Viability of 400W MH in 2.5x3x1.25

[HiTech-Hate]

I have all of the materials from a past grow in a closet using a 400W MH lamp (in hindsight wish i'd have chosen HPS ballast (and lamp)so at least I could have switchability ... anyways thats another story I guess).

Living conditions have changed and now the only place I will have to grow is in a dresser 30" H 38" W 15" L ( ).

With such small space does my HID lamp sound ... practical .. doable?

I've been looking into CFL with interest (I read through the FAQ thread thing, and want to make one of those PVC chandeliers so bad right now haha), just don't know dimension wise, the consequences of a hot HID lamp (heat? fire hazard in a wooden box?)

I have a 260 CFM squirrel fan I don't mind using as exhaust, and I guess some PC fans for intake + oscillating fan inside

Can I just LST the shit out of it for height problems? (16" to the canopy ... from HID, and I only have 30" available lol)

I would be very grateful for anyone's input, suggestions, help. This very closed space thing is new to me in a way.

 

[HiTech-Hate]

No one?

 

[DeerHunter33]

watch heat!!!! it will get hot , but would work!good luck .closet grower too.

 

[Be Irie]

That is going to be a tight fit for a 400. Heat is going to be an issue unless you have really good airflow. IMHO I would set the 400 up and check the cabinet temps to see if it is feasible.. If it works, there ya go. If it doesn't then you start taking a look at CFL's or LEDS.....

 

[DeerHunter33]

remember HEAT IS DANGER!!!

 

[HiTech-Hate]

Thanks guys,

I already went with building a 10 CFL light fixture cuz I hadn't received reply to this thread haha.

I'm glad I stayed away from the MH cuz I even had heat problems with this 10 CFL fixture (they are only 23W bulbs too).

Thankfully the addition of 2 $8 scythe high static pressure 155CFM 'PC fans' has fixed it to a nice 75F (at least for now, who knows how much hotter it will get when they are fully flowering).

Aside from the few technical glitches at the start they are looking great, I will now firmly argue with anyone who says you 'can't grow with CFLs at all' that it is in fact a very viable means of producing the lumens

Too bad I have this stupid MH ballast just rotting away.

 

[DeerHunter33]

Smart!

 

[PrairiePoet]

Too bad I have this stupid MH ballast just rotting away.

Ohh, just wait a few grows. You will find some use for it eventually.

 

[DeerHunter33]

u ever try the T-5 s.lights

 

[HiTech-Hate]

u ever try the T-5 s.lights

Nah, this is my first foray into CFL growing.

They are probably cheaper, I was just inspired when I saw the plastic PVC CFL chandelier someone had built in their grow journal so I built my own with 10 lights instead of his 6 (nah I picked 10 cuz I built it to fill the entire space of my grow box, and 5x2 just happened to be perfect).

Thing cost me probably more then $60, but whatever, I don't build things very often, so it was fun, and the fact that it worked haha.

Also, if I could find a Canadian retailer of grow CFLs (that is .. CFLs 60W or higher, and not at grow shops trying to charge $150 for one bulb) this thing would be BEAST pumping out 600+ true watts, as I built it with clearance for the biggest bulbs I could find. If anyone knows cheap Canadian bulb retailers please let me know

 

[DeerHunter33]

agreed! always keep it simple!!!