Price of CFL Bulbs

[kantwate]

Well I have been reading for months and am going to finally make a grow closet.

I am going to order some bulbs from 1000 Bulbs .com ( I don't know how to post links ) and am real confused.

A 42 watt bulb cost $3.48; one cost $7.71 ; and another cost $11.21.

How do you know which bulb to purchase?

Have read all of the specs on the bulbs and they all read the same. Is there a reason for the preference of manufacturer or something?

Thanks and Regards.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Look for initial lumen output. All ads/specs should have that (and most actually do). If you can find something along the lines of "mean lumen output" or the like that would probably be even better. Whichever, you want as high a total as possible, assuming that it is not a "High-PAR Output" bulb. (The lumen "scale" is heavily weighted towards the frequencies that the human eye perceives as being brighter. High Photosynthetic Active Radiation bulbs may list (and have) a lower lumen output as they should not be "focused" on providing light intended for general lighting use (much of which is useless to plants). But you're more likely to see lumens where CFLs are concerned unless you're looking specifically at horticultural bulbs.

Look for color temperature. ~6500K for vegetative and ~2700K (or somewhat lower) for flowering.

If the ads to not specify these two things, see if they list a manufacturer's number for the bulbs. If so, often a Google search will lead you to the specs. It also might show people's experiences with them - if they're more cheaply-made than most and have been found to have a short lifetime, or the like.

Probably not a factor with low-wattage CFLs, but make sure that they look to have built-in ballasts (like the ones you'd find in a department-store for residential use).

Also, make sure that they screw into a normal residential-type socket instead of a mogul socket (which is larger). Again, probably not a factor with low-wattage CFLs.

Brand names often carry a premium. They may or may not be of higher quality than a brand that you never heard of. (And I suppose that there is always a possibility that a no-name brand might be produced on the same factory line as a brand name, IDK. Google might be helpful here too.)

Hopefully, someone with specific experience with the bulbs that you're looking at will chime in.

 

[kantwate]

Hey Man, Thanks for responding.

I just don't understand why one bulb is $3.48 and the same ( I think ) is $11.21.

I am thinking that you get what you pay for, but I don't get it with a light bulb.

Thanks and Regards

 

[ptg701]

You might find better prices if you look around locally.

A few years ago, the utility company where I lived had a deal going with the grocery stores and they were selling 13 and 23 Watt CFLs for $.50 each.

It was an ever better deal at Sam's Club where they sold them in packages of six or so. The price averaged out at $.86 for three.

I don't know what they cost now, but I have enough spare bulbs that I'll still be using them when the rest of the world has gone on to LEDs.

 

[kantwate]

Now that's funny PTG.

I can't find anything bigger than 23's locally, so I may have to drive 30 miles to the city. I'll start calling from the yellow pages before I make the trip.
Thanks, I heard LED's suck anyway. Ha

 

[SnowBender]

Retailers and manufactures realized long ago that there is a segment of the population that will always buy the most expensive thing on the shelf, so they price some of their products, often under a different name, as high as possible. -The hydro/horticulture industry is a great example of this.

I get my cfl's from the corner market, they are sold buy PollutionGreed&Extortion (our CA power company) in packs of 4 for $1.99.

The real cost of cfl's are hidden because most people don't properly recycle cfls they just pitch them in a land fill, and we end up with even more heavy metals in the water supply.

 

[G-Dog]

I hate Walmart, but... I have bought multi packs of CFLs there that were outrageously low. Check Costco and Sam's Club too.

 

[Bandit420]

Great post Snowbender! It should also be noted that the gas inside a cfl is toxic which is another reason you dont simply trash them.
The next time any grower needs to replace a cfl please make a stop by Home Depot or Lowes. At the entry way you'll see a couple different recycling bins for cfls, rechargeable power tools batteries, and cell phone batteries for you to properly dispose of your used bulbs.

 

[endive]

It is also good to look at the lumen/watt ratio of various sized CFLs (bigger isn't always better - lol).

Here a breakdown of lumen/watt efficiency from an "Ask Ed" Q&A:

the 200w listed at 9250 lumens for a lumens/watt ratio of 9250/200=46.25
the 150w is listed at 7500 lumens for a l/w ratio of 7500/150=50
the 125w is listed at 6500 lumens for a l/w ratio of 6500/125=52
the 42w are listed for 2700 lumens, l/w ratio of 2700/42=64.28
There are some 26w that give off 1700 lumens for a l/w ratio of 1700/26=65.38

So, according to these numbers the most efficient bulbs for growing are the 26w that emit 1700 lumens. If you used 8 26w bulbs (208 watts total) you'd be getting 13,600 lumens...4,350 more lumens than a single 200 watt CFL. AND the eight 26 watt bulbs would cost less than the one 200 watt bulb.​

Also remember to verify if the lamp's wattage is "actual" or "replacment". Esentially a 23-26 watt may be listed as a 100 watt as it replaces a 100W incandescent, so it is = to 23 watts of grow lighting, not 100 watts.

Hope this makes sense and helps.

 

[G-Dog]

I just bought two (4) packs of 23w CFLs at Home Depot. They were $7.96 a pack or something like that. The equiv of 800 watt incandescents for about $16.

edit:
The bulbs I bought were brand Ecosmart.
The wattage is as stated, 23w.
Lumen are 1600
Uses up to 70% less mercury than than standard CFLs.
Indoor/Outdoor use (Outdoor in a fixture that protects from moisture)'
Last 9 years warranty
2300k

 

[SnowBender]

Great post Snowbender! It should also be noted that the gas inside a cfl is toxic which is another reason you dont simply trash them.
The next time any grower needs to replace a cfl please make a stop by Home Depot or Lowes. At the entry way you'll see a couple different recycling bins for cfls, rechargeable power tools batteries, and cell phone batteries for you to properly dispose of your used bulbs.

Thx- All high output bulbs have toxic gas in them, and should be properly recycled. (HID, CFL, Fluorescent, induction ect.)

 

[kantwate]

O.K. Thanks guys for all of your help. I understand now.

I really do appreciate the knowledge I learned about recycling the bulbs. I have never heard that before. I bet a lot of people here don't know about recycling the bulbs.
Snowbender or Bandit should maybe start a thread and inform everyone here about that topic.

Thanks and Regards.