So listen, about this CFL

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BruceColtrane

Member
So Ive got a 28 watt CFL, which says it puts out 1540 lumens and is equivalent to a 95 watt incandescent. its in a chamber coated with reflective material is this enought light to do anything at all or am I wasting my time?

Look forward to your input!
 
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BruceColtrane

Member
bakeddude said:
Honestly you could grow one plant with two of those cfls you are using. Expect maybe 3.5 dried.
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yeah one or two is all Im going for, really one. so if I were to add another of a higher power I guess it would simply decrease gestation time? I guess using simply one would take forever and be ineffective?

I assume you mean 3.5... onions....?
 
KaleoXxX

KaleoXxX

Well-Known Member
i think he ment grams but i dont think he was serious

you could def veg 1 small plant with 1 of those bulbs for a while but you would need a few more by flowering time
 
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bar

Member
lol, are you serious, 1 28w CFL for one plant, maybe as a seedling, not in veg, and def not in flower, i wouldnt bother.
 
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BruceColtrane

Member
bar said:
um, 200real watts per square foot, 1 plant per square foot.
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well, let me ask you, waht is the "real" wattage of the bulb. I mean it says it uses 23 watts of energy but compares to a 95 watt incandescent in the light that it throws... so whats the number to go by, if you dont mind my asking?
 
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BruceColtrane

Member
So I've supplemented my 28 watt cfl with a 42 watt, and with the two combined ive got somewhere right around 4000 lumens bouncing around in there.

While I realize that I still probably need more bulbs (I intend to add two more 60 + watt cfls later in the week) my question at the moment is, will my current configuration of two bulbs (one 28 watt cfl and one 42 watt cfl, throwing about 400 lumens combined) be enough to sprout my single seed and support the sprout for about a week untill I can add to my set up?

Conments? Input. Please.
 
BongLoader

BongLoader

Member
That would be enough for a week on a sprout... But not enough to have a healthy plant. For an example I have 5 plants under 14 26w cfls just for vegging with about 4 of those soft white and the rest daylight. But when I start flowering I'm going to bring in 4 to 5 60w lights in there to promote a bigger yield. So what I'm trying to say more is better, because even though I've got 14 of them I still feel like I need more light, never hurts.
 
cowell

cowell

Well-Known Member
lumens don't add like that. you can't get 4000 lumens by putting 2 lights that produce 2000 lumens each. I know what you are going to say, of course it does.. you put another light in it gets brighter, so it makes sence that it adds lumens... but it doesn't work that way. Just so when you are looking at lumens - you can have a million lamps that produce 1000 lumens each, and it's still 1000 lumens total. I'm not talking about amount of light, or kelvins, or more lights is better... I'm not. I'm only saying you can't add lumens. Just as you are doing your research and figureing your shit out you know that.
 
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BruceColtrane

Member
cowell said:
lumens don't add like that. you can't get 4000 lumens by putting 2 lights that produce 2000 lumens each. I know what you are going to say, of course it does.. you put another light in it gets brighter, so it makes sence that it adds lumens... but it doesn't work that way. Just so when you are looking at lumens - you can have a million lamps that produce 1000 lumens each, and it's still 1000 lumens total. I'm not talking about amount of light, or kelvins, or more lights is better... I'm not. I'm only saying you can't add lumens. Just as you are doing your research and figureing your shit out you know that.
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So no matter how many lets say 26 watt cfls I buy, if they put out only 1500 lumens a peice, and I put them all together like 30 of them side by side, the lumen rating will not go up, and it will not be any better?
This is contrary to alot of what Ive read.

Also, I hate that you assume I will say "youre wrong." Im trying to get advice here.
Please. I dont need some smart ass comment telling me about "how this really works and youd figure that out by researching your shit."
Ive come to this place becasue its suppsoe to be a community of mature and like minded people interested in cultivation. I realize that there are many who may pass this thread and feel enticed to leave some comment condemming the entirety of my little idea here, but if you fall into that group I ask that you withhold your thoughts.
This is something Im really trying to do, and that I need real, useful advice.

Not that most of you havent been very helpful so far....

So would adding lets say two 60 watt cfls create a healthy environment? its a tiny space and this is for one plant...

