# Will this grow box work?



## LayYouIn (Feb 17, 2008)

hello.  this is my first post.  i actually copied this post from another forum, i just wanted more input.

i've been designing this box and reading up on grow box designs for a couple of weeks now.  im looking for approval on it.

im going for security and stealth.  security first though.  i want no light coming out of the box.

these are some of the items that i was planning on putting into the box...

http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=48137 - CoolTube 6" Reflector

http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=45667 - Digital Electronic 400 watt HPS Ballast

http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=52557 - GrowBright 4" Inline Fan

http://www.4hydroponics.com/grow_room/ElfFilter.asp - Elf Charcoal Filter

are these good products?

this is the grow box design...







the picture has two different front views of the box, one has just the dimensions and the other has the above items in it.

the box will be 3' wide x 2' deep and 6' high, but the growing area inside will be 2' wide by 2' deep and 6' high.

im going to have a 400 watt HPS in there.  that comes out to 100 watts per sq ft.  is this to much light?

the ventilation areas will be on the side of the box, passive air intake at the bottom and a fan ******* air through the cool tube, then pushing air through the filter which is in the top ventilation area which will have a large vent to outside the box.

will this be enough ventilation for the box?  the cool tube has 6" mounts, could i use 4" tubing without problems?

the bottom ventilation area will have 2 different sets of 4" piping that will wined around so that light cannot escape the box.  there will be vents over the holes on the outside of the box.

is this enough for passive intake with the above ventilation area?  will common vents restrict air from flowing in?

what do you all think?  will it work?  where will my biggest problems be?
thanks.


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## That crazy vancouver guy (Feb 17, 2008)

your biggest problem will be portablility and power for the light - you want to keep everything hidden and stealth. noise is another issue.

you don't want to have to be moving things around very much.

power access has to be strategically placed so no one knows nothing.
and enough power has to be available, as well... preferably on it's own circuit... you don't want power fluctuations screwing up your power supply.

and a suggestion... increase the diameter of your intake ports to 6". and simply spray paint the inside of 6" pipe flat black. simply use two connectors back-to-back in an "S" shape with a little chunk of 6" pipe. build a box around it maybe 8" x 8" x 8" maybe, and you are done. you've saved yourself some valuable growing room.


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## LayYouIn (Feb 17, 2008)

That crazy vancouver guy said:
			
		

> your biggest problem will be portablility and power for the light - you want to keep everything hidden and stealth. noise is another issue.
> 
> you don't want to have to be moving things around very much.
> 
> ...


 
what do you mean by "power on it's own circuit"?  i was thinking of having a cord that is plugged into the wall outlet, go into the back of the box and to a powerstrip.  the powerstrip would set on top of the bottom ventilation area.  the light, inline fan, other fans, etc, would all be plugged into the powerstrip.  the ballast for the light would be mounted on the wall above the powerstrip.

for the ventilation, do you mean to have the pipe come in to the box, then turn upwards, then an "S" shape?  also, would my plan of having two different sets of 4" intakes not be enough air intake?

how loud do you think that it would all be?  the ballast is suppose to be near noise free, the intake fan is suppose to be quiet as well(but could that mean quite for a intake fan?...i have no idea how loud a normal one is)...which leaves the light, would that be the loudest thing?

thanks.


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## That crazy vancouver guy (Feb 17, 2008)

dedicated circuit - the power for the equipment should be on it's own circuit... you need to have only your equipment being used on that circuit... you wouldn't want your fridge or dishwasher running on the same circuit. even plugging in a vaccum on the same circuit can cause you problems if you already have a large draw on the circuit.

your best bet is to run it's own power supply straight off the breaker panel. 

if you don't know how to do what I'm talking about... nevermind. just don't use a very long extension cord... and you see... that's not very stealth.

I have a separate circuit running off it's own breaker ran to the back of my box where it is positioned. no one knows it's there... the circuit is run within the framing of the house.

using a powerstrip DOES NOT provide you with more power... it just provides more recepticles to the circuit. you are still limited to 15A.

ie... you are at risk of overloading your circuit.


about the air intakes... you are bang on on my thinking... and I would still stick with both intakes, but I would increase to 6" holes.

I don't know about the noise... I'm not familiar with your equipment. you have to find that out for yourself. just keep in mind that there might be a lot of vibration because of the fan... I'm just thinking outload - u know... giving you things to think about in your effort of designing your grow box.

all you can do is try, man... have a look at my grow journal... my box is in it. the link to my journal is in my signature.


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## LayYouIn (Feb 18, 2008)

That crazy vancouver guy said:
			
		

> your best bet is to run it's own power supply straight off the breaker panel.


 
hmmm.  this is going to be an apartment grow, so im not sure if that can be done in an apartment.

what would happen if i overloaded my circuit?

edit....i could do that with my venting...but do you think that would be enough to keep light trapped inside?  i could probley go higher than 24" for that area.


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## That crazy vancouver guy (Feb 18, 2008)

if you overloaded your circuit, you would simply reset your breaker, but you can't turn it back on right away... you have to let your bulb cool down first, and if you weren't home when it happens, the light would be out for however long until you fixed it.

as for the light leaks... you just have to try it out and see... you might need to go back on itself for the piping. I just have mine as open holes in the back of the box... my box is inset back into a closet area so it's pretty dark down there by the intake holes.

like I said... you just have to try stuff out for yourself.


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## LayYouIn (Feb 22, 2008)

here's the new design...





...would that work with these items...

http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=48137 - CoolTube 6" Reflector

http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=45667 - Digital Electronic 400 watt HPS Ballast

http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=52557 - GrowBright 4" Inline Fan

http://www.4hydroponics.com/grow_room/ElfFilter.asp - Elf Charcoal Filter

...?


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## LayYouIn (Feb 23, 2008)

do you all think that with a 400 watt HPS and the setup im planning, that the temperature will be close to ideal or do you all think that they would be way to high?


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