Fridge Grow

csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
Hi

I'm planning a stealth fridge grow for my second grow, i will be attempting to use the scrog method.

Here is a pic of what it will look like, what do you think, have i missed anything out..i have all the basic stuff from my first grow but will be buying better nutes this time if you have a suggestion for scrog specific nutes fire away.



Thanks

CSD
 
iamthatguy

iamthatguy

Well-Known Member
The only thing I see is that I would put your fan lower to blow horizontally on the plants and not on the top of your box. If you have a fan on top pointing down you are just recirculating and pushing the hot air back down. Better to push the cool air coming in around.
 
csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
you're right but space is gonna be tight down there i might have to use 2 small fans rather than a large one.... anybody else have anything add?

also the shelf the plants are on slides out so i can get into the front and the two sides... i can then train the new growth into the wire mesh...will it be a problem not being able to get into the back of the grow?

advice needed and wanted .... i dont want to make any silly mistakes this grow!!

(it took me an hour to draw it up....please comment :) )
 
csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
its 2 inch chicken wire, ive heard 2" square is the right size for SCROG..but as always welcome to other ideas?

HAHA i forgot you know less than me :) Basically the plant grows up to the mesh then you train it around untill its filled the whole mesh the buds grow up in between the mesh meaning all buds are the same hight .. reciving the same amount of light from my HPS..

The bottom section might be too small.. How much height do you need for clones i wonder?
 
csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
good point, which i had thought about but not included in my pic.. the whole of the shelf and the mesh is one unit.
 
B

barbus

Active Member
Hi, looks interesting good luck.

One thing I'd like to add is a little info on the fridge itself, now I have no idea what type fridge you have but some domestic fridges have their condenser and evaporator built into the skin of the fridge, now if you drill through the walls of the fridge, depending on its layout you could drill through the pipes and coils that hold the refrigerant under pressure. When the gas boils off due to meeting atmospheric pressure it will be very cold and be carrying some oil with it. If this mixture gets in your eyes it's possible that you will suffer damage and maybe blindness, just be very careful, wear goggles and some protective clothing.
 
csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
barbus said:
Hi, looks interesting good luck.

One thing I'd like to add is a little info on the fridge itself, now I have no idea what type fridge you have but some domestic fridges have their condenser and evaporator built into the skin of the fridge, now if you drill through the walls of the fridge, depending on its layout you could drill through the pipes and coils that hold the refrigerant under pressure. When the gas boils off due to meeting atmospheric pressure it will be very cold and be carrying some oil with it. If this mixture gets in your eyes it's possible that you will suffer damage and maybe blindness, just be very careful, wear goggles and some protective clothing.
Click to expand...
I plan on gutting it completely, only hole will be in the side for Air in/out and for power in...Thanks for the advice i will be very careful and not high.
 
T

thomasttech

Active Member
I was thinking about the same thing, or at least the same idea, I was actually thinking of a running (working) fridge that I have on hand and swapping the thermostat for what I need (cooler temps) and set it where I need it since with my closet grows I cant get lower than 34 degrees celcious -- but with a working fridge and a different themostat I can play as needed. also the freezer compartment - which is totally isolated from the lower could be used for clones with a couple T5's...

Oh well just what I have pondering the past month... Good Luck if you go with your idea!!!
 
B

barbus

Active Member
Hi csd, seeing as your gutting it completely it may be possible to release the refrigerant in a more safe and controlled manor. I was just afraid you were going to drill a hole anywhere and get a nasty surprise with the refrigerant escaping. Like I mentioned before the system will be under pressure if it's full of gas, the pressure will vary depending on ambient temperature and the exact gas enclosed, pressures could be upto and beyond 100psi. If it's a regular modern(ish) fridge it probably wont contain any hydrocarbons which contain butane and propane, highly flammable! some oldies contain ammonia. If modern it may contain r134a or r404a or similar these wont cause to much of a risk but ammonia is rather nasty if inhaled. Best thing I guess would be to look on the back where the compressor is and find the smallest copper pipe there is, it will probably be a few millimeters in diameter and brazed to long cylindrical tube, put some goggles on and a glove and chop the tiny pipe with a pair of side cutters, there will be a bit of a pop and the gas will come out with a drop of oil and maybe some liquid refrigerant. Leave the fridge for 10mins and have a drink while it flows out, best done outside.

