Tutorial to Growing with Cfl's

misshestermoffitt

misshestermoffitt

New Member
Some of those bulbs don't fit in a standard size socket. I use the smaller wattage because they fit in the standard socket.

I'd be so pissed if I came home with my spiffy new bulbs and the bastards didn't fit !
 
wackymack

wackymack

Well-Known Member
Dirtbmw20 said:
Would I be better using the 100W and/or the 135W bulbs for flowering instead of the 42W bulbs since they are all 2700-3000K spectrum ??

quote]


go with the higher wattage,the bulbs i got are 1 125w,6500k,12,000lumen in a mogul socket and 4 42w,2700k,2,700lumen,2 y splitters,all running 22,800 total lumen at 293w. the lower the wattage means more u really have to buy and set up(fire hazard) but it will equate to the same wattage,lumen,ect...its just easier to get a few higher wattage bulbs and use your electrical knowlege to wire everything to be safe. i like to give a full complete spectrum of lighting bc i like the dense and fluffy buds all in one,ill vegg with all and flower with all,this way im at least some what matchin the same "color/spectrum" as the sun. u can go all out and just flower with a red spectum but you want to try to get things as close as natural bc a plant will tend to go under less stress(in my experience/knowlege) with natural conditions. if you are thinkin about goin with a spectrum of 2700k over 3500k,all this means is that the 2700k is just a deeper spectrum of red.plus havin the higher wattage bulbs,u only need a few and can place them around the plant and have the same intensity as havin a greater number of the lower wattages,all u really need to do is to think about your space and plan accordinly,no one can tell you hom many bulbs to add,its up to you and your brain to figure out what will work best and what will be the safest,i recommend to do some trials with your set up and some bag seeds to just see how they respond to the eviroment,and if all goes good you could keep growin them or scrap them and buy some seeds,i would go with an indica dominant due to the short stature and tend to be an early finishing plant,a sativa dominant you would need to train it with lst,and verrrrry carefully arrange your lights around a sativa plant. i hope this helps and clarifies it for you. i got to go take a shower now and go to school(college),its 630am now

peace meng
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Dirtbmw20

Dirtbmw20

Well-Known Member
Thanks fellas, that clears it up. Unfortunately, the bulbs were not as advertised. His listed wattage rating that he was claiming was the incadescent equivilent and not the actual cfl wattage. I told him that was VERY deceiving and he needs to change his auction listings to at least include that, haven't heard back after that.
 
Dr.Chronic

Dr.Chronic

Well-Known Member
Dirtbmw20 said:
Dr., I am still trying to study up on all these overwhelming choices of cfl bulbs. I have found some screw in type bulbs that I like and I would like an opinion on them if you would please. I see that most everyone is using the 42W 2700K bulb for flowering by using multiple bulbs. I have found some 100W 2700K bulbs and some 135W 3000K bulbs and although they are larger in diameter than the 42W bulbs I see everyone using, wouldn't it be better to go with a higher wattage bulb in the same color spectrum ??? I guess my basic question is this....

Would I be better using the 100W and/or the 135W bulbs for flowering instead of the 42W bulbs since they are all 2700-3000K spectrum ??

They are from a seller off ebay, I can post a link to them so you could actually see them but not sure if the forum allows that. Thank you for any help.

EDIT*** That is the actual wattage of the cfl bulb I am speaking of, not the incandescent equivilant (SUPPOSEBLY....I have sent a question to clarify but not got an answer back as of yet)
Click to expand...
:leaf::leaf: Yes the higher wattage bulbs are better for flowering AND vegitation. It is very easy to get around the mogul (E39) socket.
Mogul to Standard Reducer (E39 to E26)
This will allow you to use any large wattage CFL in a standard socket. Good luck. :leaf::leaf:
 
candylime12

candylime12

Well-Known Member
i will be useing cfl's in my grow. is the time frame from seed to harvest the same or longer with the cfls????????
 
