Lighting CFL Growers Open Thread

[AndyBotwin]

I'm looking for all you CFL growers who have tips, questions, or comments. Some of you may have seen my DIY fixture here: Homemade CFL Fixture, and I'm wondering what other people are using.

Maybe if we can get enough responses this can eventually grow into a CFL guide or FAQ. To get the ball rolling, here's some information about CFL efficiency that I found when I was researching which bulbs to buy:

CFL lumens per watt:

250w - 60
200w - 60
150w - 52.667
85w - 49.412
65w - 52.308
55w - 65.454
42w - 66.667
40w - 66.25
32w - 65.625
30w - 66.667
27w - 64.815

So it appears that as the CFLs with the regular medium base go up in wattage, they lose a considerable amount of efficiency. But the larger mogul-based bulbs aren't as bad. The 42w CFL seems to be the sweet spot for bang for the buck, as three of them put out more lumens than a single 150w bulb. And multiple bulbs also have the advantage of being able to place them at different spots where the plants need them. Comments?

 

[highlyfe420allday]

Wht about a 60w= 100w equiv cause i usually use 4 of those and 2 75w floro gro bars you knw the ones you get frm wal-mart

 

[AndyBotwin]

Wht about a 60w= 100w equiv cause i usually use 4 of those and 2 75w floro gro bars you knw the ones you get frm wal-mart

So your CFLs are the 100w equivalent (~27w actual) or the large bulbs the pull a full 100w? Do the grow bars seem to make a difference in your grow when you use them? You don't see much discussion about them on cannabis forums.

 

[Griever]

iv used 24watt energysavers for 3 years now they work good enough and cheap enough + put lights where u want mine get like 3inches away from plants and no burn and keep plant warm at night

 

[ripster]

Great idea Andy. Love this post. It's gonna help me choose the CFL for supplemental light. Been wanting to try this for a while now.

 

[highlyfe420allday]

So your CFLs are the 100w equivalent (~27w actual) or the large bulbs the pull a full 100w? Do the grow bars seem to make a difference in your grow when you use them? You don't see much discussion about them on cannabis forums.

Yes they are the actual 27w i thnk the bars work well and give your lower growth a chance to produce nicer more potent bub instead of fighting for light. my 0.02¢

 

[Clyde]

Hi guys. I've used CFL for a while now and love them. I started with the curly type with the built in ballast, but recently I've moved to using PLL type and find them to be even better. Lumen output per watt is higher - the 55w bulbs I have put out about 4800 luments each I think (I put all the specs on my blog here). Also they are straight, so it's easier to get the light to the plants. The balasts are remote which means you can have them outside the cab and thus dissipate the heat easier, but I've never really found heat from CFLs a big issue, even in a PC cab grow.

I find CFLs the perfect light for super-stealthy small-scale growing.

 

[ripster]

Man, just for fun, I went to grab my old junk PC and forgot I gave it away.... I was so excited. I was ready to gut the inside and go to work. I already got a very stretched JD, Purple Jem female in the window sill and wasn't sure what to do with her. I guess I'll just LST her and put it back under my fixture. Only thing is, it's full...Got another fixture up and ready to go, but it's a 4 bulb TT-105 with 424 watts I think. Don't want to turn it on until I have to...Hoping I won't need it.

But I'm gonna do this one day...:thumbs:

 

[Nelson]

I use the 45 watt ballast in bulb on my 67 hole, air bubbly, sog tank with 4 inch net pots and red clay balls. I am very happy with them. I got 30 bulbs over my tank and I am very happy with them. I like the fact that they are gauranteed 7 years and you don't have to return the bulbs to get a new one just the USB code and the store receipt and a new one comes on the UPS truck for free. My light rack cranks up and down with a boat winch.

Someday maybe I will convert to LEDs.

Hi guys. I've used CFL for a while now and love them. I started with the curly type with the built in ballast, but recently I've moved to using PLL type and find them to be even better. Lumen output per watt is higher - the 55w bulbs I have put out about 4800 luments each I think (I put all the specs on my blog here). Also they are straight, so it's easier to get the light to the plants. The balasts are remote which means you can have them outside the cab and thus dissipate the heat easier, but I've never really found heat from CFLs a big issue, even in a PC cab grow.

I find CFLs the perfect light for super-stealthy small-scale growing.

 

[AndyBotwin]

Man, just for fun, I went to grab my old junk PC and forgot I gave it away.... I was so excited. I was ready to gut the inside and go to work.

I hear you man. I moved last year and threw away 3 old PCs including a huge tower that I had in my attic. A few months later I discovered PC grows. :cry: