Gpaw’s Phase II

[Gpaw]

Gpaw’s Phase II

OK, so I have been putzing along in my 4 x 4 tent for a couple years and life is OK…
OK until after spending way too much time on Over Grow - my targeting optics have been realigned several times.

From the start I knew I would get around to upgrades, like a better light, but it is all the other stuff that’s been a surprise!

The Goals

A flexible platform that can handle a cloner, auto water system, seed tray, veg area, bonsai mother area. Preferably re-configurable

So Here’s the Plan

I’m planning on building a 2’ x 4 ‘ grow cabinet 7 foot high.
Top 3 feet will be the “Clone Zone” (too old to go with Clone Wars).
That will consist of a small cloner, automatic watering system, power panel & seed tray area

The bottom 4 feet is a 2’ x 4’ veg area – to be labelled “Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard” optionally this could be reconfigured to a 2’ x 2’ veg and mother plant areas.

Air intake on right side, through a replaceable furnace filter (the same size as the furnace uses).
4” 12VDC fans pushing air in and out of the cabinet (powered by surplus computer PSU).

Air exhaust manifold on right

I’m still trying to sort out Free Cad but I’ll get there.

Lights...

Not decided:

I could throw up some 4 foot shop LEDs from Princess Auto but that doesn’t feel right but will help the budget…

I could move my Kind Led 600 over to the cabinet and upgrade the tent (definitely not in the budget)

I could go with good LED strips in both sections of veg and mount the drivers in the exhaust manifold. (I like this but it’s a budget overrun)

OK, Now the fun bit.
Standard Engineering Bull Pit rules:
Any idea accepted for discussion, don’t be silly unless it’s funny. Thinking outside the box is worth brownie points. The brownie point system is temporal in nature, they slowly evaporate…

The questions to all are:

What is your opinion?

What would you do differently?

If there were no budget constraints how silly would you go?

Cheers and Have at it!
G

[Mr.Sparkle]

Well even with two compartments you should be covered for whatever your doing, the top comparment would be easily able to take care of mothers clones, and seedlings without any extra comparments, same goes for the bottom id just leave the whole thing as one grow space as give you the ability to flower in it if you wanted.

as for airflow bottom up has worked best for me even if you have to make a basic light trap with a double floor for the upper section and an air gap at the bottom of the cab it will allow natural convection of hot air rising to allow more efficient cooling, any side pull stuff your always having to have way more fan than required otherwise.

Lights though you probably know my opinion lol but id be building 2 foot panels just so if you wanted to divide or turn off a side you could.

Also consider just a standard wall transformer for a router or what not vs the PSU alot of the newer ones are in the 20-40w range which is more than enough for whatever 12v pc fans you got going, but i would be thinking of an actual exhaust fan.

[ReikoX]

I agree with the strip lights. It’s cheaper to buy good once than buy cheap twice eh?

[Athos]

Here are my thoughts. Bear in mind that since I grow in micro spaces, my opinion is skewed towards small plants.

First, for the clone area and seed area, I would use the same space and I believe 3 ft tall is too much, my entire grow space is 3.2 ft tall, which includes the carbon filter at the top.

Second, I would consider an enclosed separate space to keep stuff like drivers for leds out of the grow areas. It is not necessary, but it will help deal with the heat, since it will be kept out of the grow space and safer too, since there would be out of the way of any water. I would install a multiple outlet extension cord or two in here, so all electric stuff is kept here, and you have only one cord going out of the cab.

Third, in time you might get bored of keeping mothers, so I would make sure that the mother space can be used as a 2nd flowering space. This can be used for many things: (i) flower autos in 18/6 to 24/0, while you other flower cab is in 12/12 with photoperiod strains; (ii) keeping in mind that usually you would veg 4 to 5 weeks and flower 8 to 10, a dedicated veg space can provide plants for 2 flower rooms.

Fourth, DO NOT design the watering system space on top of any light, that’s just asking for trouble, at the very least if there is any leak it can blow a light, at worst you could have a fire hazard. Either put it at the bottom or, if it must be at the top, let it be on top of supplies, nothing electric.

That is all I can think for now.

[vo_o]

i dont think i understand your drawings… at all… you have 2x4x7 setup, yet, your both sides of drawings look same width, isnt it supposed to look like this:

edit: i just understood now its 2 drawings of same side, but with different info, so ill try to diagram this out when i get home after job (fuck freecad, Paint is your friend )

also, agree with athos about water above lights and power being out of grow, at least, power distribution, youll need a distribution box, i can help out with scheming that out and with connection if youll need…

edit nr 2: can you really grow mothers with 2 feet height space? what kind of water distribution are we talking here? can you make another 2 feet width space to left or right to have place for utillities (power, water distribution)? maybe you could have there nutes tank if youre planning on hydro… if not able to go wider, how about having some space under main grow for utillities and holding nutes or whatever:

so you get intake from bottom, out from top from clone area? but i would need to know more specific about your setup just to dial my logic right, what kind of cloners (total height with lights), how many cloning area you actually want, what kind of water distribution, do you need shelves for stuff, what material will you use to build, what is your budget?

edit nr 3: that bottom part should have been water distro/air intake

edit nr 4: i just saw diggy had similat idea about his led shack, maybe youll find there some good ideas…

[Gpaw]

Good points.
I’ll have to think about vertical air flow some more. Perhaps a double back wall.
After further budget discussions with my family financial manager (my wife) I think I can work in the upgraded lights (option 3) allowing building 2 foot panels!
Yes, the computer PSU is probably not a great choice as the loading is wonky and the efficiencies will be poor. I do have a higher efficiency programmable switching supply I could use (5 - 50 VDC, 90% eff.)
Incorporating a proper exhaust fan is a good idea too. I’m planning on attaching ducting and exhausting external to the ‘lung room’.

