BassBong
Well-Known Member
Someday when I'm a rich and famous Cannabis farmer
What a great line. Always good to have aspirations.
Utopian Submarine - 2000W, Indoor, Perpetual
- Thread starter Green Utopia
- Start date
What a great line. Always good to have aspirations.
- Thread starter
- #542
Green Utopia
New Member
Quick Update on the SD scrog:
Don't know what the hell I was seein before - but she definitely has more time to go.
I am not complaining a bit.
Don't know what the hell I was seein before - but she definitely has more time to go.
I am not complaining a bit.
Quick Update on the SD scrog:
Don't know what the hell I was seein before - but she definitely has more time to go.
I am not complaining a bit.
I wouldn't either PaPa......it looks wonderful.
Stakkur
New Member
Man that screen of yours always makes my mouth water and kickstarts my itch to grow my own, but alas they don't make soundless fans so it ain't a option as is. Keep up the great work Papa
NewGrower1
New Member
Looking Nice!
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- #546
Green Utopia
New Member
Yes they do. I wanna see you grow again.
Thanks much!
I wouldn't either PaPa......it looks wonderful.
I guarantee I won't have your kind of patience OMM
, but I just swapped out the HPS for CFLs cause I need to hang the other light to complete the move. And their color under the CFLs is awesome. So they will stay on straight water till Sunday. Then, hopefully, its off with their heads.
I realized that I haven't seen them in any light other than the HPS or green for 7.5 weeks!
There's some purple or dare I say more Strawberry color starting to come out. Its very cool.
This is a quick bong break! I'm making big progress on the move, and I hope to have pics and all that good stuff in the near future.
I am really starting to get excited boys and girls.
P.S. - The Barney's scrog has exceeded my expectations for continued growth. I will do a little fixing of the tallest with twist ties tonight - no big deal. But if she continues at this rate for more than another day - I'm gonna have to re-hang the light to get another few inches!
- Thread starter
- #547
Green Utopia
New Member
OK Expansion Done:
- Thread starter
- #548
Green Utopia
New Member
April Fools!!!!
Stakkur
New Member
- Thread starter
- #551
Green Utopia
New Member
OK - Quick Update for reals.
All is going very well with the move - all things considered.
A few minor hiccups, and I hate to admit the plants are showing a very slight bit of lack of my normal super vigor. I simply have neglected their reservoirs a little too much over the last few weeks. It shall be corrected today, and I hope to see them looking better soon. They're not looking bad, just not looking as good as they could.
Other little hiccups included a bad capacitor on the split AC that cools the room. Its been blowing outside air temp into the room and almost keeping up with the cooling. I have moved the AC unit from the sub, and that one was over-sized so its handling the new space fine for now.
I was pleased with myself for diagnosing the prob with the AC compressor. Assuming I have gotten it right - I think I saved myself a $130 service call + parts. I got a replacement cap for $20. Should be here in an hour - we'll see then.
If that works then I will use the split to keep the room at 78F, and hook the Stand up unit to the controller to supplement and make it 69 at night and 80 in the day. It should be fairly efficient.
I got the CO2 generator installed last night. It works like a champ. It DOES put off some serious heat. Basically all those BTU's of CO2 ARE creating heat. But only while its on. So if it generates 16,000 BTUs of CO2 heat - but only runs 15 minutes an hour then it creates 4000 BTU's an hour. Which is about the BTUs of a 1K ballast and bulb. With both ACs running I have a total of 30,000 BTUs of cooling. So between the two ACs I think the room should stay spot on to the degree what I set it for.
Gotta get the 600s hung today. I made my own Add-A-Lamp rail for the LR3.5. It was easier than I thought to find the right hardware, and I bought their trolley for $20 and an extra 6' of track for 15. Pics to come when its hung and moving.
Sorry no pics yet. No batteries in the cam, so it has to be plugged in - which is a major pain - so pics to come at the end.
All else is good.
Smoking the test bud from the Strawberry Diesel and its very nice. Good flavor, good density, and nice high. Its clearly a week earlier than I would normally have cut some, but its a very nice high. Not so much amber. I'm now really looking forward to seeing what we get on Sunday.
All is going very well with the move - all things considered.
A few minor hiccups, and I hate to admit the plants are showing a very slight bit of lack of my normal super vigor. I simply have neglected their reservoirs a little too much over the last few weeks. It shall be corrected today, and I hope to see them looking better soon. They're not looking bad, just not looking as good as they could.
Other little hiccups included a bad capacitor on the split AC that cools the room. Its been blowing outside air temp into the room and almost keeping up with the cooling. I have moved the AC unit from the sub, and that one was over-sized so its handling the new space fine for now.
I was pleased with myself for diagnosing the prob with the AC compressor. Assuming I have gotten it right - I think I saved myself a $130 service call + parts. I got a replacement cap for $20. Should be here in an hour - we'll see then.
If that works then I will use the split to keep the room at 78F, and hook the Stand up unit to the controller to supplement and make it 69 at night and 80 in the day. It should be fairly efficient.
