This is a 3 foot light mover for up-to a 600w HPS or MH light-- it will not only spread your light more evenly-- but increase the useable area for that light.
MATERIALS: 2 3-foot legnths of 3/4 inch black-pipe (for gas-lines)
4 pipe-hangers & screws
4 Flared End-caps for the pipe (must be too big to fit thru
the pipe-hangers)
2 6-foot legnths of chain
4 large steel hook-clasps
(? not sure what they are
called--see image below)MUST be large
enough to fit over the pipe, and slide easily.
1 White or bright-colored paint-pen or enamel paint
In the area where you are going to grow-- plot out a 6 foot x 5 foot area--- plan your rails to run the legnth of the 6-foot space.
BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that your ceiling is sturdy enough to hold the weight of your light PLUS an additional 15lbs! You will be securing pipe hangers to the ceiling with only a few screws-- so be sure it is more than just dry-wall where you are working!
Find the center of the 6-footspace-- and measure-out in each direction 18 inches... this gives you a perfectly centered 3 foot space to run the 3 foot rails...
Now, measure the space between the hangers on your light... then find the center of your 5-foot space- and measure in each direction by 1/2 of the measurement you got from the light. this is the spacing between the rails. .
secure your 1st 2 pipe hangers 1.5 inches in from the 3-foot marks at one end of the space so they are side by side (separated by the space the size of your light)- both facing in the same direction toward the other end of the 6 foor space....
Now go to the other end of the 3 foot measurement, and secure the other 2 pipe hangers to the ceiling 1.5 inches from THAT 3 foot marker--same spacing as the others, facing toward the other pipe hangers.
have someone help you place the pipe thru the hangers that are "facing each other) on one side-- and add the end caps tightly so there is a nice tight fit with no rattling of sliding.
Do the same on the other side.
You now have 2 rails running legnthwise in the center of your 6foot grow space with a clasp-hook on each one.
Use the pain or Paint-pen to mark the center of each pipe. This is just so you know whaer e the center is later on... but is important.
all you do now is put a clasp-hook on one end of each piece of chain and secure the clasps to your light.... then haul-up your light and put the other end of the chain on the clasp hooks hangin on the rails!
VIOLA! Light mover!
Each day, start your light at the back of the rails.... if in 12/12-- you'll start at the back for 4 hours, then move the light to the center mark on the pipe for 4 hours, then to the front for 4 hours-- then start over the next day....
if in 24/0--- start at the back, for 8, then center for 8, then front for 8 then move all the way to the back and start over the cycle...
We're still looking for a replacement for the clasp-hooks that "slide" over the rails better-- but so far-- works nice!
It really makes a difference in light dispercement... so it's not focused on one group of plants more than another.
