(F series -canceled) Vesta build with side lighting

[LEDG]

Man, what a beautiful property. I can practically smell the fresh air.

Wood is so versatile but I’m too scared to use it with high-powered electronics.

[unkle_psycho]

Our project for next year is building an irrigation system, where a solar panel powered pump lifts water into large containers, and gravity leads that to where needed. I already found some pretty convincing suppliers on alibaba.

just make sure it's not PVC with these nasty chemicals that your plants will take up and store all over them.
also, maybe instead of using a pump you could collect rain water at a higher level and use gravity to irrigate your plants.
i will move in 1 week and there i'll have a large patio where i plan to do the same.

Do you have any advise on good materials for tubing? Years ago I heard that the alternative plastics are just as toxic, they just are not as studied... Will surely have to dive in and look at this aspect too

[tazztone]

afaik PVC is in a toxicity league of it's own.
HDPE is used for drinking water pipes sometimes.
i am sure you find some science based resources for recommendations concerning PVC pipe alternatives.
i found this old article by greenpeace on PVC alternatives:
https://www.greenpeace.org/archive-inte ... solutions/

[tazztone]

garden hose study 2016:
"The flexible plastic of PVC garden hoses frequently contained elevated lead, bromine, antimony, and phthalates. Non-PVC hoses did not contain these contaminants."

https://www.ecocenter.org/healthy-stuff ... study-2016

i am sure PVC pipes leak chemicals over time as well

[unkle_psycho]

I just got a great idea, that I'm going to have to try. I realized we have a type of plastic housing used in homes to cover ugly and complex wire setups. I am going to try to replace the wood frame in my build with that plastic, it should be sufficiently stiff for support, and all the wires would be hidden inside.

I found a bunch of material at home, that looks a little like these:

https://www.taloon.com/kaapelikanava-re ... Group=4224

[Eiktyrner]

Nice build fellow scandinavian!

I've been thinking of doing a 2x2m setup for tomato/chili indoors. How many strips do you think I would need?
Navigating what drivers and strips to get is a bit confusing, always ends up not ordering because I don't know what to get

Is DigiKey the best place to order from?

[sdfoster22]

What country are you in?

[unkle_psycho]

Nice build fellow scandinavian!

I've been thinking of doing a 2x2m setup for tomato/chili indoors. How many strips do you think I would need?
Navigating what drivers and strips to get is a bit confusing, always ends up not ordering because I don't know what to get

Is DigiKey the best place to order from?

Hi!
Digikey looked like the only option for me. I think there is a 'where to buy' thread, where there was some european option... perhaps it was called TME can't remember.
As a driver most people go for meanwell. They have the ELG series which is a little cheaper, and the HLG series which is popular. They are about equal efficiency.
I went for a special driver because I want to do a bunch of tests growing vegetables next winter, these small 75w drivers will allow me to make a lot of different setups.

For optimum lighting of 4m2 you need quite a bit of electricity, about 270w per m2... so about 1000w for your space. I think I payed around 280e for 750w of drivers, and more strips then necessary... with the vesta strips you get about 3w per euro.

You might manage with less light, depends on many things. Temperature and humidity would be just as important.

[unkle_psycho]

What country are you in?

Finland