I got the CO2 generator installed last night. It works like a champ. It DOES put off some serious heat. Basically all those BTU's of CO2 ARE creating heat. But only while its on. So if it generates 16,000 BTUs of CO2 heat - but only runs 15 minutes an hour then it creates 4000 BTU's an hour. Which is about the BTUs of a 1K ballast and bulb. With both ACs running I have a total of 30,000 BTUs of cooling. So between the two ACs I think the room should stay spot on to the degree what I set it for.
Gotta get the 600s hung today. I made my own Add-A-Lamp rail for the LR3.5. It was easier than I thought to find the right hardware, and I bought their trolley for $20 and an extra 6' of track for 15. Pics to come when its hung and moving.
Sorry no pics yet. No batteries in the cam, so it has to be plugged in - which is a major pain - so pics to come at the end.
All else is good.
Smoking the test bud from the Strawberry Diesel and its very nice. Good flavor, good density, and nice high. Its clearly a week earlier than I would normally have cut some, but its a very nice high. Not so much amber. I'm now really looking forward to seeing what we get on Sunday.
- Thread starter
- #552
Green Utopia
New Member
240v upgrade
One other thing:
I plan to get the ballasts running on 240v. The room has its own breaker panel. Currently there are 8 x 20A + the 40A for the AC (which only needs 30A but it was there).
So I have been doing some research and getting my ducks in a row.
There are store-bought contraptions that sell for between 140-290 to put 4-8 lights on 240. Depending on the model you then run a Dryer cord or a Range Cord to the unit from your breaker.
They are obviously just some 240v relays and the outlets.
I am debating about whether to make my own or buy one.
Please - before all the warnings about safety come in - YES I WILL BE CAREFUL! Everything will be done to code. That's why I'm doing my research now. The sooner I make the change - the lower my electric bill will be - but I am in no desire to rush.
So - if anyone has any good suggestions for either where or what to get regarding relays and/or things like the PowerBox - I can use all the tidbits I can get.
I am still weighing all my options.
TIA
EDIT: BTW - The only reason I'm even considering the DIY approach is because I have the Veg room and the Flowering Room. 2 ballasts in Veg and 3 in Flower. The store bought ones come in 4 or 8 outlets. I would need two (12hrs vs 18hrs). So If I do it myself I think I can save a few hundred dollars and still do it right. If there are any lighting control dudes reading this - take note: I think a medium sized system for two rooms would be a great addition to product lines. All the controllers (including environmental) and everything all should be designed to accommodate two small rooms off the same unit with an expansion. In my situation I need a total of 5 outlets on TWO separate timers. Not 4 or 8 on 1 timer. Please start making things to accommodate the small perpetual harvest medical grow. Not all us perpetual growers are crazy big time commercial growers.
One other thing:
I plan to get the ballasts running on 240v. The room has its own breaker panel. Currently there are 8 x 20A + the 40A for the AC (which only needs 30A but it was there).
So I have been doing some research and getting my ducks in a row.
There are store-bought contraptions that sell for between 140-290 to put 4-8 lights on 240. Depending on the model you then run a Dryer cord or a Range Cord to the unit from your breaker.
They are obviously just some 240v relays and the outlets.
I am debating about whether to make my own or buy one.
Please - before all the warnings about safety come in - YES I WILL BE CAREFUL! Everything will be done to code. That's why I'm doing my research now. The sooner I make the change - the lower my electric bill will be - but I am in no desire to rush.
So - if anyone has any good suggestions for either where or what to get regarding relays and/or things like the PowerBox - I can use all the tidbits I can get.
I am still weighing all my options.
TIA
EDIT: BTW - The only reason I'm even considering the DIY approach is because I have the Veg room and the Flowering Room. 2 ballasts in Veg and 3 in Flower. The store bought ones come in 4 or 8 outlets. I would need two (12hrs vs 18hrs). So If I do it myself I think I can save a few hundred dollars and still do it right. If there are any lighting control dudes reading this - take note: I think a medium sized system for two rooms would be a great addition to product lines. All the controllers (including environmental) and everything all should be designed to accommodate two small rooms off the same unit with an expansion. In my situation I need a total of 5 outlets on TWO separate timers. Not 4 or 8 on 1 timer. Please start making things to accommodate the small perpetual harvest medical grow. Not all us perpetual growers are crazy big time commercial growers.
There is no power savings going from 110 to 240. Watts=Volts x Amps.
A 1000watt ballast takes fewer amps at 220 than at 110.....but watts are the same, thus power consumption is the same.
The beauty of 220 is that the higher voltage allows us to use smaller gauge wires and/or longer runs of wires before resistance gives any sort of voltage drop.
Other than that, there is no power savings. Sorry bro, I didn't mean to hijack your journal....I'm just a stickler for all things electrical.
precisely why power transmission lines run in the thousands of volts.....
Thanks Doc. I understand all of this which is why I was curious about the comment Papa made in his last post about making the 240v changes and power savings.
- Thread starter
- #557
Green Utopia
New Member
Re: 220v vs. 120v
You are all basically right, but there is more to the story. The savings come from Ohm's law. But I admit after crunching all the numbers they are less than I thought because I have short runs for my cables anyways.
But...
V=IR
Use my dual 600w ballast as an example. Lets just say that this ballast draws 8.3A @ 120v and 4.16A @ 240 (Ohms Law again).
Run a dedicated #14 AWG circuit to feed this ballast.
1000' of #14 CU has a resistance of 3.07 Ω (per the NEC)
I'll use 50' to acct for the power cord, and the romex in the wall and ceiling. The actual in the wall is only prolly 25', but the power cable is long and higher resistance.
50' = .1535 Ω
120v circuit:
(8.3 x 8.3) x 0.1535 = 10.57 watts lost
240v circuit:
(4.16 x 4.16) x 0.1535 = 2.65 watts lost
The savings is the difference:
10.57 - 2.65 = 7.91 watts
Now plug those numbers into my real-world electric bill:
Electricity costs me $.0974 /kwh
Savings = .00791kw x 12h x $.0974kw/h = $.0924/day savings
So about $.010/day for the one dual.
If I had to guess - say triple that for all the lights - the veg are 18 hrs
So realistically about $.030 a day savings. = $.9/month total savings.
Technically most of that loss is turned into heat which needs to be cooled as well, so theoretically there's some savings in AC cost as well - but its negligible.
CONCLUSION:
Thanks but no thanks! I am glad y'all made me do that math. If the runs were longer, or I had bigger lights, or more of them, or higher cost of electricity - it would be a no-brainer - re-run those numbers with even a slight increase and you'll see that it can start paying very quickly. Also, take a look at the price of wire when you can use a higher gauge for a longer run - a new installation could easily pay for 220 in the cost of the wire. But for me - definitely useless.
But for me - not enough return on investment.
EDIT: I forgot a 0 in one calculation - its even more useless than I first thought unless you go new. Those numbers are right now.
P.S - To all you lighting manufacturers - you're off the hook on this product for small rooms - but I still want controllers and timers dammit!
You are all basically right, but there is more to the story. The savings come from Ohm's law. But I admit after crunching all the numbers they are less than I thought because I have short runs for my cables anyways.
But...
V=IR
Use my dual 600w ballast as an example. Lets just say that this ballast draws 8.3A @ 120v and 4.16A @ 240 (Ohms Law again).
Run a dedicated #14 AWG circuit to feed this ballast.
1000' of #14 CU has a resistance of 3.07 Ω (per the NEC)
I'll use 50' to acct for the power cord, and the romex in the wall and ceiling. The actual in the wall is only prolly 25', but the power cable is long and higher resistance.
50' = .1535 Ω
120v circuit:
(8.3 x 8.3) x 0.1535 = 10.57 watts lost
240v circuit:
(4.16 x 4.16) x 0.1535 = 2.65 watts lost
The savings is the difference:
10.57 - 2.65 = 7.91 watts
Now plug those numbers into my real-world electric bill:
Electricity costs me $.0974 /kwh
Savings = .00791kw x 12h x $.0974kw/h = $.0924/day savings
So about $.010/day for the one dual.
If I had to guess - say triple that for all the lights - the veg are 18 hrs
So realistically about $.030 a day savings. = $.9/month total savings.
Technically most of that loss is turned into heat which needs to be cooled as well, so theoretically there's some savings in AC cost as well - but its negligible.
CONCLUSION:
Thanks but no thanks! I am glad y'all made me do that math. If the runs were longer, or I had bigger lights, or more of them, or higher cost of electricity - it would be a no-brainer - re-run those numbers with even a slight increase and you'll see that it can start paying very quickly. Also, take a look at the price of wire when you can use a higher gauge for a longer run - a new installation could easily pay for 220 in the cost of the wire. But for me - definitely useless.
But for me - not enough return on investment.
EDIT: I forgot a 0 in one calculation - its even more useless than I first thought unless you go new. Those numbers are right now.
P.S - To all you lighting manufacturers - you're off the hook on this product for small rooms - but I still want controllers and timers dammit!
BassBong
Well-Known Member
Hehe all this talk brought me back to my tech school days. Don't get to use it much anymore as I just swap boards as the manufacturers say. Now I wil smoke and meditate ohm ohm ohm.
plantpot4fun
New Member
papa, this may be what you're looking for. you run 1 40 amp 240volt to the controller. it has 2 trigger cables that you then connect to different timers allowing you to run up to 8 lights at diff, times. hope this helps.
CAP MLC.8DX 8 Light Controller Dual Trigger Cables - Plantlighting Hydroponics
CAP MLC.8DX 8 Light Controller Dual Trigger Cables - Plantlighting Hydroponics
- Thread starter
- #560
Green Utopia
New Member
That is exactly what I would have wanted. I think now, per the math above, there is really no reason for me to do it - unless I find that I need to combine amps on a breaker. Aside from that I won't save any real $.
That is a very cool find. I looked everywhere for one that was a dual like that and didn't see that one.
Hopefully we help someone else out as well.
+reps