Double Fridge Grow

[Superman23]

hey guys,

Busy planning this new project. Would appreciate any and all advice!


I will post pictures and updates throughout the grow.

Fridge: Width 80cm
Depth 65cm
Height 150cm

Would this space be sufficient for 4 plants?

Lights:

I was planning on using a 400 watt HPS and MH for my lighting. Is this over kill?

The other option is to go for the 250watt option.
Please advise.

Air Exchange:

Min : intake - 80 m3/h
exhaust - 300m3/h

Min : intake - 150 m3/h
exhuast - 300m3/h

I need some sort of odour control unit attached on exhaust so keep that in mind.

Nutrients:

Organic vs Chemical? (smell,taste,strength)

Look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks

 

[festivus]

Fridge grows are cool, especially if you don't have much space. I grew in operating fridges for years, but it was high maintenance, so I converted mine into a veg chamber. Mounted a 6" axial inside the freezer compartment, venting out the top. Put a passive intake on the bottom of the door, 2 - 125 watt cfls in a cool tube. Used 2 computer axial fans to cool the tube.

You'll def need a cool tube. I was able to run a 400 hps in mine, but anything bigger caused too much heat. If I did it again, I would run 2- 250 watt hps. If smell is an issue, you'll need to mount a carbon filter somewhere. Maybe put all the electronics and the filter in the left freezer section. Side-by-side's don't leave much space for the grow area.

Best of luck, and pls. post pictures of the setup!

 

[FreezerBoy]

My freezer is 60x74x137 cm. I can't imagine trying to run a 400 and still maintain any sense of stealth unless it were in a heavily ACed room.

Sativa's in a fridge? I'd stick to one and some heavy ScrOGing.

Double steel wall construction makes cutting holes a MAJOR pain. Consider renting a plasma cutter. I did it the old fashioned way, drew my circle, drilled billions of 1/4" holes along the circle each barely touching the last, punched out the hole, cleaned up with a rat tail file and dressed it with a dryer vent cover.



Break a stem.

 

[Superman23]

Fridge grows are cool, especially if you don't have much space. I grew in operating fridges for years, but it was high maintenance, so I converted mine into a veg chamber. Mounted a 6" axial inside the freezer compartment, venting out the top. Put a passive intake on the bottom of the door, 2 - 125 watt cfls in a cool tube. Used 2 computer axial fans to cool the tube.

You'll def need a cool tube. I was able to run a 400 hps in mine, but anything bigger caused too much heat. If I did it again, I would run 2- 250 watt hps. If smell is an issue, you'll need to mount a carbon filter somewhere. Maybe put all the electronics and the filter in the left freezer section. Side-by-side's don't leave much space for the grow area.

Best of luck, and pls. post pictures of the setup!

What u mean cool tubes?
I plan on cutting through the separation to get one main area...ill do all electronics where the old compressor was.

My freezer is 60x74x137 cm. I can't imagine trying to run a 400 and still maintain any sense of stealth unless it were in a heavily ACed room.

Sativa's in a fridge? I'd stick to one and some heavy ScrOGing.

Double steel wall construction makes cutting holes a MAJOR pain. Consider renting a plasma cutter. I did it the old fashioned way, drew my circle, drilled billions of 1/4" holes along the circle each barely touching the last, punched out the hole, cleaned up with a rat tail file and dressed it with a dryer vent cover.

Break a stem.

What is a ACed room? why wont 400w be stealth?

I have this awesome old bit that should make me a 120mm perfect hole...hope
What would 400w (18/6) cost average per month?
Why not those seeds? would Barneys Farm LSD be better?

now 250w vs 400w? cant decide...is there like a rule of thumb for watts per plant?

Thanks guys, sorry for million questions.

 

[PorkSword]

I run a 250 in my fridge and its right on the line of being too much. the heat is killer. I have a small dayton blower in the freezer section that works but is at capacity. another problem I run into is the plants quickly grow into the light and room becomes scarce. When the plants start burning from the light its time to move into the flower room. It works well, its not ideal, but for what it is I'm happy.

A cooltube would eliminate many of my problems, but I'm cheap.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Cool Tube

ACed is Air Condition(ed)

There's no such thing as a silent fan. The bigger the lamp, the bigger the fan. The bigger the fan, the louder the noise. First thing visitors to my garage notice is the noise. Then they follow the noise to the beat up old freezer and forget about it. HOWEVER, that's with my S&P. My Elicent (the quietest centrifugal in it's class) cooling a 250 with 5X silencing (silencer, filter, insulated hose, fan isolation box and speed control) was still audible at my neighbors door across the street. This forced me to close up the garage which caused neighbors to knock on the door "You're all shuttered up. We never see you anymore. You all right?" So much for hide-in-plain-site stealth.

