Here is a cfl program

[rdpuck]

OK. I have rebuilt my lighting system using CFL's numerous times...Here is what I built and works like an MFER

1.) Fixtures I used 10.5 reflector lamps purchased from Wally World. Buy the Brooder Fixture it has heavy duty cord and a porcilin socket. I used nine fixtures $10 ea.
2.) Next I went to the local big box hardware store and bought socket extenders and a socket spliter to create a two bulb socket system 9 extenders & nine spliters $6 more doolars per fixture.
3.) Next I choose my cfl's in each fixture I put one 27 watt 2700 k and one 27 watt 6000k out put 200 watts real full spectrum lighting using only 50 watts of energy per fixture another $6 per fixture
4.) I built my a frame for my lighting in my shop
5.) Timer and power strips $50
6.) Entire high out put lighting system $300

I have posted a picture of what I have built
This system is putting out 800 foot candles on a 4'x4' space:holysheep:

 

[ozzydiodude]

You only have 18 lights bulbs x 1700 lumens/bulb=30600 lumens divided by 16 ft2 =1912 lumens per ft2. you need 3000 lumens per square foot for good veg growth and 5000 lumens per ft2 for good flower(bud) growth.
For 27 watt CFL to work the best you need 3 bulbs per each square foot.

 

[Growdude]

You only have 18 lights bulbs x 1700 lumens/bulb=30600 lumens divided by 16 ft2 =1912 lumens per ft2. you need 3000 lumens per square foot for good veg growth and 5000 lumens per ft2 for good flower(bud) growth.
For 27 watt CFL to work the best you need 3 bulbs per each square foot.

And a total of 486 watts, a 400 watts hps would have been far better.

 

[rdpuck]

OK 3 bulbs per square foot.HMMMM I have 4 square feet. If you do the math thats 12 bulbs..You were correct I have 18... 800 foot candles is what the light meter reads on the deck. 18 bulbs 9- 2700k (red yellow spectrom) 9- bulbs 6000k (blues ) . All this a G.H.air pump and 2 becket 240 gpm pumps running on a 15 amp circut with no problems. My cost for the light system is $300 bucks timers and all. Tell me where to get a HP with balast and timers that is energy effective as cheap and as effective. Also that does not create additional heat (you can put your hand on any one of those reflecters and hold it there with out any burning of your hand) NEW SCHOOL...NOT OLD SCHOOL... BUT I AM OLD AS DIRT

Energy Savings Priceless

 

[Smot_poker]

uhh you can get a 400 watt hps set up on htg for a lot less than 300, and you can use the money you save to buy some fans to deal with the heat. meanwhile, you'd be getting a LOT more lumens per watt.

 

[Growdude]

Energy Savings Priceless

Im sorry your not saving any energy, your wating about 50 watts for 20,000 less lumens and less bud.

 

[Locked]

looks like you need more cfl's...or you cld just get a HPS...

 

[LEFTHAND]

OK 3 bulbs per square foot.HMMMM I have 4 square feet. If you do the math thats 12 bulbs..You were correct I have 18... 800 foot candles is what the light meter reads on the deck. 18 bulbs 9- 2700k (red yellow spectrom) 9- bulbs 6000k (blues ) . All this a G.H.air pump and 2 becket 240 gpm pumps running on a 15 amp circut with no problems. My cost for the light system is $300 bucks timers and all. Tell me where to get a HP with balast and timers that is energy effective as cheap and as effective. Also that does not create additional heat (you can put your hand on any one of those reflecters and hold it there with out any burning of your hand) NEW SCHOOL...NOT OLD SCHOOL... BUT I AM OLD AS DIRT

Energy Savings Priceless

Dude.. you can put your hand on my 400W HPS... ontop right under the bulb... hold it there as long as you want.. i had one in a 64"Lx24"Wx36'H box... kept temps the same as my tent now... in the 70F-75F.. fan speed controllers do wonders.. IMO.. heheh its all on your venting air movement dude..
CFL's save money when used around the home "properly" not on 24/7..
a lumetex ballast is about 160$... that will out do your CFL's in a heart beat.. the money you investedd in the power concumtion CFL's you could have got an HPS set up and an inline fan...
JMO..... but your not saving yourself money.. more or less costing in the long run.. have a great day and take care...
LH

 

[pcduck]

That is some good advice from all these experience growers.:aok:

 

[ozzydiodude]

OK 3 bulbs per square foot.HMMMM I have 4 square feet.

