str8_pimpin
Well-Known Member
I have a 250watt HPS growing system. But i dont have a reflector to Put the bulb into. Is there any items at home i can use to make a reflector and still get the maximum light and heat?
The thing is After i bend it up, How would i connect the Socket to it....to actually hold it into place to put the bulb in??id be wary about using cardboard for an hps. go to home depot and pick up some thin sheet metal. they have it in the right size pieces, and some really reflective varietys. just bend it up yourself. good luck
Thanks a million Al, But I got confused about the part where you say how to "Pop-Rivet" the Socket into place. What does Pop-Rivet mean and how do you do it. And What is the size of this sheetCardboard isn't the way to go over an HPS- if it doesn't ignite, it'll char and fall to bits in a few days.
Here's one easy way to make an efficient batwing reflector.
This can be made from aluminum sheeting, easy to bend and cut. Your hardware store will have sheets at least large enough to cover the bottom panel of a screen door. You can always pop-rivet a couple of sheets together to make larger reflectors.
Mark the centre of a piece of aluminum.
Roll it into a cylinder of about 12" dia
Unroll partially and C-clamp the sheet to a workbench, aligning the centreline marks up to the bench's edge. The edge of the bench will allow you to bend a fairly straight 90 degree crease in the sheet.
Form the double parabola reflector shape as shown in side view.
Adding a couple more 90 degree folds about an inch inward from the outer edges, parallel to the centre fold, will add some stiffness to the reflector.
Paint the underside with high-temp flat white paint.
Attach the socket by wrapping a 12" x 3" piece of sheet aluminum around the porcelain socket, pop-rivet or bolt the sheet to itself to pinch the socket in place.
The tail of the sheet can then be pop-riveted to the reflector.
Hang the fixture with open-link or jack chain.
Pop rivets are a very inexpensive permanent fastener.Thanks a million Al, But I got confused about the part where you say how to "Pop-Rivet" the Socket into place. What does Pop-Rivet mean and how do you do it.
The size can be anything you want, or at least limited to the size of sheets of aluminum you can get at your local giantmuthafuckinhardware store.And What is the size of this sheet??