• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • paul wheaton
  • Jay Angler
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Anne Miller
  • Tereza Okava
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Megan Palmer

Low-power grow lights/ incubator

 
Posts: 76
Location: Northern michigan
5
building solar woodworking
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
So I live off-grid in northern, Michigan. And I want to be able to get my seeds growing early But we get rather harsh Winters. So it's too cold. For a greenhouse nor is there enough light between daylight savings and  cloudy time of year Which means indoor grow  lights but they use of a lot of power. Even the lower powered LEDs take a respectable amount of power. For anyone living off grid So, I believe I came up with a solution  

I figured out how to start about 90 plants. 4 between 30 to 35 Watts And it's a pretty cheap build.  Just wanted to hear people's thoughts on it. I'm using a simple Rubbermaid tote. And an LED grow light string that runs on 12 volt DC. As well as a USB powered. Dual stick light which is not necessary. I just happen to have it. And a PC fan for air circulation and to strengthen the stems. The string light actually gets fairly warm which keeps the inside of incubator also at a respectable temperature between 70 to 80 degrees. Even when it's only 40 to 60 degrees in the room

Just wanted to get everyone's opinion and hopefully this helps someone else in a similar situation.
20200212_175048.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20200212_175048.jpg]
15815565759202380428963138796318.jpg
[Thumbnail for 15815565759202380428963138796318.jpg]
15815566258641376039068834905567.jpg
[Thumbnail for 15815566258641376039068834905567.jpg]
 
gardener
Posts: 5465
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio,Price Hill 45205
1140
forest garden trees urban
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Cool design and the fan is a nice touch.
I think I have some old coolers  and a broken  dorm fridge that could work in this application.
I might worry about the seedlings going from such a warm comfy  environment to out in the world,  but hardening off is always a challenge for indoor starts.


 
pollinator
Posts: 432
Location: zone 5-5
149
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Where did you get the LEDs?
 
Ryan Sleep
Posts: 76
Location: Northern michigan
5
building solar woodworking
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

craig howard wrote:Where did you get the LEDs?

 

Think I got the leds for I want to say they were twelve bucks on Amazon and yes acclimating plants from indoors to outdoors in Michigan is always a challenge as the Michigan weather is like a bipolar ex-girlfriend one day it's 70 degrees warm and inviting 12 hours later it's 30 degrees with crazy wind shears and your balls have retreated into your abdomen
 
My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to read a tiny ad:
montana community seeking 20 people who are gardeners or want to be gardeners
https://permies.com/t/359868/montana-community-seeking-people-gardeners
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic