bananabrain Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 So I have been growing in a little box under CFL but really want a bit more space - vertical height being the main challenge. I dunno why I didn't just do this first time... well easing the mrs into me growing weed was probably something to do with it So here is the freshly cleared space, will be 90w x 60d x 210h... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) The good news is I have a plug socket already in my new grow space... the bad news is I also have a radiator. I thought about moving it over 20cm but last time I tried that it was a right hassle so I have decided just to box in the valve, sure it will be fine. So I built a frame out of 18mm ply and battens... Edited July 16, 2012 by bananabrain 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 Screwed to the wall, I even used a spirit level and everything... then attached the side panel (not shown, another 18mm ply panel) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 So I thought I would be really clever and use the hole I cut to fit around the radiator as the air intake, 35 x 10cm = 350cm2 which is about 4-5 times my exhaust... great. And then to stop light leaks I would 'baffle' it. Of course when I cut the ply to make this I realised what a shit idea it was, totally eating into my space & not enough bends to make it remotely light proof... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) So, what to do. I could have added another 90 degree angle but would limit my floor space even more. So it was time to fucking unscrew everything, take it all down and out to the garage again where I cut the following gap at the bottom. I am going to baffle it horizontally, this way I lose a bit of vertical height (15cm or so) but retain the floor space. The intake is 70 x 6 = 420cm2 so plenty of fresh air, in fact hope I can maintain negative pressure with it. In either case I will put some sort of filter in there as drawing at floor level like this is bound to pull lots of crap in. Final job for the weekend was to paint everything inside (and out again)with matt white paint. Much as I love the look of diamond mylar I am going to stick with paint for this grow - I want it as easy to convert back to a normal looking cupboard as possible in case I ever need to. Edited July 16, 2012 by bananabrain 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluez Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Starting to look good mate, just wonder howling before you take it all down and make it bigger!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 ^Cheers mate, it will be tempting but this should be big enough for my needs! Carried on with baffling my intake - have tested it with my light inside and think it will work OK, if not I will add another level. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 This is it with the next piece attached. I got fed up spending £££ in B&Q so am using MDF rather than plywood here... yes, the one piece that will likely get wet I opted for MDF what a dickhead Will probably paint it or stick some black & white over it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I also ran sealant all over all the gaps and joins etc, then started with my light proofing. I am using P section draft excluder, which worked very well on my little box. Of course, when I tested it today with my HPS inside it it is leaking light all over the place... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 With doors attached, yet another £35 in B&Q. Oh well at least they match the rest of my utility room. Still some work to be done making them hang a bit nicer as they are binding when opening... couldn't be fucked today though! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 So I am getting there, in fact I need to be because I am off with work all of next week & I need to get it all sorted with plants inside cos the mother in law is coming to stay while I am away So no pressure! Just need to sort out the light leaks and get some sort of lock on the doors. Oh, and sort the extraction. Which is really doing my head in, I have 4" & 6" fans, flat ducting, flexible round ducting, adaptors, corners, bends and all sorts of bits and pieces & about ten different ideas of how to put it all together... Main decision is whether to have the fan inside the box (will be quieter) or put it on top (will free up space inside). Then do I use my 4" or slow down the 6"... The latter is fucking noisy, I have a fan speed (dimmer) which works fine on the 4" but makes the 6" buzz really loudly. Not got the time to order & wire up a Variac... or do I get a WAC1 instead... ... then do I bother hooking up my (better than a) coolshade reflector, not much space for all that 6" ducting really... but it would make sense if I can. ...plus how to link it all to the 4" extraction hole. Flat ducting sure, but where to put the bends, how to minimise the noise, will be fan be best mounted horizontally or vertically if I put it inside the box... Yeah, I could continue! I will have to get a workable solution together using my alreaady-in-a-box 4" fan and refine it later. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
July Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Looks nice and tidy that mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluez Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'd go for the variac if at all possible, any way of putting it off until you get back? Once the mil know you can't rewind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bananabrain Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I think/hope it will be OK - at the moment my 4" fan is in a box on top of a shelf (reasonably quiet) drawing air through 1.5m of flat ducting and blowing it through a 5" CF. It works, clearing heat from 250W CFLs the utility room gets a bit stuffy but doesn't smell and the sound of the freezer just about allows for the noise. As a temporary measure I may set the new room up like this, I am hoping that although it is quite a bit bigger the fact I have properly sized intake will allow the 4" to pull enough air through to keep temps under control. I have a dimmable HPS so will start at 300W too... Fingers crossed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justonemore Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Nice work mate, Have you thought about a couple of locks incase the MIL has a snoop round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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