well I wouldnt normaly bash something that i currently have, but lets give it a try. Bcnl - please remember that this is my opinion and please dont shun me
.. I would have to agree with FF, the box are not all that they are advertised. I picked up a produce from a budy of mine. 1 year old when i got it. never asked why he was getting rid of it, but whatever.
let me make sure i make this very clear for all the pot heads
, this box is far from stealth. these are advertised as indoor grow boxes, not the most super stealthy thing you could find next to a stealth fighter. Mine has light leaks at every sheet metal connection as well as out the whole door outline. I know what the argument is "you must be doing something wrong".. no, there are just major light leaks out of the doors and every cornet of this machine.
smell is a whole nother great thing. It smells. not alot, but enough to make any paranoid smoker think twice. think about it. i know most of us dont have a degree in how air moves, but you really dont need one to figure this out. you have a air intake fan that blows into the box. no restriction for air in. then you have a exhaust fan (same as air intake) blowing out through a carbon filter. out does not equal in and there for you have odor leaks out of any cracks (ie door, spaces in sheet metal) I have a whole nother filter and seperate fan running when the lights are on in the box. I unplugged my air in fan and it helped alot (granted my basement must have perfect temps for this thing day = 76 night = 55)
as for usage of sites. I agree with FF, there would be very little possibility to grow 18 plants in the space i have. I dont care what BC says, i have to say no way. I currently have 13 out of 18 sites being ocuppied and it is a mess. Not in a bad way (other than i wish i had a bit more space) but there seems to be plant everwhere. Had to cut down 2 fem's just to make room for some of the monsters i have growing. I know whats advertised but once again, BS. on a 18 site, i would say max would be 12 possibly 10. on a 9 site. mybe 4 or 5. Using all the site would just give you plants that are fighting for light.
as for noise, you can hear the air pump bubbling inside and the fans give off a good amount of noise. not completely silent, but no worse than a box fan running. air pump gives off a bit more, but put some dynamat (sound deadner mat) on the bottom under the resivor (thats between the bottom of the box and the resivor) and poof, no more problems.
i know some people will complain about the size of the box and the price. Size of it. doo some research befor the complaint. Granted this box is bigger than what i expected, but for grow area, way better than anything i could come up with. Im ok with the size. let leave it at that. Price.. also get over it. i know it sounds like i think this box is crap, but its far from it. $3200 is a great price for what your getting. an automated box that you have to spend maybe a total of 2 or 3 hours a week "dealing" with durring veg and flower. For me, i know i could have bought something or built something for less than half, but you get what you pay for.
Im not here to bash this product. I wanted one for a long time, and i will say that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread because the claim that it is an all in one, indoor grow unit and that is exactly what it is. Now thats also not to say that yes, i have an older model and it was used, and i do know that these guys spend alot in R and D to make sure they are solving these little problems. MY final thought, Lots of money for this thing, but does exactly what it is advertised to do. future generations of boxes will just get better and better. This is definitly a company taht listens to their buyers and fixes problems accordingly. Hope it helps.