HELP NEEDED - Grow Room Design Ideas

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
I tried to use the Sketch-up, but it hated me. One other thing, is can you mark where outlets are? Use a different color if circuits are different. What A. breaker runs it is key too.
Daniels
 

mrduke

Well-Known Member
If you really want to pull what sounds like 2 lbs out of your basement your going to need more light. like daniel said w/ the inverse law a 400 is almost useless once the light is 42" from the bulb. and you said somthing about 5 foot plants. your best bet with those lites is going to be a SOG type grow, dont veg much more than a foot then flower. now if you have 2 of those bucket systems you'd be sweet, just pack them together and go for it. I'm sure you could always add more buckets to the system you have also. JUst some info to help confuse you a bit more.
also remember that panda film is a cheep way to make walls and such. I wouldt worry to much about heat as 400's dont make much. But you do need to figure out how to get fresh air in and old air out, one of those windows would be a perfect place to ventilate or even add a small AC in needed down the road.
 

sladeofdark

New Member
YEEES i love you guys man.. well i just found out that i cant get my hnads on the second half of my investment money till fucking the end of march..sigh but i will have to struggle and make something happen BEFORE then. I have been busy fixing computers so didnt get done with Sketchup stuff but yeah Dan i have socket issues as well. But mrduke you have me pegged exactly right i want (NEED) to get 2lbs out of my basement on the first grow in order to be off to a good start. Also thanks for the walls advice. i wasnt sure how i was gonna make it happen but now i have a easy door solutions (daniels) and an apparently easy wall solution thanks to you mrduke. Please dont abandon this thread guys i need your help lol! so many years literally of research is coming together because of the simple bits of advice you guys are throwing at me. But as i was saying mrduke, yeah i had intended to do a minimum of 2 8bucket systems.. but i only have 4 400w lights.. i am out of money.. my seeds just came in today and i dont have reflectors yet. here is my next question for you guys
Should i get some sunsoakers ???
SunSoaker_GALLERY.jpg
or should i get inline type of reflectors for ventilation.
!CEnlPn!BGk~$(KGrHqR,!ioE0GqDSD8rBNSbi103pw~~0_3.JPG
i plan to to as much as i can without making the electric bill too high. I was telling my friend who also grows and is my main teacher, that i could tell from my research that SOG would be what i would end up doing. but he thinks i can get around 100 grams per plant with the 8 plants. So it goes without saying ( and it may even be against the rules here) that i am growing for highest yield so keep that in mind when advising me. but anyway again i thank you all so freakin much.
And my last question is: how should i store my seeds for the next month or so until i get going legit?

And Dan.. i am going to complete the graphic and get it uploaded real soon so that you can see the electrical. peace.
 

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
That inline reflector is what I would use. For seeds in a dark cool spot is good. Look forward to your plan.
 

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
Cool sketch. I'd begin with the first room's exhaust with that double window. It's cheaper to run more sockets to the columns instead of the far wall. You need some, but ballasts, air pumps & fans can power from that column area. You'll need power for the exhaust fans to that window. How about a pic of the breaker box?
 

sladeofdark

New Member
Okay once again man you are answering all the questions i have perfectly. As you can understand i cannot just consult with ANYONE about these questions. I know i have 4 400watt ballast and the 2 pumps for my 2 8- bucket systems and then the ventilation so i am not sure how much i can put on a single 110 socket ya know, but i can see that i am definitely going to need to add more sockets i just needed to know do i need to add a new circuit to my box and whether or not i can do it myself. I am highly mechanically inclined and don't mind doing the work, i just don't want to do something that will make the authorities have to come visit me once i get going ya know. but anyway, here are the picks of the basement sockets and the circuit box(i found some batteries for my camera, i lost my charger for my rechargeable ones)

P4010162.jpgP4010163.jpg
[video]http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j310/sladeofdark/project%20grow/?action=view&current=P4010161.mp4[/video]

http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j310/sladeofdark/project grow/?action=view&current=P4010160.mp4
 

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
I'll get to more later, but you need this from IAm5toned. It has W's for a breaker, ignore the 240v as I think it's unneeded for this.

common continuous duty grow operation wattages based on voltage, with breaker and wire sizes. all wire sizes are based on thwn-2/thhn Cu conductors with a max run of 300'
breaker size----volts------ max wattage allowed ----smallest wire size allowed

  • 15 amp breaker @ 120v = 1440w(12 amps actual) max = #14 awg Cu wire, min
  • 20 amp breaker @ 120v = 1920w(16 amps actual) max = #12 awg Cu wire, min
  • 30 amp breaker @ 120v = 2880w(24 amps actual) max = #10 awg Cu wire, min
  • 40 amp breaker @ 120v = 3840w(32 amps actual) max = #8 awg Cu wire, min
  • 60 amp breaker @ 120v = 5760w(48 amps actual) max = #6 awg Cu wire, min
  • 100 amp breaker @ 120v = 9600w(80 amps actual) max = #3 awg Cu wire, min

  • 15 amp breaker @ 240v = 2880w(12 amps actual) max = #14 awg Cu wire, min
  • 20 amp breaker @ 240v = 3840w(16 amps actual) max = #12 awg Cu wire, min
  • 30 amp breaker @ 240v = 5760w(24 amps actual) max = #10 awg Cu wire, min
  • 40 amp breaker @ 240v = 7680w(32 amps actual) max = #8 awg Cu wire, min
  • 60 amp breaker @ 240v = 11520w(48 amps actual) max = #6 awg Cu wire, min
  • 100 amp breaker @ 240v= 19200w(80 amps actual) max = #3 awg Cu wire, min
 

sladeofdark

New Member
You are the man! this will tell me EXACTLY what to purchase , you are reading my mind bro! oh and Mr Duke if you are still watching this thread i would like to see a high res photo of your avatar b/c it looks ALOT like what my rooms will end up looking like .
 

