http://www.1000bulbs.com/
or more specifically
http://www.1000bulbs.com/Screw-In-Compact-Fluorescents/
or more specifically
http://www.1000bulbs.com/Screw-In-Compact-Fluorescents/
-
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Questions about CFLs...
- Thread starter Josh
- Start date
AlabamaJack said:
Yep like that except not a pull chain.
Yea I will have to consider using the full sheet, but I figured the smaller I make it the easier it will be to keep it warm. I don't really mind the extra cutting. The only annoying thing is that I am left handed and circular saws are designed for right handed people. As a result, instead of the saw dust being thrown away from me it is thrown at me.
wordwiz said:
I originally planned to hang them vertically but I have also considered horizontally. Not really sure what I am going to go with.
I will most likely buy some mylar, but if I don't I will at least paint the inside white.
How do people install mylar? Glue it?
bigt said:
Hey thanks for the link Tony.
Txclosetgrower said:
Hey thanks I was actually using that site to price bulbs, figure out lumens, etc.
Josh,
If you construct the box even close to decently, the lights will provide enough heat. I know AJ likes to keep his chamber at 85 degrees or so, but seedling grow outside - quite well, in 55-65 degree temps. Some articles I have read say that the lower temps, once the seeds sprout, help fight legginess. I have an armoire that is not the least bit insulated, the doors have a hard time staying closed, the top is maybe 1/8" thick and a25 watts of CFLs keep the temp in the upper 70s. If I could keep the doors closed, insulate the walls, etc., it would be in the 80s.
As for the mylar, I staple the top, sort of pull it tight so it doesn't have wrinkles in it, and staple it towards the bottom. But I use the 2-mil stuff, not the 1-mil. As far as whether it is more bang for your buck vis-a-vis flat white paint - if I had paint laying around I would use it. Mylar might provide maybe 5 percent more reflection but if you can't get it locally, the shipping charges are horrendous.
Mike
If you construct the box even close to decently, the lights will provide enough heat. I know AJ likes to keep his chamber at 85 degrees or so, but seedling grow outside - quite well, in 55-65 degree temps. Some articles I have read say that the lower temps, once the seeds sprout, help fight legginess. I have an armoire that is not the least bit insulated, the doors have a hard time staying closed, the top is maybe 1/8" thick and a25 watts of CFLs keep the temp in the upper 70s. If I could keep the doors closed, insulate the walls, etc., it would be in the 80s.
As for the mylar, I staple the top, sort of pull it tight so it doesn't have wrinkles in it, and staple it towards the bottom. But I use the 2-mil stuff, not the 1-mil. As far as whether it is more bang for your buck vis-a-vis flat white paint - if I had paint laying around I would use it. Mylar might provide maybe 5 percent more reflection but if you can't get it locally, the shipping charges are horrendous.
Mike
AlabamaJack
eXtreme
tip for using mylar...if you staple it, put a piece of tape (I use duct tape) on at least one side and this will prevent the staples from "pulling" and tearing the mylar....
as you see, the inside of my germinator is not painted but then again the lights are almost on top of the seed trays...
Mike..I would venture a guess and say the reason the lower temps fight leginess is because the growth rate is slower...
as you see, the inside of my germinator is not painted but then again the lights are almost on top of the seed trays...
Mike..I would venture a guess and say the reason the lower temps fight leginess is because the growth rate is slower...
AlabamaJack said:
AJ,
There is anecdotal evidence (at the least!) this is true. Remember last summer when I was experimenting with all kinds of lights to see which toms grew best under? No matter how strong the light, how close the plants were to them, they got leggy. But the temps were in the mid 90s.
Mike
wordwiz said:
Gotta agree with you there. I looked at mylar on ebay and decided to get a roll of alum foil instead. The cheap GV brand at walmart is real shiny on one side. Contact cement works OK on it so you get a nice reflective surface, but that can get expensive (and smelly) too if you use a lot. Some regular glue and tape is good if you're not constantly coming into contact with the foiled surfaces.
Great idea (someone) back up the thread earlier about the bathroom light fixtures. I'll have to keep my eye out for one that needs a new home. I'm defintiely too low on lumens/sqft right now. need to do some rewiring to run more than 10w CFLs.wordwiz said:
That would be great if the lights were enough to keep the box warm.
I will have to price it but if that is the case I will probably just paint the interior of the box flat white.
AlabamaJack said:
Thanks for the advice.
caroltlw said:
Sounds like I should probably just go with the white paint. Thanks.
caroltlw said:
what i used when i first grew plants indoors was those emergency blankets available at the dollar store.. i didnt like the noise they made when i had a fan blowing on my plants, so i went down to my local hardware store and got a roll of duct wrap. my size was 12"X25'
it kept my room insulated and reflective all at the same time
BamsBBQ said:
I've never seen those in Florida. Must be a cold weather thing? I was thinking some of those cheap, shiny sunshades for the windshield may work on a small scale.
Just made another light box today with the good ol' cardboard box and tinfoil. Perhaps next year I can go bigger scale on things.
AlabamaJack
eXtreme
I haven't seen this mentioned on this thread so I thought I would.
From what I have read on this forum and other places on the net, if your reflective surface is not flat, you will get "hot spots" meaning some of the area will get more light than others.
You need to make sure the reflective surface is as flat as possible.
From what I have read on this forum and other places on the net, if your reflective surface is not flat, you will get "hot spots" meaning some of the area will get more light than others.
You need to make sure the reflective surface is as flat as possible.
wordwiz said:
I personally grow in quite a cool environment. After germination, my plants get no extra heat other than a wee bit from the floros, and my house temp is set at only 63 F. This gets them ready for the greenhouse which can get below 50 F
wordwiz said:
I think you can get up to 20% more reflection, but mylar is so hard on the eyes and is very difficult to clean
Also with aluminum foil, I don't think it matters which side faces out, although one side does appear shinier due to the manufacturing rollers.
I'll also comment on the tomato point. Its nearly impossible IMO to grow toms that aren't leggy with cheap artificial lights. Toms just don't react the same way that peppers do and they really need the sun
AlabamaJack said:
Not a problem so much if the alum foil or whatever is a bit wrinkly. That reflects the light in different directions from the same surface. Also, even if you had a perfectly flat, shiny surface (think mirror) the shape of the box itself could create hot spots. A spherical chamber or parabaloid, for example, would be hot in the center, a cube not so great, etc.
I think. Well, it's true for acoustics anyhow.
if not going with mylar, then white paint, preferably not glossy. sure you can use foil, but white paint is a better alternative, paint is cheap, and easy to use. also very easy to use and a good alternative is white plastic sheet, that are black on the outside.
using foil gives, i dont remember exactly, but around 70% light reflection, it got the lowest reflection of the commonly used alternatives.
using foil gives, i dont remember exactly, but around 70% light reflection, it got the lowest reflection of the commonly used alternatives.