cfl light penetration

So I have an idea, but Im not sure it will work. So, I am reaching out for all opinions. I am trying to get more light penetration on my lower folliage.
My idea is this... I am thinking about making a plastic cfl "sleeve" of sorts. Was thinking about using some 4'' tubing and installing a two light socket inside of the tubing. Would plan on using cast acrylic or polycarbonate. I will leave this unsealed for ventilation. My thought process is thinking that with this set up, I can put this anywhere I need and wouldbt have to worry about burning the leaves or buds.
The main thing that I am worried about is the light penetration. Will this sheild prevent the lumens from reaching my plants? Will the heat that is being produced melt and/or discolor the sleeve. This may sound silly to some, but light penetration is not my field of expertise. Any advise would be appreciative.

You are only going to lose light you don't have to with your sleeve. You can place a cfl within a couple of inches of the part of the plant you want to get light, so no need for the sleeve.

Not sure if I still understand this, so you want to make a clear shield tube like sleeve that you can put 2 bulbs in, 1 at either end(that part I am fuzzy with) right? How are you going to ventilate the heat generated in the tubes? without air flow it will be hotter in the confined space an possibly burn out the mini-ballast inside housing! Lumen prevention might be possible, I do not know if acrylic, polycarbonate has any hindrance properties.

I would just concentrate as best I could with clamp-lights & y adapters, either hang them down by the cord or clamp to your pot an arrange accordingly. Sure proximity is a sure way to increase lumen absorption, but it takes good planning an finesse to get it practically right... plus all the rearranging during growth... + =

desertrat said:

You are only going to lose light you don't have to with your sleeve. You can place a cfl within a couple of inches of the part of the plant you want to get light, so no need for the sleeve.

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The purpose of the sleeve IMO, is that I wouldnt have to worry about the light touching my plant(s) at all. They may touch the sleeve, but not the light itself. My intent is to hang this light in between the plants, so there would be "touching".

Cransi said:

Not sure if I still understand this, so you want to make a clear shield tube like sleeve that you can put 2 bulbs in, 1 at either end(that part I am fuzzy with) right? How are you going to ventilate the heat generated in the tubes? without air flow it will be hotter in the confined space an possibly burn out the mini-ballast inside housing! Lumen prevention might be possible, I do not know if acrylic, polycarbonate has any hindrance properties.

I would just concentrate as best I could with clamp-lights & y adapters, either hang them down by the cord or clamp to your pot an arrange accordingly. Sure proximity is a sure way to increase lumen absorption, but it takes good planning an finesse to get it practically right... plus all the rearranging during growth... + =

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You are catching what I am throwing down. I will ventilate by not capping it. Just let the circulated air pass thru either end freely. My main issue that I am having, before I start spending money on an idea that wont pan out, is that the light will not penetrate the plastic and all beneficial lumens will be absorbed by the plastic sleeve and not the plant itself.

got a friend that remote ballasted some 18w fixtures he got clearence form home depot 4.50 ea he's got those underneath his 600hps i just moves em if plants grow to touch em cause with good air movement they dont get hot

ObiJwon said:

The purpose of the sleeve IMO, is that I wouldnt have to worry about the light touching my plant(s) at all. They may touch the sleeve, but not the light itself. My intent is to hang this light in between the plants, so there would be "touching".

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ok, didn't get that the first time around. Not sure you're going to see the benefit if your area is so crowded it's hard to keep a 2 inch window. But it's certainly worth a try. Glass would be best but polycabonate is used in applications like solar panels.

Thanks desertrat. Yeah my closet is kind of on the small side (2x4x8'). My first couple grows had some smaller buds on the bottom were light penetration was not all that good. This idea was to remedy that (I hope). So if the poly is used on solar panles then it should be fine with my application.. wouldnt you think?

ObiJwon said:

Thanks desertrat. Yeah my closet is kind of on the small side (2x4x8'). My first couple grows had some smaller buds on the bottom were light penetration was not all that good. This idea was to remedy that (I hope). So if the poly is used on solar panles then it should be fine with my application.. wouldnt you think?

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You should check to make sure it was not some special optical grade you cannot get

Havent purchase anything yet. Still feeling out the idea.

ObiJwon said:

Havent purchase anything yet. Still feeling out the idea.

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Good to hear, i find it best to get things thought out beforehand. Saves trips back to return crap.

