll end up using the 6" extract, and a 5" intake. i'll be sticking a couple of small desktop oscillating fans in there.. i have enough regulators to get everything perfect so i guess im sorted.

Cheers est1976

Jah

Alright All

I'll be st

I know what i suggested is alittle bit overkill, but with good fan control especially this time of year you should be able to step them back considerably, i just feel it gives you a wider playin field should you start hitting extreme temps, Rj

my theory based on my 3 fan tests (in various configs with the cooltube etc) is that once you got 'X' amount of airflow (depending on the heat the light gives out and the size of the grow space) anything more than X doesnt make a difference hardly, we're talking fractions of a degree. Once X amount of airflow has been achieved if the temp still needs reducing then you have to look at either increasing the grow space (as confined spaces are harder to keep a 400w cool in than say having the 400w in a whole room) or reducing the temp of the incoming air.

I agree entirely, in a nutshell its down to incoming air temps and how much heat the grow room itself creates , what im sayin is if the heat created does go extreme he will be better armed to deal with it, do you not find then having used the 3 different sizes that its better to have a larger fan pegged back rather than having a smaller fan at full throttle ? , Rj

but what I mean is say in my case I guess 'X' could be about 200m2 per hour (my drobe is 2 cubic metres) so moving more air than this regardless of any other conditions doesnt make any or very little difference so buying a fan that does 500m2 wouldnt really server a purpose. I also found that the 4" and 5" were both much much quieter at full speed than the 6" (L1) at any speed.

Just checked systemair technical details and the current 4" is 34.5db , the 5" is 37.5db and the 6" L1 is 50.3db

Im guessing its down to the radiant heat the bulb gives out in a confined space, once you got so much airflow anymore has no affect.

What you really want is a setup that can cool you on the hottest summer day and than yes you probably find you can run your fans at quarter/half speed this time of year when heat isnt so much of an issue and your just looking to maintain fresh air. But like I say its a combination several elements.

Its down to

1) The size of the confined space
2) The amount of heat generated by the bulb
3) The amount of airflow/exchange
4) The incoming air temp

and getting a healthy balance between them, but excelling in airflow alone wont do, same way as there really isnt a realistic way of cooling a 1000w converted fridge (hmm maybe run the fridge ) You got to make sure the bulb isnt too big for the space, make sure you got enough airflow for the setup (whatever X is) and then make sure your incoming air is not too warm. The incoming air temp has more affect than people give credit for.

yeah i agree totally est1

I personally would go down the "overkill" road as you can always clock um down & one day you may break out of the drobe to a bigger space , then you will have both bases covered so to speak .

try air cooled shade gets rid of a lot of heat and my be keep your 600