Gear we use and test
The actual equipment in the garage bay and the kit on the test bench. We say what it costs us, what it does well and where it lost to a $12 sensor.
Climate & air
- Climate & airPlanned / hunting
Inline duct fan with a programmable controller
Moves air through the carbon path and lets the controller ramp on temperature and humidity instead of a wall timer.
“Air superiority is non-negotiable.” — Mr Dookie
Check price (affiliate link, opens in a new tab) - Climate & airPlanned / hunting
Clip-on circulation fans
Cheap insurance against dead-air pockets under the canopy, where mould likes to start.
“A gentle breeze. For morale.” — Mr Dookie
Check price (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Lighting
- LightingPlanned / hunting
Bar-style LED fixture (second-hand hunt)
Bar layouts spread light evenly over a 2×4 footprint. We are hunting used units and measuring them before trusting any spec sheet.
“The Photon Offensive begins at dawn. Whenever the timer says dawn is.” — Mr Dookie
Link coming soon
Water & irrigation
- Water & irrigationPlanned / hunting
pH and TDS pen meters
Runoff checks for the irrigation experiments. Calibrated before every session, logged every time.
“Trust, but calibrate.” — Mr Dookie
Link coming soon - Water & irrigationOn the test bench
12 V peristaltic dosing pumps
Precise, self-priming and happy with a relay, which is why the auto-waterer kit uses one.
“Measured aggression. One millilitre at a time.” — Mr Dookie
Link coming soon
Sensors & automation
- Sensors & automationOn the test bench
Capacitive soil-moisture sensors
The heart of the Auto-Waterer Mk I. Capacitive probes do not corrode like the two-prong resistive kind.
“I can feel the soil. Through science.” — Mr Dookie
Link coming soon - Sensors & automationOn the test bench
Temperature / humidity data logger
Logs the room every minute so VPD arguments are settled by a chart, not by the Commander.
“The data and I have an understanding.” — Mr Dookie
Link coming soon - Sensors & automationIn the bay
Arduino-compatible / ESP32 microcontroller boards
Cheap, well documented and good enough for pumps, relays and Wi-Fi logging.
“My general staff. Small, obedient, occasionally on fire.” — Mr Dookie
Link coming soon
Build & tools
- Build & toolsPlanned / hunting
Scrubbable semi-gloss enamel + whiteboard wall paint
Walls you can wash (no mould hiding in flat paint) and a wall you can write the plan on.
“Every war room needs a whiteboard.” — Mr Dookie
Link coming soon
Prices change and we do not list them here. Always check the manufacturer’s specs and your local electrical code.