If the unit is locked in an underground bunker none can enter, great. If it's in any kind of common area, a 400 is asking for trouble.

 

[Superman23]

Cool Tube

ACed is Air Condition(ed)

There's no such thing as a silent fan. The bigger the lamp, the bigger the fan. The bigger the fan, the louder the noise. First thing visitors to my garage notice is the noise. Then they follow the noise to the beat up old freezer and forget about it. HOWEVER, that's with my S&P. My Elicent (the quietest centrifugal in it's class) cooling a 250 with 5X silencing (silencer, filter, insulated hose, fan isolation box and speed control) was still audible at my neighbors door across the street. This forced me to close up the garage which caused neighbors to knock on the door "You're all shuttered up. We never see you anymore. You all right?" So much for hide-in-plain-site stealth.

If the unit is locked in an underground bunker none can enter, great. If it's in any kind of common area, a 400 is asking for trouble.

wow great info!!

Gonna try the cool tube...will save me money on fans. Just need to source all those parts now...the tube is the only issue where i live...

I will have the fridge in the laundry room, far from anyone...only housekeeper goes in there (i will put lock on fridge - no one touches my "alcohol")

if stealth was not an option which light is better? is 250w enough for 4 plants (future planning)?

 

[festivus]

Super, be careful with ordering cool tubes from the internet...I've gotten them with the glass busted all to hell. More better if you can pick one up at the grow store. I still think you could run 2- 250 watt hps's using the tube.

FB, great pics of your cab. It looks like you don't vent that hood seperately. I know what ya mean about fan noise... but since I exhaust the cool tube seperately, I'm able to run the 6"axial at 1/3 capacity using a fan speed control. (Love the pruning shears in the pic btw... looks like you'll need them!).

 

[FreezerBoy]

Yeah, I've got a one fan serves all setup. I've contemplated cooltubes but, cutting a single hole is an all day job. Two? Yoiks!

Wish there was some way to figure how two smaller fans would compete noisewise with the single S&P.

is 250w enough for 4 plants

Depends on your strains and grow style. With an indica SOG it can do a couple dozen. With a sativa ScrOG, one is pushing it. I was throwing weed out hand over fist during the grow but, what was left buried me.

 

[Superman23]

We have decided to go for a 250w. Just basic intake/exhaust..will work on cool tube later...

need grow to be done by December latest...possible?

here some pics of day 2 of build,sorry day 1 pics have all our faces

 

[PorkSword]

thats gonna be sweet.

It looks like you cut out the strip that the door seals against. how are you going to keep the doors lightproof?

 

[FreezerBoy]

Consider keeping ports on the rear wall and not the sides.

 

[Superman23]

I have the seals on the side...will put them back on today..

Ok thanks! ill rather use back...

What u guys think of auto pots?

 

[PorkSword]

I have the seals on the side...will put them back on today..

My concern was with the middle between the doors

 

[Superman23]

Im a little confused...

Must i run my fan's when lights are off?

Or is it dependent on maintaining temp?

 

[festivus]

Temperature and humidity... lights off with no exhaust fan running can give you RH of
90%+.

 

[FreezerBoy]

Fan off means no odor control. No odor control means jail. Jail, bad. Keep the fan on at all times.

 

[all4theluvofit]

This looks like a fun project! From the little I know, you will definitely want a filter on your main outtake by the time you flower! Your lovely ladies will start to smell fast! A cool tube sounds like a great idea. I'm planning on getting one for my closet in the next couple weeks. I think it might save a lot of frustration down the road with heat. You can always use again! Good luck!

 

[FreezerBoy]

you will definitely want a filter on your main outtake by the time you flower! Your lovely ladies will start to smell fast!

The vast majority of times this is spot on. However, every once in a while, you'll get a true stinker that doesn't wait for the flip. Waiting until the neighbors complain before you figure out your scrubber leads to trouble. Pre-fab or DIY, figure out the scrubber now so when needed you can pounce rather than start the learning process.

 

[Superman23]

Ok its basically done...

Just waiting on ballast and lights.

What do i want my min and max temp's to be with lights on and off?