Smallest area for a 600watt

[lysol]

to answer the thread literally, 1" by 1" cola could grow under a 600w as long as you can raise the lights, but you'd be wasting 2' 11" x 2' 11" worth of light, robbing you of your gpw yield. I got 2' by 3' of space under my 600w only 2 plants flowering now, temps are fine 77F 8" away in a 75F room, using a centrifugal turned all the way down

 

[hoosierdaddy]

CMH runs WAY cooler than a 600W hps,

I bet no more than 10degF max.

 

[demasoni]

I'm also considering getting an 8" inline instead of a 6". Reason being at around 300cfm ill keep my temps at 5-7 degrees above ambient which is acceptable but that's going to be running the fan at full speed, i need to be able to turn the fan down so i can get an acceptable noise level for the fan.

you would need to construct an ultra thick cab heavily insulated specifically for the noise (basically noise proof) with ventillation outside room and a fanspeed controller. the 6" inline vortex running max speed inside of a cab is loud as shit, definitely hear it in the room and would be nice to turn the 6" down.
The the usual 3x3x9 cab needs to vent into another enclosed space attic or ducting into another room etc or else its just blowing against the wall or into air of your room which is LOUD (with 6") especially without it turned down.
the 8" full speed in a cab will sound insane, you will be surprised how much it reminds you of a 747 engine on takeoff

maybe 6" with speed controller and 450w will work but still will be warm, 8-15 deg above ambient sounds doable..600w probly needs you to vent outside room. it just sucks you can't vent it somewhere, it makes all the difference.

-edit-
wow I overlooked the principles making the 8" more effective with controller completely, limited my thoughts to it running without a controller haha. sry for lack of help jgrow ;p

 

[jgrow]

The reason im considering a 8" is because of noise, i want to be able to turn it down considerable amount, but still have room to play if temps are to hot.

 

[aggregatebuzz]

I find in my 2x4x8 grow space this 6" S&P in-line fan wired for low speed(218cfm) is a effective combination for the 600w and is near silent operation,runs about 5F above ambient with a 20" box fan for intake:

http://www.hvacquick.com/products/r...Remote-Fans-for-Bath/SP-TD-Series-Inline-Fans

home depot has a 20" box fan for $20.00 shipped:

http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[Dhude]

To actually answer your question, figure out what is the limiting factor...in this case, two possibilities:

1. Heat
2. Watts (or lumens, if you prefer)/sq ft

70w/sqft is generally accepted as ideal. So you see people commonly saying the ideal footprint for a 600w is 3x3, for a 1000w a 4x4, etc.

Too much light WILL bleach your plants. Been there, done that with an air cooled 400w in a 18"x28" cab. That's 115w/sq ft. I can raise that lamp to 24" off the tops and get no bleaching, but at 7" it will bleach every cola.

So, I'd say try to have your area no smaller than say 8 sqft.

Now heat. There's a useful formula from computer tower design theory that will estimate air flow required to stay within a set amount degrees of ambient. The formula:

CFM = 3.16 * Watts Dissipated / delta T in *F

So, say you want to stay within 10 degrees of the ambient temperature with a 600w light. That gives you a "delta T" (math speak for change in the value of variable "T") of 10 (euros and other celsius users take note, this formula is farenheit specific and would need a slight adjustment for celsius). Watts you need to dissipate is 600w.

So the CFM to stay within 10deg of ambient is:

CFM = 3.16 x 600 / 10 = 189.6 cfm

Take into account static pressure losses from ducting turns, etc and call it good with a 250cfm fan. Remember, this assumes that the heat removed from the cab does not just get pumped back into the ambient environment, raising the ambient temp in the process. The heat must either be minimal compared to ambient volume (i.e. a small PC tower running in a giant office bldg) or must be removed from the area (i.e. vent your lights outside the room and/or outside the lung room.

good luck. 600s are great IMO.

 

[lysol]

The reason im considering a 8" is because of noise, i want to be able to turn it down considerable amount, but still have room to play if temps are to hot.

This will work out nicely for you if you don't mind drawing more watts per cfm, im using a 6" turned all the way to cool 600w in a bedroom and dumping the heat into the attic, my temps are 4-5F over ambient.

FYI "duct boosters" blow donkey balls

 

[Jnugg]

Okay okay I have just been sick of seeing this...

People say I have such and such fan and my temps stay such and such above ambient....but what all those people fail to do is mention their ambient temperatures.

To the OP -

Get the 8" inline centrifugal if you want,that way you can lower the speed of the fan thus use less electricity to move the same amount of air as the 6" inline centrifugal.

 

[aggregatebuzz]

a deceptive lot all in on the conspiracy

 

[michocan]

4x4 room

4x4 room

I use a 600 in a 4x4x7.5 , i live in the south where it is really hot, I use a 190 cfm 4' from dayton, that runs 24 hrs a day. I use a inline 6' fan that pulls air thru my lite and out the ceiling, this fan runs only when the light is on. On the air intake of the lite, I have one of those inline things that close when the fan is off, and open when the lite fan goes on.
This is important or the other fan will suck hot air back in the room. My grow gets plenty of fresh air, outside temps have hit over 100 . wthis summer, when it gets too hot for my central air, I run a small window unit so my temps will be under 80 with the lite on. With a little ac in the bedroom, i can even cycle the dehumidifier with the lite on. I get my nightime temps down to 72 when it is in the 90s outside. I think the low temp is important, I overheated my first crop and it was only good for cooking. High temp is critical.

 

[Dandy Pooh]

I built a 3x5x6 box with a 600w air cooled with a 140cfm blower. 140cfm blowing in 6'' ducting with holes that surrounds the grow tray for intake and a 265cfm blower for exhaust. Also there is a 5300btu a/c attached to the box. The light and the box 4'' ducting combines to exit thru a 6'' 188cfm inline fan ducting in the attic there are two 9"
curculation fans and a 165cfm with an elf filter to clean the air. I have clone box on top with 80w of florescents with a 6'' axiel fan with 4'' ducting exiting into my flowering bottom.

I have a tempstat on the a/c so temps are whatever I choose. I have no problems with heat at all and 2wks ago it was 105 degrees where I'm at. For me to get it to work I had to have a/c, larger than needed fans (intake and exhaust), larger than needed ducting for exhaust, inline fans to move air, and must duct exhaust completely out of house.