First Vert: 2400w, Blue Rhino. Run what you brung!

[OG_TGR]

Space is 9' x 11.5' x 6'h (621'^3). Entrance centered on 11.5'.
R19 on all walls, impermeable vapor barrier, interior finished with green board and painted white.
Screen material is 2"x3", vinyl coated; standing 12" off the floor. I was initially going to do (2) 4' x 10'c (3.18'/38"⌀ [19"r]) and stack (2) 600w but I am leaning more towards (4) 4' x 10'c (3.18'/38"⌀ [19"r]) with individual lights in each.
(2) CAP Xtreme Nanos and (2) original Lumateks, all with Hortilux HPS.
From what I read it seems easier to cool/ventilate if the bulbs are stacked and this makes sense but; I'd like to distribute my light more since I am restricted in height.

I intend to use aluminum flashing above each light to direct the heat towards the centrally mounted 6" x 30" [w/440 cfm Vortex, full volume exchange every 1.5 minutes] carbon filter.
I have (2) Vortex fans & (2) Honeywell fans to place under the bulbs.
Instead of fans, I've considered moving my passive intakes under the bulbs.....I may do some calculations before I try that, though.

Strain is Blue Rhino that has been vegged horizontally 4.5 weeks in 4" RW cubes, under (4) 54w 6400k daylight flouros and (2) 54w 12000k actinics T5s. I plan to veg them at least another 1-2 weeks in the vert set up to get them acclimated to growing sideways.
Transplanting to 2g felt pots in GH Coco ph'd to 6.0 and mixed 60/40 with chunky pearlite and added 1c/2gal medium ofDiatomaceous Earth to thwart any fungus gnats or other pesky invaders.

Nutes are full Flora Nova "Expert" DTW schedule + Drip clean w/2 spaghetti emitters/ea site.


Is it worth pairing down the 10'c to 9.4'cto get a dead on 3'⌀ (18"r)? Or for that matter, even smaller/closer maybe? It seems any little decrease in diameter here could certainly be beneficial but, I don't want to get too close.


I'll take some pics when I get everything together later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[OG_TGR]

First scorch screen (fixture from a Verizontal umbrella). I rolled up 19" of 24" masons cloth and then cut it in half, making two screens:

Coming together, filter in old location:

First screen set in place but not hung yet. This is how I plan on situating the sites, with one being in the middle of all 4.

I did end up cutting it so it was exactly [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]3'⌀ (18"r)[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]. I was thinking maybe I could make a ring out of conduit for the top/bottom of the screen, just to make it more rigid and closer to perfectly round.

Tomorrow I'll get everything in the pots, plumbed, intakes cut and flashing installed to direct heat right to the relocated filter/exhaust.
[/FONT]

 

[Skyrancher]

Space is 9' x 11.5' x 6'h (621'^3). Entrance centered on 11.5'.
R19 on all walls, impermeable vapor barrier, interior finished with green board and painted white.
Screen material is 2"x3", vinyl coated; standing 12" off the floor. I was initially going to do (2) 4' x 10'c (3.18'/38"⌀ [19"r]) and stack (2) 600w but I am leaning more towards (4) 4' x 10'c (3.18'/38"⌀ [19"r]) with individual lights in each.

added 1c/2gal medium of Diatomaceous Earth to thwart any fungus gnats or other pesky invaders.

Is it worth pairing down the 10'c to 9.4'cto get a dead on 3'⌀ (18"r)? Or for that matter, even smaller/closer maybe?

Sound like a nice setup and that you've done your homework. Like the insulation work you've done. Planning for a dehuey or will the AC handle RH? I'm getting ready to build a sealed room and have worries about the vapor barrier install. How did it go for you?

Curious about painting the green board white. Was the vapor barrier hung first, green board over that and then painted white? Usually, I see guys hang the vapor barrier (panda, refectix, etc..) last. Did you use a different type of barrier? If so what brand?

With the height restrictions, I would perfer to have 4 donuts with individual lights. This question might be answered with the strain you want to grow and smoke? More stretchy strain, double up. Less stretch, go single?

Maybe you can have the best of both worlds where circumference is concerned and the flexiblity to adjust to strain changes. Cut the screen to the larger size. Overlap the ends when a smaller size is needed for stretchy strains, and expand back out for bushy strains. Nice to have the option to go either way.

I haven't used Diatomaceous Earth. Interested to know how it works for you. You have any experience using it before?

