Stelthy's 600W Hps Project! (New-Cab)

[stelthy]

Hehe tell me about it, Co2 is a lovely idea! but very hard in practice to pull off without air con!

I have been thinking about this problem for a while, I have a 600w in cool-tube in a 1m x 1m x 2m with 6" in-line and a 4" carbon filter and fan each with own duct but it still vac's the air in 30 sec

I would have thought it imposable in your size grow to use Co2, but it depends how rich and mad you are?

I did have one random idea that I got whilst watching a survival TV show on SKY, apparently people put clear plastic bags over plants in the desert to make the plants sweat excess water from the leaves and collect in the bag for pure drinking water... my thought is MAYBE... its possible to put a clear plastic bag over the section of the plant your most wanting to excel in growth ie. main cola's, and spray in ample Co2 and tighten the seal of the bag to hold in the Co2, forcing the plant to use the Co2 provided, of course.. the plant will most likely sweat too, just like the desert plants so a nuitrient should be added to counteract the extraction of water and or possibly higher the humidity after for a while to counteract things? then after 30 - 60 min's or so release the cola/section of the plant from the bag and in theory it should have worked... on a small scale this should be effective, however on a large scale time consumption would be immense, but then again (if on a large scale) C02 would be much more under control..food for thought anyway's let me know what you think. I mean it is just a theory but I see no reason why it shouldn't work let me hear your thoughts!?? - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

oh and ya pump do ya meen a "siphon pump"

Yeah that's what I meant lol, looks like a giant double ended pippet with a squeezable bulb in the middle with a non return valve in it I simply fill up a container (same L size as my res.) then transfer the new nuits (with the siphon-pump) across to my plants res-tub, its a lot easier than moving the ladies and reduces largely the risk of snapping branches/stem's etc. It works very well allows me to get the nuitrient mixed very well 1st and allows me to take accurate readings with my nuitrient wand for EC etc etc - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

Ok despite having a change of heart about my grow shelf, and the want to mod it to accommodate my new 10L res-tubs I decided to have a test run with my set up.... This pic show's the 600 as it is literally being fired up - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

And here she is fired up running 600 lovely watt's SO SO Bright!!! and not even hit the super lumen switch yet lol anyhow all the fans are working but a couple of things I've noticed that need changing/upgrading is/are:- the system despite my hench inline fan runs way to hot at around 40oC still... so I'am going to go crazy lol I am going to buy a Lumatek digital 250w ballast, and a Lumatek 400w digital ballast, to help me keep temps under control whilst in Summer/warmer month's, I also plan on changing the self Thermostated in-line fan for another more powerful RVK in-line fan and add a fan speed controller to it instead of having it with its own thermostat. I may also lose the Co2 can too since with this setup to use it would be a waste, then the shelf will be replaced with a new one able to accommodate my two new 10L res-tubs and re-covered, my air pump will be upgraded for a dual outlet one with more power to force more air threw my new Large air-stones and then I still need to add a filter and the top section, SO................ Plenty of mods to go... just when I thought I had done so well lol, nevermind, this will keep me busy and all in all help me create my ultimate BIG small growroom - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

 

[stelthy]

lol thought I'd finish tidying my wires for now - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

 

[stelthy]

The top of my unit is looking a lot less crowded with crap so thats all good just gotta tidy the wires better and add my filter, 2 new ballasts and coffin style drop over stealth case .. but lots to do before I do that - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

In this pic you can see my 3 main light leakages they will shortly be addressed and fixed - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

The tub on the far left is my current and last used 5L res-tub, and next to it my two new 10L res-tubs a little modding and they'll be ready - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

And here she is fired up running 600 lovely watt's SO SO Bright!!! and not even hit the super lumen switch yet lol anyhow all the fans are working but a couple of things I've noticed that need changing/upgrading is/are:- the system despite my hench inline fan runs way to hot at around 40oC still... so I'am going to go crazy lol I am going to buy a Lumatek digital 250w ballast, and a Lumatek 400w digital ballast, to help me keep temps under control whilst in Summer/warmer month's, I also plan on changing the self Thermostated in-line fan for another more powerful RVK in-line fan and add a fan speed controller to it instead of having it with its own thermostat. I may also lose the Co2 can too since with this setup to use it would be a waste, then the shelf will be replaced with a new one able to accommodate my two new 10L res-tubs and re-covered, my air pump will be upgraded for a dual outlet one with more power to force more air threw my new Large air-stones and then I still need to add a filter and the top section, SO................ Plenty of mods to go... just when I thought I had done so well lol, nevermind, this will keep me busy and all in all help me create my ultimate BIG small growroom - STELTHY