So is your area is 1 ft x 4 ft = 4 square ft or a area 4ft x 4 ft = 16 square ft. If 4 ft2 you are in the grow zone. If 16 ft2 you need 20 more bulbs total of 38 bulbs.

 

[rdpuck]

All righty then...I live in the mountains and this what I had to work with..I don't have any heat problems..And I flunked math...But I can read a light meter and it says 800 foot candles...And my electric bill has not gone up more then about 26 cents a month. This the best I could do with what I had to work with. And to tell you the truth the girls that live under this light system are groving...And one more point per Marijuanna growers guide by J.C. for every cfl watt that equals 70 L doing the math that comes out to 34,020 lumens...Which seems to be doing the job

 

[the chef]

Hey bud don't get bothered. The family is just trying to help is all. They have been talking to me about switching to hid or something else since i joined. If cfl's is the way you wanna go then go fer it. Been following this thread since it started. I haven't chimed in because even being a cfl grower myself somethings just seems off about your set up. I can't put my finger on it. If your growing succesfully then start a grow journal ans show everybody what you can do with your cfl set-up....i did. GL.

 

[rdpuck]

I need all the help I can get. And I dont mind the critik..At all...It all helps everybody just wants everybody to grow the best they can with what they have...

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

All righty then...I live in the mountains and this what I had to work with..I don't have any heat problems..And I flunked math...But I can read a light meter and it says 800 foot candles...And my electric bill has not gone up more then about 26 cents a month. This the best I could do with what I had to work with. And to tell you the truth the girls that live under this light system are groving...And one more point per Marijuanna growers guide by J.C. for every cfl watt that equals 70 L doing the math that comes out to 34,020 lumens...Which seems to be doing the job

I live in the mountains, too. That is why I order things online.

Understand that we are just trying to help you. While your plants may be doing okay right now, your light is going to be inadequate for later vegging and flowering. A 26W light puts out around 1700 lumens (the 70 lumens per is not a true figure--lumens per watt will vary). You have approx 30,600 lumens in 16 sq ft. (a 4 x 4 space is 16 sq ft.), A 400W HPS can be purchased for around $150, would use about the same wattage, would put out about the same heat and would give you 55,000 lumens. A 600W can be purchased for around $300 and puts out up to 95,000 lumens (a good light for a 4 x 4 space).

 

[flaboy88]

:yeahthat: u truly are a goddess THG. lol

 

[rdpuck]

My next question is: a 27 watt cfl consumes 27 watts of energy to produce a 100 watts of light per Electrical Standards Guide. What is the multipier 27 or 100 ? And Why?

 

[Growdude]

My next question is: a 27 watt cfl consumes 27 watts of energy to produce a 100 watts of light per Electrical Standards Guide. What is the multipier 27 or 100 ? And Why?

Lumens are what is important, all ways look at them.

 

[Locked]

Lumens are what is important, all ways look at them.

That's what I was going to say...watts are a measure of consumption...you cld hve a crappy light that is 1000w but if it only put out 30,000 lumens then so what?

Watts=consumption of electricity...

Lumens=the output you get from those consumed watts....

 

[ozzydiodude]

Here's a hilllbilly's (my way) to look at it you are using 27 watt of electric to burn a gas that puts out the light that a normal 100 watt light bulb puts off..

 

[PUFF MONKEY]

as afar as floros go(cfl's are floros) this is prolly the best type of setup to use. i grow massive plants under this thing..the hole in the middle is simply a port to remove heat . you can aircool this one too. it cost a total of $160 to build , bulbs and all...these are T8's (x16) with a total of 44,800 lumens and a power rating 512w