Thanks, Rancher

 

[Skyrancher]

"One thing to consider though is a way to support the limbs come end of flower so they don't snap from the weight of the buds. I find is is better to let the buds stretch toward the light more with a dual light set up than a single bulb. I have tried both and the yeild is higher when they hang out toward the bulb on a dual stack set up. This is because there is less shading with the dual bulb." Quote from Ichabod Crane

 

[Skyrancher]

Reading another thread I saw this quote from DHF that you might consider is...

"Light diffusion/dispersion/lumen penetration/plant absorption suffers with cages around the bulbs , just like runnin cooltubes diminishes bulb performance as well.....

I see folks use em to keep from getting burnt by bare bulbs , but trust me......plants will not do as well as if the screens were behind like Marlo`s WOW thread....also....."

 

[Desert Hydro]

i just did my first vert donut scrog as well. make sure you trim off all the lower buds that arent gonna get full light. if i would have done so it would have save me a ton of trimming on a bunch of lower crap. my next grow i am gonna incorporate a vertical light mover to keep from getting as much lower salad.

another tip... get some produce twist ties from the store and use them to gently attach your plants to the screen to keep them from leaning in too far.

 

[willyweed]

hiya tgr,been waiting for somebody to grow out the blue rhino, is it the positronics one? real looking forward to some pics of the plant as i am pretty sure i have one about 4 weeks old,if not i have one seed left to play with,because i mixed them up with some kalashnikova not sure which one grew yet .it's unusual to have to up the ph to 7 in flowering but can not wait to see the first pic.good luck with this grow all the best willyweed

 

[OG_TGR]

Planning for a dehuey or will the AC handle RH?

Ah I didn't even think that I didn't mention that. No AC but last run with sealed reflectors never got over 78-80. I am hoping with strategically placed intakes and heat deflected directly to the exhaust, I can get the same results here. If I can't, it's far too late in the summer to mess with a split so I will just run half cap or something I guess. I've got a dry run going now to see how my temps fare.
This is a structure within a structure. A box in a basement. The heat is vented out of the attic via ducting, and there is a Dehumidifier running in the basement area itself. I guess it's sort of like a larger scale/different configuration "lung room" like Bobble and DHF talk about/employ.

I'm getting ready to build a sealed room and have worries about the vapor barrier install. How did it go for you?

If a) none of your walls are exterior or b) you live in a very moderate climate and c) your exterior environment is similar to that inside your room, I wouldn't worry about it really. You can do like most people do and just line the room with Panda (I hear the Orca Panda is really nice) but if you are going to put up green board anyway, I'd just run a layer of painters plastic or maybe 4 mil sheathing. I'd rather have it behind the gyp just to be nice and clean. Keep in mind though, every time you drive a drywall screw though it you have a small penetration.
I could have got away with something real simple like Tyvek or Zip sheathing but I used Fire Resist Barritech VP, which is really a (Spray on, like Icynene) complete building envelope sealant used in PassivHaus and Net-Zero commercial applications.
Overkill? Very.
I had access and figured what the hell.

Curious about painting the green board white. Was the vapor barrier hung first, green board over that and then painted white? Usually, I see guys hang the vapor barrier (panda, refectix, etc..) last. Did you use a different type of barrier? If so what brand?

Maybe you can have the best of both worlds where circumference is concerned and the flexiblity to adjust to strain changes. Cut the screen to the larger size. Overlap the ends when a smaller size is needed for stretchy strains, and expand back out for bushy strains. Nice to have the option to go either way.

Good call, that is exactly what I did.

I haven't used Diatomaceous Earth. Interested to know how it works for you. You have any experience using it before?

I have not, not in this context at least. I have seen friends use it for invasive ants, and read a lot about it. It makes sense. I haven't really had any issues but the FGnats are still present and I don't want to give them the opportunity to take hold.

Reading another thread I saw this quote from DHF that you might consider is...

"Light diffusion/dispersion/lumen penetration/plant absorption suffers with cages around the bulbs , just like runnin cooltubes diminishes bulb performance as well.....

I see folks use em to keep from getting burnt by bare bulbs , but trust me......plants will not do as well as if the screens were behind like Marlo`s WOW thread....also....."

