2000w Custom CFL Flowering Light

[KingDankBerry]

Hmmm...you have some interesting points.

Heres my questions:

I like your rig but why didnt you set the CFL's to be horizontal? Especially the 4 big ones at the top, I feel like you are getting a very small fraction of usable light as opposed if you did them horizontal.

How big do your plants get? CFLs are pretty much useless after 6-8" from what I understand which means you would have to keep them super short or eventually supplement with additional lights and clamps, at which point your going to spend more than a good HPS system and will eventually be using more watts anyway.

I have a similar set up right now, 4 23w cfls per plant with 4 plants. I was planning on adding another 2-4 CFLs to get around my desired 10,000-12,000 lumens per plant. But then I got all my receipts together and realized I had spent the same amount as a decent 600w HPS complete kit, all before adding the additional lights I was planning on.

Needless to say I just bought a HPS setup and will be returning all my CFL gear once everything arrives. For me it was a no brainer.

600w HPS = 90,000 lumens. Cost for whole set up including top of the line air cooled hood = $287

32 23w CFLS = 736 watts and only 51,200 lumens. Total cost with clamps, extenders and y adapters = more than $300

Even if I am losing lets say 25% of my light from the HPS being farther away its still more than the CFLs, and theres no way your getting ALL the light from CFLs anyway.

I guess it all depends on how many plants your doing, I have 4 at the moment and will probably always have around 3 and even with that the HPS made more sense for me.

Plus dont you have to replace CFLs after each grow?

BTW im not ragging your set up by any means I think its awesome, just trying to get an idea of what you made you go with the CFLs. Do you notice a big heat difference going from a 600w HID to 500w CFLs? (I dont remember if you what wattage your HID was)

You make great points about the positioning of the bulbs inside the hood. The four 65w were almost going to be horizontal, but I chose to 'try something' on this one. I used 4 small parabolic-like reflectors for the larger bulbs. The theory was that it would capture a lot of light to direct downwards to all sides more evenly; as I painted the flat white on the insides of those as well. Then I chose to put the smaller bulbs in the way that I did for simplicity. The next one that I put together will surely have it's improvements.

I keep my plants low and trim away small undergrowth, leaving fan leaves to absorb any misguided light Doing it this way, accompanied by a scrog net can make CFL results pretty swell.

As for your concerns about the cost of CFL vs HPS, I assure you that I spent a small fraction of the several hundred you said an HPS would cost. I got all of the materials at Lowes so I didn't have to wait for shipping or visit a special hydro store. Oh, also the parts are very cheap to replace and you can easily modify a unit like this
ALSO I gotta say that the lumen information you provided is not really an accurate way of judging usable light output. Lumens, like I said before, are for human eyes to perceive (not to measure specific plant needs). You would be losing more like 75% of the light from your HID when placed at the recommended position. the 90,000 lumens that our(I own one too) 600w HPS crank out are mostly wasted because the bulb would have to literally be touching the plant to transfer the maximum amount of light(90,000l).

CFLs usually last for around 6 grows depending on the light cycles involved. I have never had to replace a bulb after just one season or harvest. I did cut down a lot on heat with the use of this light. I read about a ten degree difference usually compared to my 600w HPS (which is well ventilated). I like the results that I get for 1/4 of the energy cost of HID. I believe if I want to expand my grow, I should consider all the options, and CFL was not my first choice....AT FIRST. I think that if anyone does some research on CFL growing and uses the correct bulbs that it can really give you more product per watt. And isn't that, along with quality, what's important?

Thank you for the replies!

 

[KingDankBerry]

Do you have any pics of the plants under the cfls just before take down by chance? just curious as I have seen hundreds of cfl grows but none have shown anything close to hps results as far as yeild resin and density so I'm just curious if your idea has broken that trend.

I will be uploading photos periodically as the plant matures. Look out~

 

[Sativa Dragon]

You should be using 4000k to 6500k for vegging and around 3000k for flowering when you start talking 400nm to 700nm that is the complete range of light usable to a plant, I have 430nm LED's on a 4100k FLOURO just for a boost.

 

[Cronnoisseur]

You make great points about the positioning of the bulbs inside the hood. The four 65w were almost going to be horizontal, but I chose to 'try something' on this one. I used 4 small parabolic-like reflectors for the larger bulbs. The theory was that it would capture a lot of light to direct downwards to all sides more evenly; as I painted the flat white on the insides of those as well. Then I chose to put the smaller bulbs in the way that I did for simplicity. The next one that I put together will surely have it's improvements.

I keep my plants low and trim away small undergrowth, leaving fan leaves to absorb any misguided light Doing it this way, accompanied by a scrog net can make CFL results pretty swell.

As for your concerns about the cost of CFL vs HPS, I assure you that I spent a small fraction of the several hundred you said an HPS would cost. I got all of the materials at Lowes so I didn't have to wait for shipping or visit a special hydro store. Oh, also the parts are very cheap to replace and you can easily modify a unit like this
ALSO I gotta say that the lumen information you provided is not really an accurate way of judging usable light output. Lumens, like I said before, are for human eyes to perceive (not to measure specific plant needs). You would be losing more like 75% of the light from your HID when placed at the recommended position. the 90,000 lumens that our(I own one too) 600w HPS crank out are mostly wasted because the bulb would have to literally be touching the plant to transfer the maximum amount of light(90,000l).

