Rottedroots
Well-Known Member
I'm not wearing any underwear..
Is a CFL cabinet @ 525w (actual) 30,000 lumen in a 18"x22" cabinet too many lumen?
- Thread starter jusblazed
- Start date
Brick Top
New Member
In side-by-side testing, the MH/HPS is more efficient than an equal amount of watts of CFL lighting when it comes to grams produced to watts used.
In a light, the electricity that doesn't get turned into light gets turned into HEAT. 400 watts of CFLs produces more heat than one 400-watt HPS.
To grow comparable yields, you generally require roughly twice the wattage in CFLs that you do in HPS. So double the heat. And the electricity.
Don't forget to add in the amount of electricity required to remove that heat.
A large portion of a HID light's heat comes from the ballasts. Most MH/HPS setups have a remote ballast on a nice long cord. You can simply set it outside of the grow room. Most CFL bulbs have their ballasts built in. Therefore, the heat from their ballasts is in the grow room.
Another significant portion of the heat produced by a light comes from the bulb itself. There are a plethora of air-cooled hoods available for a MH/ HPS light. I have yet to see an air-cooled hood for CFL bulbs.
With an air-cooled hood, one can remove the heat produced by the bulb. One can run a duct from outside the grow room, through the light, through another duct, and blow it somewhere else with a fan.
Additionally, a "sealed" air-cooled hood might just lower your grow room temperatures enough that you do not have to vent the grow room itself. Then you could add supplemental CO2 without having it be constantly removed by an exhaust fan. Even if one had to vent a few minutes out of each hour it would require FAR less CO2.
In a light, the electricity that doesn't get turned into light gets turned into HEAT. 400 watts of CFLs produces more heat than one 400-watt HPS.
To grow comparable yields, you generally require roughly twice the wattage in CFLs that you do in HPS. So double the heat. And the electricity.
Don't forget to add in the amount of electricity required to remove that heat.
A large portion of a HID light's heat comes from the ballasts. Most MH/HPS setups have a remote ballast on a nice long cord. You can simply set it outside of the grow room. Most CFL bulbs have their ballasts built in. Therefore, the heat from their ballasts is in the grow room.
Another significant portion of the heat produced by a light comes from the bulb itself. There are a plethora of air-cooled hoods available for a MH/ HPS light. I have yet to see an air-cooled hood for CFL bulbs.
With an air-cooled hood, one can remove the heat produced by the bulb. One can run a duct from outside the grow room, through the light, through another duct, and blow it somewhere else with a fan.
Additionally, a "sealed" air-cooled hood might just lower your grow room temperatures enough that you do not have to vent the grow room itself. Then you could add supplemental CO2 without having it be constantly removed by an exhaust fan. Even if one had to vent a few minutes out of each hour it would require FAR less CO2.
afrawfraw
Well-Known Member
I started laughing hysterically when I thought of 7,200 lumens (Assuming you run VHO) behind glass, which snatches 15% out of the gate. Thank you for the HYSTERICAL VISUAL! +Rep. Enjoy your 5,000 lumen weed. Hey, if it's all you can do, GROW FOR IT! But at least be aware.
Rottedroots
Well-Known Member
I may have missed it but is anyone saying cfl's are a better choice than an hid set up with mh and hps bulbs. I am using cfl's but i figure if your gonna buy 20 6500k and 20 2700k as well as splitters ext than you should have gone hid from the beginning. wtf, I know I could have 400 watts of hps going instead of 500 watts of cfl.
electronug
Active Member
Nobody is saying they're better -- this is just the old "Yeah-huh! Lumens do to add up, sillypants!" argument.
electronug
Active Member
afrawfraw
Well-Known Member
OK, I'd run one of those in a small cab. But I wouldn't trust it at 2 feet!
electronug
Active Member
There will never be a CFL that will work efficiently @ 2FT lol.
I keep my 2 x 125W bulbs @ 6" and that's only because I have supplemental lighting that hangs just below them and 1-2" from the canopy.
I keep my 2 x 125W bulbs @ 6" and that's only because I have supplemental lighting that hangs just below them and 1-2" from the canopy.
