# Need help with basement grow room



## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Dec 7, 2009)

Well I finally got together with my friend who wanted to set up a basement grow area. The floor joist were all exposed in the basement and there was no insulation. We thought the no insulation was a good thing as we had hopes of the additional heat gowing into the main house. The living room is right above were we set this up. The living room has a wall to wall carpet. So we attached the rail directly to the floor joist. Least I think that is the proper word. We did not first hook the rail to a piece of wood but rather just screwed it into the wood that was holding up the floor above us. Beleive me that baby was secure and wasn't about to drop. At the moment he only had a 200 watt cfl light that was in a Sun System 8. We got it all hooked up as was quite proud of ourselves. This is a new moving rail that doesn't have a chain. It worked what seemed flawlessly. Then we went up stair to have a cup of coffee in the living room. Not only could we hear the small motor but we could actually feel it on our feet. His wife immediatley said no way. He also has a 600 watt light with a ballast on the way, which is what we had planed on putting up once it arrives. My question is how can we keep the noise down from his living space. Only thing that comes to my mind is to build a stucture out of 2 by 2 or 2 x 4's that doesn't attach to the ceiling. I prefer not to do this as the ceiling isn't all that high. Do you have any ideas or suggestions. Right now his wife isn't too happy with me. We need to figure a way to keep the noise down.


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## Clark (Dec 7, 2009)

Women can hear everything, good luck!

There was a noise dampening product at HomeDepot called Homasote(or something like that). I used it for a different application, it help a little. 
Might want to try some lower density rubber washers at fastening points to numb vibration. If vibration is out of control, bridging(cats) may be missing between joists. Or add bridging to tighten up joists.


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## NYEric (Dec 7, 2009)

:rollhappy:


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## Ernie (Dec 7, 2009)

Bob,

A 200 watt CFL isn’t much light to be hanging 6 ft above the floor or maybe 2-4 feet above benches even if it’s actual usage is 200 watts. With a single moving 200 watt CFL, Phals and lower light Paphs will barely be happy in the long run IMO. I’d upgrade to several of these units or one or more 430+ watt HID. 

Yes, heat from a light garden could be neat in the rest of the house in winter in theory, BUT that 200 watt CFL will not throw much heat anyway. 

Heat= good for the house in winter, but bad in summer. Also Humidity= bad for the house all year long! 

Humidity will also be lost… doing wonders for the carpentry of the house in the long run. 

The number ONE comment I get from basement growers in my travels is that the temperature is perfect… too perfect. Especially in a big basement, the heat will dissipate too well giving virtually no diurnal temperature variation that is very important to blooming plants. Enclosing the area, even if only partially, will retain the heat made by the lights to warm plants during the day and cool down a little at night. Will also keep humidity local, where it’s needed. 

So, I’d go back and enclose the area even if with a simple plastic tent made by thumbtacking plastic to the ceiling. Styrofoam sheeting is also very easy to work with. Or I’m sure you’ve seen people on this forum posting about installing an actual greenhouse kit in their basement or garage. Also, make a simple (or “real”) ceiling to protect those joists. Lowering the light rail should reduce the noise transmitting through the floor above. A remote ballast will also help get the vibes off the floor above. 

-Ernie


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## Scooby5757 (Dec 7, 2009)

...new wife. :evil:


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## Ernie (Dec 7, 2009)

Scooby5757 said:


> ...new wife. :evil:



Funny. Our house constantly hums from noise from fans, ballasts, bulbs, pumps. We sleep poorly if the noise isn't spot on. White noise is healthy. 

-Ernie


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## cnycharles (Dec 7, 2009)

I don't always notice the fans, but when the power goes out and nothing is moving, I really notice the fan noise (though one is an air purifier).

I have made plant carts out of pvc plumbing; would it be possible to make a frame that both goes up to the ceiling and holds up the lights, and can have plastic draped over it to hold in heat and humidity? if you don't want to glue the pieces of pipe together you can always use small self-tapping screws or regular ones depending on preference. (or just some duct tape in strategic spots)


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Dec 7, 2009)

Ernie, don't misunderstand the 200 watt cfl with the hood was just somthing someone gave him and he was just waiting for a 600 watt with a seperate ballast. It was more to get ready so once the real light arrived he would be ready to go. At the moment his plants are still in windows and under shop lights. If push comes to shove he can just use the light without the light mover but he already laid out the cash for that and would like to use it.


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## Wendy (Dec 7, 2009)

I have a basement grow room too and our basement is unfinished. For the ceiling my hubby used insulation, a layer of plastic and moisture resistant drywall. He put 2" x 2" up against the joists (with the drywall between) and then used long screw hooks to go through the 2x2's and into the joists to hang the HID lights. Our dining/living area is right above the grow room and all we hear is the muffled noise of the radio in the room. I don't have a light mover but do have several fans and a radio.

