Flowering cab, 250-400W HPS, DIY cool tube and carbon filter

[canuck grower]

Hi guys & girls,

I'm putting together a flowering cab to contain the odour. I'll have the actual cabinet in the next day or two and till then I'm going to stock up on supplies. I've never built one before so any advice is appreciated. I think I have a sound plan but if I'm forgetting anything please let me know.

The cab is 30" W x 59" H x 17" D. I wanted a few more inches on depth but I bought what I can afford. The cab is this one: http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_sku.asp?webid=598440&CatIds=&AffixedCode=WW&= and you can just use this postal code if it asks, V6C 3N3 .

The basic plan is a standard cab, I'm not going for anything new or crazy just a cab that works. It's going to be in my bedroom so noise is a factor.


6" exhaust at the top-back, optionally connected to a cool tube
passive intake
light / tube suspended by chains
removable screen for SCRoG growing
mylar
home made carbon filter
home made cool tube
oscillating fan (? depends on space inside I guess)


At first there will be a 250W HPS in there with no cool tube, but I want to allow up to a 400W HPS with cool tube in the future. The space is pretty small so maybe 400W is pushing things.

One thing I'm curious about is the outtake fan. I can't afford to drop $200 on a fan with everything else I need for this project, or I would get a Vortex. Any other recommendations? I want to spend up to $50, but I'm a bit flexible on price for extra quality. For comparison I was looking at the 4" 172 CFM Vortex. That should be enough for under 20 cub.ft (http://www.google.ca/search?q=30+inches+*+17+inches+*+59+inches+in+cubi c+feet) eh?

I will be building the cool tube (http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=59042) and carbon filter (http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?t=90173) from the FAQs here. Can you get Bake-A-Rounds in say Walmart or Zellers? eBay seems the easiest way to get one so far.

I have a list of everything I need and some sketches of what I want, but it almost seems too easy. As if I'm overlooking something important. Any comments or sugesstions are greatly appreciated! :D

Oh yeah what do you all use to cut holes when building your cabs? Should I pick up a jigsaw, or is there something cheaper I can use?

-canuck :jointsmile:

[canuck grower]

Ah, I just realized that my plans for the 400W were for a larger cab. I think 250W is more than enough for this one, so forget the 400W talk for now. I still want to build the cool tube for the 250W though, but I guess it's not as necessary.

[doco]

In my opinion a 4" Vortex should work fine for that cabinet - I use a 6" Vortex in a Hydrohut mini and it's way more than enough...in fact, next grow I'm going to attach another 400w cooltube to it and have it cool two 400w lamps - should be a cake walk. Thats just for cooling the lights though...I also have a squirrel cage fan with a carbon filter to clean and exhaust air from the cab.

The 17" depth of the cabinet you show above is gonna be somewhat cramped for flowering...you'll need to be a little creative but most tokers I know are pretty creative folks.

[canuck grower]

Hey doco thanks for the input!

I got a cheapo $50 inline fan for now. With the 250W I think that'll be good enough. If I can afford it I will get a 4" or 6" Vortex later and use this inline fan for intake. The guy at the grow shop has used a 6" Vortex (month old, he used it) and is selling it at the shop now for CAD$200. If I can figure it out I might buy it.

If I move up to 400W later I may look at having separate filter/exhaust and light cooling fans, but even then I'd like to get away with just one outtake.

I know that the depth is a little bit of a problem, but I plan on doing SCRoG in the future so I'll have to train my plants to be longer than wide. If I hadn't bought that cabinet online today I could have got one for $20 more at Canadian Tire that was 21" deep and 72" tall, still 30" wide. Argh! I guess that's what I get for being impatient. ;) Though Crappy tire doesn't deliver as far as I know so that might've been a problem.

I bought some mylar, loctite to put it up, the fan, a combo digital thermometer/hygrometer, 3M foam tape stuff (used on the veg cab), and some parts for the carbon filter. I couldn't find all the parts I needed at Home Depot so tomorrow there'll be another visit to the grow shop. Hopefully they deliver that cab in the morning so I don't wait all day!

The cool tube actually requires the most work which is why I wanted to do it at the beginning, but I think it might be better to put it off for now unless there's a heat / height problem. My main goal is to get the cab smell-proof as I can leave the window in the room open and have it pretty cool.

It needs to be mostly smell-proof. I realize that without sealing the cab properly some will get out, but some scent is acceptable, and this way I can use 1 fan.

Sorry for thinking with my fingers here and rambling a bit.

-canuck :jointsmile:

[canuck grower]

Will I have heat problems if I cover up my inline fan with something to insulate the noise? It seems like it would be alright, but maybe someone has actual experience with that. The cab is in my bedroom.

[doco]

I don't know the exchange rate but $200 CAD for a used Vortex is too much. You can buy them new for $150 USD at http://www.marylandhydroponics.com/inline-centrifugal-fans.html

4" Vortex is $108 USD.

Look for a thread here by Jamstigator...he has an awesome cab setup for flowering. I'm at work right now but if you can't find it, I'll post a pic of his setup when I get home.

[canuck grower]

Thanks doco I'll check jamstigator's cab out in a second.

You can get cool tubes for under $100 in the US, Vortex fans for $100, but here in Canada we have no such luck. :( Well not that I can find, online and in real life.

If we order things from the states we get screwed on brokerage fees by UPS and sometimes on shipping too. It works out that you'll end up paying the same amount or more ordering from the US so I just try to avoid it now.

It's the same for computer gear as well. *sigh* ...