To me even with the 4" tube unless you had a small pc fan inside tube then the ambient temp i think would be to high and possibly fail-out the ballast prematurely. Which unfortunately is the main reason why cfl's fail, the bulb themselves will still light up majority of the time with an energy source. Sure heat rises, are the tubes going to be vertical to allow the rising effect. If they are horizontal then it gonna be like a tannin bed inside. I don't mean to seem discouraging, I would rather you get the best out of your ideas.

if your looking for a simple way to stop the leaves growing into/touching your lights u can make a small cage out of chicken wire to surround your bulb about 1/2 to 1 inch round outside and the leaves will just grow into the wire

daviaces said:

if your looking for a simple way to stop the leaves growing into/touching your lights u can make a small cage out of chicken wire to surround your bulb about 1/2 to 1 inch round outside and the leaves will just grow into the wire

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Good point. Nice idea. Thanks

use the smaller, blue, 23 watt, 5600k bulbs. you can literally put them on your plant and it won't burn.

with the smaller and light deprived buds, you might just want to remove them...
it may reduce the amount of buds you get, but the ones you leave will get more attention from the plant (meaning healthier bigger and stonier).
the same concept as removing some fruit to get better quality fruit!

makinthemagic said:

use the smaller, blue, 23 watt, 5600k bulbs. you can literally put them on your plant and it won't burn.

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Why would I use 5600k bulbs during flowering? You may have not read the whole link. So with the 23w lights, you have not had any problems with burning your buds or are you using this technique only in the growth stage?

I have seen similar things done using a floro tube normally used to cover t12 and t8 fixtures. In this case they were cut to size for a 20" pl-l fixture. The guy had them vertical and open on both ends to allow for convection and had them only in the path of his airflow. This was a garbage can cabinet and it was 100% side lighting with only a reflector at the top. He pulled an impressive amount of flowers out of that can! This is the thread I believe http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CCsQFjAD&url=http://icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=92259&ei=l-ZNTK68KsL-8Ab5hu3qCw&usg=AFQjCNFYHspEB1f-D3-lb9SgfxQwMT5xDA I can't get there because this forum is doing some maintenence now but I'm pretty sure that is the one. You can gpoogle high-pod and look for the thread on icmag

I have thought of doing something similar but I really cram my flower cab full and the only way I could afford the additional heat of more light is to take out some that I already have and I am happy enough just getting popcorn below the main canopy. the chicken wire is a usable idea I would think, but using the tubes you could have them long enough to where they vent over the top of the canopy and that could be an advantage over the chicken wire thing because the heat from the bulb may be held in by the canopy if it isn't directed over. Any time you put an object in front of the bulb you loose some light but you hear a miriad of theorys as to how much or why. My understanding is that zink free glass is best, then plexi glass, then window glass but I'm not sure how polycarbonate fits in and/or if the fact that it is round would change anything... my logic tells me you would be fine and the loss would be minimal. I can say I am sure you would get some usable light and I am betting you would get 90% of it or better.

Jed

Thanks Jed. I like what you are saying. We seem to be on the same page. Just a thought, but we will see how my mind runs with it. I dont know if the heat would be much of a problem. I would only be using 23 watter's, MAYBE 42's. My ventilation is pretty descent also to help with the heat. Room barely touches 80 on a hot day. I dont mind the popcorn, but I have found that they dont get as full or dense as the upper buds while using CFL's. Thanks again.

ObiJwon said:

Thanks Jed. I like what you are saying. We seem to be on the same page. Just a thought, but we will see how my mind runs with it. I dont know if the heat would be much of a problem. I would only be using 23 watter's, MAYBE 42's. My ventilation is pretty descent also to help with the heat. Room barely touches 80 on a hot day. I dont mind the popcorn, but I have found that they dont get as full or dense as the upper buds while using CFL's. Thanks again.

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Well 42's get pretty hot. I have in infra red thermo that lets me take a temp reading off a surface and my 42's get over 200 if I remember right. I'll try to remember to take a reading tonight and check again. You will want some airspace around them and good ventilation top and bottom. For a 42w bulb I'm thinking a 4-5" tube, and maybe a 2.5-3 for a 26w bulb. you don't want them touching the tube on the plant side for sure or the heat will transfer right to the plant... With the PLL lamps the heat is spread out over a longer distance where a cfl is all in one big clump.


I don't worry about the popcorn myself. It smokes and tastes the same. My grow is for me and I don't care if I have big buds or not. As long as my grow is dialed, and I hold onto my genetics, my popcorn smokes as good if not better than any big nugs available on the street. Like I said I cram my cabinet full and concentrate my light on the tops. Works for me!

Here is an LA woman I harvested a few weeks ago. Only about 10 grams with this one but I pull about a zip a month out of my cabinet and run perpetualish.

Good luck
Jed

Thanks for the info about the heat with the 42's. I will definitely be going with the smaller wattage if/when I concoct something. This thread started when this thought just popped in my head and I wanted to see what the folks on RIU thought. My last harvest was descent (7 oz. off 5 girls) but just not "dialed in" as I want. But then again I am in a closet, so it may be hard to dial in completely. I am only running two (200w) CFL's now, and can fit a few smaller ones in my closet.

Nice girl you got there. How do you like the smoke? Never tried it. Perpetualish? Did you buy the cabinet? Any pix?