CFL's vs Fluorescent tubes

[PropheCy604]

Hi!

CFL are good for growing but they heat MUCH MORE than fluorescent tube.

My CFL's are at 2-3 inchs from the plants and burn them. I have a heatgun and the fluorescent tube are about 40F cooler than the CFL's which they are at 130F-140F. Its amazing. I'm in testing right now but a good 4-5 inchs is required for CFL's.

Dunno why nobody talk of the CFL's heat on the forum.

Any expericne on this from other users?

bye

[fido111]

I used to have CFLs and i kept them about 2 inches away from my plants. Either your using higher watt CFLs then me (23w's), or you dont have a fan blowing on your plants

[PropheCy604]

I use 23watts CFL's (8) and I use also a fan but they are young (1.2 to 2.2 weeks) and the wind is very hard on plant even at low speed. Right now I use 2700K and 4100K and the 4100K look hotter...I hope the 6500K I ordered will not be more hot than that.

The fluoresecent are just faily hotter than ambiant temperature of the room where they are...! Much more better BUT...

... I can only fit 2 feets long fluorescent tube and they have about 1200 lumens MAX for 1 tube. If I have 4 tube / 4800 lumens...

... I have 10 X 6500K (1900 lumens each), 6 X 2700K (1600 lumens each) and 2 X 4100K (1600 lumens each) and I use only 8 of them for veg right now.. Each small plant have 1 bulb. Even at 4-5 inchs I'm sure they have equal (or more) lumens that a fluorescent tube can provide at 2 inchs.

By the way...I will try more fan blowing on the plants/bulbs.

Thx for your time and tour answer!

bye

[KamelRedLight]

Yeah plants cannot touch CFL's like they can touch tubes. They get burned. Probly has something to do with them being compact, the ballast is right there.

[BoSelecta75]

I have 2 125 Watt CFLs 2 inches above my baby plant with a 6" desk fan blowing, the temp is at a constant 26 Celsius. No heat complaints here anyway.

[PropheCy604]

Selecta, you have a heat gun to test that? Constant 26C ... you probably means the ambiant temp of the room. I was talking about the temp of the BULB itself. If you have a constant 26C its probably a 9w CFL or a very special batch for a very special guys. A CFL is a CFL man, if it heat for me it will heat for everyone.

I now have a 6" fan + 2 X 80mm fan in my cabinet that shoot air on the fan and stil heat but my cabinet temp dropped a lot. Instead of 26.5C I'm at 24C (light on) and 18C (light off) but CFL still hotter than fluorescent tube.

CFL are compact and provide same light as a big tube ... its probably because of this that they heat.

I'm just concern that NOBODY here on the forum specified that CFL's heat more than fluorescent tubes. I decided to start a topic to say that to everyone and some people still say that CFL don't heat...! This forum is BIG the I allow me to doubt of some the information here from some people...!

[BrazyJay]

people generally know CFL's heat more than tubes i see it being said all the time... by the way my CFL's 42w and 26w are only around 100 F(plants are around 85F MAX being about 2.5" below the lights) with a fan on them.... but i have no idea how much without a fan

[mrtwomuchskill]

I guess its not being talked about cause the heat of a cfl comes nowhere close to a HID thats my opinion

[BrazyJay]

Originally Posted by mrtwomuchskill

I guess its not being talked about cause the heat of a cfl comes nowhere close to a HID thats my opinion

very true because if CFL's did then they would be useless as grow lights... also i dont think the heat buildup is a big issue it can easily be combated by a small computer fan constantly blowing on them

[urgr8estfear]

Technically speaking the efficienty of the CFL allmost matches that of tubes.
If you buy good CFLs the lumen rating will be about the same per W.
I use 6x18W CFLs and 6x18W tubes and heat is really a non-issue.
Both types produce 1200 lumen.
I let my plants go up to 0.4 inch of both the CFLs and tubes.
Ofcourse if you put the tubes or CFLs closer then a few inch (4 or so) of each other then heat will build up. Think W/cubic foot and the likes!

[PropheCy604]

urgr8estfear, I have about that 4 inchs between each CFL. What distance do you recommand?

[urgr8estfear]

Originally Posted by PropheCy604

urgr8estfear, I have about that 4 inchs between each CFL. What distance do you recommand?

Depends a bit on how close you got those CFLs stacked together.
I have about 12 centimeter distance between the CFLs and about 8 centimeters in between of the tubes.
I can grow up to 2.5 cm from the CFLs easy, 1 cm when carefull.

O yeah, an 1 inch is about 2.5 cm.

[PropheCy604]

Ok I will try to have nore distance betweeen them. Thx guys!

[urgr8estfear]

Originally Posted by PropheCy604

urgr8estfear, I have about that 4 inchs between each CFL. What distance do you recommand?

LOL Damn in stoned.
I just discovered the 4 inchs part in your post.

You should be able to grow up to 1 inch distance between plant and CFL easy. I mean easy. Up to 37 Celcius easy.
That's 99F.
Just look at your plants every day and make sure it doesnt touch it.
If the leaves start to curl up you're in trouble so pay a bit of attention there.

[PropheCy604]

4 inchs is the distance between CFL'S and not the distance between cfl's and plants.

They curl up and dry sometimes...its why I started this topic to warn everyone that cfl's heat!!

I have 8 cfl's in there that have 4 inchs between them and one 6" osc fan + 2 X 80mm fan. The fan are good for the bulbs that are close to the fans but the other still heat!

bye