1000 Watt Grow Cab

Hey all,

I have a problem and am working to find a solution. I recently picked up a 1000 watt hps off craigslist for a price that I couldn't pass up. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a permanent location (a whole room) for the light, and am thinking of constructing a grow cab because it needs to be able to be wheeled around.

Now, I realize the amount of heat produced by a 1000 watt HPS is substantial, and normally, a cabinet would almost be out of the question, but I am counting on a number of factors to make the cabinet function.

I will lay out my plan, and await any suggestions that you all might have to make the setup work. Thanks for the feedback.

The dimensions of the box will be 5H x 5W x 2.5D.

The light will be rigged to a homemade cooltube with a powerful fan. What CFM rating would you suggest?

I plan on having passive intake, 1 or 2 circulating fans, and an active exhaust run through a homemade carbon filter; again, what CFM rating would you suggest for this second fan?

Finally, the reason I believe that I can complete this grow is because, where I am (midwest), winter is fast approaching, and I can simply leave the window cracked to bring in freezing air, and close it during the lights off cycle. Later, in the summer, I can worry about AC when i need to.

Basically, will this plan work, or should I rethink entirely? Thanks for everything.

Basically, the ambient temperature in the room could be at 32 degrees F or lower.

i don't think its going to work.

too much heat and too big a heat differential with your winter air will mean wildly varying temps that will be tough to regulate.

and not enough space as the light (with its buffer zone) and pot will take up half of the 5 ft in height

Hey Desertrat, thanks for the quick reply. From all your other posts I've read, its easy to tell you know what you're talking about.

It's as I feared, then. Back to the drawing board...

Could you link me something that would better help me understand what you meant by heat differentials?

I understand that what seems like common sense is often wrong, but... my thoughts were based around the assumption that a low ambient temperature (outside air), when mixed with the heat produced by the light, would result in a uniform room temperature (the room the box is housed in) somewhere in between the temperature of the box and that of the outside air. I guess I need to figure out where I'm going wrong.

Also, if you had to guess, what would the optimal height of the light be?

Basically, if it's completely unworkable, that's the way it is; I'd just really hate to give up growing.

Thanks again.

omnombudsman said:

Could you link me something that would better help me understand what you meant by heat differentials?

Also, if you had to guess, what would the optimal height of the light be?

Basically, if it's completely unworkable, that's the way it is; I'd just really hate to give up growing.

Thanks again.

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heat differential is just the difference in temps between the outdoor air and the temp of the light. when its really cold the air will not have a chance to warm enough under the light and you will chill your plants too much. you could try and vary the amount the window was open but you;d be changing it every evening and it would be difficult to get right. its like using an airconditioner that doesn;t have a thermostat and having to pull the plug every time it got too cold.

if you have 6 ft you'll be fine for height.

and don't give up, there;s always something that will work.

Again, thanks for the info.

I think I'll just build the cab and experiment; eventually, if it doesn't work, I'll downgrade my lights.

I think I can do 6ft. I don't have the need or the space to grow a huge amount of plants and there is just something about the quality of weed that a 1000 watt light in such a confined space would produce that has obsessed me, as long as heat is controlled.

omnombudsman said:

I think I'll just build the cab and experiment; eventually, if it doesn't work, I'll downgrade my lights.

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that's exactly what i was going to suggest but i didn;t want you to think you wasted the 1000, its made for 36 square ft so it really is overkill for your box.