I just want to know how many more of these lightbulbs Im gonna need to hang up in this box to produce a reasonable plant.
 
cowell

cowell

Well-Known Member
BruceColtrane said:
So no matter how many lets say 26 watt cfls I buy, if they put out only 1500 lumens a peice, and I put them all together like 30 of them side by side, the lumen rating will not go up, and it will not be any better?
This is contrary to alot of what Ive read. .
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I couldn't be more positive, that's why I said it is contrary to alot of "common sence" thinking. You put more light in, it should increase everything...right? but I was just saying it doesn't add like that. And I am being adament about this, I am NOT saying you can't grow and adding more light isn't beneficial, as we all know it is, I am just saying lumens don't add.. 3 26 Watt lights are fantastic, and will work, just the lumens for what they are rated is all the lumens you are getting if you have 1 or 1000 of them.

BruceColtrane said:
Also, I hate that you assume I will say "youre wrong." Im trying to get advice here.
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Don't hate bro, I didn't assume anything other than you weren't yet aware that lumens don't add. And I only even bothered telling you because it was obvious you were putting alot of research into your grow, and that aspect of your planning was using flawed physics.. I would think you would want to know if you are putting the effort in. And that's all I was doing was giving you advice. Knowlege is power, and nothing I said was confrontational or ignorant, so chill out on the whole"I'm a smart ass.. or looking for real input.." That's not cool man, I'm giving you input for your grow not starting a fight.

BruceColtrane said:
So would adding lets say two 60 watt cfls create a healthy environment? its a tiny space and this is for one plant...

I've seen some healthy plants veg under less, those splitters with the 32 watters if I remeber right what he was using.

I just want to know how many more of these lightbulbs Im gonna need to hang up in this box to produce a reasonable plant.
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I think you are on the right track, if you haven't already, there are some pretty good CFL grow journals I've looked at that will show the effects of the light they were using.. may help you decide.. Again, don't know what I said got your dander up, but don't take it like that, I WAS only trying to help.
 
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BruceColtrane

Member
cowell said:
I think you are on the right track, if you haven't already, there are some pretty good CFL grow journals I've looked at that will show the effects of the light they were using.. may help you decide.. Again, don't know what I said got your dander up, but don't take it like that, I WAS only trying to help.
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My bad, I may have freaked a bit, but its hard to get a straight answer out here. Everyone I ask or every source I check has different info, and then every once in a while someone comes by and jeers a bit at your lack of experience (comment not directed at you friend.)

Its good to know I can probably get it to veg... I suppose all I need is time, and the only real way to answer my questions is experimentation...

I have read alot of contradictory info on lumens, lights, what to use, all kinds of stuff. So Im sorry if I lashed out a bit, but its pretty frustrating trying to determine if Im just pissing away cash or not.

Thank you for your input though. I suppose all I can really do is scan old forum threads and google sh*t up.

However, does anyone have any suggestions on CFLs to use for flowering/that have WAY more power than my 28 watt 1540 lumen and 42 watt 2450 lumen? anything I can get a Wallie World or Home Depot or lowes?
 
Batman407

Batman407

Well-Known Member
i think lumens can add but not exactly double or triple with 2 or 3 more lights. like if you have 2 lights that are each 2000 im sure that with them on together it will put out more then 2000 lumens but not 4000.
 
cowell

cowell

Well-Known Member
BruceColtrane said:
My bad, I may have freaked a bit, but its hard to get a straight answer out here. Everyone I ask or every source I check has different info, and then every once in a while someone comes by and jeers a bit at your lack of experience (comment not directed at you friend.)?
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No worries. I know what you are saying, and I'm not saying I don't sometimes chime in with a smart ass comment, but it's more for shits and giggles than to piss people off.

BruceColtrane said:
Its good to know I can probably get it to veg... I suppose all I need is time, and the only real way to answer my questions is experimentation... ?
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I wasn't saying that.. I was saying that if you go through the CFL grow journals, the guys will tell you about what they are using, like 3 36 watt's per plant, or whatever, and they will have pics to show you the effect of their set up on the plants, and you can decide if you wanted to use 3 or 4 or 10.. Let other's do the experimenting if you can help it !!

BruceColtrane said:
I have read alot of contradictory info on lumens, lights, what to use, all kinds of stuff. So Im sorry if I lashed out a bit, but its pretty frustrating trying to determine if Im just pissing away cash or not. ?
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Don't worry about it, maybe the way it read struck you funny, I do type like I talk so sometimes "reading" what I'm saying takes a different connatation.

BruceColtrane said:
Thank you for your input though. I suppose all I can really do is scan old forum threads and google sh*t up.
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I don't know how much "help" it was, but I thought you were putting so much thought and effort behind figuring out optimal lighting, I just thought you may want to know. Good luck man.. again, adding more lights will work..it was just the theory behind it I was trying to let you know about.
 
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