Unscientific test run- Project Wally World

[Srilania]

Due to high electric bills for all, a need for lighting that uses little electricity is immense. However, the initial startup costs from LED panels can be prohibitive for someone just starting out with a small indoor grow. While current CFL grows can be done, concerns over mercury vapors from the bulbs, as well as contributing to the nation's phosphor for lighting tube shortage suggests we are in need of something easier to use and run.

Currently, for the power requirement of a 40 watt equivalent CFL bulb, one can get a 60 watt LED bulb of similar color spectrum. Some looking found a teardown video in youtube of the brand of bulb I am going to start evaluation with a non scientific "let's just see if it works" trial. A scientific study of it will be performed later, with genetic clones, one with a CFL, and 1 with the LED, both same manufacturer.

2 minutes in we get a light curve from a spectrometer, and suprisingly looks not all that far off from what we need for growing. To prevent cross contamination from the CFL grow, Project Wally World is being run in between a dresser and a wall, using butcher's paper and plastic to make a jury rigged growth chamber for this test. Since currently only one of 2 clones is thriving from Orphan, making a more accurate scientific study with a control running under CFL's not possible without waiting for more clones to be ready.

If test is successful, new growers can save even more money form electric bills from this technology. Also, even if not economically feasible for full grow, a few bulbs can be used to light the under canopy of the plant to allow for more growth.

 

[Srilania]

Well, the clone intended for this project is taking off great guns, so in a few days, will start this test, and see.

 

[Srilania]

First test completed. Clone ran under 1 Great value 60 W equivalent 2700k bulb. Because that is not quite bright enough for plants, a supplemental 40 watt LED bulb, also Great Value brand. Both are found at Wal Marts, for 5-10 dollars a bulb. setup was run for 2 weeks, to ensure some kind of result, one way or the other.

At 2 weeks, while the plant seemed to be slow at growing, it was living, growing, albeit slower than if it had enough lumens.

While a proper control plant was not used, and insufficient lighting was there, the fact the plant did grow under that lighting suggests that these might actually be useable for this purpose, either as strung in supplemental lights down in the plants more, or for a first time grower who has a handful of these laying about. While further tests need to be run, it does appear these will at least feed the right spectrum of light, at least enough that the plant should be able to handle it when there is enough lumens in it. A second, more scientific run will be done once more great value LED bulbs are acquired for this research line.