Adding a reflector to your lights will direct more light to the plant. More light means more energy will reach the plants. The DYI project can to me on the whim when I saw an empty cracker box in the recycle basket. Items: Saltine Cracker Box Clear tape Scissors Foil Your lights Time requirement 20 minutes Pictures 1 & 2: You'll need a saltine cracker box. Be sure to open carefully and do not cut off the the tabs and flaps that make up the ends of the box. Pictures 3 & 4: You will need a sheet of foil measuring 12" x 10 3/4". This will be used to line the inside of the reflector. It will be over sized and will give you plenty of room to work this. This reflector will hold up to 2 CFL's ans a "Y" adapter. Picture 5: Your first cut will be along one of the fold in the cracker box. Scissors point the direction of your cut. Turn the box over and make the same cut.
Picture 6: After making both cuts, you will have two sections with a fold in the middle. Picture 7: Carefully fold the ends of the sectioned box and tape the ends together. Flip the box over and tape the other ends together. Pictures 8 & 9: Working with your foil, fold the 12" x 10 3/4" piece so it fits nicely into the cardboard reflector. Make sure the shiny side of the foil is facing out towards you. Turn the cardboard section around and fold and tape the foil in place. Flip it over and tape the other side too. Picture 10: Using clear tape, tape the foil to the inside edge of the cardboard reflector.
Picture 11 & 12: Poke a hole through the reflector. The scissors and lights are used to measure and indicate where to pierce the cardboard. Picture 12 indicates where the hole was punched. Using the scissors, make your first 2 cuts. I found it easier to cut along the fold last. Picture 13 &14: You have room to work with again. and using the lights as a guage, you are basically cutting an "X", or "+" in to the top of the reflector. once these four cuts are made, the socket end of the light will slide right into place. You know have a simple and effective reflector for your CFL lighting. Picture 15: See the reflector in use. Each cracker box will make 2 reflectors and help add more lights to your plants. SAFETY NOTE: When removing or replacing your lights unplug the cords from outlets. I didn't, I got zapped. Wearing shoes on damp basement floors will add extra protection. But the redneck in me like to go shoeless. The zap was strong enough to cause me to drop the reflector and lights breaking one bulb.
But flat white paint is reflects 3% more light than either foil or mylar. Why not just go with, "cardboard + Heat = fire hazard.". Oh, right, every indoor grow is a fire hazard. Dang! Now he's got me using italics....
Got it! "The probability of the fire spreading greatly increases with the use of plastic or Mylar. Not to mention the toxic gases and fumes cause by burning plastics, PVC and Mylar.".
Hehe, I don't really believe in "hot spots" caused by foil. I've never had issues, anyway...Of course, mylar or white paint could reflect much better, but not everyone has access or $$ for those things (though they are relatively inexpensive). So good work on the guide, it should help a lot of newer growers around here. It is simple and effective, definitely suitable for one on a budget. +rep! Also, the pictures help a lot...I think every tutorial should include pictures
Safety first: cardboard+heat = fire. It would be almost impossible for aluminum foil to cause hot spots from CFL lighting, that is just the perpetuation of an old myth that won't go away. True that flat bright white is more reflective than aluminum foil, and horticulture-grade mylar is even more reflective than that.
Well, my books are pre medical. Early 90's. Nothing about the advancement of compact flourescent lighting. I agree. I'd rather have a burned crop than a housefire. Thanks dragon. I was like shocked when the cracker box was a perfect fit. Not sure on hotspots. That was my 1st reflector and I've been at this for just under 7 years. Where was all this shit when I was in high school? I wonder if saltines will make good fertilizer?
CFLs really don't get hot enough to start fires, you need a lot of heat for that. Iv put tissue paper on one as a test, didn't even burn it.
Also. Given the clearence, as it's a tight fit, plastice or mylar could melt. I only see a fire should water come into play around the cardboard, and socket.
He's right... you guys are completely off; cardboard's flash-point is around 195-200C aka almost 400F. No CFL produces that kind of heat, nor does a standard light bulb, unless completely enclosed with zero air flow... Google before you spew, come on guys. Anything you can touch with your hand more than 5-10 seconds = not hot enough to burn anything. Plastic will simply deform and melt away Vs "burning." Your toaster or a very dusty appliance has much more of a chance of causing a fire than a light-bulb... Also not ALL "white" paint is alike nor does using the generalization that "white" reflects light best mean it's true; more conjecture. Many paints aren't TRUE "white," thus actually absorb portions of the light spectrum that you and I cannot see, but plants sure notice the diffs. BTW- Good little project OP; another idea that'll quiet the fire-paranoid crowd is using foil tape. E.g., I coated some corrugated fiberboard "cardboard," with said Nashua foil tape then hot-glued them INSIDE my vaporizer box = temps WELL over 400F and NOTHING has burnt, nor melted as many here claim. It's simply NOT TRUE and it's been this way for 6months... sometimes I've forgotten and left it on for hours; red hot, glowing ceramic surrounded by glass hot enough to boil water = NO FIRE lmao.
I see this is an old topic. But hey I just made this reflector for my plants. The cracker box worked great. I am using foil tape instead. Its great.