custom cfl fixture design or link...

about a month or so ago i was browsing fourms like this one. i came accross a thread that was about cfl's. one guy had built a custom cfl fixture that held about 4 rows of 4 cfls so about 16 to 24 lights total. it vegged out a monster and from my understanding it is not that hard to make. if anyone knows of the thread im refering to please hit me up and give me the link because i have looked through every fourm and website and just cant seem to find it. it put out a good amount of lumes too and was jus under an 400 watt hps in lumes i believe. i want to build sumthin similar because i have a truckload of cfls and cannot afford and hps rite now and im about to enter my flowering phase.

I haven't seen the tread you mentioned, but theres some good info here
http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-li...-lighting.html

By the time you rig up 16-24 C.F.L.'s, and realize the amount of lumens per watt you are getting you would be just as well off buying a H.P.S. 50 or so bucks for bulbs, all the hardware to wire up, plus sockets.....shit, you can damn near get an economy H.P.S. for the same amount. Remember, lighting is all about lumens/watt. The more you can produce per watt, the better.



b0nger

I personally run a custom light setup. 8 cfl, 4 cool white and 4 warm white. And 1 70w hps. total cost for this was less than $100.00 and it does appear to be doing rather well. Harvest is still just under six weeks away so i will be able to give a final report then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bongerstonerd00d

By the time you rig up 16-24 C.F.L.'s, and realize the amount of lumens per watt you are getting you would be just as well off buying a H.P.S. 50 or so bucks for bulbs, all the hardware to wire up, plus sockets.....shit, you can damn near get an economy H.P.S. for the same amount. Remember, lighting is all about lumens/watt. The more you can produce per watt, the better.



b0nger

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Yep.
Watt for watt, if you're running more than 8 or 10 cfl's you'd be better off with an HID light from Home DePot.

http://boards.cannabis.com/indoor-li...net-light.html

The frame is built from aluminum angle stock. I think I used self-drilling screws to put it together. I would normally use rivets but was unable to locate my rivet gun. It's always a bitch building things while stoned.

judgin by everyones response i guess ill be better off gettin an hps.. i gotta wait a few weeks until i can afford one but i also need a light proof grow tent, any ideas or materials i can get for cheap that will work? i just got a room mate and my closet isnt light proof but hasnt been an issue for me until now. and can i use sulight for about 6 to 8 hrs (or how ever long the sun is out then supplement the reaminig 4 hrs w my cfl's during the flowering phase? that way i could put off buyin a hps until my next grow? and what will the results be?