CFL Light Tutorial
- Thread starter Roseman
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #523
Yep, I agree, CFLs are so much cheaper. Plus you don't have the expense of VENTING the heat off of the lights.
Welcome to 420, bro, I hope to see you around more.
- Thread starter
- #524
just built a little extra light rack. will add reflector now but wanted you guys to see the frame. it fits right across my room opening.
Looks great, SkinWins, very good! Are those 27s or 42s?
What did that cost you to build? How much $?
Nice set-up Skinwins!
27's I had bulbs left over from my veg, so I used them. I get the 27's for a $1 each at lowes, the bases I screw the bulbs into are $1.25 each at lowes and then misc pvc and a few nuts and bolts. All stuff I had in the garage. But if you bought it all around $20 to $25 total.
And about 9k lumens of side lights! From the Skinwins' Seemore Buds collection! Love it! Viva la Deep Water Culture!
- Thread starter
- #528
Hey, visit us over here at and join in some Deep Water Culture comradery when you get a chance.
Its a fun thread and the Deep Water Culture meet there often.
And the polls are open, for voting for May Member of the Month here:
420 Magazine's Member of the Month Contest: May 2010
I'm voting for MostlyCrazy, Chief Deep Water Culture.
Its a fun thread and the Deep Water Culture meet there often.
And the polls are open, for voting for May Member of the Month here:
420 Magazine's Member of the Month Contest: May 2010
I'm voting for MostlyCrazy, Chief Deep Water Culture.
What do yall think about T8's??? I seen one for under 50 bucks on Amazon and someone recommended to get one for my mother plants once i reach that phase of my operation. I have a 600w MH for veg and a 600HPS for flower and plan on using come cfl's in both stages as side lighting and a few from the top as well. I have a 3X3X6 well thats what it is advertised as but in the store it was 3" 11 in by 3" 11 in. Them LED lights look like where it is at though from the grows I have seen on here plus no Heat means no nosy piggies with their FLIR tech and helicopters. So many options to choose from but honestly CFL is the cheapest and RM i love the buds you have gotten from your CFL grows. This is the thread that had gotten me on track to figuring out my grow plans love your tutorials
- Thread starter
- #530
What do yall think about T8's??? I seen one for under 50 bucks on Amazon and someone recommended to get one for my mother plants once i reach that phase of my operation. I have a 600w MH for veg and a 600HPS for flower and plan on using come cfl's in both stages as side lighting and a few from the top as well. I have a 3X3X6 well thats what it is advertised as but in the store it was 3" 11 in by 3" 11 in. Them LED lights look like where it is at though from the grows I have seen on here plus no Heat means no nosy piggies with their FLIR tech and helicopters. So many options to choose from but honestly CFL is the cheapest and RM i love the buds you have gotten from your CFL grows. This is the thread that had gotten me on track to figuring out my grow plans love your tutorials
Sorry, but I really don't know anything about T-8s.
Thank you very much.
CharlieMopps
New Member
I once used 3 of those cheapo dual bulb 4 foot shop light fixtures from walmart. Plants did really good under em but it's not enough light to flower with.
Skinwins I want to build one of those so bad. I love how all of you invent this stuff. I just wish I could take what you do and do it as well. I wanted to take one of those thingys you put the bulbs in and lay in on the top of my tank inbetween the plants for side lighting but had no idea how to do it since it doesn't have a plug.
I get those at lowes for a $1.25 each, I have been know to just cut up a cheap extension cord and wire it to ends to the base. theres 2 screws in the base the wires attach too. If you think you might want to do this let me know and I can post pics of it being done step by step. I wired 3 together this way last time and had them sitting in room under plants. I wish I was local to you. Would run over and take care of a few of those issues. let me know if u want the pics, it's pretty easy
- Thread starter
- #534
I've seen the 40 watt 48 inch tubes used successfully by using 12 of them on one or two plants, but it takes a mess of bulbs to do it.
Have a great weekend, Charlie.
- Thread starter
- #535
BH Members like SkinWins and alien8 make me so very proud to be a BH and a member of the 420 family.
