Safety Issues + COPS + Helicopters in the UK!

[blizma]

Im pretty scared to make my next grow using way more lights than on my last grow.

Recently here in the south of UK, a gang of 15 growers where growing in a house they bought. They had a flowering room, veg room, cloning room, and they were growing outside in between tomatoe plants. They all were help in cuusterdy for several days till courte came, where they were put in prison in plymouth for 12 years. (article was in the newspapper called ' The Sun ')

Since then the past weeks helicopters circle the area I live in with big equipment dangling off the bottom of the helicopter. I hear this might be infrared vission or something. They come around my areaat least 2 times a day. Once in the morning, once just after midnight.

My worries are that they will pick up my next grow.
And my question is :

Will that infrared equipment see my comming up grow in the loft? I am going to use simple CFL's coolwhite + warmwhite. The loft has polystyrene and fibre glass for insulation.

Any replies I would be very greatfull!

blizma Reviewed by blizma on 08-10-2006. Safety Issues + COPS + Helicopters in the UK! Im pretty scared to make my next grow using way more lights than on my last grow. Recently here in the south of UK, a gang of 15 growers where growing in a house they bought. They had a flowering room, veg room, cloning room, and they were growing outside in between tomatoe plants. They all were help in cuusterdy for several days till courte came, where they were put in prison in plymouth for 12 years. (article was in the newspapper called ' The Sun ') Since then the past weeks Rating: 5

[babystarbud]

interesting question,

i think your pretty safe with cfl's, but you have to assume your being watched in this day and age.
im in the UK, in a bungalow running a closet 400w hid vented into the attic, which i guess would look like a fireplace or boiler on infra red.

if your growing in the attic, then your roof is going to show up a bit brighter than your neighbours, so u have to think about insulation, which obviously you have done....line the sloping roof parts but also alow heat to escape.

i guess a heat exhaust would also look obvious unless it diffuses in some way.

in my opinion, its better to grow on the first floor and vent into the attic which will spread out the heat nicely, but with flouros, i wouldnt worry too much to honest.


i dont know how good it is, but i found this today, it "claims" to be infra-red-proof?

http://www.aquaculture-hydroponics.c...productID=1484

it might be worth doing a google image search for infra red images, to see what looks normal and what dosent...but like i said, i wouldnt worry with cfl;s, unless your running a lot, and your grow space (attic) is gonna show up warmer than the surrounding houses

[babystarbud]

just to add, ive noticed in the last few months theres been a few busts in my local papers, but these were all oviously big commercial grows, with large numbers of plants and lots of equpment involved, like isolated barnes and sheds in the middle of nowhere that glow up bright white on camera. if you keep it sensible, and take sensible precautions, im sure theres nothing to worry about.

[babystarbud]

im on a mission no lol...

just looked up some pic on google, notice the pic below, some vans and some people wandering around...

you can see the heat from the engine and under the vans ( exhaust pipes ), and also from the peoples heads.....all of which are un-insulated., but also notice, the body panels of the vans are reletivley cold...just goes to show a small ammount of inulation, combined with some thoughtfull heat difusing can fool IR cameras

[blizma]

Thanks bro. I have done a few searches and i have noticed houses in general are very brightened up on the pictures i have seen.

In my loft, the bottom of it where the roof is, i have left that part free see there is a 1cm gap between the fibre glass on the tilted roof and the floor. This might let heat escape, and this also is my ventilation .

But i am still very worried because I know ALL people that live near me, and most of them smoke marijuana but dont grow.

Note : They all live in houses like me.

[Racerx]

I think your blowing this way out of proportion. government looks for operations that are significent enough to be cost effective to get rid of. It costs a crapload of money to run a helicopter, get a warrant, and storm a house... I mean a LOT of money. Unless you are running 8000 watts or more, and your stupid and plant marijuana outside while growing massive amounts inside...nothing is going to happen. youve obviously smoked too much and your paranoid if you think they are out looking for every Joe Schmoe who is growing 5 plants in his closet.

When you grow enough pot to require money laundering...then your worth it. Otherwise, lay off the pot.

PS. Your not even running an HPS or MH. My 200 watt regular lightbulb in my living room gives off more heat then a bunch of CFLs.

[HARDDON]

The only way to 'fool' an infra-red device is to line your grow area with LEAD DRYWALL...like the offices are where your doctor takes xrays.

That is the ONLY way to conceal the heat from lights.

And your simple possession and use of 1,000WATT HID bulb is not by itself illegal. ..nor is it "probable cause".

At least not in the states.

And as stated by RacerX, the CFL's aren't going to even show up on an IRD.

[blizma]

[quote=Racerx]I think your blowing this way out of proportion. government looks for operations that are significent enough to be cost effective to get rid of. It costs a crapload of money to run a helicopter, get a warrant, and storm a house... I mean a LOT of money.QUOTE]

The South-West where I live, the most crime accurs, aspecially near the seafront (where I live, like 5mins walk away from beach). They always run ahelicopter around this area, probably just to catch illegal street races, run away crimes, hit and runs etc.

Im still worried :S

[I mean, the government in my area has alot of money, they spent £18k on a fireworks display yesterday just because it was " official UK hotdog day " LOL!]

Oops a bit of subject

[HARDDON]

ANd, as long as you grow, you will remain worried.

And you should.

Just remember that for every one person other than yourself who knows, is one more potential leak.

[babystarbud]

this is a good post , some very good points made, especially that most busts are made by word of mouth.

I agree that the heat thing has been blown out of proportion somwhat, but i think its a very important point, and certainly has a good discussion potential, one can never be to carefull