Quote Originally Posted by keeko
EEEEKKKK.......headshake, this box is a fire hazard.

also, any enclosed growspace needs fresh air. cool fresh air in, hot stale air out.
Please find something other than a box to grow in......i would hate see on the news how a small apartment fire led to a 'grow op' as the news would probably call it. It also looks horrible for the rest of the growers that are growing the safe way.
While I'll agree it is not good 'practice' to grow in a cardboard box.. it is hardly a fire hazard when involving flourescents in actual use. I had 300 actual watts in CFL's setup in an array in a 2'x2'x3.5' box.

As long as you have adequate cooing I don't see a problem. While it's true that the ballast in a CFL bulb does get warm.. typically it does not get hot enough to start a fire and often times the the two filaments will burn out before the ballast get's hot enough to cause a fire. When this happens the ballast stops operating; ending heat production for that 1 bulb.

What is more likely to happen and something that should be carefully monitored is CFL glass breakage. Mercury is contained with CFL' and mercury will evaporate into the air. It is not good for either the plants nor is it good for you.

In regards to CFL's, cardboard boxes and fires... well you're just as likely to start a fire in one of these things below than you would in a cardboard box:

Arc Paper Lantern Floor Lamp : Target

IKEA | Lighting | Floor lamps | DUDERÃ?â?? | Floor lamp

IKEA | Lighting | Floor lamps | HÃ?â??RUP | Floor lamp

Now that's not to say that I don't agree that it would be better for you to grow in a non flamable environment for your plants it is actually the contrary, I do believe and recommend this; but it is to say it's not nearly as hazardous as people claim it is.
daihashi Reviewed by daihashi on . not your ordinary first grow what's good everybody. i've recently started a grow with some bag seed. it's just some average 'corn...not sure about the strain etc. i'm doing this on no budget and basically just for fun. i say again, i'm trying to spend the least money possible! there is several reasons for this... 1. i don't have a bunch of money to blow on this, again this is just for fun. 2. let's just say someone i share a residence with someone who wouldn't like a visit from the field officer Rating: 5