Dr.Chronic

Dr.Chronic

Well-Known Member
That all depends on how many CFL's you have and how many watt's they are. The timeframe is going to be pretty much the same. The main difference you will see using CFL's is smaller yields, because the light intensity isnt near as strong with CFL's as it is with HID lighting. In the end thought it all depends on like i said the size of the CFL's because there are many people that have gotten good harvests with CFL's.
 
M

MetaStable

Active Member
Thought this was a great guide and instead of making a new thread I figured putting it in here would be the best place so see it. I've been looking to start my own grow with CFLs and have been researching which wattage would be the best and most efficient.

So I decided to do my own calculations and run downs. I've made this list to share with everyone which shows efficiencies of CFLs. I took the data from 1000bulbs.com to get my numbers and is for their full spectrum bulbs in each watt category. I've also put up links to each bulb so you can look for yourselves. Also note that it is based on "Initial Lumens"

023 watt = 01,600 lm; 69.56 lm/w; $03.98; 402.00 lm/USD
026 watt = 01,725 lm; 66.34 lm/w; $03.62; 476.52 lm/USD
027 watt = 01,850 lm; 68.51 lm/w; $07.76; 238.40 lm/USD
030 watt = 02,000 lm; 66.66 lm/w; $07.73; 258.73 lm/USD
032 watt = 02,100 lm; 65.63 lm/w; $12.13; 173.12 lm/USD
040 watt = 02,650 lm; 66.25 lm/w; $15.44; 294.44 lm/USD
042 watt = 02,800 lm; 66.60 lm/w; $14.95; 187.29 lm/USD
055 watt = 03,600 lm; 65.45 lm/w; $15.44; 233.16 lm/USD
065 watt = 04,000 lm; 61.54 lm/w; $19.91; 200.90 lm/USD
085 watt = 05,400 lm; 63.53 lm/w; $23.64; 228.42 lm/USD
105 watt = 06,900 lm; 65.71 lm/w; $26.67; 258.71 lm/USD
150 watt = 08,000 lm; 53.33 lm/w; $54.45; 146.92 lm/USD
200 watt = 10,000 lm; 50.00 lm/w; $72.64; 137.67 lm/USD

As you can see the 23 watter is the most efficient lumen per watt, but the 26 watter is the most bang for your buck =D

I didn't go below 23 watts because it would start to take alot of lights to get the lumens up and I figured it isn't worth the trouble, even if it is more efficient =P Hope this helps those who are looking to buy CFLs out =D
 
mane2008

mane2008

Well-Known Member
misshestermoffitt said:
Some of those bulbs don't fit in a standard size socket. I use the smaller wattage because they fit in the standard socket.

I'd be so pissed if I came home with my spiffy new bulbs and the bastards didn't fit !
Click to expand...
they usually say fits reg mogul socket.
i know my 85watters fit the regular socket:D
 
misshestermoffitt

misshestermoffitt

New Member
I think my husband hates me growing with CFL's. I keep robbing them from here and there around the house. Sometimes I switch them up depending on what spectrum I want on my grow.

Last time at the store I went ahead and bought incandescent for household use and promised him there is no way I'm stealing those out of the lamps.
 
K

Kronowaluk

Well-Known Member
I want to attempt this method but not sure how I want to go about with the light wattage. I want to grow 2-3 in my closest to give it a go. What total wattage should I be going for? Like 4 23watt?
 
K

Kronowaluk

Well-Known Member
Now should I following indoor times from the indoor forums? I hear to start 18 hours on and 6 off will be best for vegetation.

Weird question...maybe its just cause of the pictures, but I cannot see alot of people using fans with Cfls. I was thinking of using a box of some kind and have pc fans one blowing and one going to move air around. Is this fine?
 
wackymack

wackymack

Well-Known Member
Kronowaluk said:
Now should I following indoor times from the indoor forums? I hear to start 18 hours on and 6 off will be best for vegetation.

Weird question...maybe its just cause of the pictures, but I cannot see alot of people using fans with Cfls. I was thinking of using a box of some kind and have pc fans one blowing and one going to move air around. Is this fine?
Click to expand...

depends on how many lights you have,the more lights the more heat is produced.make sure you have adequate ventilation
 
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