How To - Rubbermaid Tub Growbox

[emar]

hey uhm can you tell me how you wired that computer fan... im wondering how i would wire it to an outlet, i get the basics of wiring as i can wire lights and what not.. but do i need like an adapter or what not to plug it into an outlet?

[Primus]

Hey Bodom, great grow! It's inspired me to build my own similar growbox.

I used two 18gal tubs, lined with aluminum tape. The two 3-light fixtures from lowes, and 6 23w CFLs. What I couldn't tell from your pictures is how bright the box actually is. I can't even look inside it when the lights are on, it's like the light of god.

Anyway, I was wondering what, if anything you used to keep the tubs held together well - I've been using heavy spring clips, to try to minimize the seam of light eminating from between the top and bottom. I'll probably try to weatherstrip the gap next, because I'll have to have the box fairly airtight (with the exception of a carbon scrubber exhaust) for odor control.

I was wondering if you had any of these issues.

[emar]

hey uhm can you tell me how you wired that computer fan... im wondering how i would wire it to an outlet, i get the basics of wiring as i can wire lights and what not.. but do i need like an adapter or what not to plug it into an outlet?

nvm figured it out

[Cyclonite]

So what was your final yield? About an O after dried?

[anthonyakadayday]

:rastasmoke:
im compleately new to this whole thing, are the cfl lights used in this thread good for growing weed or would an aquarium plant light be better

[Primus]

I'm doing the same style grow and I can tell you, CFLs work.

Other things may work better, and different people may have different opinions of what "should" be used, but in my opinion, and little experience, CFLs do a great job for the cost of purchasing, and powering them.

For BIG grows, they'll be beaten out of the ball park, i'm sure... but for this sized grow, they work great.

[anthonyakadayday]

what size pots should be used and what kind of poting soil:rastasmoke:

[Freak_Hehe]

I made a grow box of very similar design, then I came to this site and found this thread, glad to see that the idea actually works good

Mine has 5 - 60watt(2600lumin) CFLs and 1 - 59watt(2200lumin) CFL (one outlet is too close too fan for another 60watt) (15200 lumin), a kiddie fan in the top and slit vents (with shades) in the bottom. It also has a view window to check on the thermometer/RH% Meter inside. I taped a powerbar onto the side for the timer/etc... It's also set up so I can just use the top half when the plants are small and I butchered/glued a lid onto the top half so it locks onto the bottom half.

It started out as basically a hobby project and kinda exploded







I had it in my bedroom for a bit, but it was way too bright. The lights shine through the plastic in places, so i gotta tape over some places. It may look kinda ghetto, but it seems to work pretty good.

[mspofford032579]

Next, you need the light fixtures. For the 22gal tubs the 18in, 3light fixture from Lowe's is ideal. You need two fixtures one for each side of the box.
Both fixtures cost me $19.74 before tax.

First things first,

Bodom: I'm new here, and I've been reading lots of your posts. EVERYTHING you build kicks ASS. That said, I don't want you to think I'm stealing your thunder here.

Everyone else: If you're cheap like me, you're probably trying to hack this thing together with enough left over to buy a blunt while you wait for your shit to sprout. If you've got some spare materials laying around like a peanut butter jar full of machine screws etc, check out the light fixture I built myself. http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-gr...t-fixture.html If you have some of the smaller materials required, you can build this for about half the cost of ready made stuff at home depot. If you don't have some material lying around, you'll probably save less. I like my design because of the versatility...

Bodom, You have been inspiring to me and others on this forum I'm sure. I've been lurking for a while... getting ideas, formulating plans, growing eyes in the back of my head...

My Question(s):
I bought a similar bathroom fixture but promptly returned it because of the safety warning of MAX 60W Globe Light per socket. #1 Do I disregard the bulb type they call for on the packaging (Globe PAR whatever)? #2 Do you think it would be safe to exceed the MAX Wattage warning if only by a bit? I wanted to run two 43W cfl's from each socket on the fixture. #3 Do Ijust bite the bullet and grab two fixtures? I also picked up from the Depot a "Tool Replacement Cord" rated 16 gauge - 13 Amp - 125V. #4 Are standard light sockets wired with 16 guage?

Thanks for any help Bodom... OR anyone else that might chime in. Cheers!

Sunnyvale420: Remember, when you buy one of these compact fluorescent bulbs from walmart or wherever, the wattage is not the actual wattage. For example the "100 watt" compact fluorescent bulbs I bought from walmart (made by GE) only take 26 watts apiece. The "100 watts" is an incandescent equivalent. Or, in other words, they only use 26 watts of electricity apiece, but because they use fluorescent technology, and not a fillament, they put out the same ammount of light as a 100 watt (traditional, fillament, incandescent, hot ass burn your fingers) light bulb. They usually print the actual wattage in smaller print somewhere else on the box. They want you to see the equivalent wattage so that when you buy one, you have a reference to a technology you are familiar with to guess how bright it will be. That said, you SHOULD (I'm not an electrician) be safe using these bulbs in that fixture, because the maximum wattage per socket is 60, and you would be only using 26watts per socket.

[Bodom Children Of]

You are correct. My design is for the least amount of work. Before the tubs I had wired up a bunch of cfls manually but it just took too long. Plug and play.

you are correct about the wattage as well. the 42wt cfl he is talking about is probably the 150w-200w regular. those are too big for these size tubs, though.