Hey yall, I read guides on cfls but im paranoid that I might buy the wrong type of bulb. There are lots of cfls put there and I just want to make sure I have the right bulb because im on a really small budget. Can someone link me to some cheap 100 watt 6500k cfl bulbs I can use for my tent Or can you list other cheap methods for lighting a grow tent about 3x3
26w bulbs, 4-pack $12 at home depot or lowes. 5600k-6500k (aka daylight) for veg, 2700k (aka soft white) for flower. Bare sockets $2.27 each http://www.lowes.com/pd_41671-43469-6505_4294722560__?productId=3775911&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo= "Y" splitters $2.68 http://www.lowes.com/pd_49202-43469-6506_4294722560__?productId=3776005&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo= Power strip $5 (most people already have these)
What country are you in? £20 125w CFL http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=131191295306&alt=web £20 reflector http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=261500023961&alt=web To fill a 3x3 area with enough CFLs for flowering would not be easy. You would probably be better off buying a single HPS. To cover that area completely you are looking at a minimum of 400 watts
That just means the CFL gives off as much light as the equivalent of an "x" wattage incandescent light bulb. Incandescent bulbs are not suitable for growing so completely disregard that figure
If you want an actual 100w cfl it's going to be around $25 each. Check around, you'll see. You did ask for cheap though, 100 actual watts of cfl shouldn't cost more than $15-$20 to assemble, and if it does then it's not really worth it IMO. Bulbs don't last forever and will have to be replaced, combined with the relative inefficiency of cfl, and the higher cost of those larger cfl's, really turns me off to them. Considering that I built a 400w cfl array out of 26w bulbs for less than $20 per 100w, and I even consider that to be a waste of resources, I would never recommend those larger cfl bulbs to somebody who is on a budget and wants the most bang for their buck. Cheers and good luck!!
I understand, but I thought you CANT grow on incandescent bulbs? Maybe thats where I got it twisted, if im completely lost, im totally sorry lol. It happens
No problem. CFL's are widely used to replace incandescent household lighting and that's why the manufacturers place "equivalent" wattage next to the actual wattage. We ignore "equivalent" wattage and stick with the actual wattage of the bulb, the bulbs I'm talking about are 26w actual, 100w equivalent. They're not equating it to HID or LED, but incandescent... so that distinction is useless to us growers. But that doesn't mean they're useless for growing, it just means that what they're comparing it to is. In terms of lumens per watt, or the efficiency of your lighting it goes like this... Incandescent = 17 lumens per watt CFL = ~68 lumens per watt 600w hps = 146 lumens per watt So, a 100w incandescent bulb puts out 1700 lumens total. A 26w cfl puts out 1700 lumens total 26w cfl has the same luminous output of 100w incandescent.