Harvest a Pound Every Three Weeks!

[DIRTHAWKER]

GENFRANCO Yea i figured that... but isnt there some indoor growing software out there somewhere? I can visualize everytrhing in the grow room plugged into some kind of box that is hooked to the computer, the software has different setting for each and every plug,, lights, exhaust, pumps, co2,etc.
you just set each one at the setting you want. Its not very complicated it seems simple enough.

 

[DIRTHAWKER]

To answer that Dirth, My Ballasts are Lumatek Electronic ballasts
For some reason they r not able to run off a genny

HMM i didnt know that.... i wonder if that goes for regular ballasts?

 

[genfranco]

where do I look?

search building managment system.

Someone needs to build a small scale system for us growers... it would be easy as hell ... It just too far ya know?...lol..

Ill talk to a couple of asian programers i know... Now i need the parts and money... LIke i said... too far

 

[Jgoasnhja]

Dude every critical building in the world does this...

They have battery banks, UPS's, and generators.

When power goes off the UPS grabs power from the batteries until the generator ramps up ... then the UPS grabs power from the generator and charging comences on the batteries.. when power is restored... then the ups grabs power from the batteries while it makes the switch back to comercial power... then it charges the batteries again.

So I guess if you wanted to you could just hook a ups up to a generator and your lights up to the ups and have a constant power supply ( as long as there's fuel )

 

[genfranco]

GENFRANCO Yea i figured that... but isnt there some indoor growing software out there somewhere? I can visualize everytrhing in the grow room plugged some kind of box that is hooked to the computer, the software has different setting for each and every plug,,
you just set each one at the setting you want. Its not very complicated it seems simple enough.

Sure it is as you say... in the rough... The deal is that you need to have the plugs talk back to the unit.. Again not difficult.. just parts and tedious wiring.

Too Far

 

[genfranco]

So I guess if you wanted to you could just hook a ups up to a generator and your lights up to the ups and have a constant power supply ( as long as there's fuel )

you need something to maintain power while the generator starts. or you will loose power Most UPS's do have batteries in them... however the amount of power that they provide is more in the 500 to 800 watt region... Most growers exceed those by double if not triple(counting fans and pumps n shit)... 3 ups youll say then ...lol

 

[Jgoasnhja]

HMM i didnt know that.... i wonder if that goes for regular ballasts?

I dont think so Dirth. I think Magnetic Coil Ballasts can run off a genny.

I was real paranoid when I first started growin so I thought I was gonna have to buy a genny and run everything off of it because I thought 2 lights would be this huge sign to the cops that suposably check your electric bill every month to make sure you are not usin unnormal amounts of electric .... lol I know Im an IDIOT

 

[genfranco]

I dont think so Dirth. I think Magnetic Coil Ballasts can run off a genny.

I was real paranoid when I first started growin so I thought I was gonna have to buy a genny and run everything off of it because I thought 2 lights would be this huge sign to the cops that suposably check your electric bill every month to make sure you are not usin unnormal amounts of electric .... lol I know Im an IDIOT

your not an idiot at all... most of us had those fears... unless you mean we are all idiots. lol

 

[Jgoasnhja]

It's just funny to think back at some of the things you use to think when you first started. I guess your right tho it's not bein an idiot its just bein smart actually and tryin to take percautions. Thanks for correctin me there, Great positive thinkin Franco

 

[StinkBud]

stinkbud i was wondering what you think about using your veg room at 24 hours light i had a friend whom was boasting about his veg with 24 h light and it would give me way more room for flowerin if i consolidated my veg and clones into the same area

When I put up my 6 hole test system I had to put my veg system in the closet with my clones. I run both lights 24/7. There are only a couple of disadvantages to running your lights all the time, neither of which apply to us.

When you run 24/7 the plants will never mature. From seed it will take forever to see any preflowers because the plants have no time to reference for night vs. day.

I run clones so it makes no difference to me.

It also takes a little longer to flower. Again all that happens is the plants are a little bigger at harvest. You may have to wait another week to harvest though.

If you are running plants from seed you will need some 18/6 to produce preflowers. Plants won't flower until they are mature enough regardless of the light cycle.

How can you tell when your plant is reaching maturity? Look at the main stalk. Notice how the stems are coming out? If they are coming out symmetrical then the plant is still a baby.

When you see the stems start to grow asymmetrical then you know you can flower the plant.

I think I'm rambling now....

 

[Jgoasnhja]

Hey guys I was thinkin about Stinks system and how he uses no medium so he has to tie breadties to his supports. I was wonderin if u just put some hydroton in the net pot so the roots had somethin lil to grab onto if this would affect anything. I know hydroton does not really retain water so I thought using it by itself with his system might help.
I duno just thoughts, I do like the fact that there is no medium at all in his system and they basicly just grow in air. lol

 

[Jgoasnhja]

Hey stink since your here right now I got a question for ya.
I asked this before but I am gonna be copyin your system exactly and wondered. I allready have two 400 watt hps lights. I know you run two 1000 watters in your flower system. So if I bought a 1000 watt light do you think I could still run you system with the same yields even tho Im lacking the 200 watts that u got on me

 

[StinkBud]

To answer that Dirth, My Ballasts are Lumatek Electronic ballasts
For some reason they r not able to run off a genny

It's because some generators don't produce a true sine wave. Cheap generators produce a square wave. Electronic ballasts need a clean sine wave to work.

There are some generators that put out a true sine wave. The high end Honda generators are the best. I have the Honda 1000W. It has cleaner power than my house!

The Honda 3000i would power all your lights, pumps and computer in an outage.

 

[Jgoasnhja]

Awsome Stink I just cant stop learning from you man. I am a big fan of electronic ballasts, so know that I know there are gennys that can power them that makes me real happy

 

[StinkBud]

Hey stink since your here right now I got a question for ya.
I asked this before but I am gonna be copyin your system exactly and wondered. I allready have two 400 watt hps lights. I know you run two 1000 watters in your flower system. So if I bought a 1000 watt light do you think I could still run you system with the same yields even tho Im lacking the 200 watts that u got on me

4-400W light would be better than my 2-100W lights and use less power. You could also run your room with the small plants on one side so you could lower the light right on top of them.

You would actually be producing more usable lumens than my 1000W lights. The distance of the lights to the plants is just as important as the power. For every foot of distance you loose half your light (approx.)

So the fact that you could hang the 400's right on top of the plants would potentially give you a bigger harvest than expected.

A couple more 600W would be even better. You could keep the 600's over the taller plants to get more light penetration.

If you can only afford one ballast then the 1000W is the most economical solution since the ballasts and reflectors all cost about the same.

 

[StinkBud]

I dont think so Dirth. I think Magnetic Coil Ballasts can run off a genny.

I was real paranoid when I first started growin so I thought I was gonna have to buy a genny and run everything off of it because I thought 2 lights would be this huge sign to the cops that suposably check your electric bill every month to make sure you are not usin unnormal amounts of electric .... lol I know Im an IDIOT

The standard magnetic ballasts can run off of any generator. He was talking about one of the new electronic ballasts though. They need a pure sine wave.

Same thing with DC/AC inverters. If you want to run a flat screen TV in your van you have to fork out the cash for a true sine wave inverter. They cost 4 times as much money! I just went through this last Summer....

 

[genfranco]

4-400W light would be better than my 2-100W lights and use less power. You could also run your room with the small plants on one side so you could lower the light right on top of them.

You would actually be producing more usable lumens than my 1000W lights. The distance of the lights to the plants is just as important as the power. For every foot of distance you loose half your light (approx.)

So the fact that you could hang the 400's right on top of the plants would potentially give you a bigger harvest than expected.

A couple more 600W would be even better. You could keep the 600's over the taller plants to get more light penetration.

If you can only afford one ballast then the 1000W is the most economical solution since the ballasts and reflectors all cost about the same.

I think 2 600 watt lights would be the best for this setup...
you get the penetration, the growth widness.... and lumens are at 92,000 each light.

I grow with a 400watt HPS and let me tell you the penetration is disappointing. But then i come from outdoor...lol

 

[Jgoasnhja]

4-400W light would be better than my 2-100W lights and use less power. You could also run your room with the small plants on one side so you could lower the light right on top of them.

You would actually be producing more usable lumens than my 1000W lights. The distance of the lights to the plants is just as important as the power. For every foot of distance you loose half your light (approx.)

So the fact that you could hang the 400's right on top of the plants would potentially give you a bigger harvest than expected.

A couple more 600W would be even better. You could keep the 600's over the taller plants to get more light penetration.

If you can only afford one ballast then the 1000W is the most economical solution since the ballasts and reflectors all cost about the same.

Unfortunatly Stink I just started with the whole hydro thing. I wanted Aeroponics from the begining but couldnt find a way to do it that seemed sutible and cheap enough. So.... I ended up finding an awsome tutorial for a diy DWC setup, and I built it. I just started some Thai x Skunk in it and ended up stumbleling upon your thread as like I said I like aeroponics concepts the most. So now Im completely bumed out because I just invested money into the other setup when I could have been makin yours (The God of All Systems)
So luckly its christmas and I have been working on my new house and just asked for Lowes gift cards from the wife n family so I can make your master system, buy new nutes, and start all over from scratch.

Ohh I said before that I was gonna just scrap my DWC setup, it was a bad choice of words. Since your system basicly needs to have allcfemale to work, Im just gonna use the other system so I can weed out the males and take some cuttings for your system

I just wanted to thank you personally Stink. You have helped me understand so much. I have learned more from you than anyone so thank you.

 

[westmich]

<back up power sub thread>

One other thought, a different approach, would be to use those commercial emergency exit flood lights. They charge up from AC and kick on automatically when the power goes out. I would think you could use several of them and mount them directly to the ceiling. Maybe you change the bulbs or use some well positioned reflectors. Or maybe you just wire them to some HO fluorescent lights. It wouldn't be anything like the HPS, but it might keep them alive until the power came back on. You could also wire them up with timers to use them as supplemental lighting.

Just thinking out loud - I am pretty ripped at the moment.

 

[flabbyone]

Hi ya'll, When you have a disabled guy with time on his hands and a passion for pot, you get a lot of posts. Sorry. I hope you find this one interesting.

I have been looking for a simple, cheap and effective way to control that timer. I did a search for software and came up with this one. This will control your whole grow. You would have to purchase some hardware, of course, but all in all, it may be worth it. No timers burning out. I have not calculated costs, not even just on the software, but it looks interesting enough I thought I would throw it out there to you computer geeks and see if you think this will work.
Here is a link to the site; http://www.brothersoft.com/timer-(pulses-in-minutes)-52763.html

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