A Medicinal Refrigerator

[macdadyabc]

My bad, i meant around $100 a year. You guys are right, in a sealed controlled room, even with minute plant ventilation, you can get the best results. When i built my fridge, (i gutted it,non-working) i had a hard time keeping the temp below 95 fahrenheit because the outside temp at night was 90 or above and my ac sucks. With co2 or dry ice they would only need air exchange once or twice every day or so like you said.You guys know your stuff more than i do. Mike, are u using 2 or 4 lights in that bathroom, and what watt? ive only gotten 3/4 pound at once under a 600 hps

 

[1mikej]

My bad, i meant around $100 a year. You guys are right, in a sealed controlled room, even with minute plant ventilation, you can get the best results. When i built my fridge, (i gutted it,non-working) i had a hard time keeping the temp below 95 fahrenheit because the outside temp at night was 90 or above and my ac sucks. With co2 or dry ice they would only need air exchange once or twice every day or so like you said.You guys know your stuff more than i do. Mike, are u using 2 or 4 lights in that bathroom, and what watt? ive only gotten 3/4 pound at once under a 600 hps[/Q..... im using 2 x1000watt lights in cool tubes on ceiling, 1 x400 watt light on the bathroom door to hit the front side of plants and another few hundred watts by way of 4ft t5 on walls.

 

[1mikej]

only venting a grow room to keep it cool without a ac unit will only work if its below @75degrees outside. if its 90 outside, without ac you wont get your grow area cooler than 90 that just basic physics. i dont care how many vents or fans you use. i tried for months lol it cant be done. if its 90 outside and you turn on a hid light no matter how big of a can fan you use to cool light that room will hit over 100 degrees in minutes. no way around that fact either. a crop grown in a room that is only vented will not compare at all to a crop grow in a room that is cooled/dehumidified by an ac unit down to 75 degrees. i learned that lesson 1st hand. from my perspective it make no sence not to take advantage of a frigs's cooling ability. it might even be cheaper to run refrig all day than to run 2-3 fans all day exspecialy if the fans cant get the area down to 75 degrees. remember my idea has the light in the freezer with two pains of glass seperating frig from freezer and with all the insulation that about the same as have the light in a vented hood and on top of that the light is in a vented cool tube so the heat has to pass through 3 pieces of glass and 2 air pockets that insulate. i am exsperimenting with 100 watts of t5 in frig now. i ducked tape door because the power cord wont allow door to seal so i have leaks but the temp is holding stead it 50. im sure its running more but who care. the ac unit in my grow room does not shut down until the lights go off.. so in short it work for sure . im sure there is a limit to how many watts of light you can use but if you go cfl/floro it will be fine. the cord on my computer cam wont reach so i cant give pics. im so impressed with this idea. whats more stealth than an extra frig

 

[jsgamber]

Here's an interesting cooling guide showing how much BTU's each wattage bulb produces for a cooling/ventilation system to overcome http://www.aquaculture-hydroponics.co.uk/admin/web-inf/uploads/documents/cooling-bound.pdf

This is a great debate and I'm actually in the middle of it with my considerations of using AC (I'm not growing in a fridge). The interesting part of this debate has to do with the design of each unit. A fridge is designed to keep food cold (42*F) or frozen (20*F) in a closed loop system (no fresh air introduced). Central/Space AC is designed to cool a larger space occupied by living organism (people/pets/plants) in a semi-closed-loop system (houses are much "leakier" than a fridge even assuming the house/fridge door is never opened) to a temperature of around 78*F.

Now a plant still needs a certain number of air changes which a fridge won't be able to supply without modifying for ventilation. So really it comes down to making sure the cooling unit can overcome the ambient temperature of the outside air coming in to supply fresh air. I think 750 btu is probably adequate but I also think the unit will be running continuously (resting food doesn't add additional heat but a HID light does).

No matter how you look at it, some sort of ventilation will be required. Adding a closed-loop cool tube system will be a requirement.

Food for thought.

 

[1mikej]

Here's an interesting cooling guide showing how much BTU's each wattage bulb produces for a cooling/ventilation system to overcome http://www.aquaculture-hydroponics.co.uk/admin/web-inf/uploads/documents/cooling-bound.pdf

This is a great debate and I'm actually in the middle of it with my considerations of using AC (I'm not growing in a fridge). The interesting part of this debate has to do with the design of each unit. A fridge is designed to keep food cold (42*F) or frozen (20*F) in a closed loop system (no fresh air introduced). Central/Space AC is designed to cool a larger space occupied by living organism (people/pets/plants) in a semi-closed-loop system (houses are much "leakier" than a fridge even assuming the house/fridge door is never opened) to a temperature of around 78*F.

