E27 LED bulbs from Costco: $30 flowering lamp too cheap?

[tom1999]

First grow here. I've been Vegging under some T5 florescents which have worked well.

I was about to splurge on a Phillips 315W CDM system for the flowing cupboard - then I spotted these bulbs in Costco.
60Watts each, 2700K - sounds about right for flowering? They were also ridiculously cheap @ $2.50 for 3 - discontinued maybe?

Some holders were ordered from AliExpress - $8 - I had some spare plywood, cable and reflective mylar. The whole thing came to less than $30.

(I'm still to mylar the cupboard and built the reflector properly).

I'm curious what results these will generate! The plants seem to be thriving.

Anyone tried similar - I'm curious!

Thanks,

T.

 

[Old Salt]

If the ladies are happy, that's all that counts.

 

[Hash Hound]

very nice diy there tom, very flexible
you might want to add a few different spectrum in there, too much red might give too much stretch in veg.

also I'm not sure if its an improvement or not, but the globes come off fairly easy.
I use a few of those type with cfl for veg

Just a thought, You should consider moving the two offset sockets from the middle, one each to opposite outer corners space if you get what I'm trying to say..
every time I see those charts showing the u/muls, the numbers are high in the center and lower as you go outwards.
You have extra in the middle where it's going to be even stronger light.
Don't mind me I over think things to much some time.

 

[tom1999]

Hash Hound Sir (Madam?).

Many thanks for the follow up reply - good heads up on my first grow to be mindful of spectrum.

I've come back from a weeks holiday - my $20 automated irrigation pump has worked wonders and I found that the girls are doing fine. I'll grab a pic later of the growing end - would appreciate feedback on stretch. A quick look this morning showed some definite flowers forming - 17 days after going to 12/12.

I've ordered 10 more lamp holders for the spare bulbs I have - will do a complete rebuild to fully fit the rather odd rhomboid shaped grow space build in to a corner of an outbuilding. Will aim for better u/muls distribution as you suggest (having first read up on this!). And play with mixing some different (daylight) CFL into the existing exclusively warm LEDs.

Thanks again for the feedback - enjoying my new multifaceted project of woodwork DIY, horticulture, IoT control - hopefully with some relaxing results.

T

 

[Hash Hound]

glad to help, and please no "sir" maybe madman, but not madam

HH is good

 

[tom1999]

Couple of shots of the upper parts of the plants.. Any thoughts on stretch?

Many thanks,
T

 

[Old Salt]

Although the majority of stretch is finished, the plant will keep reaching for the sky until at least midway through flowering. Count on adding at least half the height she gained during the stretch.