Yeah, I imagine the light that is getting blocked is really rather minimal when compared to transmission loss of sealed reflectors or FoolTubes but, I think I may remove them anyway. I don't have to worry about getting burnt as they are surrounded, and I can reinstall them later if I feel the plants might fall on the bulbs.

i just did my first vert donut scrog as well. make sure you trim off all the lower buds that arent gonna get full light. if i would have done so it would have save me a ton of trimming on a bunch of lower crap. my next grow i am gonna incorporate a vertical light mover to keep from getting as much lower salad.

another tip... get some produce twist ties from the store and use them to gently attach your plants to the screen to keep them from leaning in too far.

Man, I love gadgets in a mechanics and all the doo-dads I can employ but I have come to accept that there is usually no benefit to using a light mover in pretty much any situation. I was considering one, too, and was going to set up the see-saw type moving mechanism and then remembered the mover I bought years ago. I was thinking that I was going to distribute a 1k over a short height distance, thereby utilizing the 1k I had in a spot that would otherwise be too short. Well, it did work but my yield was shit. My logic as that the light would move and cover shaded areas. In fact, it just makes the plants work more as they track the light source through out it's motion cycle. Defoliation can accommodate shaded areas.
Gah, it was years ago but I remembered I pawned my fucking PS to go and buy one, thinking it would be a good investment and that I'd make all my money back.........nope. Haha. I was so damn pissed.
Twist ties are a good idea, that is what I was planning on using until I saw Marlow using pipe cleaners. The thing I like most about these is the visibility, and the protection it allows. Pretty cheap, too if you just get a sack at a craft shop or something.

hiya tgr,been waiting for somebody to grow out the blue rhino, is it the positronics one? real looking forward to some pics of the plant as i am pretty sure i have one about 4 weeks old,if not i have one seed left to play with,because i mixed them up with some kalashnikova not sure which one grew yet .it's unusual to have to up the ph to 7 in flowering but can not wait to see the first pic.good luck with this grow all the best willyweed

I'm.....uh.......I'm sorry....I was just saying that.......um....damnit man, can't focus with your avatar!!
You know I'm not sure, I've had it going for some time now and I believe I got it as a clone from a friend. I should have them all in tomorrow with some good pics of the clones. They should be right around where yours are at, too. Did someone say they were supposed to run BR @7? I've always kept it at 5.8-6, no problems.

So here's some pics of today's progress. I was really hoping to get it all in but it just wasn't happening today. Gives me a day to dry run the lights and see how my temps are gonna be, anyway.

This gives some perspective on what I am thinking on placement. I've got 20 to play with:

All 4 screens in:

Vuur!

(Got one bulb mixed up with bad one)

One thing I thought that will be cool about this is by accident, I will be doing a side by side of Lumatek vs Xtreme Nano.

Hopefully, everything will be in and running tomorrow!

 

[DamnUglyDogE]

Beautiful set up OG_TGR...
Clean and lean ready to pump out some mass dankness...
Nice,,,,

Love me a good doughnut or 2 or 3


Thanks for sharing and bring your show over to Vert~Ville...

Rock on with ya bad self...
Ill just lurk on over to a table and pull out a jar...






.

 

[OG_TGR]

Thanks Alien Dawg
The whole concept has always made sense to me and I've been considering it for years; but the IC Vert forum here finally got me to dive in, and dive in head first! I think this is the first time I've had a grow where, at no point will I have to mess with a big, tangled ball of zinc chain, !

 

[willyweed]

it will be a pleasure to watch this grow. i read about the 7 ph on the positronic web site.
also how many days do you like to run them in flower? many thanks willyweed

 

[OG_TGR]

it will be a pleasure to watch this grow. i read about the 7 ph on the positronic web site.
also how many days do you like to run them in flower? many thanks willyweed

Interesting. 7pH would scare the shit out of me but maybe I can experiment with a couple and see what happens.
I am pretty sure it calls for 10 weeks but I'd say that's the bare minimum. I usually end up running close to 11 and a couple times even to 80-82 days or so.

 

[willyweed]

sounds like a different one now you say that !



