Cfl grow, fluro question.

Ive got three cfls, I know its not much but its what Ive got to work with. Id have four but I cant find another lamp that I can use for my other bulb. Its only a 13w bulb anyway. Anyway, point of my post is I found a fluro fixture but the bulb is like two feet long. No stores around sell them so buying a new bulb is out of the question. But this bulb turns off, then back on about every two to three seconds. The way the lights are setup the fluro prevents the cfls from being as close as they could be. Woudl the fluro flickering the way it does help the grow, or should I just remove it so I can get the cfls closer to the plants? You dont have to tell me that three cfls arent going to do much, Ive had a successful grow with one less bulb than I have now and Im happy with what Im gonna get, I just need an answer for my question. Not being shitty, Id just like to avoid the criticism.

Personally I'd say remove the fixture. or move it further away even though it's not within the 2 inch's of the plant. It'll still give off some light so it could do you a favour there. Or find out the cause to the lights going off and on at them intervals. I think it'd be okay with them lights close enough. Only my opinion.

Just for the sake of it, you could look for some cheap ceramic bulb holders of something on eBay. If you can get them it'll obviously make a difference but if not then I think you should be okay. I'm tempted to say 'GET MORE LIGHTS!' but I was in the same position at one point where I just couldn't afford it.

Good luck pal

nofeds said:

Ive got three cfls, I know its not much but its what Ive got to work with. Id have four but I cant find another lamp that I can use for my other bulb. Its only a 13w bulb anyway. Anyway, point of my post is I found a fluro fixture but the bulb is like two feet long. No stores around sell them so buying a new bulb is out of the question. But this bulb turns off, then back on about every two to three seconds. The way the lights are setup the fluro prevents the cfls from being as close as they could be. Woudl the fluro flickering the way it does help the grow, or should I just remove it so I can get the cfls closer to the plants? You dont have to tell me that three cfls arent going to do much, Ive had a successful grow with one less bulb than I have now and Im happy with what Im gonna get, I just need an answer for my question. Not being shitty, Id just like to avoid the criticism.

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Its only the fluro flickering, the cfls are still going strong.

Nofeds: my electrician friend told me that when a tube starts to flicker it's time to replace it. It's annoying as hell if you've ever had to work in an office under flickering fluorescent lighting so I can just imagine it wouldn't do you plants any good. I think his advice was to cover fix with the cheapest, easiest solution. I seem to recall that he said the flickering was due to resistance in the lamp or a weakening ballast. If you change the lamp tube and it still flickers then there's only one more likely possibility- the ballast. In either case if you live near a Home Depot or Lowe's it's a DIY operation. I hope that helps. HSA

they way I got all 10 of my CFL's plugged is really cheap, they are called Outlet-to-Socket plugs (AKA - Plug In Light Socket). you can get them for about $1.50. all you do is screw in the light bulb into it and plug it in to an outlet. I used cheap $1 extension cords to pug them up into. I think it is about the cheapest way (besides free) to make a light fixture. I was in kinda the same boat as you. only had 3 lamps, but i had 10 CFL's to plug in.


here is some places that sell Outlet-to-Socket plugs


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EL1PEI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000VL4CFC&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=08HNDN8551Y7KNPXC8M4

or

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/lighting-fans/fluorescent-lighting/leviton/outlet-to-socket-white-38363.html#.UBWvNvXzbGg

HSA said:

Nofeds: my electrician friend told me that when a tube starts to flicker it's time to replace it. It's annoying as hell if you've ever had to work in an office under flickering fluorescent lighting so I can just imagine it wouldn't do you plants any good. I think his advice was to cover fix with the cheapest, easiest solution. I seem to recall that he said the flickering was due to resistance in the lamp or a weakening ballast. If you change the lamp tube and it still flickers then there's only one more likely possibility- the ballast. In either case if you live near a Home Depot or Lowe's it's a DIY operation. I hope that helps. HSA

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Ok, Im gonna go on record and say that is fucking genius. This whole time Ive been taking lamps apart and shocking the shit out of myself getting everything all setup. Im a bit of an electric geek myself, and what i think it is about the fluro is the starter. Another source told me the same as well so I think I might try that. Until then Ive got the fluro out of there.

i was at that stage, took me only a week to realize go to lowes or home depot in the fixture for bathrooms or lighting, and find a big ass bar light that fits ur rooms or size that works with everything grab 2 or 3 for 10 bucks a piece or so with as many bulbs sockets as you can and go buy some Y adapters at bennys or same place you buy the fixture and now you can do double the cfls at once more lighting is better

To know if it's the bulb, check the ends for dark rings on the glass. If its clean all the way through, that would mean the ballast/starter is going bad.

Nofeds: for us, lighting is the tool that enables us to manipulate our plant's calender for an earlier harvest. If you can't depend on your lights then it's pretty apparent that if it can't be fixed it needs to be replaced. My dad was an electrician and thank God one of my good friends is an electrician because I just know enough about it that I don't screw around with some thing that can kill you.

I know it stings, but investing in a good fixture and some appropriate tubes it its own reward. You don't need to shock the shit out of your self screwing around with a bunch of DIY stuff when you can buy a fixture that works from a local hydro store, a home improvement center or on line.

I'm not in favor of buying on line because you don't usually know for sure what you're getting until you've paid for it and you've got it in your hands. I bought two short T-5 fixtures for over my starter trays. I bought one on line and one at the local hydro store. The first one I bought on line thinking I would save money. It ended up costing me $10 more by the time they added on the shipping and handling and it isn't as good as the one I bought from the hydro store.
Look around and see what's available because this is part of the planning that should be done before you started growing. I hope this helps. HSA

Yeah, everything yall said helps. It is the bulb. I cant order anything from online though, but no stores around me sell anything that would fit the fixture. For now Ive got to rely on cfls, I wish I could get the t-5 bulbs but I dont have anything that could run it. Is there like an adapter for that sort of thing? Like an edison base with a tesla plug in? Because those are what I need, Ive got a cabinet that I cant really get my whole self into, and I cant screw anything in anywhere, either the wood siding is right next to brick, or the top of it would be sticking out and I cant have that. Ive got a longer fluro fixture and several bulbs, but the thing is just very long and Ive gotten it in there but its hard to work around and the light it produces is pretty weak, the bulbs are fine, Ive got like seven bulbs but the only portable fixture doesnt supply enough juice. It was originally for a black light.