What's new
By:
GrowWeedEasy.com
You're browsing as a guest. Sign up to join the conversation, share your grows, and get help from thousands of fellow growers — it's free and takes less than a minute.

Let's talk CFLs!

S

Spanky

New member
I haven't been able to find any information on the best way to orient CFLs.

I have Ys in clamp lights which allows for two bulbs to each fixture. I have hung these around the sides of my plant as I also have an overhead LED. These CFLs are more or less parallel to the floor.

I also have CFLs in bare sockets. Also positioned around the sides of the plant. One of these is positioned upright...perpendicular to the floor. Another is positioned with the bulb pointing down, but also perpendicular to the floor.

Has anyone done any testing to see which orientation is best? Should all the bulbs be parallel to the floor? Does it not even matter?

Of course light coverage and intensity are the primary concern. If none of the plant parts are in shadow, and you just want to improve things, would orientation make any difference?

Once we commence flowering, do any of the above answers change? Should all of the lights be hung above the plant? Is there value to hanging some within the buds...at the correct distance? What is the best orientation during flowering?

Also, does anyone have a good idea for homemade reflectors for the bare bulbs? I hear foil causes hot spots. I tried a metal pie plate but it twists sideways and won't stay in place.

I would be interested in all your opinions! Thank you.
 
hello spanky, i use cfls, first of all i do think the best is to keep them paralell to the floor, closest to the canopy as possible and i used wood to make a 50x50cm frame where i put 10 bulbs and a cupple of fans, i covered the bulbs with windshield reflector (car window reflective cover) and it works great, the only thing is having too many bulbs makes a lot of heat
 
Here are some pics
IMG_1842.JPG
IMG_1974.JPG
IMG_2080.JPG
IMG_1973.JPG
 
Hello 9fingerleaf,

Now that I found my sunglasses, I can look at your awesome set up!

What will we ever do when they stop making CFLs? I don't have to ask why you think parallel is better...your pics say it all.
(Is the big plant flowering? When will you switch over?)

Is the pup a master grower?
 
I was thinking of putting that car window covering material on my walls. Any thought on what to use on a single bulb for a reflector?
 
I use an aluminum mixing bowl for a reflector. I got creative fastening a four way splitter to the bowl and drilled some holes to help ventilate heat. Like you said, a pie plate was just too flimsy. I really like 9fingerleafs set up, more cfl bulbs than my setup. Keep in mind that more cfl's do produce heat that needs to be ventilated. I use 42w bulbs but recently found that most retail suppliers have quit carrying the 42w bulbs.
 
haha first of all i don't think they'll stop making them so its all good, that plant is flowering right now you can check it out clicking the link in my signature, its in week 4 of flowering. that pup its my little girl, 3 year old pitbull, big loving loyal companion, to me and my wife shes our "children" in the way we spend our days together :) lastly about the reflector, you can cut it and give it the shape you want and can be in constant contact with the cfls with no danger, use the window covering material everywhere
 
yes i cant find those either, but there are some very cheap 30 watt in "4U" shape instead of spiral that i like a lot, there are the white ones in the pic
 
9fingerleafs I absolutely love your setup and if you don't mind may use some of your ideas on my next grow. I know my style is not quite like y'alls but it's working ok for me I think. I use danglers to get to some of my lower sites. As far as reflectors, I currently just use white cardboard. It was fancy cardboard with aluminum foil stuck to it but then I heard white was better. Up top my 8 cfls still get some reflectivity from my mutilated domes(4 slits and bend to make room). I really like your boxes though and might try and make something similar.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1866.JPG
    IMG_1866.JPG
    5 MB · Views: 4
No Title

65 bucks worth from the home improvement store, 43" x 26" x 12", 5 lights on two switches, 1 for lightset 2 and 4, and 1 for lightset 1,3,& 5. Ten bulbs with use of a y spliters. mainly use for veg stage.works super for me, but 9fingerleafs setup look like the Cadillac
 

Attachments

  • photo17581.jpg
    photo17581.jpg
    7.6 MB · Views: 3
  • photo17582.jpg
    photo17582.jpg
    6.6 MB · Views: 3
Cool I don't think I can afford that yet. I'm going to play with cfls atleast one more time with upgrades based on some of y'alls setups. If I can get these new seeds to germinate. I tried one as a test in jiffy pod but nothing. I'm obviously doing something wrong. I have 4 more so hopefully I can get a couple to germinate
 
Jeg , The proof is in the pudding, your plant looks great and from the pic you stand to have a good harvest. I started with cfl and lst and have just kept adding, How are you germinating your seeds? Do you have a starter tray and heatmat?
 
Looking really great man. For veg that's more than enough and a great reflector. I wish I had cooled space to use hps. I have so many bulbs to get some yield out of my 2x4 closet space
 
No on mat and tray. I soaked then seed placed shallow and pinch closed. Put in small clear cup with cup over for dome. I then put it up on shelf above lights in setup. Thought the added heat up there would help. My current/first grow I used paper towel in ziplock and put in desk drawer(darkness). Tried that with some random bag seeds over the past month no luck. Read pods was best way so thought I'd try that with my nirvana seeds. Can you help please
 
Thanks 9fingerleafs, I've been admiring your setup for abit, it's a great use of space very low profile. The hood I made from a 4x3' sheet of hvac metal, it surrounds the plants for maximum reflection it can seem bulky at times and needs Heights to get at plants, but it's work really well.
With 400w hps comes heat, a exhaust system, a intake system, and the need for space. Any bud you grow is good bud.
 
The dollar store has the window covers so cutting one up is worth a try. So you are saying I should cover the floor, walls and ceiling?

Have seen so many pups in peeps pics...proud parents and rightfully so!
 
So other than changing out bulbs for flowering spectrum, do y'all think keeping the light set up the same for veg and flower is the way to go? No need to dangle lights within flowering colas?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top