1st timer.. advice needed

[Burton Red]

Hi all..... first post so bare with me.

I've been collecting all my kit over the last few months as and when the pennies allow (and lurking around here picking up tips). I've got a dr120 set up in my attic, vented into the chimney via a fan/CF (recommended by the local shop). The tent has got 2 air intakes which have been put to use, and these run to the eves with (don't laugh ) a sock on the end to act as a filter and keep any crap out. There's also a 600W light in there with the ballast sat outside waiting to be put to use.

Now my main concern is the heat that is/will be in the attic drawing attention. The combi boiler is fitted up there on the wall opposite from the tent and obviously when the grow gets underway, I guess the temps will rise a bit more. Now not being able to afford to go the kingspan route and line the whole of the room, I've filled the rafters(?) full of loft insulation. Will this be enough to keep the sky eyes from looking, or should I save a bit more and cover the tent with some IR-Stopper? Just a bit concerned as there have been a few busts around the area. Oh yeah, the first grow will be bag seed, just in case it goes tits up

Thanks for any help offered....

Burton red

[Guest leepy]

yes mate id say your safe with that lot not only that your vnt into your stack so there wont be any mass build up of heat crack on an get the plants in fella ps welcome to the site mucka

[distracted]

I wouldn't worry about a drobe showing up as a problem to choppers.... insulation does help regulate your environment though as it gives you more control.... Unless you know the type of weed the bagseed is I'd suggest a packet of cheap Nirvana seeds or the like, leccy is too too expensive to get lumbered with a crazy sativa and you will find it easier to get it right first time if you know what your growinhg as aside from the seedbank info there will be others diaries and notes on here!

[Burton Red]

Thanks for the reply guys. I have got some seeds that a mate got me from the Dam, but I was thinking of growing them after I'd picked up a bit of "know how". Sensi Skunk they are. So you reckon I'd be better off trying these first off then ??

[distracted]

personally yes.... the trouble as I see it with bagweed is you don't really have any idea what it is... if it is UK commercial it could be a good indoor but seeds shouldn't really be there as properly done indoor should be seedless so they might be hermi spawned seeds, possibly no problem in that if your lucky though, but not ideal for your first. If its imported weed and the seeds are naturally fertilisied by males in the native environment, then they should be viable seeds, but what are they? They could be a tropical sativa, great smoke but do you really want to deal with a super stretchy sat that may take 3,4,5 months to finish on you first grow?? Either way I believe for a first grow its not worth the risk of waste, disapointment, and no smoke for Chrimbo. The Sensi Shunk @ 45-50 days should do you well for your first grow.... you can keep the bagseeds for when you feel confident that you can deal with whatever they turn out to be, they may be a keeper you never know...

[whitewillow]

I'd agree that the insulation would probably be enough, but would still ad the IR stopper for peace of mind. As for the sock I would change it for tights as the tights would be less restrictive to the air flow but would still filter the air, you'll need to clean the dust of every now and again as it will reduce air flow as it builds up.

[distracted]

Not sure what you mean by "IR Stopper" but it sounds like some sort of growshop derived snake-oil tinfoil hat stuff. If you are really bothered by "eye in the sky" thermal cameras hunting you down then you will have to reduce the visible thermal signature from outside the house, this will show by the heat released from your attic especially the temperature of the tiles directly above your drobe and the heat plume from the extraction. You have the last covered. A thermal camera looking at the house measures infrared radiation emitted from the solid surface of the roof and the brightness of that radiation is based on its temperature. For your growroom, the grow itself will not be visable only a hotter area of tile near to the GR where the heat being released from the drobe walls heats up anything nearby and especially above. To reduce this you need to add some insulation between your drobe and your roof. Insulation is "IR stopper" (at least in the sense we are bothered about) as it reduces how much heat is transmitted to the roof immediatly around the GR. B&Q is probably a cheaper and more efficient supplier of IR Stopper than any growshop. I'd insulate the outside of the drobe itself as that reduces the heat loss into the attic, this will reduce heating costs in the winter and buffer against the worst the summer has to bring (that will be the same as winter then ) If you insulate the roof above the drobe instead then you could end up with a cold spot in an otherwise hot room... no big problem in my opinion but then I don't believe that PC Biggles is looking for small drobes as every other bust would be a combi boiler or an immersion heater!

Good luck with the grow!

[Burton Red]

Not sure what you mean by "IR Stopper" but it sounds like some sort of growshop derived snake-oil tinfoil hat stuff. If you are really bothered by "eye in the sky" thermal cameras hunting you down then you will have to reduce the visible thermal signature from outside the house, this will show by the heat released from your attic especially the temperature of the tiles directly above your drobe and the heat plume from the extraction. You have the last covered. A thermal camera looking at the house measures infrared radiation emitted from the solid surface of the roof and the brightness of that radiation is based on its temperature. For your growroom, the grow itself will not be visable only a hotter area of tile near to the GR where the heat being released from the drobe walls heats up anything nearby and especially above. To reduce this you need to add some insulation between your drobe and your roof. Insulation is "IR stopper" (at least in the sense we are bothered about) as it reduces how much heat is transmitted to the roof immediatly around the GR. B&Q is probably a cheaper and more efficient supplier of IR Stopper than any growshop. I'd insulate the outside of the drobe itself as that reduces the heat loss into the attic, this will reduce heating costs in the winter and buffer against the worst the summer has to bring (that will be the same as winter then ) If you insulate the roof above the drobe instead then you could end up with a cold spot in an otherwise hot room... no big problem in my opinion but then I don't believe that PC Biggles is looking for small drobes as every other bust would be a combi boiler or an immersion heater!

Good luck with the grow!

That kinda makes a lot of sense and thanks for the reply If you look on flea-bay for IR-stopper or infra-red stopper...you'll see what I'm on about (not wanting to post links etc)

Thanks again... Burton

[distracted]

Just looked that up, its just mylar! mylar reflects energy well but I'm sure your drobe also reflects as well inside. To really stop heat conducting you need something that doesn't transmit heat very well which is what proper insulation does. I use silver sided bubble wrap myself like the mylar but with air cells between the two reflective sheets to reduce the movement of heat from one side to the other

[Burton Red]

Link to my first grow HERE