A potential flash of genius...what do you guys think?

[stillanoob]

As much as I'd like to storm the micro world with this flash of genius I had, I want to ask you opinions. I picture making a small box...perhaps 1.5.x1.5 feet and 2 feet tall, but in the top a large square is cut with a piece of plexiglass and a 70/100/150 HPS light (depending on how big your box is) sitting on top of it, and just a pc fan on the side. For those who are concerned only with smell, that would be it, just cover any light leaks with high heat foil tape. For extra stealth you can build an independent vertical extension to the box to house the light and other stuff on top with a separate cooling fan that creates an independent environment from the plant chamber

If any of you like this idea and are clever enough to draw up a diagram, do it

 

[Easy7]

That is very small for an HPS, a 200 watt CFL would work nicely with that space and fan. The smallest I worked with was 3 feet high and about 2.5 square feet at the base, with a 250 HPS and 4 inch vortex with a 4" by 6" long inline carbon scrubber....it was 4 plants hydro, modified ebb n flow.

 

[stillanoob]

Yea but read carefully the light would be external, i'm talking about micro here with a pc fan

 

[Easy7]

It would still put out a lot of radiant heat waves, 2 feet leaves almost no room between the buds and bulb. I'd say a 3 foot cab is as small as ya can go with a HID, you'd still leave 8" for radiant heat between bulb & bud.

 

[hempfield]

Some drawings would help a lot for understanding your idea. The more you try to minimize the habitat of a plant, the more complicated it became

 

[stimp]

actually stillanoob is right, it would work.
this is a similar idea to my micro set up, I have a 120mm pc fan blowing across the bulb, which actually has no plexi glass cover, the plants can get very close without burning (3-4"). great thinking with the plexi glass, I have a sheet in the garage

 

[Warped1]

I think a 150 hps would be great for that setup as long as you can keep it cool enough, which should be very possible.

 

[festerous]

I would avoid the plexi, as it will warp. What about using a cheapo air cooled relector on top of the box? You would need a light trap on the reflector, and one of those round pc fans to pull warm air through the reflector. So your box would be 20"x24"X24"

 

[5th]

in the top a large square is cut with a piece of plexiglass and a 70/100/150 HPS light (depending on how big your box is) sitting on top of it

....You just invented the air cooled hood.

Independent vertical extension? Foil tape and separate cooling fans?

Your obviously smokin' better shit then I am.

If any of you like this idea and are clever enough to draw up a diagram, do it

It'll do ya one better.

I'll make two boxes. One thats the trainwreck you decribed...and one without all the headaches...

 

[stillanoob]

Umm, can someone tell me how to post a full sized jpg on this fangled thing? I made a drawing but it only lets me post a thumbnail and it downsizes it too much to read my text

 

[5th]

Both grow chambers are 18"x18". 24" tall. 150/75/50w hps

Where do you want me to start? (sorry, couldn't find any foil tape to ugly it up)
And you want to put this into a "independent vertical extension"? How many more fans you want to run on that?

**When the window opens to select your picture to add to the post, at the top is a drop down menu asking how you would like your pic's sized.

 

[stillanoob]

5th the difference is you aren't completely separating the grow area and the light chamber, i am putting them in 100% separate environments. think of it as...a HPS greenhouse?

 

[5th]

No mate, I clearly see what your wanting to do. I'm just stuck on the "why" is all.

 

[stillanoob]

Why not? I am keeping 100% of the heat out of the grow area?

 

[5th]

Ummmm...no...not at all.

My brain hurts now.

Why don't you just build a box?

Hands on knowledge is invaluble.

 

[stillanoob]

Meh. It still downsized my image when I originally uploaded it. Can you read the text/

Why is my idea a bad idea?

 

[greenmatter]

Why not? I am keeping 100% of the heat out of the grow area?

A. if light is getting into the grow area so is heat ........ so 100% will not happen


B. no flash of genius so far

 

[greenmatter]

Meh. It still downsized my image when I originally uploaded it. Can you read the text/

Why is my idea a bad idea?

the idea of an air cooled hood is awesome ...... but someone already came up with it many years ago



check this thread https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=144720&page=57 if you looked at 5th's drawings you might notice a few similarities. it is usually better to stick with a wheel that has proven it will roll than it is to completely reinvent the thing

 

[stillanoob]

A. if light is getting into the grow area so is heat ........ so 100% will not happen

Ok 95%? I mean if the light is outside the box. and separated by a window?

 

[greenmatter]

you would STILL only have a ghetto air cooled hood