Grow Light Position: Horizontal or Vertical?

[HiTech-Hate]

I realize my above post may be ... confusing (it sure was to me after I just re-read it lol), so I threw together a pic that should clear up what I was trying to get across:

Also note that those rays after the focal point in the convex part of the image are VERY VERY weak, the image may misrepresent them as the primary light rays hitting the plants since the word PLANTS is right below them, but they are not.

The picture on the left (concave) is what all grow light reflectors do, they take the rays of light being reflected off them, and scatter them in all directions downwards.

 

[sweetarded]

Does a vertical bulb shine any light directly downwards? I'm wondering if I could put a plant down there and scrog it

 

[Be Irie]

Never put a plant directly under it, that was where my fan needed to be. I wouldn't think there would be much....

 

[TorturedSoul]

Does a vertical bulb shine any light directly downwards? I'm wondering if I could put a plant down there and scrog it

Not enough to count. That's why those parabolic reflectors with the bulb in a vertical orientation are considered to be so inefficient - all of the useful illumination is reflected.