1st Grow Cabinet

[CoronaSmith]

I recently purchased a Closetmaid cabinet. It's dimensions are 71.75"H x 48"W x 20.50D. Here's a link with a pic. https://www.closetmaid.com/Publishi...roductCatalogImages/Alternate/1233600_alt.jpg

I'm looking for feedback on how others might set this cabinet up? The fixed shelves form a T which leaves 3 compartments. The two bottom compartments are approximately 47"H x 23"W x 20"D. The top compartment is approximately 20"H x 47"W x 20"D. I replaced cardboard back with one piece of osb board and painted the inside of the osb board flat white. I'm also going to sand down the inside to repaint it flat white. I'd like to have 3 compartments inside. One for veg another for flower and a clone area. I plan on using a 600 watt digital dimmable ballast and light with an air cooled reflector. I'd like to just raise the top shelf at least 8" and somehow fill the gap left by raising the top shelf. Unsure how to do that though. Just looking for feedback and what others would do if your goal was to have to separate compartments. Thanks ahead of time for any responses.

 

[Boscoe]

Thanks Hazie! All good info and ideas, very helpful! Bulldog catches sound interesting, could definitely be a better way to go. I think you were thinking of Keku clips? (Google suggested that when I searched for what you said, and it looks like what you were talking about.) I'm just not sure how I'd install those. If I put them on the inside of the door, how do I make them release? I couldn't figure out how I'd install them on the outside. But the bulldogs look like a higher quality solution anyway.


Corona: I'm no expert, but the first questions I'd be asking myself would be:
1. How will I light-proof the compartments from each other (obviously critical if you have grow and veg happening inside the same box. To be honest, I would've gone with two smaller boxes instead of one huge one)
2. How will I get good air flow through all those compartments without compromising the answer to question #1?

I saw a guy on Youtube who did a two-compartment cab and he built an interior door for one compartment so that opening the main door of the cab didn't also open both compartments. I also remember seeing a cab design on some forum where a guy built long boxes over the holes he cut to let air flow through the compartments. The boxes channeled his air flow from the top of one chamber to the bottom of the chamber next to it, and also acted as a light baffle.

Anyway, I'll let more knowledgeable peeps jump in and guide you...

 

[Hazie Clear]

Yo boscoe... Thanks for letting me know what kind of catches I use. Keku clips. Funny. These keku clips are friction. There is no release. Just pull hard. And and on that note, I'm thinking you may want to have an external on off switch for your fan. My cab creates a good bit of negative pressure. I'm sure I could not just pull the door off mine while fan is running. Even with hinges it takes some pulling to break seal.

 

[Boscoe]

Oooh, thanks for that! I've actually been thinking about keeping all the electrical stuff just sitting on top of the cab. I don't like it all being down at the bottom. So, if I do that, then the Variac will be accessible so I can power down the fan that way. And it'll be easy enough to throw a box over it if I need to hide it. Eventually I'll try and construct a box that resembles the rest of the cab to sit up there to store this stuff in.

 

[CoronaSmith]

Corona: I'm no expert, but the first questions I'd be asking myself would be:
1. How will I light-proof the compartments from each other (obviously critical if you have grow and veg happening inside the same box. To be honest, I would've gone with two smaller boxes instead of one huge one)
2. How will I get good air flow through all those compartments without compromising the answer to question #1?

I saw a guy on Youtube who did a two-compartment cab and he built an interior door for one compartment so that opening the main door of the cab didn't also open both compartments. I also remember seeing a cab design on some forum where a guy built long boxes over the holes he cut to let air flow through the compartments. The boxes channeled his air flow from the top of one chamber to the bottom of the chamber next to it, and also acted as a light baffle.

Anyway, I'll let more knowledgeable peeps jump in and guide you...[/QUOTE]

As far as it being light tight is no issue. Before putting the osb board on he back I used weather stripping all along the back of the cab. Doing that took care of any light leaks coming from the back and I'm going to be caulking all the inside seams. I think what I'm going to do is cut the top shelf on the right hand side out and cut a piece to fill the empty space. So the right hand side will run from the top to the bottom. I plan on using that compartment for flower, the left hand side compartment will be for veg and the top will either be for storage, clones or possibly fans and carbon filters. My plan is to have a 190cfm fan and carbon filter for both the veg and flower areas. So my flower will have its own fan and filter and so will the veg. I was going to blow into the carbon filters and not suck thru it so I have as much space inside as possible. I think I'll have the fans sitting on the inside top shelf for veg and the other fan sucking out of the left hand side of the piece I added after extending that side to run from the top and bottom. The fans will have ducting attached to run from the fans thru the very top of the cab and have the carbon filters just sitting on he top of the cab (outside) with a tote with the bottom cut out and holes drilled into to lid so it's a bit more stealth. If temps are an issue during summer I will vent them out a window if needed but my ac should keep it cool enough. Or I could just have the fans and filters sitting on the inside top shelf and have a few computer fans blowing the hot air that accumulates from the top compartment outside. And I'm going to cool the lights with either cool tubes or air cooled reflectors. My problem there is I'm having a hard time finding something that will fit into my cab. I've got 23" width for the veg and flower compartments and most of the stuff will not fit in that space or will just barely not leaving enough room to hook up inline fans for the cool tube or ac reflectors. I'm looking for some feedback or pointers.

 

[Boscoe]

Yeah, cutting the shelf rather than trying to raise it sounds like the better solution for sure.

wow, each compartment having it's own fan is gonna be deluxe! 23" is crazy tight. My cab is 34" wide on the interior and I'm thinking I can comfortably fit an S&P MixVent TD-100x 4" with a Phresh Filter 4" x 12". My estimate for that, including a 90 degree bend of duct and room to connect it to a flange is 29". I think the super cheapo inline booster fans are far less long than the S&P, I bet you could make that fit into 23". I have no ideas about how to work that out with an air-cooled bulb system though.

The SuperLockers somehow manage to fit an air cooled bulb into about a foot of width, but they're using PC fans for cooling which I have to believe are about worthless.

Please post your progress, I'm curious to see what kind of solution you end up with!