I ordered a couple of these bulbs http://www.1000bulbs.com/105-Watt-Compact-Fluorescent/31295/ but I am not sure how I want to set them up yet. I plan to use them for vegging while my HPS is busy with 12/12. My lazy ass solution is to just use drafting desk lamps because they are cheap, easy to adjust and position but I am not sure how efficient they would be as a lumen delivery system. I guess I am just looking for input at this point. I like the idea of wiring up my own light sockets and making a reflector, but I am honestly not the handiest person when it comes to that type of thing. Any ideas how to go about it if I chose to go the DIY route?
If you decide not to go the DIY route you can buy this one for 109 bucks. I own one of these lights it is a well constructed unit. If you want to build your own pm me and Ill take some pics of mine you can use for a model. http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=122&xSec=3 -peace-
If you are not handy, then atleast try. You will be surprised at what you can do with some time and effort. Everyone of us out there that builds and makes and fabricates things at one time didnt know shit. We just picked up a tool and tried. You may have to do things 10 times to get it right once but when ya get it, it feels good. For building a reflector just look at your HPS reflector and build one and addapt it to a CFL. I have seen several easy how tos on a simple batwing reflector around. Good luck
If I didn't know basic wiring I wouldn't try, as I'm very cautious re: FIRE! :yikes: There's ppl here that will talk you thru it, though. Black-to-Black and White-to White! And don't forget the green! I recently built a 3'x2.5'x16" and mounted the light's, one on each side, near the top. That reflector look's sweet, but for that $? I feel Mylar-lined is fine for just vegging. Actually, if $ wasn't so tight at the moment, I'd probable be ordering one right now. Anyho...After buying CFL's at HD, I ordered the exact bulb's you have. You'll love 'em! I do! If you'd like to see pics., please feel free to pm me. later
If you want to go ultra super cheap. Think about using a Soda can or a Foster's Can as a reflector since those CFLs can fit right inside them with a little cutting and the inside is typically shiny aluminum with a nice shape. To maximize the reflection though, since with the perfectly curved surface you will be some bounce back to the bulb right at the top of the reflector so you loose like 5-10% of the light you need to put a crease in the can, like a letter V pointing at the light which will force that little bit of bounce back to reflect away to the sides then down.
Thanks for the input. It's got me thinking. I think I will be fine wiring a socket or two if I decide to go that way. I can follow instructions, and from what I have seen it is not too hard. I need to do more searching for reflector plans. I don't think the desk lamps are going to cut it. I've read about the soda can reflector...good short term solution at least.
Good point! When I took mine out of the box, I couldn't believe it! Now...a 20 oz. soda bottle may fit, but I strongly advise against it!!!:kidding:
well now. DIY def near and dear to my heart. Building a reflector well get a roll of mylar and jack a political sign or 2 out of the neighborhood. They are made of a pretty dense plastic usually and can be easily manipulated without posing a fire hazard. Line the interior of the space with mylar as well as the signs then play around with bending them into various V patterns till you find what seems to do the best job of dispersing the light. when you find the sweet spot you can usually just staple the sign to the inside of the cab or go hightech and make a trolleying system with rope and eyehooks to raise and lower the whole assembly cheap and effective. Just stay away from cardboard due to the ability to turn to shit when it get's too humid in there or dry out from the heat and pose a fire hazzard... DSP
Go to Walmart and get some clamp lights. The ones with the domes on 'em. Work great I had my 105's in em and they're just what your looking for. $5 a piece for however many you want to hang. I bought some cheap chain and attached it to each fixture and hung em off some eye screws in the top of my cab. Can raise em up or down with the chain real easy. Of course you gotta take the clamp off first. Can't find em online at Walmart but that's where I got mine. Here's a link to a similar one: http://www.doityourself.com/invt/5431986
the only problem with the clamp lights i can see is that most of the light comes out of the sides of the bulbs and with the clamp lights ive seen they point the front of the bulb towards your plant as well as the bulb extends past the reflector. this to me would seem like a crippling blow to their effectiveness. just my 2 cents. for my cfls i made a box out of 1x4s about 12"x14"-probably not perfect for your application but just to give you an idea- like a drawer without a bottom. screwed three sockets in a staggered pattern, wired them to a 14g extension i had. for the reflector i used a corrugated plastic sign cut through one layer down every third channel so it could have a nice curve to it. sprayed it with three coats black and about five flat white. cut two slits on either edge thru one layer on opposite side of previous slits to make flange to screw to top of "box" walls. L brackets with eye-bolts to string it up. all the inner surfaces of the reflector got hit with white as well. this design makes great use of the limited output as well as leaves a gap to release alot of the ambient heat that gets trapped under the reflector which i have found significantly decreases the life of our CFLs. ill take pics when my cam is handy. anyway best of luck!
