routing power cables and air lines without light leaks

Laughing Grass

Well-Known Member
There are like a million ways to solve this issue.

I would probably use some pre-slit plastic electrical conduit and some spray foam insulation to fill the gap between the conduit and the wood. A couple 90 degree bends in the conduit, tape up the slit, and a few cottonballs shoved among the air lines and electrical cord should kill the last of the light leaks.

The spray foam insulation expands WAY more than you can imagine, be frugal, but you can always cut it to shape later with a butter knife or a cheap kitchen steak knife...lol

View attachment 4623212
If I had to take this out in the future, say the power bar died. does that expanding foam stuff break away easily? This seems like a really simple idea.

Duct tape. A sock with the end cut off stapled to the wood. A black cloth stapled above the hole that hangs over it. Stuff it with toilet paper or paper towel.

If you're looking for fancy, buy something. If you want functional with little cost, use your imagination and something you've already got in your house.
lol maybe I was overthinking this a bit. Would a black cloth draped over be enough to stop light from getting in?

or you can be really slick and mount electrical boxes in there, and have it go out to an electrical whip that could plug into an extension cord, or just have an electrician wire one straight to the panel
Initially I was thinking about something similar, a 4 outlet plug in the ceiling that was somehow wired back to my timer for the lights. I was looking at some of the outlets at home depot and none of them really seem to be truly light proof. I could see light coming around the receptacle when I used the light from my phone.

But then the ballasts are inside.......mine are outside to keep heat down. I don't know your setup. Still would kick ass for fans, pumps and such.
I'll be running 3 HLG 240H drivers. I'm all LED.
 

Nizza

Well-Known Member
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i'm saying something like this and it could be mounted inside the grow room but have it plug into whatever you want outside of it. You could make one yourself with an outlet cover, an outlet, and an extension cord. To wire it just watch a youtube video and remember you want to wire screw-in connections by wrapping the wire clockwise before tightening the screw down and make sure you properly strip the wire.

I use a tent so I love my 4' yellow jacket power strip
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Nizza

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the advise.

Last one... call me crazy! I found this outlet on Amazon. Could I buy an extension cord, cut the end off and attach it to this outlet? So just the pegs are sticking through the wall? Not sure if I'm explaining it right.

you don't want the exposed wires in the back
I would get
1- https://www.amazon.com/Hubbell-Raco-8232-8-Inch-2-Inch-Knockouts/dp/B005JC6G02/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=metal+junction+box+cover&qid=1579967827&sr=8-41&linkCode=ll1&tag=thehonestcarp-20&linkId=075ff8084be4b9d026cf891d526a34b8&language=en_US
2- https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-GFWR2-W-SmartlockPro-Weather-Resistant-Receptacle/dp/B013OVCPEK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=gfci+20+outlet&qid=1579968307&s=hi&sr=1-21&linkCode=ll1&tag=thehonestcarp-20&linkId=1846e64a10b5757ae5da22aa03ed94bb&language=en_US&th=1 (15 or 20 amp will work)
1- 20 amp rated extension cord
1- appropriate cover plate
1 - romex connector
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the advise.

Last one... call me crazy! I found this outlet on Amazon. Could I buy an extension cord, cut the end off and attach it to this outlet? So just the pegs are sticking through the wall? Not sure if I'm explaining it right.

I feel like a power bar just might be easier. I'm no electrician, and I don't advise people to do their own amateur electrical work. Easy as it may be, an accident could also kill you or result in a burned down house.
 

Laughing Grass

Well-Known Member
I feel like a power bar just might be easier. I'm no electrician, and I don't advise people to do their own amateur electrical work. Easy as it may be, an accident could also kill you or result in a burned down house.
I definitely wouldn't be doing it myself. I was thinking of using my dad or hiring someone. I think you're right on the power bar. I was thinking of having something slick that looks pro, but it's not necessary.
 

spek9

Well-Known Member
Also, @Laughing Grass , sorry you had to find out the hard way how much Barneys Farms genetics suck. I'm a big fan of a breeder outta the Santa Cruz area of Cali named Bodhi. Alot of searching to be done with his strains, and a lot of keepers in every batch.
I've heard both positive and negative ramblins about Barney's, but I don't hear much negative about Bodhi (although I don't believe I've grown out anything from them, unless they were given to me and I didn't realize it).
 