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Positronics varieties INDICATES BLUE RHINO


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varieties




BLUE RHINO

















Ratio: 5/5

Please vote Vote 1 Vote 2 Vote 3 Vote 4 Vote 5
Category: INDICATES




Color, aroma and flavor that will take you to the forest. Sedative effect, used medicinally.
THC: 16% CBD: 1.9%



1 seed € 12

3 seeds € 29

5 seeds € 41







HYBRIDISATION

Blue Rhino is the result of careful selection from hundreds of plants in a classical aging process ensures that you get one of the most powerful and exquisite hybrids that more experienced growers were demanding. By genetics Blue was selected original female British Columbia for its unique organoleptic properties that provide a flavor and aroma reminiscent between blueberry and currant. Regarding genetics Rhino, known for its medicinal, almost narcotic, given its high content in CBD include the perfect hybrid between plants Afghan, Brazilian and Indian.

PHYSIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

Blue Rhino takes many of the qualities Blue, and even in advanced stages of flowering has shades from blue to magenta.
Plant is looking out of the ordinary, with a huge central bud. Not a huge issue due to its indica component and small amounts of leaves or foliage, although large. Minimum distance and thick branches can support the weight of large flower clusters.

ORGANOLEPTICS:

AROMA: Rhino varieties are very different from the Blue, yielding the fusion of Indica aromas purest definitely a scent that integrates the most delicious berries like blueberry and currant. An unusual plant.
TASTE: The merger of the two varieties produces a unique flavor that includes woods, spices and berries, undoubtedly one of the new flavors that will surprise you.
EFFECT: Strongly medicinal, relaxing and soothing for its high CBD content. Recommended to enjoy leisure time, used in chill-out environments.

TO CONSIDER

Blue Rhino needs space to develop their root system. In indoor cultivation in the flowering stage not reach large dimensions. It is advisable to lower the temperature in the last two weeks of flowering, because the Blue influence will become much more visible (color, aroma and flavor).
In cultures with high exposure to the sun, Blue Rhino develops their genetic potential, producing the biggest hearts around the garden.
It is advisable to plant more of our catalog to obtain hashish, as Blue Rhino produces a huge amount of high quality trichomes with a bluish tint. Surprise!

NUTRITIONAL PARAMETERS RECOMMENDED







EC grow.


EC bloom.


PH grow.


PH flower.




BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

0.7-0.9 ms

1-1.2 ms

6.0

6.8




HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS

1-1.2 ms

1.4-1.7 ms

5.8

7.2


Sensitivity to fungi: moderate
16% THC 1.9% CBD





EXTERIOR


INTERIOR




COLLECTING:

October 1-10

60 days




PRODUCTION:

500g per plant

550-600 g/m2



GENEALOGY
BLUEBERRY x WHITE RHINO
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Copyright © 2013 Positronics seeds Europe. All rights reserved.

Joomla is Free Software released under the GNU General Public License.

 

[Skyrancher]

If a) none of your walls are exterior or b) you live in a very moderate climate and c) your exterior environment is similar to that inside your room, I wouldn't worry about it really. You can do like most people do and just line the room with Panda (I hear the Orca Panda is really nice) but if you are going to put up green board anyway, I'd just run a layer of painters plastic or maybe 4 mil sheathing. I'd rather have it behind the gyp just to be nice and clean. Keep in mind though, every time you drive a drywall screw though it you have a small penetration.
I could have got away with something real simple like Tyvek or Zip sheathing but I used Fire Resist Barritech VP, which is really a (Spray on, like Icynene) complete building envelope sealant used in PassivHaus and Net-Zero commercial applications.
Overkill? Very.
I had access and figured what the hell.

I'm running something like yours with a room built within a room. It's in an attic, so I'm going to the overkill route on insulation. You just gave me some good ideas! Thanks

Thanks for the side-by-side ballast comparision. Getting ready to purchase 8 of 'em, so any info you pass on is welcome.

Standing by to see how your use of D-earth goes and the donuts too. I've been considering using this setup, so I can't wait for you to fire it up.

Good luck!!

 

[OG_TGR]

Willyweed: Man, other than the 60 days it sounds pretty spot on. Idk, maybe I do something that drags it out....it seems that everything I run takes longer than it is supposed to......

Skyrancher: There's been a lot of fuss about the Lumateks but I have had them since the beginning and have never had an issue. In fact, I am pretty sure that these are original Lumatek ballasts. Anything CAP seems to be "ok" but I have found several of their products to be severely lacing in the QC production department (several short shot Ebb & Grow buckets, crappy seals on electronic boxes, etc). The Xtreme Nano was just there when I needed a ballast, and I bought two. When it comes time to buy more, I am pretty sure I will go with Quantum, if I can't afford Gavitas.