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
FUCK, I had a reply all typed out & lost it. To pissed to re-do it. Main point was maybe needing a permit & pro, then inspection, for insurance/ later issues. Other point was I'm an amateur, with some research, but adding to a Main panel is critical to do right.
200A Main is bad ass. Can you add up how many A's all the breakers are?

Daniels
 

sladeofdark

New Member
Oh okay well dont worry about it.. i sometimes type out replies and dont submit them for hours b/c im thorough like that. Well i have access to plenty of electric guys that can add my sockets professionally. I just needed to know; did ANY of the equipment ill need now and later - when things become more sophisticated - require more than just normal 110 sockets and how many should i add? I will go add up all the amps right now, as you can see this house was remodeled twice before we bought it and new electrical was ran throughout so the breaker box was put in in 2008 and it has plenty of room for expansion with anticipation of the basement being finished you see. okay so looking at the numbers on the switches( i hope that is what you are asking) the amps are 40(4) + 15(7) + 20(14) + 30(4) = 665amps
 

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
I wasn't thinking right. Yea that was what I asked for adding them up, but now I realize it was a dumb question.:oops:
So here's a couple ideas.:idea: That outlet for sump pump should be enough for some fans. Maybe air pumps IDK I'm a soil guy.
On that wall if you had an outlet with 4 plugs to each window area to a 20A circuit then 1 window will be for the first room and other window for next room's exhaust. That is 1920W for exhaust fans and room fans for both rooms.
These fans would work for each double 400W hood. So what I'm saying is Hood---->Hood---->exhaust fan---->window out. Then 2 of these for your garden foot print. Then you could add a hood to each to the beginning, later as you expand.
http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-GrowBright-6in-High-Velocity-Inline-Fan.asp#

But there are several others to choose from, this one is 110W, but even the biggest one is 230W so that circuit is plenty.
So I would run a line from a 20A on the top to the first window --->double outlet for 4 sockets------>second window----->double outlet for 4 sockets. Then you can use the first set of outlets later.
Next.:leaf:
I would run a 15A line with an outlet or two on that wall to the mother area, where I would have a double outlet for 4 sockets.
So with a 15A breaker is 1440W / 12A is a lot for Mums & cloning etc. You can run a bunch of t-5's and fans with that.

So I better post this before it gets fucked up. I have a sandwich to eat.:fire:
Daniels:weed:
 

sladeofdark

New Member
NICE!!!! thanks man funny enough i had planned out the placement of the outlets the same way intuitively , but i was not sure if those ballast and all that stuff required special types of plugs and what not.. now i know it does not take TOO much but i dont have to worry about overloading.. that wall with the windows can be handled with one 20amp circuit and the other area that is like a cabinet can be handled with a 15amp circuit for my moms/clone area. then ill have a veg area plus 2 flower areas right? man a sandwich sounds great right now.. im gonna go rab one.. and in the meantime tell me what you think of these guys set up.. fast forward the video to see what they yield its very well organized video.
[video=google;93135080430569852]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=93135080430569852&hl=en#[/video]
its THIS type of setup that i eventually want to get to.. but i dont want to add any more complexity to what we are already discussing b/c im following your advice. just wanted to show it to ya.
 

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
I watched some of it. Looks organized. See how they had a shelf high up where all ballasts were sitting? Good plan. They create heat & need to be safe from spills.
So here's more ideas. Make the veg area in the corner where that sump pump is. Say 5' wide. Then a wall.to the column. Box in first flowering room. Pocket door into it. Then a high shelf on the wall between columns w/ pocket door. I think I didn't explain what I'm thinking right.
 

sladeofdark

New Member
i get it perfectly , you are seeing it EXACTLY the way i am picturing it from our talking .. veg room to the far left where the pump is then 2 flower rooms or whatever and the columns sorta 'describe ' the rooms for me. Also in that vid those guys mentioned foam walls.. sounds like a good way to save on wood. and i know you have seen that awesome thread HERE on rollitup where the electrician is helping people out? i am going to build a panel like that for my ballast.. just take my hammer drill and attach a piece of wood to the far wall of each chamber/room and attach my ballast to it like this guy did.
View attachment 1473298

but anyway, yes, i am following your idea nad i am delighted that it is concurrent with mine. but do you agree i should make that cabinet space my mom /clone/ germination area ? by cabinet space i mean this area in my basement
P3190159.jpg
 

Danielsgb

Well-Known Member
I have to run an errand soon when my ride gets here but, Yea something like that was what I was thinking. Try a sketch with a wall from column w heater to wall with dbl. window. Then real wall w/ pocket in between columns. Both real walls, then foam wall on right side. Then ballast panel for first room can go on veg room wall. Keeps it outside of where the 4 bulbs are. Then see how that fits. I'll be back in a couple hours. I'll think about that Mum chamber.
Daniels
 

sladeofdark

New Member
yo i havent forgot about you guys.. certainly not going to let this thread die! i just had my birthday weekend and now im rested back up and stuff. gonna fire up the 3D program and stuff and get back at you guys in a bit.
 

sladeofdark

New Member
So i was wondering what are some good ideas for building walls? where can i find that styrofoam panel stuff i see people using or something similar.. im certainly not going to stud the space out properly and put up drywall.. i think that would be a waste of time and money. just want to create some light tight partitions for my perpetual grow.
 
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