Now a plant still needs a certain number of air changes which a fridge won't be able to supply without modifying for ventilation. So really it comes down to making sure the cooling unit can overcome the ambient temperature of the outside air coming in to supply fresh air. I think 750 btu is probably adequate but I also think the unit will be running continuously (resting food doesn't add additional heat but a HID light does).

No matter how you look at it, some sort of ventilation will be required. Adding a closed-loop cool tube system will be a requirement.

Food for thought.

yep. if you vent the frig (the part of frig where the plant is not the freezer where the light is) with a real small fan like pc van and only introduce air that is not hot you would have a pretty good enviroment for growing. possibly best to have that fan come on and exchange the air while lights are off so you dont stress frig

 

[Danielsgb]

Here's today's project. I made a 1" PVC to hold a Drain Tray for my Main Chamber. It's 12" tall in the front and 13" tall in the back, so it should flow forward into a pan. It has a fitting for a tube I have with a shut off, for bottom tray changes. I did this to 'Make it Rain'. I've wanted to try it, but I couldn't with the 4 gal pots. Too heavy for me. 8 to 12 gal. each for 3 plants would have done me in. I could do three 3 gal. trays to make it work though. I also made most of the 3/4 PVC tubing for a tent for Theresa. I need a few more tubes. I have to make one more for Lucy too. I have to get them started flowering by Aug. 15th.
Daniels

 

[Danielsgb]

I tested the Bulb & Ballast and checking some temps. Kinda bright, huh? I'm thinking galvanized tin reflector. A piece of glass like I did for the other PC. About an Inch and a half below the bulb. Think the Bulb is too close to the top? Gumball I know you have something to say. I'll mount the fan from the old power supply for the top Exhaust. I can add a top Intake fan too if needed. A 120mm should Exhaust the Main fine, with a 90mm for Intake. Kinda just Screams SCROG Huh?
Daniels

 

[cowboylogic]

Simple titties and beer Dan. You are no longer Stealthman. I vote you become McGyverman. That pc case is going to be perfect for a few Diesel Ryders.

 

[gumball]

I tested the Bulb & Ballast and checking some temps. Kinda bright, huh? I'm thinking galvanized tin reflector. A piece of glass like I did for the other PC. About an Inch and a half below the bulb. Think the Bulb is too close to the top? Gumball I know you have something to say. I'll mount the fan from the old power supply for the top Exhaust. I can add a top Intake fan too if needed. A 120mm should Exhaust the Main fine, with a 90mm for Intake. Kinda just Screams SCROG Huh?
Daniels

AWESOME MAN!! i love how you have it perpindicular instead of parallel with the case. i thought of doing a vertical, but not enough room!!

so the MAC didnt work out huh? is the hole for the power supply on the top back? what you can do is just take the power supply and cut the top and back off of it, and let the 80mm fan inside of it vent your lighting space. you can also use this powersupply to support your glass heat shield. either set the glass on top of the power supply, or use magnets to hold it to the bottom of the i think some glass/plexi-glass about an inch below would work. just let it sit for a day with the light on and make sure there are no breaks. i dont think it is too far from the top, but put a thermometer on top of the case with everything closed and sealed and see how much it heats up. dont want to burn you. i have mine in that coleman lantern globe, so it has a layer of glass all around.

here is a picture of what I mean.

sorry for all the rambling, lovely setup bro!!

 

[gumball]

oh, i would leave your intake passive. there isnt enough room in the case, and the swirl of air may mess up your temps.

 

[Danielsgb]

AWESOME MAN!! i love how you have it perpindicular instead of parallel with the case. i thought of doing a vertical, but not enough room!!
so the MAC didnt work out huh? is the hole for the power supply on the top back? what you can do is just take the power supply and cut the top and back off of it, and let the 80mm fan inside of it vent your lighting space. you can also use this powersupply to support your glass heat shield. either set the glass on top of the power supply, or use magnets to hold it to the bottom of the i think some glass/plexi-glass about an inch below would work. just let it sit for a day with the light on and make sure there are no breaks. i dont think it is too far from the top, but put a thermometer on top of the case with everything closed and sealed and see how much it heats up. dont want to burn you. i have mine in that coleman lantern globe, so it has a layer of glass all around.
here is a picture of what I mean.
sorry for all the rambling, lovely setup bro!!