UPDATE:
So I walked in today to check how the temps went overnight and just peeking through the door I saw my thermometer and it said "78.9degF"....I was stoked until I actually opened the door and realized this shitty little Mondi was malfunctioning again. I restarted it only to find a much more realistic measurement: "97.8degF".
I expected the temps to be a tad bit high as I haven't cut additional intakes yet but, this was a bit higher than I expected. Considering this was also only running at 75% capacity, I'm going to have to make some considerable changes. I've got a 10" Vortex fan but it's not a mixed flow so it's probably only 7-800cfm maximum, roughly 60% of what I think I need. Also, I don't want to cut much larger than a 10" hole where it's ducted so:
I guess tomorrow I am going Mixed-Flow fan shopping!

 

[Skyrancher]

When it comes time to buy more, I am pretty sure I will go with Quantum, if I can't afford Gavitas.


UPDATE:
So I walked in today to check how the temps went overnight and just peeking through the door I saw my thermometer and it said "78.9degF"....I was stoked until I actually opened the door and realized this shitty little Mondi was malfunctioning again. I restarted it only to find a much more realistic measurement: "97.8degF".
I expected the temps to be a tad bit high as I haven't cut additional intakes yet but, this was a bit higher than I expected. Considering this was also only running at 75% capacity, I'm going to have to make some considerable changes. I've got a 10" Vortex fan but it's not a mixed flow so it's probably only 7-800cfm maximum, roughly 60% of what I think I need. Also, I don't want to cut much larger than a 10" hole where it's ducted so:
I guess tomorrow I am going Mixed-Flow fan shopping!

Ouch...that's a bit shocking to get such a big increase in temp from your previous setup. Since also going bare bulb, I'm taking the hint and go with larger cooling capacity.

Mixed-flow fans have a higher CFM capacity I gather from your update. Better to go big than not have enough. What are you aiming for in air exchange numbers? Total room volume twice per minute as DHF suggests or something different?

Went to the San Francisco Max Yield Expo and talked to the guys in the Gavita booth about using there equipment and the double ended Phillips Master GP 1000w bulb vertical. They said flat out that it won't work. If you go with their ballast, will you be going with the DigiStar US ballasts? Why do you like Gavita, other than they have 30 years of experience?

At the Expo, also talked to Solis Tek and a new company, Dynamiq Lighting, that make the Genesis ballast. Both companies have staggered start technology and remotes to program. The Solis Tek have internal timers, which I'm not wild about, they their ballast came out on top in the Grower's House 1000w Digital Ballast COmparison Review and PAR Test Foot print Results.

http://growershouse.com/blog/1000w-...umatek-solis-tek-quantum-phantom-galaxy-nano/

There was a suprise in the test....."We tested the E-Fusion 1000w E-ballast under the same conditions as the other ballasts and it tied with the Lumatek Non Air Cooled ballast having a center measurement of 888--essentially tying for 3rd place. We were surprised by this because it is the least expensive ballast in this group (we sell it for about $169) and it's from a new company. We thought this information was worth sharing " The air cooled Lumatek came in second.

Food for thought

 

[OG_TGR]

Ouch...that's a bit shocking to get such a big increase in temp from your previous setup. Since also going bare bulb, I'm taking the hint and go with larger cooling capacity.

Mixed-flow fans have a higher CFM capacity I gather from your update. Better to go big than not have enough. What are you aiming for in air exchange numbers? Total room volume twice per minute as DHF suggests or something different?

Went to the San Francisco Max Yield Expo and talked to the guys in the Gavita booth about using there equipment and the double ended Phillips Master GP 1000w bulb vertical. They said flat out that it won't work. If you go with their ballast, will you be going with the DigiStar US ballasts? Why do you like Gavita, other than they have 30 years of experience?

At the Expo, also talked to Solis Tek and a new company, Dynamiq Lighting, that make the Genesis ballast. Both companies have staggered start technology and remotes to program. The Solis Tek have internal timers, which I'm not wild about, they their ballast came out on top in the Grower's House 1000w Digital Ballast COmparison Review and PAR Test Foot print Results.

http://growershouse.com/blog/1000w-...umatek-solis-tek-quantum-phantom-galaxy-nano/

There was a suprise in the test....."We tested the E-Fusion 1000w E-ballast under the same conditions as the other ballasts and it tied with the Lumatek Non Air Cooled ballast having a center measurement of 888--essentially tying for 3rd place. We were surprised by this because it is the least expensive ballast in this group (we sell it for about $169) and it's from a new company. We thought this information was worth sharing

" The air cooled Lumatek came in second.