CFLs usually last for around 6 grows depending on the light cycles involved. I have never had to replace a bulb after just one season or harvest. I did cut down a lot on heat with the use of this light. I read about a ten degree difference usually compared to my 600w HPS (which is well ventilated). I like the results that I get for 1/4 of the energy cost of HID. I believe if I want to expand my grow, I should consider all the options, and CFL was not my first choice....AT FIRST. I think that if anyone does some research on CFL growing and uses the correct bulbs that it can really give you more product per watt. And isn't that, along with quality, what's important?

Thank you for the replies!

DAMN! 75% lumen loss?? Are you 100% sure this is true?

Maybe I should hold on to some of my CFL supplies and do a side by side test against the 600w HPS...

 

[KingDankBerry]

View attachment 2592789View attachment 2592790View attachment 2592792

You should be using 4000k to 6500k for vegging and around 3000k for flowering when you start talking 400nm to 700nm that is the complete range of light usable to a plant, I have 430nm LED's on a 4100k FLOURO just for a boost.

Right on! I'm glad to see you understand nm as it can be confusing. I use a lot of 6500k for veg and I like to use some in flowering as well(along with a lot of 2500k). Is that clamp light with LED around it something you have used for a while? How does it work? Looks cool

 

[KingDankBerry]

DAMN! 75% lumen loss?? Are you 100% sure this is true?

Maybe I should hold on to some of my CFL supplies and do a side by side test against the 600w HPS...

Haha, I may seem a little crazy, but check this out. Look up the "inverse square law," this makes it so clear about how much light is being wasted with distance. I would love to see pics if you decide to try side by side with CFL! Happy growing.

 

[Sativa Dragon]

Right on! I'm glad to see you understand nm as it can be confusing. I use a lot of 6500k for veg and I like to use some in flowering as well(along with a lot of 2500k). Is that clamp light with LED around it something you have used for a while? How does it work? Looks cool

Ya man I just made it for an experiment I am running, it's about blue light at night those led's are exactly 430nm, dangerous to look at basically the same shit the dentist uses to cure your fillings, got them plus a driver from a supplier on the net and soldered it all together with a clamp light, the led's run on an indepedant timer coming on during the dark period. Crazy I know but if you look into it, the more red spectrums are the ones that trigger the flowering while the lower ones do not affect it. Pretty neat really.

Peace

 

[qwizoking]

hello I have 700 watts or 24 23 watt bulbs 3 42s and a couple 26,s in a 20"x20x45... 2 35 gallon rubber .aid tubs stacked. 11 plants in there. I like cfl's for heat

 

[Sativa Dragon]

hello I have 700 watts or 24 23 watt bulbs 3 42s and a couple 26,s in a 20"x20x45... 2 35 gallon rubber .aid tubs stacked. 11 plants in there. I like cfl's for heat

Here is a smart fucker with ambition, right on man!! Rubber Maids are a universal tool for Growers. What are they Indicas I hope, when I started growing I had a similar setup I even put a six inch fan in a hole on one side and a vent on the other for a cross breeze of fresh air.

Peace

 

[B166ER420]

Behold.....]......my newest creation

 

[qwizoking]

Mainly pure sativas my friend.

Ha always gotta come around and show me up. How many is that?
What do you grow?

 

[B166ER420]

Plus a couple others......plus i've made a few for friends,its real easy to make one out of a roll of 6" or 10" galvanized roof flashing and a roll of aluminum tape,plywood and all the electrical parts

 

[Sativa Dragon]

That my friend is utterly super fucking SICK!!

Excellent vision and beautiful execution, well done, well done indeed, Standing ovation. I love it when people take things into there own hands.

Well Fucking Done

 

[qwizoking]

Bro what do you do for a living?

 

[KingDankBerry]

Ya man I just made it for an experiment I am running, it's about blue light at night those led's are exactly 430nm, dangerous to look at basically the same shit the dentist uses to cure your fillings, got them plus a driver from a supplier on the net and soldered it all together with a clamp light, the led's run on an indepedant timer coming on during the dark period. Crazy I know but if you look into it, the more red spectrums are the ones that trigger the flowering while the lower ones do not affect it. Pretty neat really.

Peace

Word! I will look into it. Great job on your unit

 

[B166ER420]

Don't mean to jack a thread but I use mexi-brick seeds....but in the picture the two taller ones are og kush/ny diesel clones,the little ones are 12/12fs,all of them are 4weeks into flower

Mainly pure sativas my friend.
Ha always gotta come around and show me up. How many is that?
What do you grow?

Just thought id show off my fixtures too

 

[Sativa Dragon]

I am a Tradesman bro, I am a bit of a car nut as well.

 

[B166ER420]

Stay at home dad and all-round badass.......likes trucks,cars,fishing,golf,spending time with MY family...in that order....hahahahahaha!!!!!

 

[B166ER420]

View attachment 2592789View attachment 2592790View attachment 2592792

You should be using 4000k to 6500k for vegging and around 3000k for flowering when you start talking 400nm to 700nm that is the complete range of light usable to a plant, I have 430nm LED's on a 4100k FLOURO just for a boost.

Lets have a look with lights off,my opinion a 2700k cfl would be better.peace

 

[Sativa Dragon]

Ha that is Baddass fer sure well I gotta Jet folks pleasure to see some quality DIY Mutha Fuckers.

See ya On the Flipside

Peace