The introduction of high frequency electronic remote ballasts into the market has created a new problem: electromagnetic interference (EMI). EMI consists of high frequency signals which are either conducted (such as through your power cord back to the grid), or emitted in the form of radio waves (such as a high frequency remote ballast). EMI can disrupt or degrade the functioning of other electronic devices. In some cases, this may even lead to life threatening situations, for example, if medical systems or emergency communication systems are influenced. So what is EMI, and what can we do to avoid it? What are the rules and regulations?

First, let’s get the dull stuff out of the way: there are two classes which define how much EMI a device may emit:

1. Class A for industrial use
   1. In industrial environments, the EMI levels are allowed to be a bit higher.
2. Class B for residential or medical use.
   1. Class B, residential use, is more strict than the industrial standard.

Manufacturers of electrical devices need to ensure that they do not emit more than the applicable standard. EMI, however, is a double-edged sword: manufacturers of electronic devices should also make sure that their electrical devices are protected against the influence of EMI from other apparatuses. This, of course, makes things a bit more complicated. Interference you experience may not necessarily come from a device emitting too much, it could well be that the receiving device is not sufficiently protected against EMI.

There are many devices that emit EMI, because they emit radio frequent radiation such as cell phones and radio transmitters. In certain environments usage of these items is restricted, because they could possibly interfere with sensitive systems. Examples include:

1. Radio studios and theaters, which could experience interference with audio systems and wireless microphones.
2. Hospitals and airplanes, due to possible interference with critical electronic systems.

There are two different types of EMI:

1. Radiated EMI works like a radio wave, and is emitted by the equipment like a radio transmitter. Radio waves are very high frequency: frequencies from 30 kHz and up (long wave). Medium wave, for example, ranges from approximately 500 kHz to 1.7 MHz. This emission can be picked up by devices that are sensitive to these frequencies, without any electrical connection to the device generating the EMI.
   1. Radiated EMI can, for example, hinder cell phone reception, wireless devices such as intercom systems, monitoring systems and radio amateurs, but it can also induce bad readings on sensitive instruments such as pH and ec meters.
2. Conducted EMI travels through the power cord of the device back to the grid, and is distributed over your mains cables. All devices that are plugged into the same mains supply will receive this automatically. The interference does not stop at your house though: a complete block of houses connected to the same supply can be influenced. The frequencies are approximately 9 kHz to 30 MHz.
   1. Conducted EMI can influence anything that is connected to the same mains supply, and can cause routers to disconnect, computers to fail, loss in data, interference on audio and cable TV systems, etc.

Of the two, the conducted EMI may well be a worse problem than the emitted EMI.

Electronic ballasts have become popular because they are efficient, lightweight, run relatively cool, provide a stable output regardless of mains voltage fluctuations, and can be controlled. Traditional (low frequency) core-coil ballasts are quite heavy and become very warm. They can be noisy, and some components degrade over time. But the traditional ballasts are cheap, reliable, and cause no interference whatsoever, because they work on the mains frequency: 50/60 Hz!

So why don’t manufacturers make a low frequency electronic ballasts? They do. There are low frequency electronic ballasts as well. Because of the electronic nature of the ballast, they can still cause EMI, and because they are low frequency, they are often big and more expensive. Square wave, low frequency ballasts in particular can be noisy on lamps, resulting in literally vibrating arc tubes. They are also more expensive to produce.

Then there is a huge variety in operating frequency: traditional high frequency ballasts work around 35 kHz, but modern horticultural double ended systems, for example, work at 120 kHz! It’s not only this base frequency that can cause problems. High frequency equipment also generates what we call harmonics, frequencies which are much higher than the base frequency. They easily reach the radio frequent spectrum your other devices are sensitive to. Harmonics are mostly responsible for emitted EMI problems. Sine wave and square wave ballasts both have higher harmonic frequencies. High frequency square wave ballasts in particular generate lots of harmonics and EMI.

Magnetic ballasts output the same frequency as the receive from mains, so 50 Hz in Europe, 60 Hz in the USA. This causes a “flicker” in the light, which actually switches on and off 100/120 times per second. On digital photographs or video cameras you see this as light and dark banding. High frequency electronic ballasts switch so fast that the arc in the arc tube does not extinguish, leading to a higher output and better efficiency.