Food for thought

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Yeah I was expecting something of an increase, but not that much. I was running 4 standard sealed Sunlight Supply reflectors w/(1) ~8”r ,90° turn and (1) ~2’r, 90° turn through 11’ horizontal>14’ vertical of 6” insulated ducting and now I have eliminated the ~8”r 90 and shortened the overall run by about 7’ so I am running a straight shot of ~4’ of horizontal to the 14’ vertical. Now, I closed off (2) ambient 6” intakes so that alone is going to make a considerable difference, but still. I was going to cut the new intakes last night but just ended up doing a lot of research on ventilation principles as well as fan research.
The Mixed flow fans combine both principles of Axial and Radial fans in one unit. The result is a more efficient processing of the air through the unit and results in both higher line pressure, higher efficiency [see: less power consumed per CFM moved] and less noise, for the same duct diameter. For example: the 10” FanTech FKD10XL is rated at 1,266 CFM [120V 529W 4.4A] while the FanTech FG10 standard 10” centrifugal fan is only rated at 513cfm [120V 138W 1.15A]. While this may actually look like more power consumed per CFM (2.39 vs 3.72cfm/w), an increase in volumetric displacement through a given diameter is actually exponential, not linear. As per DHF’s recommendations, I would like to aim for 2ACm. @1266cfm I am just over my requirement of 1242cfm.
I think I can still get it down with what I have for now, and I may end up doing the stack after all. That way I can just run 1200w for now, and in a few weeks when I can afford the MF fan I will be ready to add the new, stacked lights. Next run I can do 4 individuals, to get a comparison.
I had leaned towards the Quantums for the fact that they are the only digital ballast that is FCC compliant as far as RFI. As for Gavitia, I would love to employ some of their other technology but like you stated, it just won’t work with vert. I have a lot of respect for Gavita due to the amount of research they are willing to not only perform but also share. They have always come highly recommended not only for this reason but also quality craftsmanship and support. I am also partial to them due to the fact that they use primarily Phillips components. Phillips, who seems to be absolutely useless when it comes to consumer electronics, is synonymous and nearly omnipresent when it comes to commercial reliability, efficiency and market presence. The possibility of getting more Lumateks is not out of the question either. I think I remember talking to a GW rep who stated that they had some issues with manufacturers and that is what has caused their problems as of the last couple years or so. Maybe that has finally been sorted out?
I saw the Solis Tek in a Maxium Yield mag or something similar and really, I just skimmed over it when I was the internal timer, haha. That is a great link on the reviews, I may have to revisit/reconsider my discriminations with Solis consider. The technology changes so fast!

I’m off to reconfigure and cut some holes!

 

[OG_TGR]

So I eliminated the two screens farthest from the point where the exhaust leaves the area and centered the carbon filter over the two remaining screens. I cut the holes for 4" intakes directly under the bulbs and let it rip. I also fabricated some 10" aluminum flashing to try and make the heat flow to the carbon filter a bit more laminar, as opposed to just turbulently pooling on the ceiling and stumbling into the exhaust. This addition is surely just the first prototype of something that I've got some other ideas for. Keep in mind I've also got another 6" intake, opposite of the main exhaust outlet.
After an initial big jump, the temps had gone from 78>86 and appeared to still be gradually climbing. I shut it down and decided to make the intakes under the lights 6".
Well, my jigsaw is broken and I can't find my arbor for my 6" hole saw so the first two cuts I made with my Dremel. The first 6" hole I cut with my Dremel and that was just about all it was going to take, it's dead. Well, I wasn't about to leave it half done so.....

I probably took a good year of useful operation off of my drill but damnit, I got it done!
After cutting two of these under the lights my temps seemed to be peaking at around 85defF, I can live with that, for now.
I let it run without putting the plants in yet, to see what my highs are tomorrow. I have GOT to get them in there tomorrow! I am so behind schedule right now.


Here's a pic of the flashing:

In it's current form the benefits are probably minimal to negligible. It got me thinking though, has anyone ever made a hood that covered the entire screen on top, to more directly capture the heat? Sort of like a reflector shape with the carbon filter in the place of where the bulb would be? [Holy shit! This could be a use for the old 4' Verizontal reflectors I no longer use!]
I've got some ideas, I think this could be very beneficial at directing the air to the exhaust.

