Vertical lightrail for colliseums?

[Smeden]

Heya

Im putting up these 2 mofos (only have 2 = half colli)
http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/4048/dsc03975vm3.jpg

I dont wanna use 2 x 1000 watts in it, as me and my friends doesnt need so much weed. So was wondering what your reaction/advices on mounting an normal lightrail like this n make the bulb go up n down?
http://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=1759&pictureid=17394

or like this, if I find out that the lightrail doesnt like the sideways pulling. (should partly move the force downwards, but would also slow down the travel speed)
http://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=1759&pictureid=17395

What u guys say? would I be better placed with 2x600 hps?

Cheers, n I have a lot of readin to do - just heard about this forum, and esp. the vertical part.

[nuggdigger]

I like the first drawing but would add a cable going the other way with another pulley and a counter-balance hanging down equal in weight to the lighted side.

Good Luck,
and Welcome!

peace

[Briannas]

why do you think that is necessary

[Lungus]

It takes the weight off of the light rail. If there is no counter balance there will always be pressure pulling on the light rail mechanism, possibly causing it to fail prematurely.

[Briannas]

i do not think the bulb is heavy enough to put stress on the mechanism
but its a great idea if it indeed is needed

[Smeden]

Hey again

Thx for comments... and nuggdigger - BRILLIANT idea, will def. look into that counter weight thing. Also a much better sollution than my 2 drawing. + I think it would be needed anyway... hated the thought of the sideways pull.

Briannas - hehe its not "needed" but I like/love to try new things and optimize, like most of the peeps in here. Also im only growing to get my own weed + 6 of my best friends. So too large harvest would increase the time between the grows, as if I harvest too much, I wont start the next grow before "needed"
And: 1x1000 fixed will make an advantage for the middle row, and 2x1000 is out of the question, again caused by my needs. And when all comes to all, i think that 1x1000 on a lightrail up n down would be close to yield the same of perhaps more than 2x600 watts.

Lungus - exactly and I would like to minimize the factors that could bring problems... eventhough I know that this lightrail thing - most likely is one of them. But if made well, and with the counter weight - I cant see why it shouldnt work problem"free"

Cheers again

And superglad I found this nice forum...

[Smeden]

By the way... im gonna test how much weight that would be needed. I want a large 50 cm ventilator blowing from the center (floor) and up. So hoping that the weight can make the bulb steady? so what would you champions think would be a good "start point" in the tests?

Yesterday I was like 2 kg maybe doable, but with the kontra weight, might could add a lil more? advices any?

Plan B would be trying to sort out somekind of bungee from the floor to the bulb, keeping it steady.

[c-ray]

I have an idea but it might be hard to explain without pics
I am thinking the mogul socket/junction box could have a piece of straight conduit coming off it (upwards from the bulb about a foot or so) that would slide up and down inside a larger piece of conduit

[Smeden]

c-ray - thx man. Conduit is some kind of piping?

Looks like it all would be doable now and if done well, also reliable.

Thx all of u

Stay very high and i will get back with pics. as I get it done.

[nuggdigger]

is a great idea cray
An electrical conduit is a purpose-designed electrical piping system used for protection and routing of electrical wiring. Electrical conduit may be made of metal, plastic, fibre, or fired clay. Flexible conduit is available for special purposes
from wiki.



never had lights swing around and use a 18" household floor fan facing up. I too wondered if it would blow around, even when i was able to vertically move, but it was stable. The light never moved very long, couple weeks at a time at best. Lesson learned.....bbq rotisserie motors are not constant service duty motors, they wear out quickly.
Another thought i had is, using a piece of rigid rod/dowel on the light side, above the light and below the pulley. Its the same idea as crays conduit sleeve but no sliding through. Or just have a section of conduit over the cable above the light that yoyos with the light.

Happy Plants,
peace

[DOZEE]

decent , Idea !

[Smeden]

Big high again.

nuggdigger - thx again. Now I know what conduit is... and then a new word came up that I cant recognize - rod/dowel? could you explain some more? sry.

And in one of my high moments it came to me that I could do like this: (a metal stick from the ground - or a fixed wire from ground to attic and 2 rings mounted at the bulb. Maybe too easy? any things on the minus side on this? or think it might be what I wanna try.

Or with 2 wires, to make sure the bulb is always vertical, and not 5 degree wrong. As it might would with 1 stick/wire. (I mean the longer I make the "black part" in pic. and the longer distance between rings - combined with 4 rings total = close on exact vertikal bulb position at all time)

Cheers n nice weekends a'round

[c-ray]

on the minus side you will get some shadows where the wire is...

[Smeden]

on the minus side you will get some shadows where the wire is...

Yeah, thought about that, but planning finding som 1mm metal wire, + make a ramp on the floor (fixed with screws), so the ventilator can fit beneath. So they wont be so "shady" - or i can live with that.

Here a new paint illustration.

