CFLs - maxmizing wattage/heat question

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dondarrion

Member
I am about a week away from my first harvest (hooray) and it's been clear for some time now my enclosure runs too hot so I need to make some changes (EDIT: ...for my next grow).

Setup:
It's basically a 1'x1'x2.5' cab with 110CFM 120mm pc fan pushing into my carbon filter. I do get a decent breeze out of the filter but not amazing. Intake is about a 70CFM 120mm case fan. I have another small case fan to move more air around but it was too powerful at any angle to not slightly wind-burn the plant. I believe I am stuck using PC fans with this setup, there simply isn't room for a 'big boy' fan. With my setup of 2x42w CFLs I get readings of about 83-88 where my plant is (about 1.5"-2" from the lights).

Questions:
Is there heat difference between say, one 100W CFL compared to 5x20W CFLs?
Assuming heat weren't an issue, are more but smaller wattage CFLs (spread around) more beneficial than one big CFL if for no other reason than they provide more pseudo-penetration?

thanks
 
qwizoking

qwizoking

Well-Known Member
Bro I have 24 cfls in 20 by I think 18", I don't know its a tiny 35 gallon rubbermaid bucket. My point is your having serious ventilation issues. Anyway I can't really halp you there besides upping the fan on your exhaust and make sure its at the top.

If your only a week from harvest I wouldn't think that it should matter if they made it good this far
Bigger cfls get hotter and for my cab are too big so I really can't help too much sorry I just thought I would throw my 2 cents

Way off but cfls are 5 percent brighter if not on their side, interesting.(This is where most light comes from)
 
bass1014

bass1014

Well-Known Member
well put it in this perspective one big light means one big ballast, 5 small lights mean 5 small ballast, so on that note you do the math.. anytime you add more you get more in return.. hint's more light more heat. good luck and KEEP ON GROWIN
 
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dondarrion

Member
qwizoking said:
Bro I have 24 cfls in 20 by I think 18", I don't know its a tiny 35 gallon rubbermaid bucket. My point is your having serious ventilation issues. Anyway I can't really halp you there besides upping the fan on your exhaust and make sure its at the top.

If your only a week from harvest I wouldn't think that it should matter if they made it good this far
Bigger cfls get hotter and for my cab are too big so I really can't help too much sorry I just thought I would throw my 2 cents

Way off but cfls are 5 percent brighter if not on their side, interesting.(This is where most light comes from)
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Oh crap sorry, I wasn't clear. I am planning the changes for my next grow.

Hmm, so if you're able to run that many in such a comparable space, ventilation is definitely where my problem is. How do you have your exhaust set up?



@bass1014 - i forgot all about the heat from ballasts when thinking about it. Thanks for pointing it out.
 
qwizoking

qwizoking

Well-Known Member
Well I don't have any filters, I think that's where our difference is. Filters should be pulled through not pushed out by the way. Try looking through the venting threads, this is my first indoor grow so I'm not much help on this stuff..i was an outdoor grower
 
qwizoking

qwizoking

Well-Known Member
Oh yea and about the ballast heat thing, I was refering to the actual bulb. I use only 23-26 watt bulbs and can touch them while running. The bigger bulbs get a lot hotter you can't touch them, though they might lower the overall temp of the cab
 
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dondarrion

Member
qwizoking said:
Well I don't have any filters, I think that's where our difference is. Filters should be pulled through not pushed out by the way.
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Right. It was a lesser-of-two-evils compromise. pc fans don't pull air real well so I opted to push instead to at least get some air flow through the filter. I remember I tried it that way when I was setting it up and it was 100 deg after about 45 mins.
 
qwizoking

qwizoking

Well-Known Member
Can you put up some pics? What's the temp outside the cab in your room or closet whatever you use?
 
B166ER420

B166ER420

Well-Known Member
Light from multiple sources would be better than a single light source.YES.....4 -23w bulbs are better than 1- 100w bulb.I have 23w,42w,and a 26w 10.0 uvb bulb....and I would not go over 42w when using cfl's...they get too hot:)...I only have one. I have 28-23w.I used to have 16-23w in a 2x2x4 box,heat was never an issue using cheap wal-mart fans.Wal-mart has 6" single speed fans for $6 I have 3,you can easily retrofit them for any use push/pull air,inline duct....whatever.Hope I helped.peace
 
D

dondarrion

Member
qwizoking said:
Can you put up some pics? What's the temp outside the cab in your room or closet whatever you use?
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68-72. I can add pics later today maybe.
B166ER420 said:
Light from multiple sources would be better than a single light source.YES.....4 -23w bulbs are better than 1- 100w bulb.I have 23w,42w,and a 26w 10.0 uvb bulb....and I would not go over 42w when using cfl's...they get too hot:)...I only have one. I have 28-23w.I used to have 16-23w in a 2x2x4 box,heat was never an issue using cheap wal-mart fans.Wal-mart has 6" single speed fans for $6 I have 3,you can easily retrofit them for any use push/pull air,inline duct....whatever.Hope I helped.peace
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I'm using 42w, I think I'll give a bunch of 23w ones a go next time. At least that way I can increment everything and control heat more easily, if necessary. I'm definitely curious to know more about rigging a cheap fan into something inline. Have any pics or a link?
 
B166ER420

B166ER420

Well-Known Member
dondarrion said:
68-72. I can add pics later today maybe.


I'm using 42w, I think I'll give a bunch of 23w ones a go next time. At least that way I can increment everything and control heat more easily, if necessary. I'm definitely curious to know more about rigging a cheap fan into something inline. Have any pics or a link?
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I don't have to worry about smell anymore I have moved to a bigger grow space(closet) and smell dissipates pretty good in the attic,which is vented for Texas heat:)Photo02210810_2.jpgthe closet ceilingPhoto03080803.jpgPhoto03080758.jpgPhoto03080759.jpgThe box I don't use anymore with fans
 

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dondarrion

Member
Ha, that's clever.. thanks for the pics. I was thinking of the other little fans they sell and couldn't picture it. My box is a bit more shallow but otherwise the same. Between this thread and the design forum I have a couple ideas now. I might actually be able to make my franken-box decent soon. Thanks guys!
 
qwizoking

qwizoking

Well-Known Member
Man I give up, I hit the insert inline or whatever button and it won't work for some reason.. Me and elec don't get along so I have y splitters to socket adapters with 6 bulbs straight onto a 6 plug extension thing and 4 extension cords
 
B166ER420

B166ER420

Well-Known Member
I know what your talking about,i see it all the time.It will work,just make sure you don't exceed wattage of power strip/surge protector or any extension cords you use, most cheap extension cords can handle 1650watts.You want them (bulbs)on their sides or at an angle with something to reflect light towards plants for most efficient use of lights.Don't worry bro im a computer idiot,they don't like me,I don't like them...lol
 
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