Can anyone think of a better way to cool my 600 for now in my cupboard, I am thinking I'll finish the whole unit 1st, then do a running temp test and depending on the outdoor temps of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter will depict to me weather I should use a 250w + super lumen, a 400w + super lumen or my beasty 600w + super lumen. The cupboards dimensions are :- 2ft deep x 4ft wide x 5ft tall, and the actual grow space minus the grow-shelf is 2ft deep x 4ft wide x 4ft tall I have a drainpipe connected to a 120mm CPU fan drawing in cooler air from my loft (room above), I have 3x 120mm CPU fans blowing upwards at shelf level, A Prima-Klima 6" self thermostated in-line fan connected to a 6" cool-tube with 6" insulated ducting that will expel air through a 6" Rhino carbon filter into our room (not grow cupboard or loft space) And am at current running a 600w Lumatek digital ballast with a super lumen switch but my temps are still climbing to around 40+ oC , If I can't lower temps I'll be forced to change to either a 250 or 400w ballast ps ballasts are external (not in the grow room) HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - STELTHY

 

[rocksteady6]

Stelth i have been out boozing with mates but i will give you my opinion. Sorry if its verbal rubbish. You are the king of cabs. The one you have looks too small to control your temps. Have you ever thought of making your own cabinet? Would have much more space and would be exactly the way you want it.

 

[TheJointProject]

Hey stelthy great lookin cab man. Ur attention to detail is unreal! Just a suggestion but I would try to put a larger fan for ur cool air intake from ur loft. If u can't pull out all the hot air it makes sense to pull in more cool air. Just my 2 cents but everything is lookin great. Also that 420 on the shelf looks sick! How did u pull that off?

 

[chainseeker]

Whoa! That light is super bright you have your work cut out for ya keepin that monster cool! Good luck but I'm sure if anyone can run a 600 in that space it's you.

 

[TCurtiss]

You may want to step down to a 400 you are running in less space than me which is not much, I am using a full size fridge with a 400 in there

A 165 cfm pulling through a carbon filter and my temps in the garage are 62 degrees & it's 82 in the cabinet now

I run my lights at nigh to keep the temps down, you may also want to get some 6 inch maybe to 4 inch tubing and run an exhaust pipe to a window if possible

I found this help get rid of the hot air coming from the cabinet into the room, I am running out the roof next to the water heater exhaust with a solid 4 inch pipe with elbows where needed.

I think I spent like 50 dollars for everything and it made a big difference and it keeps the noise down. You can throw something in front of the pipe like a poster or something like that to cover it

 

[Essex]

hello again m8, I got a few idea's

1, If you move the fan to the top left of the cabnet and sucked the air through the cool tube, this would give ya more space/less flow restriction at the right side.
2, If you insulate the top of the cooltube and all ducting this will also drop a few oC, I done this on mine with some camping mats and got 1.5oC less! take a look at my grow in my sig if ya want to see it. (looks like u got insulated ducting though, so touch and if warm insulate more)
3, If ya replacing the fan ya got, use that monster in ya loft to blow cool air from the loft down ya drainpipe.
4, Place a shelf of perspex or glass just under the light with some holes/gaps, I used perspex with gaps at each side in one build I done and this keeps the hot air in the void.(ya lose some light but dont think this is a problem in ya room!)

And if that dont work, ya could use a window mount air con and cut into the back panel and use a duct in and out for ya cool tube, then ya could use ya Co2 without much air extraction! (bit extreme)

Also I dont think this new "super lumen switch" is very good as it will change the colour spectrum of the bulb? (or thats what I would have thought?)

Hope some of this helps?

 

[stelthy]

Stelth i have been out boozing with mates but i will give you my opinion. Sorry if its verbal rubbish. You are the king of cabs. The one you have looks too small to control your temps. Have you ever thought of making your own cabinet? Would have much more space and would be exactly the way you want it.