It is almost impossible to avoid EMI with a high frequency remote ballast. The lamp cord connecting the (shielded) ballast to the reflector is the biggest problem for radiated EMI: it functionally acts as an antenna. The longer the cord, the bigger the antenna. Shielding the lamp cord is not a solution in many cases, as it dampens the ignition pulse and can lead to lamps not starting any more. It also causes losses in output signal, and, in some cases, it actually causes the frequency of the ballast to go up to a much higher frequency, possibly destroying the ballast. This is why in horticulture only complete fixtures are used, with ballast and reflector integrated. The lamp cables are integrated into the metal design, reducing the interference to a minimum.

Conducted EMI is caused by insufficient filtering inside the ballast, or just plain bad design, causing high frequency signals to be delivered back to the grid. This can happen in remote ballasts, as well as complete fixtures.

1. Best option: Use complete fixtures! Ballast and reflector are integrated, so there is no loose lamp cord to emit lots of EMI. They are much easier to wire than remote systems, you just need to bring power to your climate room.
2. Make sure you have a good earth connection. The use of a protective earth connection is crucial to avoid EMI in shielded systems. Always use protective earth for safety, but use it specifically for high frequency devices to provide good shielding.
3. Keep lamp cords as short as possible, so keep the ballasts as close to the reflector as possible. I am talking about just 15 cm of cable instead of 5 meters or more!
4. Keep lamp cords separate from mains cords. If you they cross or run parallel you can get induction of the high frequency output on your mains supply, causing conducted EMI. This feedback signal can even destroy your ballast.
5. Never coil your lamp cords, shorten them! A coil can influence the frequency of your ballast, and can amplify radiated EMI.

EMI measuring rooms ideally do not contain metal objects close to the sources, all tables on which the objects are placed are made of wood.

EMI can cause all kinds of mayhem in a domestic environment: Internet routers that lose connection, Wi-Fi access points that decrease in performance or lose connection, TV’s and satellite receivers that show interference, remote controls (for example, to open your garage door or arm your alarm system) that do not work anymore, intercom systems that become unusable because of a loud hum, false alarms in wireless systems, amateur radio traffic interference, etc. When the neighbors call the cable guy to search the cause of the problem you are already too late. It is always better to prevent these problems.

If a device carries an FCC or CE sign it should be compliant to the EMI regulations. I say should be, as in reality there are a lot of things wrong with the testing of electronic equipment. For CE certification, for example, the manufacturer may choose to test the equipment himself, and declare that it is compliant to CE. If it turns out that it isn’t compliant he will probably get a slap on the wrist, which in many cases is cheaper than actually being compliant. Manufacturers in cheap labor countries outside the European Community (where the CE certification is required) do not really care much about compliance, and the importer or distributor is held responsible.

For FCC compliance, the device needs to be tested in a lab which is accredited by the FCC. In reality though, there is a huge difference in reports that are obtained from different (accredited) labs from different countries, also depending on how they test. If you test a ballast, for example, with just 15 cm of lamp cord it will give you a much better result than with 4 meters coiled next to the ballast. An FCC approval is no guarantee for absence of EMI.

Be smart when you design a climate room. Think ahead, and choose products from a reliable manufacturer. Realize that all high frequency remote ballasts (even those that are FCC approved) can emit EMI and that in all cases it is better to use complete fixtures. If you use remote ballasts, then place the ballasts as close to the reflectors as possible, and use very short leads. Never cross lamp cords and power cables, and make sure all your systems have perfect ground connections.

Resources:

Want to get in touch with Gavita? They can be reached via the following methods:

1. Website: https://gavita.com/
2. Email: info@gavita.com

In a recent episode of the Shaping Fire podcast, host Shango Los spoke with Seth Crawford, Ph.D. to discuss his blooming seed business, Oregon CBD. The published sociologist entered the industrial hemp market in 2015, partnering with his brother Eric.

