1000 Watt Water Cooled Grow

[Green Utopia]

Yeah its in the res. Its 130g of RO water so its very clean, I can't really tell its in their either. I'll try to get a pic but i doubt it b/c its in a closet right behind the tent, and with the plumbing and lack of space, it is very tight. I cant move the tent more than a foot away from the closet b/c of the fresca sol plumbing tubes. I literally have to crawl in there.

So that basket is in the water?

And you can barely see the water line, but you can. Good deal, man. Assuming you don't fry - that's a very very very cool (pun intended) setup.

 

[KiwiKing]

So that basket is in the water?

And you can barely see the water line, but you can. Good deal, man. Assuming you don't fry - that's a very very very cool (pun intended) setup.

The water line is about half way up the copper coils.

Yes the basket is in the water - I use it to lower the head the pump has to pump against. I am in the process of reading through your thread, not too far, but the idea for the controller is killer man. I thought about doing something like that but couldn't find anything on the net detailing it. What would you charge to make something like that for someone?

 

[Green Utopia]

The water line is about half way up the copper coils.

Yes the basket is in the water - I use it to lower the head the pump has to pump against. I am in the process of reading through your thread, not too far, but the idea for the controller is killer man. I thought about doing something like that but couldn't find anything on the net detailing it. What would you charge to make something like that for someone?

First - Thanks! Second when you get a little further you'll see you don't want me making it

But.. I will post all the code - for free, and really I promise when you see the final thing - you'll see its no harder than your chiller. In fact its 90% the same parts.

 

[RLMC]

Cool Set Up, Can't Wait To See What You Can Do With It..

What Temps Have The New Cooler Brought The Res To?

Just A Thought, But Have You Tried Having The Coil Just Over The Res & Have A Pump That Pumped The Water Through Like Drip Lines That Feed The Water To The Top Of The Coil, So The Water Ran Through The Coil & Back To The Res, Guess You Could Even Spray Or Mist The Water On The Coil, But When It Drained Back To The Res, It Would Be Cooler & Help Oxygenate The Water ?? Just A Thought.

 

[KiwiKing]

I came across a par chart on Whiskey Papa's grow, originally posted by Butcher and thought I would comment on it in regard to water cooled lamps. It seems the maximum par that a plant should receive according to the chart is about 65,000. This is achieved at 10 inches away with a 1000w hps and 8 inches with a 600w. Based on this, for water cooled lights, a 1000w is basically a waste of 400 watts.

I was wondering if any one could comment on the validity of this.

Also I have read numerous times that a 600w can be used with a 1000w ballast. There is dissension however that a multi-tap ballast should be used and not a typical single tap. Is this indeed the case or rather an instance of over zealousness?

 

[KiwiKing]

Cool Set Up, Can't Wait To See What You Can Do With It..

What Temps Have The New Cooler Brought The Res To?

Just A Thought, But Have You Tried Having The Coil Just Over The Res & Have A Pump That Pumped The Water Through Like Drip Lines That Feed The Water To The Top Of The Coil, So The Water Ran Through The Coil & Back To The Res, Guess You Could Even Spray Or Mist The Water On The Coil, But When It Drained Back To The Res, It Would Be Cooler & Help Oxygenate The Water ?? Just A Thought.

The temp is set to 66. Right now however the res is at 80. I have been having trouble with it over heating and attempted to reconnect the fan to no avail.... The rez chamber has zero air circulation -- as always, first hand experience is the best way to learn. I did put a fan in with it and it ran for about 30 min or so and kicked back on in 15 -- if I open the closet door, with the fan on, the chiller stays on. I should be able to get the temp down to 66 after a few cycles of the chiller. May need to find another ac unit and redo the chiller with the fan intact.

***So I did some tinkering and decided to leave the chiller, for the moment, as it is. Its been running about 3-4 hours and the temps are now at the desired level. When I get a chance I am going to remove the aluminum fins from it to allow for better water flow, and hopefully better cooling. That is unless someone thinks that with the fins on it will cool better.

I have been doing some researching and have put together a pretty good plan to allow the window ac unit to stay in the window with the fan on blowing the hot air out. Right now I am thinking about building an acrylic box around the chiller, placing the ac unit in the window, and then plumbing the rez water to the box and then back to the rez. This would be great for the summer as it would vent all hot air produced outside.

 

[onthe420train]

Hey sldunn01 just checkin out your grow. I aslo have SLH going but genetically it is too weak to keep up with all of my other plants. It can't handle nutrients early on any higher than 1.0EC.

 

[onthe420train]

I came across a par chart on Whiskey Papa's grow, originally posted by Butcher and thought I would comment on it in regard to water cooled lamps. It seems the maximum par that a plant should receive according to the chart is about 65,000. This is achieved at 10 inches away with a 1000w hps and 8 inches with a 600w. Based on this, for water cooled lights, a 1000w is basically a waste of 400 watts.

I was wondering if any one could comment on the validity of this.

Also I have read numerous times that a 600w can be used with a 1000w ballast. There is dissension however that a multi-tap ballast should be used and not a typical single tap. Is this indeed the case or rather an instance of over zealousness?

I'm not following that logic about the 400w wasted.
Using a 600w bulb in a 1000w ballast will generate loads of heat ballast-end and run the bulb out quicker than a 600w ballast would. In general it will only cause you more trouble than its worth just use your 1000w it isn't a waste of 400w thats for sure, 1000w will give you denser larger buds.

