Cfl help
- Thread starter tommyb88
- Start date
Diemand Edge
New Member
2 or 3 at most. a 300 watt CFL has a lower lumen to watt ratio than smaller CFLs. Having a dual spectrum is OK during veg, but during flowering you want to put out mostly low spectrum light, that's where HPS makes all the difference.
Overall with what you have you can grow and have something very good to show for it, but you could boost it incredibly if you use HPS during flowering.
I wouldn't go more than a 2 by 2 area with what you have.
Good luck!
Overall with what you have you can grow and have something very good to show for it, but you could boost it incredibly if you use HPS during flowering.
I wouldn't go more than a 2 by 2 area with what you have.
Good luck!
diggler35007
New Member
in a 2 by 2 area it would be good with proper reflection and spectum[ veg and flower ]. yeild wont be great, but it will be low cost and stealthy. cfl's are basically an untapped resource . also the lst will be a very productive means of making the most of a cfl grow.
Dacob
New Member
Ya, one huge CFL is never going to equal the efficiency of multiple smaller ones.
Just do the math -- divide the number of initial lumens by the wattage to get the lumens to watt ratio, and then do the same for a 42 watt CFL... or a 26, or a 65, or a 55, or whatever size you'd like.
There is just no comparison -- the jumbo 200w and above CFLs are monsters -- they are not as efficient, they use enormous mogul sockets and they have much higher unit costs, up to $100 each or more! That's a lot to spend considering you're going to loose a lot of lumens over the course of the lamp's life. In fact, if a CFL is rated for 10K hours I will generally replace it after 5K to 6K hours for two reasons. 1, I avoid some of the lumen loss that's associated with CFLs as they age, and 2, I avoid the chances of a ballast burn out, which can easily cause a short an even a fire within the ballasts. If you've never seen an CFL with an integrated ballast in the base burn out, you're missing out -- it's really extreme sometimes, consuming half of the plastic shell and scorching your fixture pretty good as it melts down. The toxic gasses released would probably kill a crop, I have no idea but I would not be suprised to see it happen. Most all CFLs run great with no problems, but defects do happen and are pretty much impossible to diagnose ahead of time.
As such, buying 42 watt CFLs (I recommend well know brands -- NOT fly-by-night companies. TCP has always been good to me, for example...) at $10 to $15 each and being able to get exactly the color temperatures you are looking for is much more effective. For example, with 42 watters you can buy a selection of 2700K and 6500K lamps, and even add in a few 4100K or whatever you'd like for supplemental wavelengths. Dual-spectrum units, no matter what the claim, can never replicate both color temps as well as a single lamp can. Imagine a neon tube... with two colors at the same time. Not very easy to achieve. Is that because something is wrong with neon? Nope, it's just how the technology works. CFL's are not exactly uber-accurate when it comes to their claimed color spectrum as it is -- how well do you really think they are going to do when they try to combine two lamps in one?
Also, what happens if you have one, or perhaps 2, of the really huge CFLs, and one of the dies? If it's your only light source, that could be a huge problem, and if it's half your total light, that can really put a damper on growth, not to mention confusing your poor ladies.
Multiple smaller CFLs offer so many advantages that I can not see how anyone could really recommend using larger single lamps -- after all, if you are using CFLs then you are probably looking for efficiency to begin with, no?
Just do the math -- divide the number of initial lumens by the wattage to get the lumens to watt ratio, and then do the same for a 42 watt CFL... or a 26, or a 65, or a 55, or whatever size you'd like.
There is just no comparison -- the jumbo 200w and above CFLs are monsters -- they are not as efficient, they use enormous mogul sockets and they have much higher unit costs, up to $100 each or more! That's a lot to spend considering you're going to loose a lot of lumens over the course of the lamp's life. In fact, if a CFL is rated for 10K hours I will generally replace it after 5K to 6K hours for two reasons. 1, I avoid some of the lumen loss that's associated with CFLs as they age, and 2, I avoid the chances of a ballast burn out, which can easily cause a short an even a fire within the ballasts. If you've never seen an CFL with an integrated ballast in the base burn out, you're missing out -- it's really extreme sometimes, consuming half of the plastic shell and scorching your fixture pretty good as it melts down. The toxic gasses released would probably kill a crop, I have no idea but I would not be suprised to see it happen. Most all CFLs run great with no problems, but defects do happen and are pretty much impossible to diagnose ahead of time.