Their goal was to disrupt the hemp extract market by breeding CBD-rich plants derived from medical cannabis plants, instead of starting with the low-cannabinoid, low-terpene hemp plants that were being used to make extracts. By using intelligent breeding techniques and innovative tools, such as the youPCR™ Plant Screening Platform, Crawford and OregonCBD were able to do just that.

In the the interview, Crawford highlights the lack of scientific support for CBD isolate and the abundant evidence that points to the strength of the entourage effect. The diverse array of cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis creates a unique pharmacology that is far more effective than isolated compounds. Because they wanted to create a CBD-rich cultivar with a robust terpene profile, the Crawford brothers took a different approach to seed production. Rather than attempting to breed the CBDAS allele (CBDA Synthase, a protein that produces CBDA) into hemp plants, as was typical for the CBD isolate business, they instead bred out the THCAS allele (THCA Synthase, a protein that produces THCA) from medicinal cannabis lines. They did this by inbreeding multiple Type II plants (1:1 CBD:THC ratio) to get multiple genotypes:

1. 25% Type I progeny (THC dominant)
2. 50% Type II progeny
3. 25% Type III progeny (CBD dominant with <0.3% THC)

Editor’s Note: The above is a typical Punnett Square set of probabilities for two parents that are heterozygous for a single gene. It is likely that there are multiple genes encoding these proteins.

Using the youPCR™ Plant Screening Platform, Crawford was able to identify plant genotypes of seedlings that were only days old. This enabled the OregonCBD team to get early feedback on their efforts and accelerate their breeding project.

In addition to these newly developed, rich chemotype plants, Oregon CBD made significant advances in the plants’ growth abilities. The breeders also introduced genes from high CBD, high-terpene autoflower and early flower lines. These innovations allow farmers to maximize the efficiency of their production space and grow time. Autoflower plants require no shift in the light cycle in order to begin flowering, instead beginning to flower once a critical size is reached. Early flower lines are “photoperiod sensitive”, allowing hyper-tailored harvest times.

Editor’s Note: Autoflower genes originate from Cannabis ruderalis, a relatively wild type of cannabis.

In the interview, Dr. Crawford went on to discuss various stories and quirks he encountered throughout his experiences. One thing he has observed is when female plants adopt a male phenotype (sometimes referred to as “herming”). He explained that, by employing Medicinal Genomics’ youPCR Gender Detection test, he confirmed that these plants lacked a Y chromosome, were therefore female; however, they exhibited male characteristics and produced pollen. Observed in approximately 1 in 4000 plants, the scientific dynamics of the phenomenon remain unclear.

Finally, Dr. Crawford discussed OregonCBD’s newest cultivar group, CBG-rich plants (Type IV). CBG (Cannabigerol) has been shown in preliminary research to have potent analgesic effects, without the psychoactivity of THC. The development of Type IV cultivars will allow for a far more specialized cannabinoid market, opening the door to immense breeding potentials to create highly varied chemoprofiles. Breeders who want to breed their own CBG-rich plants can identify them in the seedling stage by running screening tests that look for THCA and CBDA alleles. If neither is present, it’s a Type IV plant.

If you would like to listen to the full podcast, click here. If you’d like to see podcasts from Growers Network, let us know, and check out our first three episodes here.

Resources:

Want to get in touch with Medicinal Genomics? They can be reached via the following methods:

1. Website: https://www.medicinalgenomics.com/
2. Phone: 866-574-3582
3. Email: info@medicinalgenomics.com

The economy of efficiency. It seems obvious to me now after Scott Zeramby of Mendocino Agriculture mentioned it to me. The easiest way to maximize profits is by lowering overhead. The easiest way to lower overhead is to make your equipment and systems as efficient as possible. Historically, this process has been skipped by many in the industry due to the large profit margins that cannabis used to bring in. Back then, the only real reason for people to become extremely efficient was because they were concerned about their impact on the environment, their surroundings, and their carbon footprint. In today’s market, efficiency is extremely important in determining a company’s bottom line, and in most cases these days can mean the difference between a profit and bankruptcy.

