attic led grow insulation question

[bushdriver]

hey all looking for a few opinions before i get under way diying…

I'm looking to run2-3k of led in my attic. at the moment the roof is uninsulated. as there are beams going diagonally through the space i want to grow in i can't put a grow tent in there and will have to have the beams going throughout the grow space. so i thought it best to just insulate the whole roof…. i was thinking putting rock wool between the rafters then holding it in place with that insulated foil bubble wrap stuff. i would then box down the middle and hang my lights from the rafters. my exhaust would blow through a grill in the attic hatch does that sound like enough insulation for that much led?

help appreciated

 

[PetFlora]

You can buy 4 x 8 sheets of insulated foam board at Lowes/HD

Just nail it in place to the rafters

 

[bushdriver]

ok… so you reckon that plus the foil will be enough to cover my heat sig?

 

[PetFlora]

ok… so you reckon that plus the foil will be enough to cover my heat sig?

Depends on how many watts you're pumping. LEDs have a much lower heat signature than hps

 

[bushdriver]

2.5kw?

 

[tenthirty]

2.5 kw of what kind of led?

That would be a lot of led power!!$$!!

 

[PetFlora]

2.5kw?

The foam board comes in various R values, but 2.5K might be pushing your luck

Why don't you sleep in the attic and grow down stairs?

 

[tenthirty]

That sounds about right to me as well

 

[tokersmoke]

I have considered an attic grow as well.My attic gets hot like really hot and the headroom is less then ample.I went another route with a outdoor shed.I insulated the walls with r30 and put insulation board and thermostat plywood up.I have 3 1k lights in a 12x12 area air cooled.During 100 degree days the temp can raise no higher then 80.I only have a 10k window unit in.If i added another 1k the temp would be too high.I also have an intake and exhaust fan.Point is an attic is way hotter then a shed.This idea can work.But you will have to insulate the hell out of everything and have a ac unit.The leds run cooler BUT an attic is a hot spot!! Just some thoughts

 

[bushdriver]

2.5k of eshine/ds leds….. sleeping in the attic is out of the question… the thing is most of the year the attic will be cold, i'm in the uk.. i can take a couple of months off in the summer so attic growing where i live is not that bad if using led. i've grown through the summer with similar wattages in HPS in an attic but want to create a sustainable system with led….
surely i don't need an ac unit…??? i just ran half the wattage in led through aug and the heat was f all! i figure as long as i'm venting below i'm ok?

2.5kw of led barely produces the heat off a 1kw HPS… just enquiring to how much insulation one should use?

 

[bushdriver]

That sounds about right to me as well

who are you responding to?

 

[tenthirty]

who are you responding to?

Petflora above my post.

 

[zerocool21]

there are so many variables its hard to say what will work an what wont. have you tested to see what the highest temp reaches an what the lowest is, this will help others give more spot on advice. we dont know if ur house gets to -10 or 60deg F as a low same with the heat so how much if any insulation depends solely on that. idk if u need a r13 or a r34 more is always better but thats about as spot on as u can get with that info provided.

realistically its always a solid idea to have a well insulated place. id highly suggest u make it more waterproof to protect the insulation as the rh can play havoc if u let it get out of acceptable ranges then cool/condensate in/on the insulation. simple steps will save u a ton of headache if u ever have to deal w/ that, which imo without knowing more info like natural rh,temps etc well just say its very plausible to be an issue at some point.

it sounds like ur pulling and exhausting air through the attic vents which is why i brought up those points as there solid concerns. theres just so many unknowns its really a crap shoot to say if it can/will work for your situation.

hope it gave u some stuff to think about, good luck

 

[bushdriver]

i can only guess at the temps but have gown in uninsulated attics before in the uk so i know roughly… throughout the winter i doubt it would get lower than 5.c in the attic, throughout the summer no higher than 30.c in the middle of the day… i run lights through the night and go on holiday in the middle of the summer to avoid the hottest months…

in terms of waterproofing, the inside layer of the grow area would be foiled with all corners taped etc… I might try and run an intake from outside for the summer and inside for the winter.. but the extake will always blow back through the hatch into the house...

for me it is not the fear of creating an optimum grow room temp, i know it'll be easy with led at these wattages... it is hiding my heat sig through the roof from the choppers that worries me… growing is not legal here!

thanks

 

[PetFlora]

eshine???????????????

Nooooooooooooooooo



Look into 315w CMHs (I think there's an IC thread).

They come in 230v and are killin it growin mj

Very efficient, not much heat signature

 

[bushdriver]

petflora i know eshine are very good LEDs i don't need to be told ova wise as I have grown very nice buds with them and am a returning customer of their lights…. i love how people constantly doubt LEDs performance, it gives me the edge with the extra crystals…

 

[bushdriver]

i know e shine are very good LEDs as i have grown great buds with them and am already a returning customer. I can run around 5-600w p sq/m with great coverage and over lap. Guess this brand never got proved on this site but i know they rock and am getting more… too many benefits not to.

 

[bushdriver]

sorry for edited double post

 

[PetFlora]

I have dabbled in leds for 3+ years

I switched from hot5 to led panels 6 months ago (BML SPYDR 600- ~ 333w), and had a great result. Revegging one of those plants under it now, and it's killin it

The cube is 17" (43cm) on center

View attachment 287338 View attachment 287339

but eshine?

Although you are seemingly happy (aren't we always until we experience something much better, like home grown v street weed)?

I can tell ya there are MUCH better leds out there, but maybe not available where you are

I am now testing Amare Technologies Solar Spec panels and am liking what their SS 260 is doing in veg

Several grows on other gro-sites like v Mars II 1200. One guy is starting a grow using 4 SS 260s v Gavita Pro. That should be very interesting

They ship out of California. Website not up yet

 

[bushdriver]

have you ever grown with the 11 spec panels with the lenses? i really don't need the panels to perform better than they already do… plus they can be bought at less than a dollar a watt….