[kindlydank]

Hmm, I'd be leery of the bulb riding up and down some sort of guide because it may bind.

What's the point to the guide anyway? Are you worried about the bulb blowing in the breeze?

kindlydank :bongin:

[Smeden]

What's the point to the guide anyway? Are you worried about the bulb blowing in the breeze?

kindlydank :bongin:

Yep, dont want it too swing, but also think its VERY important that the bulb is as close to vertical all the time.
If I use weight I got to be carefull with the balance and would easily be interupted, thinkin the cord haning at one side = ballance must be good all the time. Or else im afraid of the bulb gettin like this (dunno english word) i think even 2 degrees wrong would count its part.

Red line is showing where that the bulbs "best lumens points" will be off. Its might not needed, but this way i should be able to be sure.

Cheers

[Briannas]

just throw it up without anything and see what happens. I think it will work out ok

[Briannas]

IS EVERYONE ON FUKING VACATION ON THIS SITE!!

no posts in two days............

[spaceman]

:fly:

[c-ray]

haha nice
not on vacation....just living the dream

[Smeden]

Hehe, neither here... would like to though.

It will be about a week before I have access to the new room. So its a bit hard to start up before... though i'd like that too, maybe more than a vacation...

So I will be back as soon I have something interesting to show.

[Smeden]

Just stumbled over a couple of pics from my last grow.
Let me introduce, Miss Amnesia Haze... clap... clap... clap...

[Smeden]

Hello again

Im the proud owner of a couple more questions to you gents.

1. I have a friend which bought a farm (former flower farm) housing large greenhouses and bunches of equipment. He has some 1500 watter metal halide grow lamps. And also bulbs... but what you guys think is best? example:
150 plants total, 1000 watt digi ballast able to run mh in start flower and hps rest. Givin saying 150000 lumens with the hps.
or
150 plants total, 1500 watt mh growlights only capabe to deliver mh lightning. And creates 161000 lumens, costs about 45 dollars per bulb, and bulbs only living 3000 hours.

The 1000 watt digi must still be the best sollution I think? the 1500 equals extra 50% wattage consumption. And doesnt deliver that much extra lumens, but its pretty many lumens for a MH, and 3400K sounds just great. Would really like your oppinions here, as I have to order the 1000 watter soon as I will be making 160-170 cuts tomorrow = ready in 2 weeks.

And one more, asked earlier about if I was best settled with adding 25% coco for example, as the 2 bottom rows has a problem on keeping the perlite inside under watering.

Thx

[nuggdigger]

we can get to your media questions in a bit, as you still aren't at the transplant stage. as for the two bottom rows having a problem keeping the perlite inside under watering? If you flood, that means water faster then it can drain and the water accumulates up to bottom planting holes, its possible to wash some media out, otherwise this is entirely not true. yes, some media can fall out if the module is bumped, but in reality, the lower media is held in place by the weight of the upper media. I suspect what your friend was experiencing was plugged drains.
The 1500 watt mh sounds like a dream, but you already know its over kill, it lacks the efficiency, for the heat its going to be dishing out. If those are your only two options then chose the other one. Although for 5 rows your girls would be a lot happier with 2x1k:headbang:

[Smeden]

hi again nuggdigger, thx for the fast answers.

Think Im settled on 70%perlite n 30%vermiculite then.

The longer time it takes before I make up my mind about the lightning, the more confused I get.
One thing is for sure, I will be making somthing with the lightrail. But weather I should go for:
2x600 digi ballast - this case I could blend the spectrum a bit, 2 diff hps bulbs or what would you choose?
1x1000 digi - been reading alot about the digi ballasts here and the new Quantum which is 50% 75% n 100% power set (dimmable) sounds nice, any advices on ballasts and bulbs too. Most says Hortilux Eye?

It will always be possible to add another 1000 watter later if I find it necessary, but the 600s able to give 163 lumens per watt, and the 1000 150 lumens per watt. So 2 x 600 in diff spectrums might be the way.

Maybe I need to know more about how much growth towards the bulb I shoul expect? Im not into the cool tubes so would then rather go for 2x600 if they get to close. But I might be thinking about growing em to big, how long veg time after potted in the collies would you recommend.

Sorry, stopping here... it all gets bit messy when I get confused - suddenly not so sure and too many options occours. Hehe all because I want to get on with it. But also because I want to make the right choices the first time.

Thx again

[perry_h]

Two bulbs is definitely the way to go. The overlapping coverage will give much nicer quality smoke as well as improving your yields. Two 600`s would be minimum for a half coli, but I`d still suggest adding the mover as well to improve light coverage in the crop.

2 X 1k on a mover is how I`d prefer to light it. If you are going to run it then you might as well take advantage of it`s potential and just run fewer crops in a year. Buds grown next to a 1k in a half coli are a joy to smoke, dense and covered in crystal.

[Green Supreme]

Most folks have heat issues when they use 1000's. Find a way to deal with the heat and 1000's rock this unit. Peace GS