Need help with Indoor grow/design

[Kaparski]

Hello everyone,

Currently Iâ??m growing 1 plant in a shitty plastic box, complete with tin foil and 2 lamps. I am well aware that tin foil is shit but I donâ??t have any other options until my mylar arrives J. Attached to each lamp post are 2 Flourscent Daylight Bulbs (23W, 1660 lumens, CRI:83, 5100k +). Its been around a month now and my plant is looking pretty good minus the burnt tips of 8 leaves (sloppiness) and the beginning leaves turning yellow and dying off (leaves with 1 blade at the bottom). Since the plant has been so good to me, I feel it is my obligation to provide it with some decent housing.

My idea involves going to a second hand store, buying a cheap adjustable tray shelf, slapping on a fake door or wood plank, and painting it. My dilemma consists of a few issue which I need help with:

1) The setup in my head looks like this: (see pic1) Would it be better to have 2 fixtures at the top of the cabinet and 2 on the side or just 4 fixtures at the top?

2) The fan is located at the bottom of the cabinet with air holes above it and on the side of the cabinet. Is that enough or sufficient for air flow within the cabinet. I know that fluorescent bulbs do not generate a lot of heat at all so Iâ??m not entirely sure I even need a fan.

3) Would the design be more efficient if the fixtures (regardless of plan1 or 2) are attached to the cabinet shelf and the plant and fan are located at the very bottom of the plant? My only concern is that the wiring would require some fenness to prevent any sort of problems lowering the panel of lights

4) How exactly am I supposed to wire it up all together. My experience in electrics is limited but I can definitely learn it. All I need are 4 sockets for bulbs, wiring, and a plug adaptar (although I donâ??t know which voltage I should use). Can anyone give me some advice on constructing this easy electrical design? I would also like to add a switch to it to add some convience.

5) Lastly, any advice for the design and such?

THANKS for your help


PS: bare with the pics, the mouse at work is disastrous

[Mole2k4]

posted 2 early

[Mole2k4]

Kaparski, I'm not an electrial genius or anything and I'm hardly a grow god.
Here's my 2 cents worth anyways.
1) I'd go with 2 on top, 2 on the side. I grow using a 400w HPS lamp, I use 1 fluro for veg. Going by what I've read on the board, most people spread them around to increase the amount of light the bottom of the plant is getting.

2) I'm guessing your a brit based upon certain words you have used, if I'm wrong, don't be offended. Plant's like it nice and warm, and seeing as your using fluro's your absolutely right that they generate little heat. The fan will probably provide enough cool air and there won't be a need for an extractor unit, although you MUST have some kind of air circulation device to make your plant's stem get thick enough to support it's own weight, otherwise, when you flower it, it will get top heavy, fall and snap the stem, not something you want to happen!
If you live somewhere hot then yes have a vent, if you live in the uk don't bother is my opinion.

3) My plants grow to 5ft roughly in a 3/4 month grow cycle, how bigs the cabinet? My answer regardless though would be yes, forget about the shelf, its handy when they are small, but you don't want all the light being at the top. If you lost the shelf, then the plant would gain the light from the side, rather than from the top. In my eyes, causing less stretching.

4) Use 3 core wire, most things can be easily modified to accept this as if you live in the uk, thats what 95% of light fittings run off, even the lamp in your ceiling.

5) Respond first and we will bounce some ideas around. I'll show you mine if you show me yours

:thumbsup:
3)

[Kaparski]

Good stuff.

Well Iâ??m not british but I am European so it counts for something :D First, I learned first hand the damages of not using a fanâ?¦my leaves were having mysterious holes in the top leaves. I found a combweb yesterday (just 1 very tiny one) but it didnâ??t look like like it was created from an attack. Turns out the stomatas on the plant were overheating and burnings holes into the leaves. I removed all my shitty tin foil inside the cabinet too because of the hot spots it generates.

Anyways, my cabinet that I am buying is probably going to be under 4 feet. We got this great second hand store where I can pick up it along with some wood planks for artifical doors :thumbsup: Hopefully, itâ??ll be 3-4 feet high, 1-2 feet wide, and 1 foot deep (my plants definitely indica as itâ??s a bushy mother at only 7 inchs). Im going to take your advice and place 4 lights, 2 on the sides, 2 above as it makes more sense. Since its 7 inch high, I feel that the extra shelf will be unnecessary as the stem has grown quite thick and compact.

As for the electric issues, how exactly do you set up the circuit to get all 4 lights running. I drew out a diagram to the best of my knowledge. Oh, and your pics of your setup will be appreciated. :D

[Mole2k4]

Kaparski,

I'm intrigued to know how you have a bushy mother at only 7 inches?
Unless you mean its a bushy "muddy funster"
( A "Mother" in growing terms means its a senior plant that you use to create clones from, and they are usually MUCH bigger than 7" )
I'm sorry to hear that you learnt first hand about the fan, hope it wasn't too disastrous for your plant!
Where did you find the cobweb? On the plant? If so it could be something more serious than burning your plant!

I think your making a good choice on the shelf, I don't see the purpose with it.
Which country are you from? Purely because there are obviously slight differences between electric's and I don't want to give you bad advice, like I said I'm no genius ;)
I looked at your picture and there isn't a need for you to complete a circuit for something electrial along these lines.
You would simply open the light fitting and fit the appropriate cables to their designated slots, you could then place a second set of cables connected to that light, that leads to another light and so on or you could use a connector block for each light and run 2 set's of cables into that block.
One powering the light and one taking power from that light to power another light.
Once you've done 4 you just don't add anymore cable and the circuit will end there.
I have run some lights like this, all be it for a short period of time, but none the less it worked ok for me with no problems using the first method:D
As for running them off a plug? Simply connect the wiring you used to wire up the lights to a plug! Then you could even run it off a timer and have nothing to do but water the plants.

I'll do some pics of my growing chamber at some stage this week:thumbsup:

[Mole2k4]

As for running them off a plug? Simply connect the wiring you used to wire up the lights to a plug!

Unfortunately I don't know how to run it off a light switch, it would be along the same methods as explained for powering the light and I could attempt to explain them, although I don't feel it is safe. :(
If you want I can go through the theory with you although its something I've never done
:)

[Kaparski]

Dont worry Im going to nutruelize those pests with either ladybugs or my spray.

I live in Canada rite now, but Im sure our system is similar to yours. Except you use 240volt vs 120volts :)

Thanks for the advice, Ill get some pics up and runnign of the operation as it progresses.