DIY Batwing reflector with cool tube

VictorVIcious · #1 09-13-2008, 01:00 PM

So...I was given a 1000watt ballast, I would have to air cool it and the reflector? it came with was a big circle, the light was hung verticle. So off to buy a piece of aluminum and start. I got a 24" by 36" piece of aluminum for a little under $20.00, a bender and 4 'S' strips. Marked the center and attached it to a piece of aluminim scrap I had and started to shape it. I bought a 5' long piece of aluminum angle with holes to keep the shape. Here we go on the road again..turn the page...VV

VictorVIcious · #2 09-13-2008, 01:27 PM

oh yeah, I want one in there and when I got it and asked Al B the dimensions of his reflector the plan comes together. All I had to do was cut the reflector in half and get some strips of aluminum to attach them to the cool tube. Soo back to the store, the aluminum strap, 1 1/2" wide by 4' works. Clamp it and bend it to match your cooltube if you got one with the reflective top. I bought a bender to make the 'ears' that I attached the parts of the reflectors to. As long as I was there anyway, and had found out the width should be closer to 36" than 30", I got a couple more of those angle irons. Now this reflector is complete, its 39" wide. Here we go up on stage....turn the page.... VV

VictorVIcious · #3 09-13-2008, 01:39 PM

Now if you plan this ahead, like you should, then you will have an easier time with it than I did. You will need a 36" by 24" aluminum sheet, (4) 'S' strips and (2) 39" long pieces of aluminum angle. The stores I go to only have it in 5' lengths so I have some left over. If you don't have them already you will want a bunch of small screws. nuts and lockwashers.
Aluminum sheet $20.00
S strips @ .89 $4.00
2 5' long angle pieces $14.00
1 1/2" by 4' flat aliminum $5.00
Cool tube $100.00
Total about $150.00 VV

ZeroTransFat · #4 09-14-2008, 07:55 AM

Nice post man! That thing looks professional!

VictorVIcious · #5 09-14-2008, 09:16 AM

Thats only because the pictures are blurry.lol I did take Al's advice on some of the details. The S-strip on the 1" bend gives it good rigidity along the outside edge. In the center I used that same bender I showed (Around $9.00 @ Menards) to bend that edge 3/8" and used a rubber mallet to flatten it down. This gave me (2) layers of the Aluminum right in the center, by the time you add the double 1-1/8" straps and fasten that together the only thing left is the sides. The s-strips are 14" and the sheet is 24" wide so the bend on the end of them gave me a nice 90 for attaching the Aluminum angle (I keep wanting to say iron) Al B Fuct Posted the design and measured his for me (its one he bought and has used for a long time). His reasoning was the cooltube comes with the cord and socket, by buying the Batwing Reflector you would be spending that money for the socket twice, easier to make the reflector than it is to make the cool tube. I agree with him 1000 percent. JUst the aluminum collars on this cool tube would be hard to duplicate for the $100.00 it cost, has a reflective top, goes about 1/2 way around the tube. I figure I got the glass for free, came with hanging hardware for vertical mounting as well as the horizontal that iI used. It's almost like someone thought this thru. Its a 6" cool tube, the reflector makes it take up exactly 6" of space in the middle of the reflector, and it makes the angle of your panels give the right curve or real close to it. Al said his was 2". I used eyehooks at the corner junctions. He mentioned some type of an adjustment arrangment using small steel cables. If I do try something like that I can use the eyehooks for it and in the meantime I will use the to 'balance' the light fixture. VV

captain792000 · #6 09-15-2008, 01:58 AM

very awesome contraption VV...

VictorVIcious · #7 09-17-2008, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captain792000

very awesome contraption VV...

Thanx, here is what I am going to do with the contraption. VV

CustomHydro · #8 09-17-2008, 06:45 AM

Very Nice VV!!
Welcome back to HPS...lol.... I still have to say T5 are good for certain situations, but not for this kind of op.
I just bought my equiptment for the perpetual...
I'm almost ready to start my mother selection. I'm assuming the cool tube's side reflectors are just not sufficient enough to keep all the light on the garden. When I hung mine up, I was wondering if that would be the case.
How heavy is that setup?

CustomHydro · #9 09-17-2008, 06:53 AM

I was thinking, if people want to make a lighter version, maybe u could tell me if this would work...
Since I have my cool tubes hanging on Easy Risers and they can only hold 25 lbs together. Do u think I could use Roof Flashing? It's really thin aluminum, easily bendable, but I don't know if it is too thin. When u try to bend it it kind of crinkles, like a soda can would if you try to bend a straight line in it. It's not quite as thin as a soda can, it's probably double... Any advice?

VictorVIcious · #10 09-17-2008, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CustomHydro

I was thinking, if people want to make a lighter version, maybe u could tell me if this would work...
Since I have my cool tubes hanging on Easy Risers and they can only hold 25 lbs together. Do u think I could use Roof Flashing? It's really thin aluminum, easily bendable, but I don't know if it is too thin. When u try to bend it it kind of crinkles, like a soda can would if you try to bend a straight line in it. It's not quite as thin as a soda can, it's probably double... Any advice?

There is as much weight in the s strip as there is in this 18 ga aluminum.
I am using the same chain for this that is used for all the rest of the lights. If I were going to do this again, and I probably will, I would just get aluminum angle for the sides, its available in 1/2 by 1/2 by 1/8. I used the one with holes in it this time so I could adjust if I made a mistake. lol Imagine that. And I would probably use flat aluminum instead of the s strip's, you dont really need a 1" bend at the end to stablize it, a 3/8" bend with a 1/2" flat would work as well, you would only have 2 surfaces to drill thru and and the flat will let you 'thread' #6 screw if you drill a 9/64" hole. Cost would be about the same, it would just look better. VV

Forum	Shop	Market		Seeds	FAQ	Tools
SEE OUR MARIJUANA SEED GUIDE FOR THE BEST STRAINS				Looking for Legal Marijuana look no further!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Cool Tube Lights vs. Standard Reflector	Ifishdizzy	Grow Room Design & Setup	8	03-11-2009 09:36 AM
Anybody got i pic of that diy batwing reflector???	SmokenGirl	Grow Room Design & Setup	5	09-17-2008 11:45 AM
what reflector works best with a cool tube for hps	floydfanx6	Newbie Central	2	08-13-2008 03:25 AM
All in 1 -Mh & Hps in on air reflector tube	bill2000	Grow Room Design & Setup	2	07-01-2008 07:53 PM
Does anyone have a Cool Tube reflector???	space_weaseal	Indoor Growing	8	08-22-2007 01:12 PM

User Name		Remember Me?
Password

SEE OUR MARIJUANA SEED GUIDE FOR THE BEST STRAINS

Looking for Legal Marijuana look no further!

Thread

Thread Starter

Forum

Replies

Last Post

Posting Rules