New To Growing - Secuirty Question

[gardenfather]

Hey Everyone,

Great forum Thanks for letting me be apart of it.

This is my first time growing, I have some concern about Security.

I was thinking about buying a Gorilla Grow Tent. The Only Reason I say this is because of this Statement they have. "feature a patent pending Infrared Blocking insulated roof that cools down the exterior of your tent." That's why I would want it. So if anyone is looking at my house they wont detect my room.

I also Bought a powersun ballast that is Internal RF protection.

I have one 600w HPs ligh.

Also one question is about the carbon filter and exhaust fan. Should I just let the air go into the room where the tent is or upstairs into a vent?

Is there anything else I can do or should do for security. Thanks

 

[M4rky2]

If the"roof"makes the tent invisible to detectors,fine.But if it only covers for overhead inspection,then firstly place the tent as near to the centre of the house as possible,with the odd fan here or there.If you have a cellar ,fine,but if you don't ,then you'll probably be ok for helicopter,but these hand held devices they have these days,well,if they're determined,they'll just get a warrant.DONT go too pro at first,and take practical steps.You sound at guide high alert mode.Got too many doubts?Dont risk it until you have only normal concern in your mind.Or move!Best of luck buddy,don't let the bastards get you down

 

[gardenfather]

Thanks for the reply, Im doing it in my basement, I have a little corner that im putting the tent in, im not able to put it in the center of my room. Yeah the tent only has IR protection on the roof, unless i can ask them to custom make a tent that has that padding all the way around. Since its my first time, im a little nervous lol. I think I might only do 2 plants to start with then 6 later on. Im really only doing this for medical purposes but in the eye of the government it does not matter if it can save my life or others.

 

[DJXXPLATINUM]

you know i read somewhere that a 600hps doesn't put out any more signature than a hotwater heater...i think a tent in the basement would be pretty ok....as long as you aren't on their map already....i have heard that the hand held FLIR(forward leaning infra red) and the flying remote control analyzers are badass..so be careful...are they using them in your neck of the woods..dj

 

[M4rky2]

Gardenfather,things sound pretty perfect .So long as you don't have one of those little outlet windows basements sometimes.So long as you've got noise ,heat and light spillage sussed,just start small,and read about what you're doing.jorge Cervantes is good and online too.Take good care buddy,post a photo when you've finished your grow.Ive got a feeling it'll be fine.

 

[gardenfather]

Funny thing its near the hot water heater lol. I dont think they are, i never really see police or helicopters in the air. maybe im just over paranoid?

 

[gardenfather]

Jorge Cervantes is good and online too.Take good care buddy,post a photo when you've finished your grow.Ive got a feeling it'll be fine.

Funny thing I just got both of his dvds and watched them they are amazing and bought 2 books for my kindle so hopefully Ill learn a lot from that and this amazing thread. Yeah you are right im just going to start small like 2 plants now then maybe 6 later on. The tents seem to be almost 100% no light spill, I have 2 windows in my basement :S but never open them and have my blind closed always, i know it doesnt do much, just so peeping eyes cant see in. Ill post some pictures once its done

 

[Crusader Rabbit]

If it's only a 600 watt bulb in a basement you have nothing to worry about. The only thing that would show up on FLIR is if you vented directly to the outside. What you should do with this heat depends upon your situation. If it's cold where you live it might be nice to heat your basement somewhat, but consider the need for fresh air for your plants. Venting is pretty stealthy if you run ducting up through the inside of a wall to the attic, but that's a lot of work. Remember, 600 watts is the lowest setting on most electric space heaters. If that was enough to bring in the police then the whole country would be in an uproar over all the doors being kicked in for no reason.

