CFL light tilts - how can I stop this tilt

Hi all

Have a mini grow going on - light is separated from grow chamber by sheet of plexiglass - CFL light bulb is tilting and getting worse (it's a 125w cfl so it's pretty heavy) - how can i hold it up?

Can i tie a wire around the actual bulb? or shall i tie it around the built in ballast? will the heat and electricity be an issue if i tie around the bulb or ballast? Ideally i would like to keep it straight so that i dont worry about it falling and also to ensure even light and heat ditribution - please help me fix this!

If your socket is installed right with the two mounting screw's it won't move....You are using a mogul base socket and not an adaptor right? No wire around Bulb!!! check at your local hardware store for a prewired mogul base ceramic socket with mounting tab's that will make it easy and get rid of the plexy it cut's 3-5% light! Be safe my friend and remember not to close with the light's. 3 deadly sin's too much light....too much fertilizer...too much water......cost's you bud!!! Enjoy the grow and learn all you can my friend! keep smiling! jack

Thanks but i think you misunderstood me

The socket is already connected fine - its solid - its not going anywhere - the problem is because the 125w cfl bulb is so long and chunky, the end of the bulb is tilting a little - the socket is not moving at all, just the bulb

I was wondering if i could use a wire or a string to tie arounf the end of the bulb to hold the end that is drooping upwards?

Can you post a picture?

Fiberglass tape (electrical)will work..but if your socket isn't moving your bulb won't either. it is obviously flexing somewhere the joint where it screw's in, or the lamp is broken where the thread's are. I use 200 watt cfl's horizontaly and have no droop. If you clamp the socket holder you may crack it down the road. It should be held securely by socket or you are putting unwanted strain on the electrical connection's.

I dont think anyone understands - or maybe i just cant explain myself properly - will post a pic later

I used a chain on the blue circular thing around the base of the bulb, since there is no heat or eliectiricy going past there, then i simpley lower/highten the chain to suit the plant. The chain is mounted on a screw in hook.

i think this guy might be using a bayonet fitting, and the part that holds the bulb wont fit with the bulb in place because these bulbs are quite big, ihad the same problem but soon fixed it with a chain.

I'd be careful man, make sure your CFL is screwed into the holder properly mine was tilting like that because it wasn't screwed in all the way and over time it started to bend the metal thing inside the hanger and made the hanger useless

I don't get it??

Quote "I was wondering if i could use a wire or a string to tie arounf the end of the bulb to hold the end that is drooping upwards?"

Please clarify with a pic

chill15 said:

I dont think anyone understands - or maybe i just cant explain myself properly - will post a pic later

Click to expand...

I dig what your sayin. the flourescent tubes are leaning but the socket is fine right? when the power is off and the thing has cooled down, remove the bulb from the socket, and check to make sure the plastic housing that holds the balast is snapped together right. if thats good then VERY GENTLY try and wiggle the bulb while holding the ballast still. if the tubes wigggle at the attachment to the ballast, theres fuck all you can do, its shitty assembly. if the tubes dont move, see if maybe theres a lil tab broken off where the top of the plastic housing joins the bottom. if thats it, then duct tape is your freind. just dont get none on the connector.

whatever you do, dont wire, tape, tie with string, or zip tie the tubes themselves. those things can break if they have uneven heat or funky pressure at odd angles. the big ass CFLs are usually designed to hang straight up or straight down, not on their sides. their multiple tube/multiple angle construction makes them bein sideways OK, so the "hang your bulb horizontal for more light" rule doesnt really apply, especially with the curly spiral ones.