1:1 CFL:Plant Ratio???

Is hanging one CFL above a plant enough to give it sufficient light? The reason I ask is because most purchasable fixtures only have one bulb socket.

Nay. One bulb wouldn't be enough light. What you could do is make your own fixtures with these:



All this stuff can be found at Home Depot or Lowes.

i try and have two, but really at least three bulbs per plant when they are bigger to get all bud sites. you got to have the bulbs real close to the plant for them to really do anything. I have the same hoods with single bulbs. i just have two or three fixtures circling the plant. good luck

But the CFL's get hot, so wouldnt making a fixture out of a surge protector split be suicide?

Toolmusik said:

But the CFL's get hot, so wouldnt making a fixture out of a surge protector split be suicide?

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The CFLs don't get hot. You can make them touch the plant and it will be ok. In my cloning system the plants touch the cfl tubes and grow really thick.

lol yes it will work, i did 8 small under 6 23w cfls, not best results, but i got some smoke

GrowingMadness said:

The CFLs don't get hot. You can make them touch the plant and it will be ok. In my cloning system the plants touch the cfl tubes and grow really thick.

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I beg to differ. CFL bulbs DO get hot. Hot nough to burn the plant and possibly skin if in a non-ventilated room. They dont get as hot as standard bulbs but they get hot nonetheless.

I've seen it done and have done it myself in the past. CFL's will heat up, sure. But they won't get to a temperature where they can melt plastic/wires. They would fry your plants before ever getting hot enough to be a hazard. If you come up with a better or more cost efficient idea, please post it.

...If for any other reason so we can shoot it down before actually looking into it for ourselves.

Toolmusik said:

I beg to differ. CFL bulbs DO get hot. Hot nough to burn the plant and possibly skin if in a non-ventilated room. They dont get as hot as standard bulbs but they get hot nonetheless.

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my 150w hps econolight is 5 degrees cooler than 6 23w cfls in my box

CFLs are simply more efficient then an incandescent bulbs, but they do still burn energy to create light and thus they create heat. That being said usually no more then 3" is ever needed between a CFL fixture and the plants foliage. Also as stated you need way more bulbs then 1 household CFL.

Toolmusik said:

Is hanging one CFL above a plant enough to give it sufficient light? The reason I ask is because most purchasable fixtures only have one bulb socket.

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well i used one 20watt cfl and was fine



and only veg for 4weeks and then switch them to flower wen they was abou 8" and i used a 600watt hps toke 10weeks to flower



so my answer is yes u can veg with cfl lights i use 1 may b 2 each bulb is 20watts =1,500lumens

Toolmusik said:

I beg to differ. CFL bulbs DO get hot. Hot nough to burn the plant and possibly skin if in a non-ventilated room. They dont get as hot as standard bulbs but they get hot nonetheless.

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i have done 2 lots of plants in veg useing cfl 2" is jus right

CFLs Do not get hot. I had tons of problems with a 100w HPS that I just threw it out. CFLs are like a dream to the broke man. In my world I don't have a use for CFLs, and I like it that way.

phil le b said:

well i used one 20watt cfl and was fine

and only veg for 4weeks and then switch them to flower wen they was abou 8" and i used a 600watt hps toke 10weeks to flower

so my answer is yes u can veg with cfl lights i use 1 may b 2 each bulb is 20watts =1,500lumens

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How many other plants were under the 600w with that guy? I want to flower my plants but they are only a foot tall and super busy. I want them to get nice and big though. I am flowering under a 1000w HPS and have 8 plants. Take a look at the journal in my sig with any advice