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shroober
Myco Junkie
Registered: 01/02/08
Posts: 879
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Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics)
#7870199 - 01/12/08 06:26 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I've just finished "building" my new fruiting chamber and I thought I would share the final creation. When I say build I really mean throw together a few purchased products available at Home Depot and Target.
Purchased Items
-Plastic Locking Cabinet with Stainless-Steel front panels and built-in vents at the bottom (Home Depot) -6ft LED Cool White Light Rope with 6000k color temp (Online) -2 Vicks Cool Mist Impeller type Humidifiers (Target) -Electronic Outdoor Power Timer with Dual Input (Home Depot)[/li] -9ft Black Extension cord (Home Depot) -Foam Window Insulation Seals (Home Depot)
That's pretty much it for parts. The downside to this setup is that it is a little costly but the assembly is incredibly easy and so far it seems to produce absolutely ideal temps.
Stealth Setup The setup is somewhat stealth as well. Since it is using two cool mists it produces very little noise and even in the dark you can't notice hardly any light escaping from the chamber. The entire setup can easily slide into a small closet. It also has a lock to keep out nosy guests.
Self Automated The FC is also fully self-automated. FAE and RH are taken care of by dual cool mist humidifiers and light is provided from LEDs, everything runs on timers. All wires are consolidated into a single extension cord that runs out the back of the FC. In essence the only thing you need to do is plug in that wire and you have an ideal environment for fruiting casings or cakes.
Room to Grow The fruiting chamber can hold a total of 4 (13x8) casing trays or approximately 12-15 single stacked cakes. The actual fruiting chamber is approximately 29 inches wide and 19 inches deep.
Environment The chamber produces up to 99% humidity based on how long the humidifiers are left on. The dual cool mists impeller types provide constant air turbulence and FAE. All environmental parameters can be modified by using the dual input electronic timer which can tell the humidifiers when to turn on and when to turn off. Right now I'm keeping them both on all the time and humidity is staying at 99%.
Protection Against Excessive Condensation The setup is divided into two chambers by a plastic shelf with wholes drilled into it. The lower chamber acts as one giant humidifier by limiting the amount of condensation that reaches the top fruiting chamber. This ensures the highest Rh in the fruiting chamber yet prevents excessive condensation to form which can cause standing water on casings and dripping water from the chamber ceiling. This lower chamber works to prepare the humidified air to an ideal state before entering the top fruiting chamber.
Proper Lighting without Excess Heat In order for the setup to be stealth and not be quickly identified as a mushroom cultivation chamber it was essential to put the light inside the chamber itself. The problem is most lights generate heat which will quickly warm the entire chamber up if left on for too long. The solution was using an LED light rope. This light rope gives off little to no heat and is the proper color temperature (6000k) for mushroom cultivation.
And finally, the pictures...
Edited by shroober (01/12/08 06:32 PM)
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Brainiac
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: shroober]
#7870224 - 01/12/08 06:30 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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What the hight of the plastic Garage Cabinet ?
-------------------- Fair is Fair
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shroober
Myco Junkie
Registered: 01/02/08
Posts: 879
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: Brainiac]
#7870300 - 01/12/08 06:46 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Brainiac said: What the hight of the plastic Garage Cabinet ?
It's a little over 4 feet in height.
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Cubie
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: shroober]
#7870337 - 01/12/08 06:53 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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That's beautiful
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xhooliganx
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: Cubie]
#7870936 - 01/12/08 09:05 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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very nice looking. I would have thought that fae wouldn't be very high with the humidifiers inside the fc. wouldn't the air moving around inside the fc not really be that good at bringing fresh air in from the outside and exhausting.
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shroober
Myco Junkie
Registered: 01/02/08
Posts: 879
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: xhooliganx]
#7871049 - 01/12/08 09:30 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
xhooliganx said: very nice looking. I would have thought that fae wouldn't be very high with the humidifiers inside the fc. wouldn't the air moving around inside the fc not really be that good at bringing fresh air in from the outside and exhausting.
There are vents in the lower front that bring fresh air inward. The intake filters on the humidifiers are pointing toward the vent openings.
So far it appears to have a lot of fresh air but I'll be doing some more tests as I go and may need to tweak things here and there.
Glad you like!
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shroober
Myco Junkie
Registered: 01/02/08
Posts: 879
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: shroober]
#7882379 - 01/15/08 09:42 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Discovered a significant problem with this design. With the two cool mists at the bottom it's creating WAY too much condensation in the lower chamber, so much that it is leaking on to the carpet below.
I now think I'm going to change the design. I'm considering making the bottom chamber another fruiting chamber so it can hold 8 small casings instead of 4. Then moving the two cool mists on the top of the cabinet then running PVC pipes on the backside downward into the two fruiting chambers. I think this will still give out plenty of Rh and most certainly plenty of FAE. But obviously I will lose some of the stealth factor, i guess its worth it for another few feet of fruiting space.
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bugabuga420
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: shroober]
#7882392 - 01/15/08 09:47 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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maybe try one cool mist? or timers. i think two of them in a small enclosure like that is overkill
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: shroober]
#7882396 - 01/15/08 09:48 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Cool mist humidifiers need a free space of at least five feet above them to work properly. Your mist is blowing right on the bottom of the trays above, thus the mist can't evaporate into the air, but drips back down. For a fruiting chamber of that size, perlite is recommended. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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DontPlay
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: bugabuga420]
#7882413 - 01/15/08 09:52 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Yeah if you can still return one or put it away for future use. I would think one would work. Line the bottom with plastic and run the one humidifier on a timer so your not drowning everything.
-------------------- My Trade List I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me. Hunter S. Thompson I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery. ~Thomas Jefferson
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shroober
Myco Junkie
Registered: 01/02/08
Posts: 879
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: bugabuga420]
#7882414 - 01/15/08 09:52 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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With only one the Rh was pretty low, but the condensation was still very heavy in the bottom chamber, i might replace one of the cool mists with an ultrasonic if but I was hoping to not do that as it seems cool mists last longer and they are much cheaper.
But one of the main reasons for doing this is free up some extra room for additional casings, i guess im just getting greedy now
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shroober
Myco Junkie
Registered: 01/02/08
Posts: 879
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: RogerRabbit]
#7882423 - 01/15/08 09:56 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: Cool mist humidifiers need a free space of at least five feet above them to work properly. Your mist is blowing right on the bottom of the trays above, thus the mist can't evaporate into the air, but drips back down. For a fruiting chamber of that size, perlite is recommended. RR
Ahhhh, that makes perfect sense. Do you think having two cool mists or one cool mist with an ultrasonic on top of the cabinet would work well? I was hoping not to use perlite as I wanted to automate FAE.
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xhooliganx
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: shroober]
#7882430 - 01/15/08 09:57 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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try what rr said and get a tray of perlite in there and see what your rh looks like.
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Jrsxt
Stranger
Registered: 05/14/07
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: xhooliganx]
#7882675 - 01/15/08 10:48 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Also, your humidifiers may burn out from it being too humid. I had a greenhouse a year ago and just put my coolmist on the bottom rack..it burned out after a month or two.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: Jrsxt]
#7882915 - 01/15/08 11:27 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I would not recommend using any sort of mechanical humidifier in a terrarium that size. Save them for when you build a larger greenhouse, or run in the room your terrarium is located in order to bring the ambient humidity up to above 50%, which will make it much easier to maintain a higher humidity in your growing area. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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Slimz
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: RogerRabbit]
#7883612 - 01/15/08 02:11 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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fill the entire area that is currently used for the humidifiers with a big ol' tub full of perlite...
-------------------- Lazy Drywall Tek (no powdery mess) This series will blow your mind and confirm what you already know to be true. The Pharmacratic Inquisition Best Thread Ever ! ! ! me if you have questions about lasers Although i may advise others in a general way regarding all types of mushroom grows, and may even post question from other forums about growing "active" mushrooms, i only grow non-"active" mushrooms and edibles. FeelFamily resident tech guru
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verminute
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: Slimz]
#7883750 - 01/15/08 02:42 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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That is one of the cooler things I've seen in a while!
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large_dose
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Re: Stealth Fully Automated Dual Humidifier FC Setup (Pics) [Re: verminute]
#7884031 - 01/15/08 03:32 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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badass lil chamber tho dude.
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