I was prompted to write this after seeing headlines the other day explaining how shops in Washington were facing an excess of inventory and people were dropping their prices to move their products, in turn causing a big scare due to the high costs of production, taxes, and a small profit margin for producers. Regardless of all the variables that go into it, including current regulatory policies, implemented taxes and more, I saw a simple solution: Lower your overhead!

Environmentalists love this idea because it also reduces the carbon footprint and investors like this idea because it means higher profits and the ability to expand. One of the most obvious means to become more efficient in this industry is to grow under the sun. Sun-grown plants are more vigorous than plants grown under lights and they show more resilience to disease. There is no other agricultural business in the world that exists in a fully-indoor grown environment. Now that laws are in place and public sentiment has relaxed there is no reason to hide your plants indoors.

Any farmer with a business plan based solely on an emphasis of indoor growth is coming from an era that did not allow for efficient cultivation (prohibition). Within a greenhouse it is possible to supplement light and heat and grow year-round just like you would inside of a warehouse. There are many styles and brands of lighting these days that focus on efficiency. Though I am not here to suggest which light is the most effective and efficient I can tell you that there are a lot on the market with this concern in mind.

Forever Flowering’s structures come with built-in light meters to turn your lights on and off when natural lighting is not meeting the required light levels. Other systems are available and being developed to take this approach one step further. Built-in light meters on each individual light inside a greenhouse allows a controller unit to adjust light levels to meet lighting requirements. This means that different lights within the greenhouse may be illuminated with different light levels.

Related Article: Want to see other companies working in the controller space? Check out our article on Greenhouses.

Passive cooling and heating system techniques are widespread today and any good consultant can guide you as to how to reduce your inputs. Many companies are sprouting up in this regard, teaching people how to optimize on-site soils, amend their soils, buy in bulk and get away from high cost liquid fertilizers and bagged designer soil blends. The answers are out there and the ones that have been ‘in the trenches’ over the past several decades are now being looked to as the experts in the field.

Roll Out Bench Style Radiant Heating

If you don’t know these methodologies yourself be sure to hire a qualified consultant and/or knowledgeable company in the beginning of designing your project. Money spent in the beginning on this guidance with the proper equipment investments and time spent carefully designing your system will equate to business longevity, profits and the ability to stay ahead of the curve and expand as others in the industry struggle to keep their heads above water.

Resources:

Want to get in touch with Forever Flowering Greenhouses? They can be reached via the following methods:

1. Website: http://lightdep.com
2. Email: info@lightdep.com
3. Phone: 888-784-4687

As regulations on cannabis cultivation facilities continue to manifest, municipalities will further investigate power, water, and nutrient usage in the industry. Many operation managers and municipalities have not yet considered regulations regarding water usage and wastewater discharge in the cannabis industry. Regulations on these important parts of cultivation would impact cannabis producers dramatically, and possibly even putting some out of business due to slimmer profit margins and competition.

Let us not stick our fingers in our ears and pretend this day will not come. As the industry evolves, new water regulations could jeopardize an existing operation’s legal status. Drought-stricken states like California, Nevada, and Arizona will likely develop regulations on cannabis cultivation operations. Water volume usage and discharge will be something municipalities in those states will closely consider, if they haven’t already.

The two main water regulations on cannabis cultivation facilities concern volume usage limitations and wastewater quality regulations. If a facility is regulated based on the quality of its discharged water that runs into the sewer, the runoff water must be processed with a variety of methods. These methods include:

1. Filtration and recycling
2. Off-site shipping
3. On-site evaporation
4. Evaporation ponds
5. Dilution, and/or
6. Processing through artificial wetlands

If a municipality regulates a facility’s daily water volume usage, that facility must pursue one of the following:

1. Cut back on planned or operational plant production
2. Install a recirculating hydroponic system
3. Filter and reclaim runoff water for irrigation, or
4. Do all three

Water discharge regulations create a financial and legal incentive for cannabis producers to create facilities that feature “Zero Liquid Discharge.” However there are many challenges associated with building these types of systems as you will see.