 

[EvenFlow]

I tried the a/c homemade chiller before, I didnt like the rust forming on it so I got this exhaust fan and hung it right over the water, about 2 inches away and that worked a lot better for me. Keeps the water around 60. And its quieter then the a/c and cheaper to run.

 

[Doctor Dread]

Props on the fresca bro! I just hooked mine up yesterday...

Thanks for doin that how-to. I was dreading buying a chiller. I'm totally gonna make a chiller with an old AC once I swap out my 400 for the 1000. Great idea and a top notch tutorial as well.

 

[KiwiKing]

They're lookin fine! And very nice clean setup on the exhaust.

+Reps for attention to detail.

Papa Green, how did you change your user name? I have been wanting to do that myself.

I'm not following that logic about the 400w wasted.
Using a 600w bulb in a 1000w ballast will generate loads of heat ballast-end and run the bulb out quicker than a 600w ballast would. In general it will only cause you more trouble than its worth just use your 1000w it isn't a waste of 400w thats for sure, 1000w will give you denser larger buds.

Well based on the chart, a plant should only receive 65,000 pars (not sure if the chart is par or lumens, but am assuming par). A 600 watt hps provides this when it is 10 inches from the plant, and a 1000 when it is inches away. hence if you only need to move the light 2 inches closer with a 600 to achieve the same as a 1000 you are basically wasting 400 watts of power. Not sure if this is correct though...might have to look it up in my grow bible.

I tried the a/c homemade chiller before, I didnt like the rust forming on it so I got this exhaust fan and hung it right over the water, about 2 inches away and that worked a lot better for me. Keeps the water around 60. And its quieter then the a/c and cheaper to run.

Props on the fresca bro! I just hooked mine up yesterday...

Thanks for doin that how-to. I was dreading buying a chiller. I'm totally gonna make a chiller with an old AC once I swap out my 400 for the 1000. Great idea and a top notch tutorial as well.

Yeah they are great, My enclosed tent only runs 3 degrees above ambient temp. Check back as I am looking to build the window chiller I was talking about. Should be a big improvement.

 

[KiwiKing]

Plants are looking good. Most of the activity at this point is the roots. Your right on track. Nice chiller set up too. Duct work looks nice and clean. Everything is coming together.

Thanks for stopping buy, how is your garden doing?

I tried the a/c homemade chiller before, I didnt like the rust forming on it so I got this exhaust fan and hung it right over the water, about 2 inches away and that worked a lot better for me. Keeps the water around 60. And its quieter then the a/c and cheaper to run.

If I don't cool the water, after about a week it reaches 90 degrees, not sure if a fan could cool that, plus I don't want the added humidity and loss of water. Thanks for the tip though.

 

[KiwiKing]

I tried the a/c homemade chiller before, I didnt like the rust forming on it so I got this exhaust fan and hung it right over the water, about 2 inches away and that worked a lot better for me. Keeps the water around 60. And its quieter then the a/c and cheaper to run.

Sorry about the earlier post man. Forgot you were running a fresca sol. So you use a fan to cool your res? how many cfm is it...whats your wattage?

 

[onthe420train]

Ohhh I see what you're saying. Yea I still think there is no logic to that seeing as it focuses on one linear value and not spread, area, penetration, intensity, etc.

If your focus is one spot (like a light meter's) that might be true - if you think you're wasting 400w use a 600w ballast and bulb - you'll get about 6/10 of the light you did with a 1000w - it certainly uses the extra 400w to make a more intense light anyways.

 

[FrostyBuds]

Sld, I am two weeks into flowering for some plants, and just put some others in 5 gallon bubble buckets. It is cruzing along. It's nice to have some plants back in flowering. Thanks for asking.

 

[KiwiKing]

Ohhh I see what you're saying. Yea I still think there is no logic to that seeing as it focuses on one linear value and not spread, area, penetration, intensity, etc.

If your focus is one spot (like a light meter's) that might be true - if you think you're wasting 400w use a 600w ballast and bulb - you'll get about 6/10 of the light you did with a 1000w - it certainly uses the extra 400w to make a more intense light anyways.

This is the chart I was referring to...pulled from Papa Greens journal. Its foot candle's and not par now that I look at it.

Sld, I am two weeks into flowering for some plants, and just put some others in 5 gallon bubble buckets. It is cruzing along. It's nice to have some plants back in flowering. Thanks for asking.

Yeah I was reading your jacks cleaner thread...started growing them out yet?

 

[KiwiKing]

I am going to feed the babies with molasses and subculture tomorrow. Wondering if it would be safe to also add 1/8th strength nutes.

 

[onthe420train]

ok I see what you're saying now the equivalence of 600w @ 8" and 1000w @ 10" because of the cooling capability of your light. You might be on to something but I still don't think the 1000w is a waste look @ it go even at 36 inches!

 

[KiwiKing]

Just fed with molasses, subculture M and a tiny bit of cal-mag plus. Runoff was 6.7 pH. They will get subculture B, molasses, and 1/4 strength nutes next feeding.

They really didn't need the water being in the gallon pots, but I wanted to get a start on the subculture regiment.

I tried to pH the water before I fed but I couldn't get a good reading...before I put the additives in it was 8.9 after it was 5.something. So I just did the normal 3 drops per gallon of pH up and fed. Hoping I can get a decent reading with a full nute schedule.

 

[KiwiKing]

ok I see what you're saying now the equivalence of 600w @ 8" and 1000w @ 10" because of the cooling capability of your light. You might be on to something but I still don't think the 1000w is a waste look @ it go even at 36 inches!

Yeah, I'm hoping Butcher will stop by and comment on it as the chart is originally from one of is threads.