Grow Room Upgrades - Thoughts?

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spicemustflow

New Member
Hi guys,

Alright so, very green grower here, needing some advice. I have been experimenting with turning a tin shed in my backyard into a grow shed but I’m encountering some issues. For the record I have successfully grown 2 plants from seed to bud. I want to redesign my setup and see if I can’t increase yields, safety, etc.


The Setup


  • Tin shed, 10’L X 5’W X 7’ on a concrete foundation. Rectangular, 1 door, no windows.
  • X2 600 watt HPS cooltubes.
  • Mylar sheeting for the interior walls.
  • 3 circulating fans (standard house fans).
  • The exhaust is a passive vent to allow air in and out.
  • Electricity is run from a standard outlet on the side of the house, underground through a PVC pipe to the shed.

My Climate


  • Summers can reach 116 degrees or higher, the winters can go as low as the 40’s. Average temp is 70-80 degrees.

Grow Type


  • Soil

Problems


  • Alright so my 2 main problems at this point (as I see it) are pretty common, temperatures and ventilation. I would like to grow year round and temperatures in the shed can reach 100+ degrees.

Questions


  • I’m planning to install a portable A/C unit in the shed to offset the temperatures. Thoughts?


  • My current ventilation system (3 house fans, passive vent) is clearly not cutting it. I don’t think I’m moving enough air in and out. I have a vortex fan that I haven’t installed yet. I plan to create a box frame for it and suspend it coupled with a dimmer to keep the noise down. I would then have hosing hooked up to it, 1 end going to the outside to pull in air, the other end running through the 2 cool tubes and then out of the shed for exhaust. Thoughts?


  • I am very paranoid about the electrical system and fires. All of the electronics are housed in a compartment above one of the lights. So I have 3 fans, 2 lights (including ballasts) all running off of a standard electrical outlet. Thoughts on a standard electrical outlet powering all of this equipment?
 
ScoobyDoobyDoo

ScoobyDoobyDoo

Well-Known Member
bring a sub panel to the shed. 30-40 amps should do it. cut a hole in the shed and install a window a/c. just my opinion. with those temps you'll never get the temps right with intake and exhaust fans. of you can spend a little more and get a minisplit. run all the electrical underground in pvc or even use urd direct burial cable.
 
bass1014

bass1014

Well-Known Member
if your planning on running 2 600 watt lights in a tin shed they will burn the f%&k up..lol sorry but its just the truth,, HAVE you ever seen a window a/c unit in the side of a tin shed? neither have i.. thats for a reason. unless you put insulation against the panels when you installed them there is going to be more air leaks and light leaks then you will be able to handle. another thing is when its 30 degrees out and ice is everywhere BUT your tin shed then it will look very suspicious .. unless there is no one ever going to come over.. i know your set on it but its a very bad idea to set up shop in a tin shed.. think of it like this.. when you have about 3-4 plants plus your equipment to grow is just a can opener away from being taken or if anyone walks by it and hears a single fan gthru the TIN wall then your screwed for housing dwelling and controlled substance..but your good go for it..
 
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spicemustflow

New Member
ScoobyDoobyDoo said:
bring a sub panel to the shed. 30-40 amps should do it. cut a hole in the shed and install a window a/c. just my opinion. with those temps you'll never get the temps right with intake and exhaust fans. of you can spend a little more and get a minisplit. run all the electrical underground in pvc or even use urd direct burial cable.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice on the power, I will need upgrade that.

A Window isn't an option, portable a/c is all I can use.
 
kinddiesel

kinddiesel

Well-Known Member
window ac unit. cut a hole in the shed and install a 10 thousand btu unit make sure it has heat. portables are total trash and cost 4 times as much . also you will have to have a separate outlet for the ac power. they grab a lot of juice will pop the breaker. other then that. I would suggest renting a house set up a real grow. veg up stairs and flower basement . add 300 plants in the house make 300 thousand a year. or get 3 or 10 of these houses even better .
 
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spicemustflow

New Member
bass1014 said:
if your planning on running 2 600 watt lights in a tin shed they will burn the f%&k up..lol sorry but its just the truth,, HAVE you ever seen a window a/c unit in the side of a tin shed? neither have i.. thats for a reason. unless you put insulation against the panels when you installed them there is going to be more air leaks and light leaks then you will be able to handle. another thing is when its 30 degrees out and ice is everywhere BUT your tin shed then it will look very suspicious .. unless there is no one ever going to come over.. i know your set on it but its a very bad idea to set up shop in a tin shed.. think of it like this.. when you have about 3-4 plants plus your equipment to grow is just a can opener away from being taken or if anyone walks by it and hears a single fan gthru the TIN wall then your screwed for housing dwelling and controlled substance..but your good go for it..
Click to expand...
Not a bad thought on the lights, I could do x2 300 watts.

Insulation isn't and option, there isn't enough space.

Regarding light leaks, I have been considering that plastic sheeting people are using these days. Get rid of the light leaks and also get some mold protection. Intake and exaust port light leak is going to be a problem. Perhaps I can use dark cloth at the in and out to dim it?


Regarding the heat signature. My state is not green friendly, security is important to me. That said as far as I know FLIR camera footage is not admisable in court. I live in a nice looking house, I don't sell so there isnt any traffic. Is this really a concern for people?

Regarding noise, its in my backyard, its not in a high trafficed area.
 
SnapsProvolone

SnapsProvolone

Well-Known Member
Insulate. Without insulation your dumping money trying to keep your temperature regulated.

Your electrical limitations being what they are you don't want to need anymore BTU/hr than absolutely necessary.

Frankly I wouldn't have the balls to run in a shed unless in a legal situation.
 
SnapsProvolone

SnapsProvolone

Well-Known Member
My main concerns, odor and being seen going to my shed with light blaring out the door. Hauling water soil and nutes in.. that's just for starters.
 
BustinScales510

BustinScales510

Well-Known Member
With outside temps being that hot it will always be super hot in your room,regardless of how much air you get going through there. For a set up like that to work the outside temps have to be cooler than what you want the grow room to be at (70s). In hot environments it would be best to have a closed environment that you supplement with C02 and A/C if possible.
 
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anzohaze

Well-Known Member
Insulation is ver important as well and agree with scooby you need way more power to run it. Window ac or mini split is best. Also for your entry door hang some rubber or equivalent or such behind door so when you walk into shed neighbors dont see the sun in the shed so you walk in to a dark shed close door open rubber curtain and then as you leave close curtain open door and no lighy is visible to anyone
 
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kermit2692

Well-Known Member
Never grow illegally in an out building...very bad idea...say a cop gets the idea your growing, from flir, from a neighbor noticing something, whatever it is, all they have to do is say they were chasing someone across your property and noticed something was happening in the shed seeing as how its odd to have a AC in the side of a shed....just a bad idea man, bad idea...plus regardless of all that its super inefficient compared to growing in your house where you're already attaining a more comfortable climate..
 
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