Sometimes I'm wondering if we are channeling plans. I had this ready for today. Here's the old power supply. I have to cut it and mount it. I'll wire that bulb in from there. I was planning the glass plate for just below. I'm thinking it may be better for that bulb to get both active air, but I think I'll have to decide before I get the glass cut. I see what your saying too. Just thinking that's a lot of bulb heat. The Mac worked perfectly, I didn't have it in the Pics. I like it perpendicular too, for better coverage. I'll tilt it a bit down too. You'd need the vert. bulb, but yea, not right. No Room here. I'm still surprised you got all that in yours. I wanna see those tried for side lighting on a large project. Oh, and feel free to ramble all you want.
Daniels

 

[lawngnome420]

iv got the same set up i just have a problem with ventalation when the door is fully shut. mine is a freezer not a fridge tho lol looks good thou

 

[gumball]

Yeah, we must be tripping on the same wavelength!!! i like it, it's cool!!

this is what i did, i drilled a half inch hole here and brought in the wire for my ballast. you could probably plumb a lot more from that position. i had no room with my ballast for plugs or outlets for fans and shit. you may have the space!!

as long as you can keep the active air for the bulb seperate from the air in the main cab you should be golden. leave the bottom section passive, and self contained from the main heat source

oh, i edited the pic to point out exactly what i meant

 

[Danielsgb]

Yeah, we must be tripping on the same wavelength!!! i like it, it's cool!!

this is what i did, i drilled a half inch hole here and brought in the wire for my ballast. you could probably plumb a lot more from that position. i had no room with my ballast for plugs or outlets for fans and shit. you may have the space!!

as long as you can keep the active air for the bulb seperate from the air in the main cab you should be golden. leave the bottom section passive, and self contained from the main heat source

oh, i edited the pic to point out exactly what i meant

I'm thinking a Female plug on both ends of the cord. One end with the comp plug. What do you think of this reflector? I could have it straight angled instead of curved. Fan is mounted now too. I'm liking a sealed top so the Main can have it's own whole environment.
So what's everyone think. Curved or wide V?
Daniels

 

[gumball]

reflector looks good! but remember this is a small box so it may retain enough heat to heat up the entire pc. so if you can make it so it can be taken out easy it may help you adjust your temps once everything is setup, if they are even a problem.

as for the v or the curve, i like the curve. another fellow did a curve, but cut it directly in half, and when mounted on the ceiling left an inch gap between the 2 pieces. here is a link to what i am talking about https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/161995-pc-case-grow-stealth-perpetual-87.html#post3968395

 

[Danielsgb]

I remember I had this too. I'll use the coat hanger, and make it so I can switch them.
Daniels

 

[gumball]

they look even better, i like the one on the left myself. lighter and shinier too it appears to me.

 

[Danielsgb]

What do you think would glue this? I have Gorilla Glue, Goop,Hot Glue, Elmer's Wood Glue, Silicone Caulk. Hot glue seems off the list, except final touches. A combo or wait till Ace in the morning.
Daniels

 

[Danielsgb]

I got some more done with the E-Series today. Bulb Intake Fan and Exhaust Fan are both in. I cut up Power Supplies for the fan and it's mounting piece. I went with a bent angled reflector instead of curved. The Main Intake Fan is on too. The Exhaust fan will be easy. I got a windshield reflector cut up for the Main wall and the Door. I'll get glass Monday.
Daniels

 

[gumball]

What do you think would glue this? I have Gorilla Glue, Goop,Hot Glue, Elmer's Wood Glue, Silicone Caulk. Hot glue seems off the list, except final touches. A combo or wait till Ace in the morning.
Daniels

everything is looking daniels'esque!!!

i wouldnt glue it personally. i would use some HVAC foil tape and tape it in a few locations. i am weird though, i have a real problem making anything in any of my cases permanent. glue is permanent. magnets will hold it on well as well, probably better than tape or glue, and more reusable, if those systems came with hard drives then you can take em apart and grab a few high power magnets.