I would like to add that in most countries it's highly illegal to release refrigerant into atmosphere and wont help global warming too much, but saying illegal, well, i don't think it matter much on this forum hey :bigjoint:

Sorry to go on and on but I have seen many people damaged by refrigerants. If you get stuck on what pipe to cut post a good close picture of the fridge at the back where all the pipes are and I will have a look for you, may also be worth checking the model plate on the fridge and seeing what gas it has in there and how much.

Once again, sorry to go on, im happy to help further if you not sure.
 
B

barbus

Active Member
thomasttech said:
I was thinking about the same thing, or at least the same idea, I was actually thinking of a running (working) fridge that I have on hand and swapping the thermostat for what I need (cooler temps) and set it where I need it since with my closet grows I cant get lower than 34 degrees celcious -- but with a working fridge and a different themostat I can play as needed. also the freezer compartment - which is totally isolated from the lower could be used for clones with a couple T5's...

Oh well just what I have pondering the past month... Good Luck if you go with your idea!!!
Click to expand...
Hi, I read with interest but am sad to say using a fridge to keep your plants cool maybe a bit of a bad idea even with a different thermostat. The reason I say this is because the fridge/freezer will probably not be able to cope with the heat load produced by lights and you will also need to vent fresh air in and out of the box further hindering the cooling potential, I suspect the condenser will not have the capacity to hold the temperature you require and remove the heat produced by lights and venting. You may also find that you suffer from humidity problems and condensation inside the box. By all means try and keep us posted but I dont think it will work too well.
 
csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
thomasttech said:
I was thinking about the same thing, or at least the same idea, I was actually thinking of a running (working) fridge that I have on hand and swapping the thermostat for what I need (cooler temps) and set it where I need it since with my closet grows I cant get lower than 34 degrees celcious -- but with a working fridge and a different themostat I can play as needed. also the freezer compartment - which is totally isolated from the lower could be used for clones with a couple T5's...

Oh well just what I have pondering the past month... Good Luck if you go with your idea!!!
Click to expand...
yeah that crossed my mind as well....but seems to me like it might overload the fridge or blow up or set on fire lol..
 
csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
barbus said:
Hi csd, seeing as your gutting it completely it may be possible to release the refrigerant in a more safe and controlled manor. I was just afraid you were going to drill a hole anywhere and get a nasty surprise with the refrigerant escaping. Like I mentioned before the system will be under pressure if it's full of gas, the pressure will vary depending on ambient temperature and the exact gas enclosed, pressures could be upto and beyond 100psi. If it's a regular modern(ish) fridge it probably wont contain any hydrocarbons which contain butane and propane, highly flammable! some oldies contain ammonia. If modern it may contain r134a or r404a or similar these wont cause to much of a risk but ammonia is rather nasty if inhaled. Best thing I guess would be to look on the back where the compressor is and find the smallest copper pipe there is, it will probably be a few millimeters in diameter and brazed to long cylindrical tube, put some goggles on and a glove and chop the tiny pipe with a pair of side cutters, there will be a bit of a pop and the gas will come out with a drop of oil and maybe some liquid refrigerant. Leave the fridge for 10mins and have a drink while it flows out, best done outside.

I would like to add that in most countries it's highly illegal to release refrigerant into atmosphere and wont help global warming too much, but saying illegal, well, i don't think it matter much on this forum hey :bigjoint:

Sorry to go on and on but I have seen many people damaged by refrigerants. If you get stuck on what pipe to cut post a good close picture of the fridge at the back where all the pipes are and I will have a look for you, may also be worth checking the model plate on the fridge and seeing what gas it has in there and how much.

Once again, sorry to go on, im happy to help further if you not sure.
Click to expand...

Wow you really know your fridges barbus..I think the thing is about 15 years old it was a hand me down off the inlaws the seals are a bit shot now so you have to close it properly of it dont shut tight.. I will most definatly post pics of the back when i start to dismantel for you to give your advice..we're off to an recoververed goods auction next week so hopfully we will pick a new one up and i can start to gut this one.
 
csd7025

csd7025

Well-Known Member
barbus said:
I would like to add that in most countries it's highly illegal to release refrigerant into atmosphere and wont help global warming too much, but saying illegal, well, i don't think it matter much on this forum hey :bigjoint:
Click to expand...
I think my future grows will compensate for the harm it may do to the environment :-P

but seriously if there is a way to take the workings out without releasing the gases i would rather do that, if its possible?
 
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