 

[Skyrancher]

It got me thinking though, has anyone ever made a hood that covered the entire screen on top, to more directly capture the heat? Sort of like a reflector shape with the carbon filter in the place of where the bulb would be? [Holy shit! This could be a use for the old 4' Verizontal reflectors I no longer use! I've got some ideas, I think this could be very beneficial at directing the air to the exhaust.

What a great idea. It made me think of the exhaust fan above our stove. It should capture more heat. Your idea helped me remember this Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) study on indoor air quality, specifically the kitchen. They looked at kitchen hoods and how they effected indoor air quality.

http://newscenter.lbl.gov/feature-s...roduce-hazardous-levels-of-indoor-pollutants/

Although they didn't give a lot of specifics on what hood worked best, but did say this...

"If buying a new hood, it should cover your front burners and have a setting that moves at least 200 cubic feet of air per minute."

Seems to say buy a big hood and use a fan that draws a lot of air. Makes sense in your application too. Can't wait to see how adding a 4' hood effects your temps.

 

[Skyrancher]

The Mixed flow fans combine both principles of Axial and Radial fans in one unit. The result is a more efficient processing of the air through the unit and results in both higher line pressure, higher efficiency [see: less power consumed per CFM moved] and less noise, for the same duct diameter.

I am just over my requirement of 1242cfm.

I had leaned towards the Quantums for the fact that they are the only digital ballast that is FCC compliant as far as RFI. As for Gavitia, I would love to employ some of their other technology but like you stated, it just won’t work with vert. I have a lot of respect for Gavita due to the amount of research they are willing to not only perform but also share. They have always come highly recommended not only for this reason but also quality craftsmanship and support. I am also partial to them due to the fact that they use primarily Phillips components. Phillips, who seems to be absolutely useless when it comes to consumer electronics, is synonymous and nearly omnipresent when it comes to commercial reliability, efficiency and market presence. The possibility of getting more Lumateks is not out of the question either. I think I remember talking to a GW rep who stated that they had some issues with manufacturers and that is what has caused their problems as of the last couple years or so. Maybe that has finally been sorted out?
I saw the Solis Tek in a Maxium Yield mag or something similar and really, I just skimmed over it when I was the internal timer, haha. That is a great link on the reviews, I may have to revisit/reconsider my discriminations with Solis consider. The technology changes so fast!

Interesting that the terms "axial and radial" are used when descripting fans. The compressor section of a jet engine uses axial or radial technology to compress air prior to fuel being added and burned. This air compression is where the engine gets it power. I guess turbo chargers and superchargers work in a similair way? I don't think about duct fans compressing air, but that would be a good way to get more air through the same diameter fan/duct.

How do you calculate "2ACm"? I was calculating total room volume (length x width x height) and doubling it to get required "2ACm". Is this right?

You bring up a good point regarding Gavita using Phillips parts and commercial standards. Ultimately, I want a ballast that is dependable, even if it doesn't perform quite a well. I'm willing to sacrifice 4% PAR to avoid a ballast shutting down mid bloom.

I went back to the Grower's House Ballast Review to see if they included the Gavita DigiStar US, which "have been developed to drive a wide range of HPS/MH lamps". They did not. Interesting...

The Solis Tek ballast has a few tricks to consider. It has a digital splitter, which "allows you to split a SolisTek 1000w ballast into 2 outputs". This allows the ballast to drive 2 600w HPS/MH, or is mixing spectums, 1 600 HPS and 1 MH. Talking to the salesman at the Max Yield Expo, they said the 600w is actually reduced to about 540w.

They have "Sequential lamp ignition technology that will ignite your lamps one at a time based on load stability."

All your SolisTek ballasts can be programmed/sync at the same time with 1 remote control, which is not included with purchase. Kind of cool.

They use Japanese parts and state that they have less than a 1% return rate.

The Gavita is much more simple, which could be their biggest selling point in my book. Less things to go wrong. Gavita's output is a such a high frquency that only high frquency bulbs can be used. MH bulbs can not be dimmed.

Here is a good thread taking about this. Look for comments by Whazzup. He is a Gavita pro. He doesn't say so directly, but gives the impresion that SolisTek is Chinese made. Wouldn't surprise me.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=256846

I'm rambling....post some pics of the hood when you have time...Happy Sunday !!