8 or 12 bulb CFL Setup?

jixan

jixan

Active Member
8or12.jpg

The picture above displays a mock-up of the two cabinet designs I have been working over in my head.

Should I go with the 8 or 12 CFL setup. My space is somewhat limited. The cabinet will be 35" x 20" x 48" - WDH I have been planning on making it out of 1x2's, are these strong enough?

The total cost for the 8 bulb setup would be around $190 for the clamp lights, bulbs and twin y adapters.

The total cost for the 12 bulb setup would be close to $270, this is because I would be buying 4 more clamp lights and 8 more bulbs(4 veg and 4 flowering).

So what does everyone think, is the extra money worth it?
 
H

HghFlyrJD1

Active Member
jixan said:
View attachment 1521154

The picture above displays a mock-up of the two cabinet designs I have been working over in my head.

Should I go with the 8 or 12 CFL setup. My space is somewhat limited. The cabinet will be 35" x 20" x 48" - WDH I have been planning on making it out of 1x2's, are these strong enough?

The total cost for the 8 bulb setup would be around $190 for the clamp lights, bulbs and twin y adapters.

The total cost for the 12 bulb setup would be close to $270, this is because I would be buying 4 more clamp lights and 8 more bulbs(4 veg and 4 flowering).

So what does everyone think, is the extra money worth it?
Click to expand...
The more bulbs the better you can never have enough CFLS.
 
Cdubya

Cdubya

Well-Known Member
I would say you have to go with the 12 if you want a good yeild, consider your size and ventalation, if you have the room you can get a 400-600 watt hps for the same price as those cfl's. I'm a cfl grower as well because of size but i had 4 plants in a 3x4x3 box with a homemade 12 light setup and yeilded 6 oz of good tight nugs. Lst is the way to go with cfl's too so you can keep them even with the canopy. good luck
 
jixan

jixan

Active Member
Cdubya said:
I would say you have to go with the 12 if you want a good yeild, consider your size and ventalation, if you have the room you can get a 400-600 watt hps for the same price as those cfl's. I'm a cfl grower as well because of size but i had 4 plants in a 3x4x3 box with a homemade 12 light setup and yeilded 6 oz of good tight nugs. Lst is the way to go with cfl's too so you can keep them even with the canopy. good luck
Click to expand...
With the LST how tall did your ladies get? My cabinet can be a bit smaller, which would be better but not nessicary.
 
webb107

webb107

Well-Known Member
HghFlyrJD1 said:
The more bulbs the better you can never have enough CFLS.
Click to expand...
Cdubya said:
I would say you have to go with the 12 if you want a good yeild, consider your size and ventalation, if you have the room you can get a 400-600 watt hps for the same price as those cfl's. I'm a cfl grower as well because of size but i had 4 plants in a 3x4x3 box with a homemade 12 light setup and yeilded 6 oz of good tight nugs. Lst is the way to go with cfl's too so you can keep them even with the canopy. good luck
Click to expand...
jixan said:
With the LST how tall did your ladies get? My cabinet can be a bit smaller, which would be better but not nessicary.
Click to expand...
makinthemagic said:
go with 12 bulbs but be sure to build a reflector
Click to expand...
Yep i agree with every thing that is said here go for 12
 
jixan

jixan

Active Member
I will be either be hanging black and white poly film, or attaching 1/4" plwood to the sides and painting it with a flat white mattee painting.
 
jixan

jixan

Active Member
Would a piece of painted white plywood placed above the lights be sufficent for the reflector?
 
Metasynth

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
Didn't you post this identicle thread yesterday? Why not keep that one going instead of cluttering up the forum??
 
jixan

jixan

Active Member
I didn't think I did, I thought that I accidentally just previewed it and didn't save it. I apologize for the misunderstanding, didn't mean to double post.
 
jixan

jixan

Active Member
I have been planning on 1x2's to frame it up, are those going to be sturdy enough to hang all the lights from?
 
asdf1

asdf1

Active Member
And might i suggest using a third fixture like in the 8 bulb design, to add 4 more with only one clamp light fixture....

I would suggest using lamp cords too, they are cheaper... check thrift stores or i know ikea carries them for like 3 bucks...

Or even just buy a lamp holder from home depot for like 1.50 or something cheap like that.... Splice up an old extension cord wire it and your good to go...
 
jixan

jixan

Active Member
asdf1 said:
What wattage bulbs are you gonna use???
Click to expand...
I am going to use 12 23 watt for veg, and 12 42 watts for flowering.

asdf1 said:
And might i suggest using a third fixture like in the 8 bulb design, to add 4 more with only one clamp light fixture....

I would suggest using lamp cords too, they are cheaper... check thrift stores or i know ikea carries them for like 3 bucks...

Or even just buy a lamp holder from home depot for like 1.50 or something cheap like that.... Splice up an old extension cord wire it and your good to go...
Click to expand...
I already have all the clamps lights, I ended up buying 6 of the 10.5 Brooder Lights from Home Depot (the ones with the ceramic bases). I was personally just more comfortable spending the money on the nicer bases since each light will be holding 2 lights. Better safe than sorry, it is nowhere near maxing out the fixture but you never now.
 
C

Chocha

New Member
Sorry for 12 cfl bulbs I think 1x3 might be able to do it, however you'd have to be strategic and build cross braces. Go with 2x4


I originally thought the thread was a 400w thread.. so in the future you'll upgrade the light +fan, which adds more weight etc etc = 4x4
 
jixan

jixan

Active Member
After all of this, I think that I am going to move the grow outside of a cabinet and just have it in the closet. It seems like much less of a hassle and the space that I am growing will be a 5x5x8 closet so I can just use the clothes bar to suspend my lighting from.

I do have a question though, with CFL's light loss being so severe would I have to worry about mylar/ poly film for the area because of using CFL's? I will of course have reflectors above the lights.
 
Metasynth

Metasynth

Well-Known Member
Only if you don't wash your walls and carpet, but a little bleach water sprayed on the walls, and a rental carpet cleaner from the supermarket (Or scrub that shit on your hands and knees and dry thoroughly) should fix ya right up! Just make sure you start off in a clean area, and I don't see why it would make any difference.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top