Simple cheap veg lighting solution

Ok I had time on my hands and just went ahead and added some new lighting for young clones and seedlings and I was modifying it so figured Id show a few pictures of what I did.Basically I went to the hardware store and went to the lighting section. I bought a new commercial 4 bulb commercial grade florescent light fixture.This setup includes a low bay reflector, 4 new T8 bulbs and a light difusser cover.They have these rewady to go in the box cost me $41 total with tax.Next I went to the extension cord section as these lights come with bare wires to be wired into your existing drop cielings and such so I wanted to modify it so it was a direct plug in type of light.I grabbed a 15 foot orange extension cord the kind with the 3 prongs as you need all 3.This cost me another $2.99 so Im at $44.All I needed was a small package of wire nuts that twist onto the bare wires (only need 3) this was like 80 cents so total cost under $45.These setup also make good side lighting or if enough used can be used to grow all the way through for a small gardne 1-4 plants.Each unit has 4 32 watt 4 foot florescent bulbs.

So the next step was to take it out of the box and get it ready. I then cut about a foot off the extension cord removing the female end that accepts plugs.Dont cut the end off that plugs into the wall.I kept the cut off as I will use it for something else I have cooking.Ok on the back of the light fixture you look for the wires coming out of the light. This unit has 3 wires that are in a 6 foot metal cable whip.I removed the metal wire whip and exsposed the 3 wires going into the light fixture.There will be 1 white wire, 1 black wire, and 1 green ground wire.I then cut about 2 inches of the orange shield on the extension cord off exsposing the 3 same colored wires in the extension cord.I stripped each wire green,white, and black on both the light fixture and the cord about 1/2 inch then twisted each colr to colr matching colors.Then each bare wire gets a wire nut twisted down tight over the wires.I then tuck the 3 wires with caps back into the hole in the back of the fixture and snap the metal gromet into the hole making a nice celan safe install.

Now you have the new wall plug wired directly to the commercial ceiling light and it can be safely plugged into any 3 pronged outlet and it is safely grounded.This light came with the 4 32 watt T8 bulbs but I will swap these for the 42 watt T8 HO lights for even more light but even these 32 watters crank some light.Figure thats what only 124 watts and it will vegg real nicely with zero heat. Here is a few of the finish light and a look at it over some new clones transplanted in thier started pots till grow room is ready then they go into 3 gallon pots under the 2 600 watters.Figure it has good coverage.There are 20 youngin there and the light is just touching the tops.

So thats a basic $45 lighting solution with reflector thats covers a 4 foot by 37 inch area.I will do an update at sometime as there is room in this reflector for me to add 4 more bulbs so I will work on designing that as I have to add 1 more ballast inside and then 4 sets of bulb holders which should be simple and cheap as home depot has all the parts.This would make this an 8 bulb setup using 248 or 320 watts with a great coverage area and almost zero heat and should only cost another $20 so stay tuned for that update whenever I get to it lol.Have fun and good grows

That looks nice. All that light spread evenly over all the plants like that but do you think it will work as good as a 1000wattmh. VV

Ok, done playin smart ass. Fletch I don't know if you checked into the full spectrum and daylight bulbs. I have never looked for them in t-8's, I know they are avaiable in t-12's. $5.00 a bulb. I found it worth it. VV

excellent....that is totally functional, and simple....good job of bringing that forward and presenting it so clearly! awesome!

Yeah the better bulbs for T8 are around $7-9 each for 42 watters.As far as a 1000 watt mh it depends.I have 3 1000 watt mh setups but dont use them anymore as when I grow I usually grow aero and only need maybe 10-12 days of veg from clone and at that short of a time 1000 watts is too much for young plants and isnt needed. I veg my aero/hydro clones until to about 12-14 inches tops in 10-12 days.Soil is slower but Im not looking for monster 6 footers I like finished plants at 3-4 feet tops so I will use the florescent lights for my veg for abou2 weeks maybe little more then the plants will go into thier bigger finishing pots and get a week more 24 hour light from my 2 600 watt digital hps lamps then go into 12/12.If you can find the parts for T-5 fixtures (raw ballasts are the most costly) you could easily convert these light setups to a T5 arrangement.Im gonna kinda look around and see what I can find in these parts and price the stuff to add the extra 4 T8's to this setup.It does give great light offas is but this can be tweaked to double the output with a little work.If you have a good sized room thats tight like maybe an 8x8 room 2 of these on each wall would be great for side and lower lighting on timers or hardwired and at $320 for 8 fixtures with bulbs thats not bad. Im sure these can be found even cheaper at store closings where everything must go even lights and counters or at discount overstock home supply stores.