 

[gardenfather]

Yeah thats true. my basement is cold, since my central air is on. So it might be a good idea to warm it up a bit. ill see what I can do thanks

 

[Sacred-UG]

Sacred Urban Ground

Sacred Urban Ground

Sono nuovo nel forum..e leggendo il tuo articolo...mi sono molto ritrovato nella tua descrizione....
La cantina é un ottimo posto ...ma bisogna tener conto anche dell umidita che circola in essa..cosa che si tende molto a tralasciare..
Tieni conto di questo particolare...anche perche in futuro potranno crearsi parecchi moscerini o cmq insetti fastidiosi e difficili da gestire.

Per quanto riguarda la ventilazione... non e neccessaria nelle prime settimane di coltivazione... ma appena saranno piu robuste ci vorra un areazione in entrata, una in uscita e di certo un ventilatore.

grandeee

 

[whatthe215]

don't worry bout it with a 600w. not nearly enough IR to put you on the map.

but if ya want...

The IR blocking stuff can be done with reflectix from home depot. It's like thin bubble wrap with reflective coating that blocks IR AND reflects light really well. I line all my rooms with it, ceiling and walls.

Hydro stores sell an overpriced version called IR Blocker. It's the same as reflectix nearly.

 

[gardenfather]

Your my Hero haha thanks buddy was totally about to buy the IR BLOCKER shit from my hydro store def over prices thanks again.

just to be clear its this right "Reflectix Reflectix Bubble Pack" or "Reflectix 25-ft x 16-in Radiant Barrier"

 

[ydijadoit]

600w? Worried about IR signature? I applaud the caution. A good mind for all security breaches will keep you safe and free.
However, the heat sig for 600 watts is not even on the radar, assuming you live in the US.
I would put your concerns in the following order, from worst to least.
#1 How many people know about this grow? The answer had damn well better be "1". If you think you are excited to tell your buddies about your grow, just stop, and picture them having a couple beers and a joint with their other friends, and sooner or later, your name WILL slip out. It's just human nature! Guard your grow information as if you had just buried a body.
#2 Odor control. Get a carbon filter and a good inline extraction fan. I wouldn't fire off a 600w grow without at LEAST a can-66 filter, or equivalent. It may be total overkill, from the manufacturer's charts, but trust me and many other on here. 3 weeks from harvest is no time to discover you saved $50 buying a smaller filter, when your whole house smells like a skunk orgy!
#3 Fire prevention. Keep your gear well under electrical limits of safety. Use common sense, and ASK on here, if you have doubts. I never load a breaker even close to 80%. Install fire suppression. "Flame defender" is a great idea. I have 4 of them. Homeowner's insurance likely won't cover a grow fire.
#4 I'll keep it condensed: Light leaks: Check every angle, sit and run scenarios through your mind. Fan noise: if audible where it shouldn't be, muffle it. Hot air in cold weather?: Don't vent it outside. I route mine back into my HVAC cold air return, and run a dehumidifier in my house, if needed.
#5 Here's one I came up with, though I bet somebody else here does it. Pick up a 600w inverter, and a deep cycle marine battery. I keep one ready at all times, with an extension cord ready to rock. If the power goes out, I jump up, and plug in my extraction fan. I have run a 8" vortex for 2 hours this way, and it worked perfectly. Could save your ass bigtime!
Hope I don't come across like a tool, just typing and thinking fast.
Take care, and welcome to the growing world!
Best regards.

 

[gardenfather]

Here is my setup. Just to give a better look.

5 x 5 Tent ( I called to order a Gorilla Grow tent Effers played games with me so canceled it) Have a Secret Jarden Tent

600w powersun digital Ballast

Hortilux 600w HPS light

6" Horizon Satellite Air Cooled Reflector

6" Inch 240CFM Duct Fan Booster Inline Cool Air Blower

6" Vortex Powerfan.

Water Pump

Air Pump

Venting hoses

Ordering --- Carbon Filter

Yoyo Light movers ( suck getting new ones prob bungee cords style movers*forget the name*)

Another Tent 3x2 for clones and seeds

T5 light

*** Things to buy ****

2-4 Flame Defender (Great Idea @ydijadoit)

Drying Tent

Ducting Muffler

Also want a sound proof box for my 6" vortex Fan -- cant seem to find one.

