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The Super Simple Stacker XL - 500w cfl rubbermaid

slowandeasy

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Hey maryjohn,
Not ragging on your set up, do what you like. Have done rubbermaid tubs before, so have a lil experience. Not saying it wont work either, but sometimes more light is not better. There is a rubbermaid thread around here, and the dude tried to put 8 in his once, and it yeilded less than 4 lights. Each set up is different, wish you luck. If it works good for you, that is all that matters! Just not the most effficent way to grow, not to mention that is alot more bulbs next to a fire hazard. 42 watt CFLs are 7-10 bucks a piece. So, you just spent about a hundred bucks on just the bulbs, plus you need sockets for each of them. 30 gal rubbermaid totes, prolly 10 bucks each, and a few cans of spray paint. Easily just spent 150 bucks.

You can get a 250 watt ballast kit, socket, and bulb for 75 bucks delivered to your house. The 250 would be easier to cool, yeild more, and would cost less to run. Craigslist has a free section, where you can find all kinds of free already put together dressers, cabinets,mini fridges and many other things you could make your grow cab for free. If u think your rubbermaid tubs are stealth looking, gimme what your smokin. Maybe if you didnt paint the outside, and there were not wires coming out the sides. Besides, I can see it is not light tight...with the lights on. That paint will, flake off...inside and out the more you move them around. You can use an emergency mylar blanket inside, it will help block light out.

Do what you like, dont be surprised if 12 is too many, and a waste. Shit, for a few more bucks you could have 2 250 watt hps set ups. Same watts are you are intending on using in CFL's. Or you could get 220 watts of pl-l lights for the same price or cheaper than 12 42 watt CFLs. If you are worried about noise, these would be much easier to cool than 12 CFLs and take up less space. Rubbermaids are great and have used them before, but you will get sick of them and realize they are a PITA compared to a cabinet that has a door that opens and closes. Obviously your gonna do what you want, so good luck and hope it works out for you.
 

maryjohn

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If I had the situation for it, I would grow another way, but this is what works. gotta be in plain sight, gotta break down quickly to relocate, gotta this and that. Rubbermaids are for me. If I could do HID I would, but I am not confident using those in the rubbermaid, and I would die quickly if my spouse caught me taking over a closet i this closet starved hole. I will be testing without fans to make sure my system is able to withstand fan failure.

noise is not a big prob, and my setup will be loud. white noise helps me sleep...

thanks for the warnings though. I always have the option of not using all the lights. I used about 7k lumens per square foot as my guide, but my last grow was 5k and was worth it.

I mean, how many wooden diy cabs look so thoroughly like something else? I'm even going to install the scrubber crooked so it doesn't look so neat, then I can just strew some stuff on it and I am good to go no matter who comes over. Really, since I first made a super simple stacker, I have been nothing but happy with it, and I have friends who want their own.

Thank you, Red.
 

slowandeasy

Active member
Veteran
Dude, is your name maryjohn because you have two personalities?

"should be ok on the heat, it's the noise that worries me. and it will be hidden in plain sight so stealth is big. "


next post: "noise is not a big prob, and my setup will be loud. white noise helps me sleep..."

Just teasing ya!

"I mean, how many wooden diy cabs look so thoroughly like something else"

Actually I have seen alot of cabs, dressers, computers, fridges, cupboards, etc...that look nothing like a grow chamber. But to each is own, and whatever works for you is what matters! Just giving you some options, that are more efficient and will produce more. Stay safe, good luck!
 

maryjohn

Active member
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Heh, I am bipolar, but what you just witnessed was good old rationalizing. You should hear me rationalize 500w of lights for a recreational drug.

Really though, hair dryers pit me to sleep, so I can do a night time flower cycle.

In the basement, I don't care about noise as long as it does not attract attention.

How loud are these things?!?!
 

maryjohn

Active member
Veteran
How much height do you have to grow with?

Same as the r2d2 or original stacker. Which is... Not sure. Won't be able to check for a few days. I lose some area to stealth, but it's all horizontal. The screens sit at the level of the bottom lid and all the bus formation is in the top box.

I still may add a third box to give heat a place to go but should I use two scrubbers instead?
 

maryjohn

Active member
Veteran
Painted today. Didn't make the mistake of not removing the mold release agent, so it should not flake. Used rustoleum paint for plastic. I hope it is good stuff.
 

Rob547

East Coast Grower
Veteran
Just wanted to see pics of the inside and whatnot, didn't realize it was a new project, guess it looks more done from the outside.
 

maryjohn

Active member
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It's a bit confusing because I posted a pick of a smaller completed rubbermaid. I can snap pics of it tomorrow.
 

maryjohn

Active member
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I tested the fans, and they are freaking powerful (well, one is dead - woops!). The noise is not as bad as one of our house fans, so I have a cover sound if I need it.
 

maryjohn

Active member
Veteran
I chopped down a mazar today as it was an early showing male (lots of clear male flowers, and during 18/6.

So I flipped the veg box to 24/0 and I have my little bonsai and reveging blue burmese sharing space with the remaining mazar. So what next? I can start either some haze x skunk or some menage a trois.
 

timetochill

New member
nice set up. i made just about the same thing its pretty sneaky and easy to move if needed. I have a question for anyone who reads this though, this is my first grow and i was wondering if 60degrees will be too cold in the cab? thanks
 

colonelcrackers

Active member
Maryjohn, any pics of the interior of the Super Stacker XL up and running? Curious to see it with the lights installed and everything. What are you using for light traps?
Also, didn't I read one of your replies somewhere where you had said you used a Tru-Aire filter in your drying box? I believe you also said in the same post that you had tested the Tru-Air with a certain amount of lights running and you had found it to have a heat-limit. I was just wondering how many lights exactly it was, and what the size of the intake you were using at the time.

I am finishing up a new clone-box Rubbermaid style with 4x26w Cool White CFLS, and a Tru-air filter for exhaust. I just need to get the intake size correct. Thanks for any info you could share. Be safe.
 

maryjohn

Active member
Veteran
for my drying/clone/mother box, I have two 4" round intakes with darkroom louvers from midget louver. I can't remember exactly how hot it gets, but I don't have 42w bulbs in there. A mix of 26 and 13 I think. 4 total. I have to plan my harvest so there is room in the veg box for my moms and clones while I dry.

I have been busy lately and haven't progressed on the cab but today I am free and will do something. one of the light boards need work, and I need to do some painting and installing of fans. I also need to decide if I will be attaching everything or just using weather strip.

my light traps are two of the square ones from adorama (6x6 I think), we'll see if it's enough.
 

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