help me try to maximize my light

[Stemis516]

ok well currently i have a 400 watt MH vegging 4 little plants each about 2-3 weeks old....they will go into flower in 2 weeks regardless of the state they are in because of my time constraints


now i know 400 watts is more than enough for my 4 plants (in a 2.5ft x 2.5 ft grwoing area) but i have this interior lighting fixture that i think i can make work for my plants

its one of those ones your supposed to put in your lving room or something, it has a really tall stand and theres 5 separate lights coming off the end that you can pretty much twist and move how you please

i was tinkering around with it and managed to get the stand off as well as the base, so right now all i have is 5 light sockets that im able to bend with a cord coming out the end

Target : 5-Head Floor Lamp - Black

its exactly like the one in this link except that you have to imagine it without the long stand or the base, just the top part with the 5 lights


now my question is, would it be worth it to put some CFLs into those sockets and put them in my grow room???

if yes, what would be the best way to get the light onto the plants? the 400 watt mh/hps is hanging and thats the only way it can be so i cant move it.....i could hang this thing that ive made but im thinking that might be too much light for just the top of the plant

other ideas are that i could mount it on the wall and get lighting from one side....but im afraid that will cause weird growth since its not even on all sides

i also thought about just setting it on the ground and point the lights upwards at the bottom of the canopies to get light where the top leaves cover

so basically, would it be worth it to use 5 extra cfls and if so, where would be the best place to put them: top, bottom, or a side


sidenote: the box says do not exceed 40 watt bulbs but they are refering to incandescent bulbs.....ive never used cfls before so do i need to get the weak ass 40 watt equivalent cfls or since they are cfls can i exceed the 40 watt equivalent limit...basicallly, what strength cfls should i use if you suggest using them at all?

thanks

Stemis516 Reviewed by Stemis516 on 09-24-2007. help me try to maximize my light ok well currently i have a 400 watt MH vegging 4 little plants each about 2-3 weeks old....they will go into flower in 2 weeks regardless of the state they are in because of my time constraints now i know 400 watts is more than enough for my 4 plants (in a 2.5ft x 2.5 ft grwoing area) but i have this interior lighting fixture that i think i can make work for my plants its one of those ones your supposed to put in your lving room or something, it has a really tall stand and theres 5 Rating: 5

[Stemis516]

ok well im adding the 5 more cfls so if i shouldnt be doing this some1 stop me


otherwise im taking silence as proof of affirmation

[ProGroWannabe]

Short answer: DON'T

Long answer: I understand I'm a little late here, but I just saw your post. I would NOT exceed the rating on the fixture. Watts are a measure of electrical usage. It's figured by amps (the actual current), times volts (electrical "pressure"--so to speak). Amps x volts = watts. That's Ohm's Law. Anyhow...the voltage in your house is relatively stable at 120 volts. If you pull too many amps by adding higher wattage bulbs than what are specified, you increase heat, and the possibility of a short circuit. Most fixtures for incandescents are made as cheaply as possible. Knowing this, it is safe to assume the wire size is minimal. If you overload it, you'll prolly start a fire. Worst case scenario...the fire starts when your not home. You come home and the fire marshal is looking at whats left of "some sort of plants" being grown indoors...hmmmmmm??? Not good.

If you decide to use the fixture, that's prolly better. More light is almost always a good idea.
But don't overload the fixture's rating! B.T.W.--I'd only use them to side-light the lower budsites.

[Stemis516]

ok so then that leads me to another question.....

the box says only a 40 watt (im assuming incandescent) bulb in each fixture....but if im using cfls does that mean i can still use a 36 watt fluorescent??? im confused because it says its the equivalent of a 100 watt incandescent but yet its own wattage is below 40

[20dollarholla]

Spend the money and get an HPS your girls will thank you in yend end with foot long kolas.