Other CFL growers out there?

[von.loc]

Like your set up I using Cfl too. So for a 2*2*2 area how many Cfl do you think a will need for four plants. Is that three two ways to get the four lights in your set up.

 

[Deacnbleu]

Nice pictures GuRoo, gotta love those y sockets.

 

[G-Dog]

Wow are those y socket in a y socket or reflections lol.

You know you should feel for heat in the main y socket just in case. You are low on the wattage but a lot of heat comes out of the integral ballast and that increases the resistance of the connections (which makes it hotter) and then the resistance goes up and it makes it hotter and then the resistance goes up and ...... You get the idea

 

[UglyMuppet]

 

[growGuRoo]

Thanks Guys!

Wow are those y socket in a y socket or reflections lol.

Yup those are Y sockets in Y sockets. Good point though. Next time around i can alter the plywood reflectors and drill more holes in the top so i can cut down on the Y splits. But i have been able to keep the temps below 75 F due to good air flow.

So for a 2*2*2 area how many Cfl do you think a will need for four plants. Is that three two ways to get the four lights in your set up.

i am assuming you mean 2ft*2ft*2ft? thats not enough space for 4 plants. just enough for 1. IMO 100watts of actual CFL (within 1 square foot area) along with very good reflection, is enough till the plant is about 10in - 12 inches tall in veg. Then if you continue to veg i would add additional side lighting. (150+ actaul CFL watts)
For flowering you are going to want softwhite (2700K) CFL's all around the plant. Similar to my set up but a bit more like G-Dog said.

 

[G-Dog]

growguroo, I was not talking so much about ambient temperatures as I was about fixture heat. My concern would be that the first y socket in the examples shown could build up too much heat. Not from wattage (well a bit from that) but from as the integral ballast of the bulbs as they dissipate. Copper, as well as all other conductors, increase resistance because of heat. It don't matter if the heat is from wattage or some other outside source. If the heat raises it makes the resistance go up more. If the resistance goes up more it increases the heat and just gets worse and worse.