Rottedroots
Well-Known Member
Electro are you saying this has been discussed/debated before? Well wtf, I thought we were breaking new ground. Is that 18,000 watts or lumens? Sounds like a fine bulb but how much are they $$$$. I would actually prefer a few bulbs rather than one big one. Easier to spread the love around and if your gonna buy a few buy an hid.
the other reason I went the 105w cfl route was the $15.00 (at cost price) tag per bulb. =) Im pushing 27000 lumens for 75 bux.
electronug
Active Member
No, you aren't.
Catchin22
Well-Known Member
Well, that's about half the lumens for half the price of a 400w HPS, you're still not going to have the penetrating power at the leaves though even if you doubled it up.the other reason I went the 105w cfl route was the $15.00 (at cost price) tag per bulb. =) Im pushing 27000 lumens for 75 bux.
electronug
Active Member
OK, so, if lumen are cumulative and are indeed what make plants grow big and strong, you should technically be able to pull the same quality as a 250W HPS with what you have in CFL...
Right?
Right?
Catchin22
Well-Known Member
This debate is getting old. No they wont equal that of an HPS with the same lumen output because the penetrating power will not combine as much, it will just cover more area. UNLESS you had single CFL light sources that put out lots of light, such as the 105w bulb... this would be better....
Lumens don't really add up, they just add as a total in your area, not from a single source. And it's just a measure for humans not plants.
HID will always be better than CFLs until CFLs can produce the same lumen output per watt at the same cost or lower, and that's all anyone needs to know!
Lumens don't really add up, they just add as a total in your area, not from a single source. And it's just a measure for humans not plants.
HID will always be better than CFLs until CFLs can produce the same lumen output per watt at the same cost or lower, and that's all anyone needs to know!
electronug
Active Member
There was some sarcasm in there.
Not a single reference to this myth that "lumens are not additive" has come to light or any examples, demonstrations etc. Every source I personally have come upon has stated that lumen DO add. Soooooo.... wtf are you guys babbling on about how 5 5000lm bulbs will only make 5000lm ? There is a STICKIE FOR THIS SITE SHOWING THE FACTS: https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/83128-lumens-lux-adding-all-up.html,
so get off your ill informed high horses and your incorrect understanding of light and stop giving out incorrect information...
Also while we are on horses lets stop beating the dead one of HPS is better blah blah blah blah... This IS a CFL thread... there are reasons to use CFL a 2.25 square foot floor space with limited ventilation is one of those situations...
I would like to see you guys build a rig with as many lumen for under 100 bux including venting... On another note I got my temps down to 86 degrees 4" from the light for the past 4 hrs.... If this holds I will be putting the girls in tomorrow or wed... =)
Not a single reference to this myth that "lumens are not additive" has come to light or any examples, demonstrations etc. Every source I personally have come upon has stated that lumen DO add. Soooooo.... wtf are you guys babbling on about how 5 5000lm bulbs will only make 5000lm ? There is a STICKIE FOR THIS SITE SHOWING THE FACTS: https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/83128-lumens-lux-adding-all-up.html,
so get off your ill informed high horses and your incorrect understanding of light and stop giving out incorrect information...
Also while we are on horses lets stop beating the dead one of HPS is better blah blah blah blah... This IS a CFL thread... there are reasons to use CFL. A 2.25 square foot floor space with limited ventilation is one of those situations...
I would like to see you guys build a rig with as many lumen for under 100 bux including venting... On another note I got my temps down to 86 degrees 4" from the light for the past 4 hrs.... If this holds I will be putting the girls in tomorrow or wed... =)
Rottedroots
Well-Known Member
Temps sound OK blaze. They could be better by some standards but the plants won't know. How cold are you getting. That was a bigger issue for me at the beginning of this grow than the heat. Had to go to heated seedling mats. Warm roots made the plants very happy even if the air was a little cool at night.
I hope this turns into a slick grow thread but the name may keep it festering like a boil on your ass.
Good Luck!!!
I hope this turns into a slick grow thread but the name may keep it festering like a boil on your ass.
Good Luck!!!