Well I just got home from the grow shop. I still need to make a trip to Home Depot later today, and also pick up some kitty litter and nylons. What I did get is a 250W HPS ballast, bulb and a bat wing reflector. Also a couple parts for the carbon filter but they didn't have 4-6" reducers so I have a 4-6" reducing pot instead. Apparently people are buying those for under a buck and cutting off the bottom. Sounds like it'll work to me and they threw in the pots free (they always throw you something cheap like that as if they're doing you a favour for spending $200! ha ha) so I'm out $zero if it doesn't work well. Time to get to work, I have pics of the cab at different stages so I'll try and post those later today. :jointsmile:

[doco]

Here's that pic of Jams cabinet... opps, I can't post pics here for some reason...Ill post them on one of your other threads

[canuck grower]

doco: I couldn't find jamstigator's cab, maybe he didn't start a thread for it. I saved a pic of a cab that someone posted on this board because it was definitely a setup to imitate, but I don't know who it belongs to. If this attached pic isn't it then I'll keep looking. If it is his then... damn, what a cab! I saved that pic before I even thought about building one myself.
http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=attachmentnq8.jpg http://img519.imageshack.us/my.php?image=attachment1wf4.jpg
--

The cab is almost ready for the girls. I have one more trip to Home Depot and then I'll have everything I need for the cab + carbon filter. I almost went to HD a couple hours ago but decided to just get some nylons, kitty litter (for the "carbon" filter), and food since I ran on just coffee from 8am till almost 6.

I have the fan and a 250W HPS in there but it gets too hot, over 30 C (http://www.google.ca/search?q=30+c+in+f). The ventilation is pretty weak so I'll have to get some decent sized holes in the bottom. If that doesn't work then I'll look into an intake fan.

Ramble On just started playing and I have a fresh coffee. Life is good! :D

Holes in the bottom are going to be hard to manage with just a shitty electric screwdriver/drill dealie. The back of the cab is that cheap cardboard like "wood" and was a breeze to perforate with a drill and then cut with a serrated knife. The holes just make it easier to cut anything besides a straight line.

The chains are attached to the hood with some zip ties tied to the chain on the top and a small 8-shaped hook on the other side. I'm a little scared the zip ties might melt so close to that lamp so that might change sometime.

I don't think there's much else to say, so here are some pics.

Pic #1 (http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s3600001br0.jpg): Freshly mylared and assembled cabinet. The mylar is wrinkly but I was way too lazy to iron all of it. I ironed one (under a towel) and that was enough for me. You can see my pimp leopard sheets too, and the light from the closet. ;)

Pic #2 (http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s3600002jb0.jpg): Fan fits snugly, very nearly airtight.

Pic #3 (http://img144.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s3600004eu9.jpg): Closed cab, looks inconspicuous but no lights yet.

Pic #4 (http://img513.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s3600007ln0.jpg): Got the hood hanging and socket wired to the ballast. Since this pic it's been hung on chains instead of shoelaces! :)

Pic #5 (http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s3600017ah4.jpg): The veg/clone cab on the left, flowering cab on the right. The veg cab is uh, well it's just 2 CFLs and an 80mm computer fan in a tiny cabinet for now.

Pic #6 (http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s3600019tj8.jpg): Close up of the top of the cab: chains, thermometer/hygrometer on the left (too high), fan on the right near the gaping hole for wires... need to cover that up.

-canuck :jointsmile:

[canuck grower]

New 6" Vortex fans are about $270 at that shop. I know of another grow shop but it's quite a ways further away from me so I've only been there once.

What's with not being able to post pics here? Seems strange in the grow setup forum.

[doco]

Yeah, Thats the one that Jamstigator built!! Theres a couple other shots of it I have too...Ill post them on your closet grow thread.

[canuck grower]

Ok thanks doco! I'm looking forward to those.

Oh and my SCRoG screen should be easy once I need it. This cheapo cabinet comes with those plastic pegs that go in holes in the side and shelves that sit on top of them. So once I have a screen the right size it'll come in & out like butter.

Scroll, scroll, the buttons the buttons, scroll so smooth like-a butter on a muffin! TROOOOGDOOOOR!!! :D

[doco]

I think if you make some sort of cooltube, your inline fan might have enough power do the trick with your 250w. A 4 inch vortex would be much better though.

Drilling the holes in these cabs is a major pain. I have 1" to 4" hole bits but my 14v drill drained out about every three or four holes and I had to recharge it several times.

Still, you want intake holes, and since you are flowering in here you'll need to make sure they are light proof....Ive seen people drill out some big 3" or 4" holes on the sides or backs and then use pvc pipe with bends and elbows to block light from getting in.

Good Luck and Happy Growing

[canuck grower]

I have some more money I can spend so I went ahead and ordered a cool tube instead of building one. I may have enough to purchase a nice fan as well which would just kick ass. I'll see how much this cool tube affects things first.

The kitty litter filter is done but it severely inhibits airflow so it remains un-attached for now. With the doors open it wouldn't do a whole helluva lot anyway.

I don't even want to get into how we managed to get a big hole in the bottom. Needless to say it involved a small drill, 8-12 AA batteries (rechargeable thank god), a hammer, and a serrated knife. :) I was pretty close to getting a real drill but my friend talked me out of it. Some friend eh?! ;)

Being light proof is something I can hold off on by just keeping my room dark. So far it's been working as my closet is very far from being sealed.

I moved the girls in here but for now the door is staying open and a fan is blowing upwards on them. The temp is 25-27 C and humidity is around 25-30%, so it's slightly warmer than my room.

I have a computer PSU (power supply) rigged up to a 120mm fan that blows near the light. You can barely feel the breeze 6" away from it but it actually helps a tiny bit so it's staying for now. The same PSU is hooked up to an 80mm fan that circulates air in the veg/clone cab next to it. 400W for 2 tiny fans and 250W for a bright-ass, hot light. Ha ha, efficiency be damned! :)

Here are some photos of the cab as it gets closer to being ready.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/canuck-grower/tags/cab