Moving toward Zero Liquid Discharge means moving away from the traditional agricultural method of “drain-to-waste” systems. The runoff from a drain-to-waste system is almost always sent into the sewer systems, which is a big concern for regulators as such waste places heavy burdens on water treatment facilities and sewer systems. Closed-loop systems are possible, however, input costs can be higher when compared to a traditional drain-to-waste system. A system that can recycle all runoff water on a large scale is generally extremely specialized and the entire facility or operation must be engineered around this concept. Closed-loop systems require constant water testing and generally at some point require some sort of wastewater discharge, which then may also need to be processed further.

Editor’s Note: Curious about closed-loop aquaponic systems? We’re doing a series on them right now! Check out the first article here.

As an alternative, processing run-off water on-site for recycling and volume reduction is used by a large variety of industrial facilities today. Reverse osmosis (RO) filtration systems are the least energy-intensive and most economically sustainable way to remove dissolved solids from runoff water. However, the RO process produces highly concentrated wastewater that must be trucked off-site or evaporated.

Another potential option is a wastewater evaporator, which is extremely energy-intensive and produces a sludge-like waste that must still be trucked off-site.

Integrating RO and distillation/evaporation is generally the most economical way to truly achieve Zero Liquid Discharge; however, such systems are still extremely expensive. These systems are most efficient when they are designed to treat large volumes of water, which makes them the most suitable option for extremely large commercial/industrial operations. Smaller facilities will generally need to take the approach of water conservation via different growing methods that use as little water as possible, and reducing the volume to be shipped offsite for treatment.

While the above methods are all industrial solutions to treat agricultural runoff water, there are a few biological solutions that we haven’t mentioned yet. The main contaminants in runoff water can be analyzed in a laboratory and, in many cases, the runoff can be treated in artificial wetlands. In an artificial wetland, runoff water with dissolved nutrients is placed into the system and a variety of bacteria, plants, and other organisms convert the nitrogen-based fertilizers into actual biomass. This is a great solution for any facility that has proper permits and the requisite land to do this. The problem is that these types of systems do not work in an industrial area where there isn’t much land area available for relatively low prices.

Many facilities dealing with daily limits on water volume usage filter their runoff water (including nutrient runoff and condensate water from climate control systems) to reuse for irrigation. These facilities typically use reverse osmosis to purify nutrient runoff water prior to irrigation. Condensate runoff (from climate control systems) does not need to be treated with reverse osmosis, and can be reclaimed using alternative treatment methods.

Editor’s Note: Condensate water can typically be treated with UV light to eliminate bacteria and mold, filtered, or also run through RO systems.

Facilities dealing with concentrated water discharge regulations typically must truck all nutrient runoff water off-site. Many operations pay for this water to be taken away by the gallon.

However, one trick that minimizes the liquid discharge from a facility is using an RO system to further concentrate the contaminants from wastewater streams so that there is a smaller volume of wastewater that needs to be disposed of with reduced frequency.

While regulations will make life more difficult for cannabis cultivation facilities, we need to understand why these rules are being put into effect. Fresh water is a precious resource and must be conserved, particularly in dry areas. High levels of nutrients that are discharged into the environment can have dramatic negative consequences, which can be seen from industrial agricultural practices. Wastewater treatment plants may have difficulty treating a high volume of nutrient-rich water from hydroponic facilities, and regulations must take this into account to maintain proper infrastructure.

Whether your cannabis cultivation facility is already in operation or just being built, speaking with your municipality about current or impending water regulations will become critical to maintaining a sustainable, legal, and competitive operation. Not preparing for water regulations yet? They are likely to come — especially if you’re in an area where water is a scarce resource. Consider your options wisely.

Resources:

Want to get in touch with Hydrologic Systems? They can be reached via the following methods:

1. Website: https://www.hydrologicsystems.com/
2. Email: info@hydrologicsystems.com

Moldy cannabis isn’t safe to consume or smoke. Firing up moldy cannabis causes mold spores to spread. Trimming off the mold from your cannabis doesn’t fully eliminate the danger either. When in doubt, throw it out.

