Smoky's Grow - 1st Timer - Need All The Advice I Can Get

[Rifleman]

Wiring looks simple enough. I know *absolutely nothing* about wiring. My house is old as hell too. I just had the glass fuse fuse box replaced with a breaker box. Only 2 receptacles have the 3 prong plug in

I thought I was the only one that had the old penny holder fuses. Replaced ours a few years ago for breakers, much better now.

 

[Smoky da bear]

House was built in 1942. Made of solid oak. Got tons of work to do to her. But slowly and surely, I'm getting there.

 

[OlderGrower]

Might I suggest another possible solution to your predicament . You only have low temp issues when the lights are off correct? Ok here is a cheap and safe way to fix the problem. Go buy a cheap analog timer and a small space heater. The space heater will have a built in thermostat already in it unless it is as old as dirt which in that case I would not recommend ever using it. Set the timer to come on 10 minutes after lights go off and off 10 minutes before lights come back on. Set to desired temp and place it so nothing is close to it that is combustable. Problem resolved. I recommend this method over the others merely for the safety aspect involved. Electrical fires start at points of connections, that does included wire nuts, hence the reason the NEC (National Electric Code) requires all junctions be made inside an approved junction box so in case there is a fire, the fire will starve itself of oxygen due to the size of the junction box.
Hate to be the "Old mother hen" but safety 1st is really a good way to grow.

 

[Azcowboy1975]

For really cheap and low tech go to a feed store or pet store and get a heat lamp and let that run in room,I did in years past it kept a 10'x10' bedroom at 73-76

 

[Smoky da bear]

 

[Smoky da bear]

Just got the lights tied up. Putting one seed in dirt tonight! This is just a quick set up. I have it rigged where I can move the lights away from each other a bit and I can pull them up or down obviously

 

[Smoky da bear]

Is the addage "if your hand is OK under the light the plant will be"? True with LEDs? I can literally leave my hand on the light. Should I observe a certain amount of space between light and plant?

 

[Rifleman]

LEDs need more room than conventional lights. The light is too intense when close, not the heat.

 

[Smoky da bear]

Ok. Gotcha

 

[Azcowboy1975]

I give my LED 18-24" from plants

 

[Smoky da bear]

I pulled my lights back to 12" from the unsprouted seedling

 

[Major PITA]

I use one of these. They cost about $20 and work well as long as you aren't pulling a lot of current. Great for fans and small heaters. It can be set to switch on (cool) if the temp' gets too high, or set it to heat if the temp' drops too low. Plug and play - no wiring needed. Available at Homer Despot.

 

[Azcowboy1975]

I would err on the side of caution and as for me I am a solid two ft away from seedlings with my LED from experience I can tell you seedlings have a hard time recovering from LED light burn which is way worse in my experience than HPS or mh burn. I keep a ght up a bit from mature ladies also,

 

[Tead]

I thought I was the only one that had the old penny holder fuses. Replaced ours a few years ago for breakers, much better now.

I still have existing knob and tube wiring in my house. Not in use, of course, but it's there.... a good bit of it hanging around in the attic.

 

[Tead]

Wait... what are we doing hijacking Smokey's thread?!?! Perhaps he doesn't know....
Sorry Smoke... we're all notorious thread hijackers and take any opportunity to go directly off subject.

 

[Azcowboy1975]

Lol

 

[Smoky da bear]

No worries! Check this out, how about the seeds I put in water over a week ago I took out and put with the others in the rag between plates. One of the little bastards has shot a tail out. Lol. So I ended up having my 3 germies. I imagine at least one will be male. Hope not tho

 

[Azcowboy1975]

Have you tried starter blocks? 5 days till sprout on avg.

 

[Smoky da bear]

I used them last time. I just dropped the only one in dirt right now tail down in about an inch of dirt.

 

[Tead]

If they were growing in my garden, they'd all be male.