Yes skin show me and I can try. I guess the worse that can happen is I waste 20 bucks. I think if I was able to even wire one with a plug I would have had under lighting on my plants which would even have been better then side lighting I don't have lol. I think at the beginning of this thread there was that great hood using the same method. I need to be brave and try to build it since that would be a great side light set up. It would even be a great over the top set up as that was it's intention. My bulbs bang against each other when I do stuff with the plants cause with the reflectors they are so close to each other. I am lucky they haven't broke.
Thank You Rose
Thank You Rose
TheMilkMan
New Member
Gunna do my new pics on my grow now oh yeah....trim time
Ok Alien8 and who ever else might find this helpful. I'm going to post a quick little how to. will answer questions and go into more detail later if needed, just busy today and wanted to get it posted.
OK to start i'm cheap and am always building something, I get my light bases from lowes and there $1.25 each, cheapest I can find.
Here's a idea of tools that could be used. But you could use almost anything. screwdriver,butter knife, a dime to screw wires on, what ever to cut wire, us guys just bite it in 1/2 then strip the ends with our teeth lol,
This is what I use to wire my lights, I have 10 extras and they all ready have the plug end on it. We can go much further in depth on grounding etc. but not here and not now.
cut the wire as long as you need with the male plug end still attached then split the 2 wires apart
The plug has 2 different sized prongs, The larger of the 2 is the neutral and the wire from it will attach to the shiny or silver looking screw on lamp base.
To attach wires to screw terminals, you must first take off a little insulation to expose the actual wire. This is called "stripping" the wire. The can use inexpensive wire strippers or you can do it with a knife. Just be sure you do not cut any of the wires inside the insulation.
After you strip the insulation off of the wires, twist these fine wires tight . . The two wires should be separated enough to allow them to be connected to the screw terminals.
Notice that the two screw terminals tighten by turning them clockwise. The twisted tight wires are wrapped around the screw for at least 180 degrees and the wrap goes in the direction of clockwise so that when the screws are tightened, it pulls the wire toward the screw, not away from it.
Ok their wired... screw bulb in and test it by plugging it in, remember never touch the back side where the wired and screws attach and you can tape or cover the backs to be safe.
OK to start i'm cheap and am always building something, I get my light bases from lowes and there $1.25 each, cheapest I can find.
Here's a idea of tools that could be used. But you could use almost anything. screwdriver,butter knife, a dime to screw wires on, what ever to cut wire, us guys just bite it in 1/2 then strip the ends with our teeth lol,
This is what I use to wire my lights, I have 10 extras and they all ready have the plug end on it. We can go much further in depth on grounding etc. but not here and not now.
cut the wire as long as you need with the male plug end still attached then split the 2 wires apart
The plug has 2 different sized prongs, The larger of the 2 is the neutral and the wire from it will attach to the shiny or silver looking screw on lamp base.
To attach wires to screw terminals, you must first take off a little insulation to expose the actual wire. This is called "stripping" the wire. The can use inexpensive wire strippers or you can do it with a knife. Just be sure you do not cut any of the wires inside the insulation.
After you strip the insulation off of the wires, twist these fine wires tight . . The two wires should be separated enough to allow them to be connected to the screw terminals.
Notice that the two screw terminals tighten by turning them clockwise. The twisted tight wires are wrapped around the screw for at least 180 degrees and the wrap goes in the direction of clockwise so that when the screws are tightened, it pulls the wire toward the screw, not away from it.
Ok their wired... screw bulb in and test it by plugging it in, remember never touch the back side where the wired and screws attach and you can tape or cover the backs to be safe.
What are the other 2 screws on the back for, the 2 not being used....well you can add more light bases inline.
and build many different types of either top lighting or side lighting
you would just attach a new wire to the screws not used and then attach the other ends to the next base. make sure you attach from silver screw to silver screw and brass screw to brass screw
and build many different types of either top lighting or side lighting
you would just attach a new wire to the screws not used and then attach the other ends to the next base. make sure you attach from silver screw to silver screw and brass screw to brass screw