Bex
Well-Known Member
My neighbor just restored a nice little Massey 35x and uses it - they are now getting few and far between over here....
Colins 2014 grow log
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My neighbor just restored a nice little Massey 35x and uses it - they are now getting few and far between over here....
COLIN
Well-Known Member
I am also about to inbark in building a flue cureing chamber can someone please advise on which controlers to purchase ie, heat,humidity,and how to build a wet bulb system.
Bex
Well-Known Member
Oh, yes, I am the very perfect person to explain this all to you. I have had 5 or 6 frustrating, failed runs, and will be more than happy to impart all my wonderful knowledge and expertise about how to do this as badly as possible.
I suppose much depends on the size of what you are building - my delightful chamber is heated with a crockpot, which is good as it heats slowly, doesn't use a lot of electricity, and you can put water into it if you need to bump up the humidity. I also have a hygrometer for relative humidity, and have recently installed two computer fans, wired in parallel to a wall wart (the little mobile phone chargers). All this mumbo jumbo aside, the one main and most favorite thing that I have that - despite my utter failure at flue curing - I would never do without, is a programmable thermostat. The US guys have links on the forum to a Ranco thermostat. It only comes in 110v. I have an STC-1000:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Purpose...=UTF8&qid=1415665906&sr=8-1&keywords=stc+1000
It is one of the sweetest things I own. If you click the link, don't let the size of the photo fool you - it's only about 3 inches x 3 inches. The crockpot is wired into this, and it has a temperature probe, so it turns the crockpot on and off, according to the temperature. It can adjust for heat and cooling, on two separate circuits. It's sweet as can be. They also have something similar for RH, as well, which would turn a steamer on and off in a similar way.
Frankly, the problem with a wet bulb (aside from it being a bit complicated) is that you need to see it in order to determine the wet bulb temp. Which means you have to open your container (unless you have this thing sitting by the container window). One of the things that I learned (or maybe learned incorrectly) on this forum is that they used wet bulbs before they had invented hygrometers. So, you can use a hygrometer with a probe instead of the wet bulb. Most of the charts on the forum have the conversion of whatever RH you need at any given temp. Personally, I wouldn't hassle with a wet bulb. I prefer to fail with more modern equipment....
I suppose much depends on the size of what you are building - my delightful chamber is heated with a crockpot, which is good as it heats slowly, doesn't use a lot of electricity, and you can put water into it if you need to bump up the humidity. I also have a hygrometer for relative humidity, and have recently installed two computer fans, wired in parallel to a wall wart (the little mobile phone chargers). All this mumbo jumbo aside, the one main and most favorite thing that I have that - despite my utter failure at flue curing - I would never do without, is a programmable thermostat. The US guys have links on the forum to a Ranco thermostat. It only comes in 110v. I have an STC-1000:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Purpose...=UTF8&qid=1415665906&sr=8-1&keywords=stc+1000
It is one of the sweetest things I own. If you click the link, don't let the size of the photo fool you - it's only about 3 inches x 3 inches. The crockpot is wired into this, and it has a temperature probe, so it turns the crockpot on and off, according to the temperature. It can adjust for heat and cooling, on two separate circuits. It's sweet as can be. They also have something similar for RH, as well, which would turn a steamer on and off in a similar way.
Frankly, the problem with a wet bulb (aside from it being a bit complicated) is that you need to see it in order to determine the wet bulb temp. Which means you have to open your container (unless you have this thing sitting by the container window). One of the things that I learned (or maybe learned incorrectly) on this forum is that they used wet bulbs before they had invented hygrometers. So, you can use a hygrometer with a probe instead of the wet bulb. Most of the charts on the forum have the conversion of whatever RH you need at any given temp. Personally, I wouldn't hassle with a wet bulb. I prefer to fail with more modern equipment....
leverhead
Well-Known Member
A good place to start would be with how many plants are you planning to harvest from.
COLIN
Well-Known Member
Update on how my plants are going.The ones on the right I hope to be planting late next week the ones beside them five days later and the ones to the left still need repoting.
I'd look at the blogs of others that have built big chambers. Off the top of my head, Leverhead, AmaxB, BT, Bex.
Looks like your are having fun getting ready to start your crop for the year. We in the Northern Hemisphere are also having fun... we're smoking our crop already...
Looks like your are having fun getting ready to start your crop for the year. We in the Northern Hemisphere are also having fun... we're smoking our crop already...
They're coming along nicely COLIN.
POGreen
Well-Known Member
Yeah , looking good right there Colin
Bex
Well-Known Member
Looks like well over 400 plants or more...My chest freezer can pack about 200 leaves in, at capacity. Frankly, however, I think it is more efficient (and more practical for more leaf) to build high, (rather than my freezer which is low. I can get, for example, 6 slats going across the freezer, with 39 leaves per slat - 3 to a 'bunch'...but only one tier high, if you know what I mean). The builds I have seen (like Amax, DGBama, etc.) who are using a refrigerator shape - about as wide as my freezer, but high enough where you can get perhaps 3 tiers into them, is better, as well as more efficient. Will all your leaf be flue cured? You will be a busy guy at the end of the season....
COLIN
Well-Known Member
Yes all flue cured types bar one Yellow twist bud. I have decided on the size of my flue curing chamber. It will be 1200 wide x1200 deep x2400 high it will have two 150 ml in line fans one at the top and one at the bottom these fans move 70 LPS. I have managed to find a ranco 111000 240 volt controller to control my 150ml inline 1kw heater unit. I will install another 150 ml fan for my venting I am still looking to try and find a suitable humidity censor . I have been looking at how to build a wet bulb dry bulb and not sure if both wicks have to be connected to the thermometer.
Brown Thumb
Well-Known Member
One thermometer no wick. Dry bulb
One thermometer wick over lower bulb. Wet bulb.
One thermometer wick over lower bulb. Wet bulb.
leverhead
Well-Known Member
I don't understand "150ml inline 1kw heater unit". 1 kw should be enough for 4' X 4' X 8", if you insulate well. I just don't understand where 150 ml comes in. Do you mean 150 mm (dia)? Is 70 Lps rated for no back pressure? One more question. Is that heater open electric coils? BT already has the wet bulb covered.
BarG
Founding Member
I read your log back to front. I like your lean to, what overnight temps there for that phase? What was that shield material? You should have another great year due to your attention to growing shit, like tobacco.
COLIN
Well-Known Member
Yes it is 150 [dia] and yes it is open electric coils. I have just got in from rotary hoeing the ground that I ploughed last week here's some pic
BarG
Founding Member
I would be more than tempted to grow food in that dirt. I could feed some hungry children.
Or roll some good cigars and smokes. Thats some good lookin dirt. Heh heh
Or roll some good cigars and smokes. Thats some good lookin dirt. Heh heh
COLIN
Well-Known Member
The shield material is a wind break material the temperature tonight is meant to get as low as 4c the wind here today was gusting upto 160km .
BarG
Founding Member
Colin , as a home grower like me, when you reach a certain poundage !, I have to restock the veggies. Shelves upon shelves .You have a great plot going on I can't wait to see what you produce.
That sure looks like Iowa dirt. Are you certain of your location?
Bob
Bob
DGBAMA
Well-Known Member
Fine looking patch. You will have your hands full.
leverhead
Well-Known Member
Yes it is 150 [dia] and yes it is open electric coils...QUOTE]
You won't be happy with the open coils! Th RH in the first half of the run will be sufficient to cause shorts, leaks or at very least stray currents. Look for some kind of a covered heating element like an electric charcoal starter. I used 2 of these, they were a little more than 500 Watts each.
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