I've just got back from tha pub too thanks...I do take pride in my cabs I have thought of making my own but wanna try n do this one for the time being I mean at the end of the day so as to speak eventually I wouldn't mind using all the ballasts in a large project as and when the times right, so I figure If I buy a 250 and a 400 then I can use either or, for my unit at the moment and then when I do do a real mental home cabinet 'super-build' from scratch my 600 will feel right at home I'll use what temps allow for now but I cant decide until I have finished... I may even...for the time being change the cool tube for a smaller air cooled hood put a RVK fan and speed controller on it and just save the 600 and the cool cool-tube for my ultimate cab in a year or so.. Its all about trial and error and being new to all aspects of HID HPS and MH lighting its a learning curve I am willing to take until I have the best possible knowledge but dont worry I'll do the best I can and I wont give up! it may take some time but it'll make for an interesting read - STELTHY

 

[littlegrower2004]

stelthy-your taking out all of the air too quickly for your small cpu fan to give any beneficial intake. either you need to move that big self thermostatd fan so its bringing the fresh air in and get a fan to expel the stagnant air threw the cool tube and out the cab. or you need to leave the inline fan there and just buy a good intake fan to bring in lots of fresh cool air from your loft. if those ideas dont work looks like your either going to have to go back to a smaller ballast or buy a air conditioner of some sort either window or portable that can be placed in your room or loft to cool the intake air as much as possible. also they make the Lumatek digital ballasts that are dimmable which i am currently using, its a 600w ballast that can be dimmed to 400w and 360w, as well can be turned up from 600w to superlumens. according to my local hydro guy, superlumens only hirts the amount of time the bulb last, it doesnt change the spectrum but will increase heat for sure. haha shit you can even try turning the inline fan you got in there on its side so that the open end which is sucking from the side of the wall will be more open to the top of the cabinet and can possibly exhaust more air, the ducting will have a pretty good bend in it though. just some suggestions, hate seeing this stupid heat problem, almost beat me but i came out on top haha. hope this helps.

 

[stelthy]

Hey stelthy great lookin cab man. Ur attention to detail is unreal! Just a suggestion but I would try to put a larger fan for ur cool air intake from ur loft. If u can't pull out all the hot air it makes sense to pull in more cool air. Just my 2 cents but everything is lookin great. Also that 420 on the shelf looks sick! How did u pull that off?

Cheers man, I 'am trying to keep noise minimal as well cos of nosey next door neighbours also the grow cupboard is in our bedroom and the loft is bog standard except wood panel flooring, so fan in the loft isnt out of the question but I would prefer to find another way however the way the system is setup at the moment when the cooltubes big 6" fan is sucking the air out it is also helping the CPU fan pull air in, and when attempting to open the cupboards doors there is a good vacume , I am honestly contemplating changing my giant cooltube for a smaller air-cooled hood and that should allow less of a bend on the left sides insulated ducting, if that still doesn't work then I'll replace the Prima-Klima 6" fan for a really hardcore fan .. I'll have to do some research though as to keep noise output to a minimal! and then finally if still no success then I'll temperally drop the 600 and use a 400 or 250 until next time when I go crazy and build my Ultra Cabinet from scratch, (with this one I really just wanted to get experience and knowledge under my belt..as with HPS etc Am still learning... its very different to CFLs which in all honesty I had mastered! Well as you can see there is a lot of tweeking to do but I will get there in the end, I am not too concerned about cost cos I know in the long run I can make it back but cooling these lamps is a fucker!! anyhow.. I bought some plastic number stickers and just mounted them in the 420 order on the Mylar.. the numbers had sticky backs so I just had to present them correctly, very nice and effective look I thought, still gotta plod on - STELTHY

 

[stelthy]

hello again m8, I got a few idea's

1, If you move the fan to the top left of the cabnet and sucked the air through the cool tube, this would give ya more space/less flow restriction at the right side.
2, If you insulate the top of the cooltube and all ducting this will also drop a few oC, I done this on mine with some camping mats and got 1.5oC less! take a look at my grow in my sig if ya want to see it. (looks like u got insulated ducting though, so touch and if warm insulate more)
3, If ya replacing the fan ya got, use that monster in ya loft to blow cool air from the loft down ya drainpipe.
4, Place a shelf of perspex or glass just under the light with some holes/gaps, I used perspex with gaps at each side in one build I done and this keeps the hot air in the void.(ya lose some light but dont think this is a problem in ya room!)

And if that dont work, ya could use a window mount air con and cut into the back panel and use a duct in and out for ya cool tube, then ya could use ya Co2 without much air extraction! (bit extreme)

Also I dont think this new "super lumen switch" is very good as it will change the colour spectrum of the bulb? (or thats what I would have thought?)

Hope some of this helps?

Hello mate Will the fan work better from the left side at the top? ..it means it will be sucking heat from the cooltube ...& no longer blowing, is that better? I may give it a go.... How would I install the perspex? would I need to move the perspex up and down when I move the light when the ladies grow? Oh the super lumen switch doesn't change the spectrum its a 30% power increase for son-t special HPS bulbs, anyhow I will ask a few opinions from people and then most likely move the fan to the top left like you said just gotta work out how to suspend it now - STELTHY