IR Blocking Material.

I think thats all lol.

 

[ydijadoit]

Sounds like you have been doing some shopping, and have all the right stuff out of the gate. The only thing I'd skip for now (One man's opinion) is the light mover.
Since you said it's your first grow, it might pay off to only fill half the tent, to give yourself room to work, and fix any problems that arise.
I'm running 2400w in a 6x8 foot space, and when I load it up, I cross my fingers nothing goes wrong. I don't have enough room in there to change my mind, let alone fix something major...
I have fiddled with a few tents, and highly recommend you hang larger carbon filters through the roof of the tent, to a ceiling joist. (I've used 3/16" hardware store cable, and the crimp ferrules to connect it) You can't move the tent, but you eliminate the risk of collapsing the whole contraption on your plants, which would also drop your light...And your flame defender, and well.... Not a good day!
A fan muffler can be constructed for $15, with a box made from chip board, and some foam insulation board on the inside.
I've noticed that 50% of the noise comes from the air rushing through flex duct, so you might wanna consider the duct insulation also. All can be had a Home Depot, or Lowe's.
Keep up the good work!

 

[gardenfather]

Wow I did not Realize that foam insulation board would work, thought it has to be the fluffy insulation to be honest, thanks

 

[gardenfather]

I was thinking of getting some wireless Cameras i can view on my iphone when im gone to see if anything is going to catch on fire, or is that a bad idea? I wouldnt point them at the plant id have it so it just see's if an area where the fire could start.

 

[ydijadoit]

Acoustic eggshell soft foam would likely work a little better for a fan box, but it can be hard to find locally. It doesn't take much insulating to quiet down a fan immensely.
I always worry about fire, and have considered some video setup as well.
Then I stop and think to myself "Really? I've got a million Chinese-junk electronics plugged in, all over my house. Most are plastic, half are sitting on the carpet, and the other half the cat has probably nibbled on. My room is arc-fault breaker protected, runs on oversize wiring, has 4 fire extinguishers and one overhead water sprinkler. Hmmm. I think the grow is covered. The X-Box is more likely to cause a problem!"
Few things I would do, that are worth more than live video.
#1 Arc fault breaker for your setup. They aren't real cheap, depending on the panel you have (Cutler Hammer, Seimens, etc), but they should stop any arc before it can even make a spark. You may or may not be able to run one in your setup. I weld a lot at home, and the high frequency from my TIG machine will induce enough static to trip the arc fault, if it is under load (lights on) at the time. That's how sensitive they are.
#2 GFI outlet. Water+electricity=no more grower.
#3 Run your light ballast and light cooling/extraction fans on the same breaker. (never more than 80% breaker capacity) The scariest moment I have had growing was when one timer failed, and let 1200 watts run for half the night, with no cooling fan. Those hoods were hot enough to fry a steak on. I saw 105f on my remote room thermostat. I shut everything down, but didn't sleep at all that night. Same timer, same breaker, it all drops off line at once, if something craps out.
#4, and this should likely be number one. NOOO cheap timers! Get yourself and Intermatic T-101. Light ballasts are an inductive load, that really puts cheap timers to the test. You should be able to pick one up at Home Depot for about $50. Only timer I'll run anymore.

Funny how turning on a single light, over a single seed, turns us all into Howard Hughes, crossbred with MacGyver.
Not saying it's a bad thing, but it is amusing!
Regards

 

[gardenfather]

Right now I have my 600w ballast, 600w light, 6" vortex fan and my water&air pump on the same breaker. I installed 6 plugs, they stop water from coming in, but its not a problem for me my stuff is all outside the tent.

Ill go buy that arc breaker.

Plus some of those auto water & fire extinguishers.

Ill see if I can get some Acoustic eggshell soft foam, This hydro guy told me this "As for the fan it is internally air cooled so get hold of some heavy duty rubber carpet underlay and roll the fan up in this."

 

[gardenfather]

Just bought 3 flame defender. 196$ is that a good price? with shipping.