Official CFL Positioning Thread!

Catchin22

Catchin22

Well-Known Member
Okay people. Post your ideas up in here. How do you position your CFLs and what products do you use? I find this to be a bit of a battle and I think we should put our heads together to find some good ideas.

Here's mine so far.

1. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057UHB6Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jbe04-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057UHB6Y
24" Flexible Light extension. These are GREAT however a bit of a struggle to position well when using 2 bulbs with a Y splitter, work great with one.

2. Modified Vanity light with Y splitters hanging from above. I've seen this done a few times but have not done it yet myself. If you have done this please post up your results.

And I just came up with the idea of using trouble light reflectors. I found them at $2 a pop! That's the cheapest I could find them..
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HM9JUS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jbe04-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000HM9JUS

I am thinking with those you could simply hang them down from above either via the clamp light cord or hang them with a string and then simply wind the string around something up top to raise or lower it. Thoughts on this?
 
calicatt79

calicatt79

Well-Known Member
I think that it's a matter of a personal taste how you prefer your lights, your setup sound good to me :) I have a crazy setup right now.....I've re-done my whole closet 3 times now and this one is by far the best! It's hard to explain but I'll try my best.
small 1/2 closet space approx 4'Lx2'Wx7'tall.
small shelf hung at center back wall about 5' up. This is where I keep my excess cords, power strip and thermostat.
Now, I hung 2 small chains horizontally across my closet (about 4'10" ) up, running about 9" in between them. I secured them to the wall (2 at each end) and kept it tight while securing with sheet rock screws.
I cut some smaller 4" sections chain to link between the 2 chains for even greater light movement options.
I use medium binder clips from staples and hang the lights to the chains with y adapters (I have 7 so 14 bulbs total).
Anyways, here are some pics of my setup and my plants. I love this setup, and it seems to be working great for me :)

What's great about this is I can adjust my ladies lights everyday where it's needed. up, down, left, right, a little here, a little there. I can make sure ALL of my flowers and fan leaves get light!
I also found that the hood I made seemed to get more "in the way" than anything, so I removed it and went with just hanging the lights. It also helps too because most of a cfl's light comes from the sides anyways.
010612234754.jpgcfl 120712 2 wt5.jpgcfl 120712 wt5.jpgView attachment 1996505View attachment 1996504View attachment 1996506010712002925.jpgView attachment 1996497View attachment 1996498View attachment 1996499View attachment 1996500View attachment 1996501View attachment 1996502View attachment 1996503
 
Catchin22

Catchin22

Well-Known Member
Nice, I did see your setup in another thread and was going to comment on it, glad you posted it here. I wish I had the height you had though! I only have about 46" I am trying to think of a way to do it somewhat like you did, but have the Y adapters lay flat instead of hang down.
 
calicatt79

calicatt79

Well-Known Member
well....this is the "official" clf posting thread... LOL!
Thats a tough one....if you lay them flat you would prob. burn something. Well I have tons of height, not using it all though. I wanted to keep my plants short and bushy and they ended up massive and bushy. I guess I veg'd them too long or something (9 weeks). [I wanted to keep mine like your saying too, and I tried everything from mounting the lights on the corners of my closet, to making a homemade ballast out of chimney piping. It's gonna take some time and thought, your prob. gonna end up re-doing it thousands of times like me until your happy :)

i just looked at that flexible light extension thing and I'm so ordering one this very moment - thanks!
 
perry420

perry420

Active Member
I have a very ghetto set up. I have pulled the light sockets from lamps so its stretching from it and have 2 lamps just bunched in the corner of my closet. I have the lights balancing on an amp sitting next to the pot. Which makes the lights about an inch away. Very ghetto but workin so far.
 
cannofbliss

cannofbliss

Well-Known Member
well never really messed with cfl's only...

but i do know how to get the best advantage of using them in conjunction or as a supplement to hid lights...

if positioned right the advantages of a cfl can be great when it comes to having the ability to fit and hang over the plant like a glove comfortably resting an inch or two from the nearest leaf or flower and have it never burn...

the only disadvantage is they dont do well unless the full potential of intensity that can be had for a cfl gets to the plant... and... have that light reach at least 70% of the plant or more due to the low intensity of par for cfl's...

so the best way to get the most out of your cfl's is to keep it cool and then you can go and make that plant wear them like a glove... ;)
 
Kronnix

Kronnix

Active Member
My ghetto fixture is a plastic storage bin lid, I cut holes and pressure fitted my wired light sockets through it ,added Y splitters.
crazyglued emergency blanket for reflective. I have 12 lights on it but i made room to add up to 18. all within a 15x21 area.
ghettolight.jpg
My veg room has one with 5 lights too lol
working for me so far
keep them ideas flowing all I'd love to pick your brains on better plans!
 
Catchin22

Catchin22

Well-Known Member
Looks good guys, keep posting ideas. I really need a good idea for a very light weight cheap reflector for individual CFLs... I am thinking of mass producing something if I can come up with a good design.
 
ChiefsitandChief

ChiefsitandChief

Active Member
To start off I have a modded vaity lamp fixture with Y-splitters for my canopy lighting.
new2.jpg
And Later for Flowering Im adding a adjustable neck lamp with a 68 watt bulb(actual) for side/under growth lighting I will move it whenever and wherever needs it in the cab to help with Bud Formation, and plant penatration.
IMAG0288.jpgIMAG0289.jpgIMAG0307.jpg
 
Rottedroots

Rottedroots

Well-Known Member
I think you always are going to end up needing more space than you have. My box is tighter than a frogs ass and I have weeks and weeks and weeks to go.








 
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