Laughing Grass

Well-Known Member
Also, @Laughing Grass , sorry you had to find out the hard way how much Barneys Farms genetics suck. I'm a big fan of a breeder outta the Santa Cruz area of Cali named Bodhi. Alot of searching to be done with his strains, and a lot of keepers in every batch.
@Bobby schmeckle recommended bodhi to me as well. Are they all regulars or can you get feminized.

I'm a sucker for hype and marketing. :oops: My two smallest grows have been Barney's LSD 280grams and 262 from the pink kush and the buds were both fluffy and underdeveloped. The pink kush also hermied and I didn't notice so it's seeded. My previous grow of Humboldt chocolate mint og was just shy of a pound... even my first grow RQS northern lights produced better.
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
@Bobby schmeckle recommended bodhi to me as well. Are they all regulars or can you get feminized.

I'm a sucker for hype and marketing. :oops: My two smallest grows have been Barney's LSD 280grams and 262 from the pink kush and the buds were both fluffy and underdeveloped. The pink kush also hermied and I didn't notice so it's seeded. My previous grow of Humboldt chocolate mint og was just shy of a pound... even my first grow RQS northern lights produced better.
When it comes to seeds, usually the more hype, the worse the product in my experience. If you have a really good product, it sells itself. I'm a lover of Bodhi, but as far as I know, he doesn't make Femmed seeds, and the best part of growing out his gear is sifting through a couple phenotypes to find a REALLY good keeper. I found one in a pack of his strain Mothers Milk a few years ago that I'm still kicking myself for not saving as a mother.
 

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
Really, @Laughing Grass , what are your goals in growing? Do you want to constantly find new flavors and strains and experiment all the time? Or are you looking to find a few really GOOD mother plants and learn how they tick, to optimize their growing experience and produce the best product they are capable of producing?

I feel like locking any particular strain down takes a few grow cycles. Are they a heavy feeder or light feeder? What medium do they prefer? What training method? Heat and lighting conditions? Humidity? Not all plants like the same conditions all the time, so really fine tuning your grow to a few strains can produce some mind numbingly good weed. Thats why you see a lot of people on here talking about specific strains they run over and over again. Either they are the best money makers, or just produce the best meds.
 

Apalchen

Well-Known Member
I think your over complicating it, I personally just drill holes through the wall with a spade bit run a wire thru hook to outlet and then caulk around the wire. I guess if your using extension cords with fat ends just use some 1 1/2 inch PVC and use some puddy at each side.

Spray foam does leak light if it's less than a couple inches thick. I had to go back and caulk over lots of spray foam I used for trying to light proof.
 

Laughing Grass

Well-Known Member
Really, @Laughing Grass , what are your goals in growing? Do you want to constantly find new flavors and strains and experiment all the time? Or are you looking to find a few really GOOD mother plants and learn how they tick, to optimize their growing experience and produce the best product they are capable of producing?

I feel like locking any particular strain down takes a few grow cycles. Are they a heavy feeder or light feeder? What medium do they prefer? What training method? Heat and lighting conditions? Humidity? Not all plants like the same conditions all the time, so really fine tuning your grow to a few strains can produce some mind numbingly good weed. Thats why you see a lot of people on here talking about specific strains they run over and over again. Either they are the best money makers, or just produce the best meds.
It's funny you mention mother plants. In Canada we're only allowed a maximum of four plants per household so a mother plant and clones hasn't really been a legal option for me. I'm giving my 3x3 gorilla tent, light and fans/filters to my brother in law and he's going to keep clones and a mother plant for me off the next grow, that's the plan anyway. If I could find a strain that checked all the boxes, I'd be okay growing it over and over. I'm not sure about regular seeds tho.
 

Bobby schmeckle

Well-Known Member
@Bobby schmeckle recommended bodhi to me as well. Are they all regulars or can you get feminized.

I'm a sucker for hype and marketing. :oops: My two smallest grows have been Barney's LSD 280grams and 262 from the pink kush and the buds were both fluffy and underdeveloped. The pink kush also hermied and I didn't notice so it's seeded. My previous grow of Humboldt chocolate mint og was just shy of a pound... even my first grow RQS northern lights produced better.
I've probably got 60+ packs of bodhi in my fridge. Let me know if you want any.
 
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