If you get the AOS Orchids magazine there is an article on my room in the October 08 issue. You can also find the article on Yoshi Namura's web site. http://www.notsogreenthumb.org/ Click on the 'about orchids' link on the left and then click 'articles'.

Hope that helps.


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## Ernie (Dec 7, 2009)

cnycharles said:


> I don't always notice the fans, but when the power goes out and nothing is moving, I really notice the fan noise (though one is an air purifier).
> 
> I have made plant carts out of pvc plumbing; would it be possible to make a frame that both goes up to the ceiling and holds up the lights, and can have plastic draped over it to hold in heat and humidity? if you don't want to glue the pieces of pipe together you can always use small self-tapping screws or regular ones depending on preference. (or just some duct tape in strategic spots)



Yes, PVC is a dream to work with. You don't need to withstand wind or snow or anything, and it's more resistant to humidity than wood. 

-Ernie


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## SlipperFan (Dec 7, 2009)

I have a basement greenhouse, also, made of PVC pipe and plastic sheets:
http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1004&highlight=basement+greenhouse&page=19


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## Ernie (Dec 7, 2009)

Wow, Dot! I guess I missed your posts in the megathread. Very impressive! 

-Ernie


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Dec 8, 2009)

Thanks for all the feedback.


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## GaryB (Dec 8, 2009)

Seal your growing area! If you don't you will never be area to keep the humidity high enough (at least in the Midwest in winter you can't). And then vent the warm moist air outside unless you enjoy mold:crazy:

I have a light rail 3.5 and a circular light mover, both attached to the floor joists with no noise. A good light mover should be quiet.

Here's link to pictures and description of my basement grow room. It's a long thread with lots of ideas from other indoor growers.

I've made some changes since '06. Would you believe I actually have more bench space in the that room? In real life I'm an engineer and have managed to fit 320 sq. feet of bench in my 240 sq foot room :clap: And the trash can for storing RO water has been replaced with a 55 gallon drum.

This heating season I am venting the warm air from the grow room through the whole-house heat recovery ventilator (used to just vent it outside) to recover the heat generated by the grow lights (somewhere between 4000 & 5000 Watts). It will be interesting to see how much less the furnace runs this winter.


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Dec 8, 2009)

Thanks Gary. I was there again last night and that little damn motor really hums. I wonder if the place he bought it will take it back for a replacment.


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## Ernie (Dec 8, 2009)

GaryB said:


> and a circular light mover



Gary, where'd you get the circular light mover??? Been looking for one. Someone told me Worm's way at some point, but they don't seem to carry them anymore. 

-Ernie


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## GaryB (Dec 8, 2009)

Ernie said:


> Gary, where'd you get the circular light mover??? Been looking for one. Someone told me Worm's way at some point, but they don't seem to carry them anymore.
> 
> -Ernie



I got mine here about 3 years ago http://www.ahlgrows.com/lightmovers.html


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## GaryB (Dec 8, 2009)

Bob in Albany said:


> Thanks Gary. I was there again last night and that little damn motor really hums. I wonder if the place he bought it will take it back for a replacment.



If it's a Light Rail 3.5 motor, it should be silent. If not, something is starting to go and it needs to be fixed/replaced.


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## Mrs. Paph (Dec 8, 2009)

Wow, noise and a vibrating floor - it's always something. Sounds like others had some good suggestions about enclosing the space and putting at least something between the floor and the light setup. Hopefully you can work something out - it's better than no basement! I had great plans to enclose my grow space for better humidity control when I moved into my house, but quickly realized that high temperature control in a bedroom is near impossible here in the summer even with the door open, so enclosing the plant stand and making the space even smaller will Not work! Sorry...just had to grumble about that for a moment. Good luck on your project - I'm sure something will get figured out - or the wife will decide she likes a white noise producing, massaging floor in the living room!


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## Candace (Dec 8, 2009)

Is it possible that the light mover isn't level? Maybe all the noise is coming from the motor having to work harder?


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Dec 8, 2009)

Gary it is indeed a 3.5 light rail motor. This is a new item so he called the place he bought it from and they claim it is suppose to be noisey. I can't believe it is suppose to be that noisey. They did however say to bring it in and they will check it. If he does that and they have another one in stock he can ask them to plug that one in and see how much noise it makes. With our luck they won't have another one in stock. Naturally the store is a couple hour ride for him. Better him then me. Sorry, just had to say that. I got him into orchids and now I need to get him out of hot water. No matter what we will pull it down and remount it. Try, try again.


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