José

no dude that's just retarded, I've never understood why people say that. the only thing i could see losing light from a cool tube is from the metal around the bulb that's not glass. but still, you're always going to lose light no mater what you do. I would guess that the benefit of being able to have the plants closer to the bulb because of the tube actually benefits more than the light you lose to the sides of the bulb.

the plants only use 3% of the light they actually receive anyways, so what's a couple lumens going to matter to an HID light?

honestly I bet more people lose more lumens from dirty bulbs than they do from cool tubes.

TheTrueShangsta

hmmmmmmmmm....but the flass won't create like a magnifying glass effect? i know cool tubes are cool for a reason but it seems like they could create hot spots...

can you reccomend a good 600w system with a cooltube? I would build one myself, but I don't wanna go on a wild goose chase for a bake-a-round and end up with a risk...I'd rather just reccomend one for her to purchase and set it up for her.

Also, all the fans I seem to be finding that are above 350cfms require some pretty hefty ducting...I was thinking 6" max but some of these are meant for 10" flanges.. what's the downsize to using adapter joints to make things fit?

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farmergiles

See badly drawn diagram. NB- everything is inside the cab but it vents outside the cab. If you're not using an air cooled hood then just take the hood out of the vent set up but leave everything else the same.

Air drawn through the filter and fan, then pushed through the shade and finally outside the cab. This works best from a cooling, smell retention and economic perspective imo.

You might want to move as much as possible outside the cab- most filters are designed to have air sucked in not pushed out- they will work both ways but may clog quicker if used outside.

Bear in mind air pressure- you want to maintain negative air pressure in the cab or dank smells will be pushed out through any gaps.

Only infinitesimally. Make sure to keep glass clean though, or it will absorb light and get hot.

If you have the light further away without a shade then you will lose efficiency- the light spreads out as it gets further away- even if you then reflect this light back at the plants with mylar or whatever light is lost as it is reflected- having the bulb as close as you can get away with will increase yields.
Heat stress is a common problem in cab grows- air cooled shades really help with this issue.


The links to the lights you posted- both have unbranded digital ballasts. They'll probably be ok but I have heard experienced growers questioning the reliability of digital ballasts. Buying from a reputable hydro store is prolly a good idea if such a thing exists near you..

Negative, the opposite in fact.

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farmergiles

You want to keep the ducting as least the same size as the fan otherwise the airflow will be impeded.
Also- the more convoluted your duct run the less airflow you will get. Avoid kinks and sharp turns.

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TheTrueShangsta

thanks FG,

I'm still having trouble understanding the filter first concept.......even with your detailed diagram

What I dont get is-how do you mount the filter directly on the light, I thought the can filters were like...in-line filters to be placed in ducting. I could definitely see an advantage to having filter on one end of a cooltube so that dust particles and moisture dont get to the light as easily, but shouldn't the filter also go after the light in order to absorb some light and let less light escape through the vent??

Also, what are your reccomendations on light proofing the vents?

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José

you don't need to get a cool tube either. i'm pretty sure there's something called euro reflectors that you can use with glass that should be the same concept.

farmergiles

filters are single ended so must go at the start or end of a given run- you could mount it directly to the light but better to mount it to the fan and fix both to a panel/stud/whatever.

You can make a blackout box (box with inside painted matt black and two offset holes) to terminate the vent if you are worried about light leaks.

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TheTrueShangsta

Sooooooo if anyone would be so kind as to let me know where to make cuts and position venting.....The light will probably be hung on chains and will be a cooltube. The double decker idea just wasnt worth the risk of failure to my friend, so we're just going single one 600w

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farmergiles

The intake wants to be somewhere near the bottom, filter near the top somewhere. That's about it really.

It doesn't matter where the vent goes as long as it doesn't recirculate straight back into the intake.

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Xil

I would think that the light would reflect back some of the light, but I'm no expert. Kind of like the glare on a window, light being reflected back instead of passing through.

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TheTrueShangsta

do i need a seperate intake ducted straight to the air cooled light....or can one end of the light just be open? I think i already mentioned it but i guess the only concern I have about that would be the moist air damaging the hot bulb or the fans motor or something....

Howabout this picture, Do i have it right? or should I use seperate intakes and exhausts...1 for the light and one for air circulation?
And i've never used a carbon filter before....Are these only one sided, As in...The air actually is pulled through the sides of the filter, and goes out one end of the filter, while the other is blocked? I guess i always thought air passed through filters just like a tube..

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farmergiles

Wow, 3D perspective and everything.

Yes exactly.

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TheTrueShangsta

Ah, i see.

Are there specific types or shapes/sizes that should be used? What would be a good one to get in my situation?

thanks

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farmergiles

Just make sure the can is rated for at least as many cfm as the fan. If you get one that is bigger than necessary that's fine- it will probably just last longer before the charcoal stops removing the dank smells.

It's about time someone tested one of those odorsok thingies, I've never heard anyone here has. They sound pretty good in theory. You were looking at designs earlier that vented to an outside filter? I think odorsoks are supposed to work that way. Maybe one can take the sleeve off and put it inside.

I guess space is no longer quite so critical anyway.

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TheTrueShangsta

Thanks FG

I may check out the odorsoks at some point...but right now it's not worth the risk of failure.

So for that sized box, a fan and filter rated at least 150cfm should suffice, yes?

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