As such, buying 42 watt CFLs (I recommend well know brands -- NOT fly-by-night companies. TCP has always been good to me, for example...) at $10 to $15 each and being able to get exactly the color temperatures you are looking for is much more effective. For example, with 42 watters you can buy a selection of 2700K and 6500K lamps, and even add in a few 4100K or whatever you'd like for supplemental wavelengths. Dual-spectrum units, no matter what the claim, can never replicate both color temps as well as a single lamp can. Imagine a neon tube... with two colors at the same time. Not very easy to achieve. Is that because something is wrong with neon? Nope, it's just how the technology works. CFL's are not exactly uber-accurate when it comes to their claimed color spectrum as it is -- how well do you really think they are going to do when they try to combine two lamps in one?
Also, what happens if you have one, or perhaps 2, of the really huge CFLs, and one of the dies? If it's your only light source, that could be a huge problem, and if it's half your total light, that can really put a damper on growth, not to mention confusing your poor ladies.
Multiple smaller CFLs offer so many advantages that I can not see how anyone could really recommend using larger single lamps -- after all, if you are using CFLs then you are probably looking for efficiency to begin with, no?
- Thread starter
- #5
thanks for the feedback, and yes i was definatly looking for efficency, Dacob do i need a proper hanger for the 42watt like i do for the 300watt or can i just plug them into a regular house hold lamp?
- Thread starter
- #6
Dacob
New Member
Well, most CFLs use the standard screw-in light socket that incandescent lamps use, so they will work in any light fixture that takes a regular bulb.
The larger CFLs do use the mogul socket, which is a fair bit larger.
I would go ahead and invest in some real reflectors -- they are about $10 each.
Check out Roseman's CFL guide for info on reflectors -- you really don't want to skip on those. Now, if you don't have the cash for a reflector, a standard length of lamp cord with a socket on the end will do. However, your CFL will be sending out light waves in all directions, so that's a bit wasteful versus isolating the photons into a more collimated stream by using a reflector.
Also, I do not recommend using non-grounded sockets. If the internal ballast on the CFL blows, you do not want that to be on an ungrounded circuit.
Quality Heat Lamp with Grounded Cord | Heat Lamps | QC Supply
That is an example of a socket I would approve of for two reasons -- one, the cord is grounded, and its 16/3 SJT rated, not some piece of junk slapped together by the lowest bidder. 16/3 SJT means it uses 16 gauge wire, which can take about 12-13 amps, and it's Junior Service rated, which is the lowest rating category but still indicates the cord can take up to 300 volts, well above a standard household circuit in the US, which are about 115-120 VAC or so. Two, that item includes a porcelain socket, which is capable of withstanding a lot more heat than the normal plastic sockets. If your CFL melts down, having it in a porcelain socket can really help to contain the heat and (possible) flames.
At less than $10, it's a pretty good investment, IMO. That product is specifically made for heat-lamps, but would work fine with CFLs as well.
- Thread starter
- #8
brilliant help and iv already made some DIY reflectors, i think i got the ideas from this thread but arnt sure
CFL Light Tutorial
thanks for the help
CFL Light Tutorial
thanks for the help
Diemand Edge
New Member
Simply put, if a socket can accept up to 60 watts, it can accept a CFL rated up to 60 watts, so ignore its yield.
As a for instance, if I have a socket that can accept 100 Watts, I can put a 23W CFL in there which is rated to give the same light as 100 Watts, but it is only using 23 watts. So focus on what the bulb is USING, not what it is GIVING. You could take a few Y splitters and turn a single socket into a 4 bulb setup. Below is an example.
End result, you have a socket rated at 60 watts and a bulb that only uses 42. I'd actually recommend grabbing a Y splitter and 2 -23 Watt CFLs and you'll most likely end up with more lumens.
Good luck and keep asking questions! There are no stupid questions, only silly people.
diggler35007
New Member
to dacob- you are right about smaller , multiple cfl's. the only way to fly. i was just trying to influence any one who would listen to the cfl uprising. tried to rep you but you were offline.
Dacob
New Member
Ya, for sure, mostly for me because of the replacement cost factor -- if you are replacing the lamps every year, or twice a year, with 15 $10 lamps, you're out $150 just for that, not to mention nutes, etc...
I just added a couple of 42watters to supplement my UFOs... woot woot. Now my ladies are going to be happy... side lighting is the best.
Oh and thanks for the rep! Much appreciated...