Mold is one of mankind’s biggest and oldest enemies. There are several different types of mold, many of which can make food unsafe to eat and homes uninhabitable. Depending on the type of mold present and the length of exposure, effects may be mild to severe, and can include coughing, trouble breathing, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, heart palpitations, and infections in the lungs. People with asthma or compromised immune systems are most likely to be affected by mold, and could potentially lead to death.

Cannabis, just like any other type of produce, has the potential to develop mold. While some cases do appear in the cultivation process, the majority come after harvest, either during the drying and curing phase or in storage, when moisture levels are too high. Although most cultivators know how to prevent mold growth on cannabis, that doesn’t mean that every crop is perfect. Additionally, if an end user doesn’t keep cannabis in a cool, dry place, that stash could also be at risk.

Marijuana is now legal for medical and/or adult use in 29 states. Each state makes its own rules to regulate cannabis. Testing for mold and other pathogens, therefore, can be inconsistent.

Moisture safety guidelines for cannabis cannot come soon enough. In August 2017, Anresco Laboratories tested several cannabis plants, extracts and edible samples, all from the Bay Area. The results, first reported by San Francisco Magazine, were disturbing, to say the least. Nearly 80% of the cannabis samples tested positive for some type of pathogen; 15% tested positive for mold.

“We weren’t entirely surprised given the unregulated nature of the market for so long,” Anresco spokesman, Kyle Borland said. He added that while it cannot be certain that this round of testing was representative of the California industry as a whole, the results were still concerning.

Mold can also cause substantial financial losses for cannabis cultivators. Should a cannabis sample test positive, the entire batch may have to be destroyed. Because cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, many growers do not have proper insurance to cover these losses. This is why cannabis farmers strive to prevent mold in the first place.

Widely accepted best practices recommend that all cannabis that will be consumed as flow be stored at a 0.55-0.65 water activity level (aW). This can be achieved by storing flower in an airtight container which has a relative humidity (RH) between 55% and 65%. Maintaining this requisite aW throughout the supply chain, from completion of drying through merchandising, ensures safety and quality for the consumer.

Keeping cannabis between a 55% and 65% RH level also optimizes the potency, efficacy, flavor, aroma and taste of the flower. Testing has shown that when cannabis is stored within these proper humidity levels, flower can achieve up to 15% more terpene retention.

There are several ways to detect mold. In addition to professional lab testing, a visual inspection under UV light can be conducted. Signs of mold can include black, grey, white, brown or yellow spots, spores, fuzz or webbing. For consumers who may have kept their medicine in storage long-term, it’s important to do a quick mold check before consuming in case of any developments.

Signs of Moldy Cannabis:

1. Dampness
2. Musty, sweet, and stale odor
3. Grey or white fuzz
4. Specks of white powder, like white dust

If you notice tiny white or cream-colored mushrooms on your buds, those are trichomes, not mold. Trichomes are concentrated with THC and other psychoactive cannabinoids. Boveda preserves trichomes by preventing them from drying up and breaking off while inhibiting mold growth. If there is fuzzy white stuff growing on the trichomes, that’s mold. Mold fibers are much smaller than trichomes.

As mentioned earlier, cannabis can develop mold throughout various points of its life cycle. When the plant is drying and curing, having a well-ventilated space with plenty of fans is essential. Once the plant is dried, it’s important to keep it stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Boveda’s 2-way humidity control is a great way to keep the cannabis fresh while it’s in a container.

Scientists have known for hundreds of years that a saturated salt solution is the only way to effectively add and/or remove moisture and still maintain a specific RH. Without salt, any humidity “control” only has a starting RH that changes wildly as soon as it gives up or absorbs water. A salt-water sachet is the precise and predictable way to store cannabis. Both Boveda 58% and 62% RH levels keep flower well below the moisture level that molds needs to thrive.

Moldy cannabis can be extremely dangerous – especially for medical patients with compromised immunity. Therefore, it’s vital that all medicine be tested and stored properly for protection against any and all pathogens.

By Rachelle Gordon
www.RachelleGordon.net

Resources:

Want to get in touch with Boveda? They can be reached via the following methods:

1. Website: https://bovedainc.com/
2. Email: dan.cleveland@bovedainc.com