Thanx
G

[cannabissequoia]

@Gpaw

If there were no budget constraints how silly would you go?

tropical harem chocolate factory.

[Gpaw]

Hi @Athos that’s good stuff thanx!

I had reservations about putting the gravity fed water supply in the cabinet.
Here’s what I have:

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/garden/indoor-gardening/watering/61622-indoor-watering-system

It is a one piece blow mold and the ‘electronics’ consists of a solenoid valve operated by a timer and 9v battery. Assuming it doesn’t hemorrhage internally somehow the next leak point is probably popping a water line loose. You are correct, bad idea to put electrical under a water tank. The reservoir could be external to the cabinet on a nearby rack.

@Athos

I would consider an enclosed separate space to keep stuff like drivers for leds out of the grow areas

Yes, I was thinking of mounting drivers in the exhaust air plenum on the left side.
Single power cord coming into the cabinet on the left side to a power bar.
The power bar has been modified with the addition of a couple varistors and a gas discharge tube. (basically EMP proof). I want to eliminate that ‘power panel’. Any switches and indicators can be mounted in one of the front doors.

@Athos

Third, in time you might get bored of keeping mothers, so I would make sure that the mother space can be used as a 2nd flowering space. This can be used for many things: (i) flower autos in 18/6 to 24/0, while you other flower cab is in 12/12 with photoperiod strains; (ii) keeping in mind that usually you would veg 4 to 5 weeks and flower 8 to 10, a dedicated veg space can provide plants for 2 flower rooms.

You definitely scored brownie points for that!
I like the way you are thinking!
That adds great flexibility.

Thanx for your input!

Cheers
G

[Gpaw]

Hi @vo_o, sorry for rough conception sketches, they certainly leave a lot to be desired.

Yes, bonsai mothers in a couple feet (it is tight), check out @Mr.Sparkle 's setup. he has that down pat.

(But they don’t quite look look like this)

I think that is a photoshop but I’m not sure…

My current proposal for air flow is right to left (cold air coming in low, warm exiting near the top left. The reasoning was pollen control - if I used part of the veg as a pollen collecting site but recent dialog with Mr Sparkle has minimized those worries.

No hydro reservoir, just soil (K.I.S.).
I have a small cloner (9 holes), it 's 12 " high.

http://www.ezclone.com/our-products/small-systems/

Good point, I’ll review @DiggySoze 's setup, he’s always got some cool ideas.

Thanx & Cheers
G

[Gpaw]

Scantily clad women in grass mini skirts tending Chocolate Sativas and serving frosty beers and blunts… sand, palm trees…

I can see that working!..

Cheers
G

[ReikoX]

I kept bonsai mothers in a 2x2x2 space for years. Pretty easy to do if you prune and clone frequently.

[ifish]

Where will this cabinet be situated ( basement , garage or attic etc ) ?

[Gpaw]

I have taken over a 2nd floor spare bedroom for my grow room. Exhaust (for the tent at the moment) is exhausted out the window. I was thinking of adding a second 8" vent for the cabinet.

Cheers
G

[vo_o]

If i had unlimited budget, i would go for perpetual, every 2 weeks 1 pound setup, like this guy:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=109231

[ReikoX]

@Gpaw

I’m still trying to sort out Free Cad but I’ll get there.

I use Sketchup for all my build designs. I really like it, personally.

[vo_o]

Yea i saw it in your post about rebuild, tried it myself (piratebay), looks cool, definetly helps, you can model things easily…

[Gpaw]

WOW!

That is an amazing setup!! I love the ‘secret entrance’.
It is organized like the guts of a small sailboat - every inch is used.
He reminds me of me in as much as he has notes and reminders posted.
Checklists… I swear it’s the only way I can reliably grow!

Thanks, I bookmarked that for further review.

Thanx & Cheers
G

[Gpaw]

Here’s today’s attempt to generate a sketch in paint. (First stab at it)

Yuk, kind of small, I’ll see what I can do. No, just the same

I’ll do better next time, Just realized the zoom is surprising…

[Gpaw]

Ok, lights.. 

I need mild lighting for the cloner and clone area.

Suggestions?

Light bottom left, this should a nice veg light.

Suggestions?

Question: Do you need IR and UV in Veg?

Light, bottom right. This needs to be variable intensity. from strong veg to mild (for mother storage). I’m guessing something like 30W/Ft to <5W/Ft.?

Suggestions

Cheers
G

[tomGT]

Hi @Gpaw!

I can only +1 what Athos said, becareful about water and electricity! All systems are bound to fail at one time, Murphy is dead but his law is still up to date!

Regarding the lightning, I would look for a global solution so you could swap things if needed.
I have the feeling that strips are the most versatile in the case of closet grow: you can run them low, spread them, run them on top or on the side, have the driver mounted remotely…
Maybe multiple small sets of short strips each on a low power driver so you could play on power and/or spectrum by switching the drivers on and off.

Cheers