Materials:

  • 10x 2.4m ( 8ft ) 2x4s
  • 1x OSB sheet 240x120cm ( 8x4 ft )
  • 12x two led light fixtures for 120cm (4ft) LEDs, 24 cool daylight 18W led lights
  • 3x double light switches - one per shelf, half of each switch controlling every other light fixture
  • Some screws, wiring, wagos
  • Bonus: tapo p110 or other smart plug to turn the lights on/off on schedule

Total cost under $200

  • tmcgh@lemm.ee
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    9 hours ago

    What lights are you using? I have a set of lights but they seem to produce way more heat than usable light? If I put the lights closer, they burn the seedlings, if I move them too far away, the seedlings get leggy.

    • tty5@lemmy.worldOP
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      7 hours ago

      Nothing fancy - T8 LED tubes, cool daylight (6500K). IIRC some are Philips corepro 865, some will be Osram equivalent - I used whatever I had left from installing new lights in garage. Brands you recognize, but their value product lines.

      Are those as good as “real” grow lights? Hell no. Do they get me 80% there for 20-30% of the price? They sure do!

      • tmcgh@lemm.ee
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        3 hours ago

        I certainly don’t have “grow lights” which is why I think I’m having the heat issue. I am certainly in the camp of getting 80% there for a fraction of the price!

        Thanks for the reply!

        • tty5@lemmy.worldOP
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          25 minutes ago

          LEDs might emit much more energy as light compared to incandescent lights, but that light will get absorbed by plants and surrounding and will eventually end up mostly as heat, no matter what light you have. This rack has 24x18W = 432W worth of lights, which is equivalent of a small space heater running on low.

          2 of those racks in a small room in the basement is enough for me to have 24C (75F) in that room while the rest of the basement is closer to 12C (45F). The fanciest of growlights may have saved me 1-2C, or not.

  • arrow74@lemm.ee
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    1 day ago

    When you’re not growing seedling you could grow microgreens.

    Honestly that space is big enough to grown some veggies in containers

    • tty5@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 day ago

      I don’t care for microgreens at all, so it’s going to be a storage rack.

  • techt@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    This is beautiful, well done! When do they move outside? And when did you start the ones on each shelf?

    • tty5@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 day ago

      Tomatoes are moving to greenhouse second half of next week - I don’t expect temperatures outside to drop much below freezing after that, at least not beyond what an electric heater or two can salvage in an emergency. Peppers will have to wait until temperatures outside don’t drop below 5C (40F) even during the night - it’s going to be 6, maybe even 8 weeks. 6b zone…

      All plants have been started within a couple of days 6-7 weeks ago.

    • Bigfish@lemmynsfw.com
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      1 day ago

      In my setup I have my lights on chains that I can raise or lower. It’s honestly a pain. I end up just slipping a couple 2x4 pieces under the trays rather than bothering to move the lights.

    • tty5@lemmy.worldOP
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      1 day ago

      Fixed height. Being able to adjust light distance per tray is better when you have different height plants on a single shelf. It’s also less work when building it.