Halogen bulbs

**scarlette420** · 02-13-2007, 08:16 PM

ok so i have heard many times not to use halogen, but i havent really heard WHY? so if someone could give me an answer that would be cool. thx.

**newbie grower** · 02-13-2007, 08:29 PM

I dont know why either but I am assuming it is does not have the correct color temp/range

**MightyBuddha** · 02-13-2007, 08:34 PM

Wrong color spectrum
Give off too much heat

**VictorVIcious** · 02-13-2007, 09:42 PM

Plug one in and feel the heat. The reason they put cages around them is to try and keep you from burning your hand. The reason they put a reflector behind them is to keep you from burning your hand. The reason they put them on stands is to keep you from burning down the house. I think maybe they will be too hot.

**Fat Boy** · 02-14-2007, 07:30 PM

All of the colors for foilage are not there, also you will end up with a tall, linky,plant that is leaning over to the side. then the steam will break because of the stretching and you will have to start all over!

I Have made that cheap mistake a long time ago.

**Godkas** · 02-14-2007, 07:32 PM

Halogens not only create a lot of heat they Project it my 1000w shop lights would be great but they are 90 degrees from 5 feet away.

**nongreenthumb** · 02-15-2007, 03:44 AM

I've got 3 400w halogen bulbs, thing is though they are in a heater it looks like the sun when you turn it on and the amount of heat matches. If I wanted to smoke my plants as i grew them i would use the halogen if i wanted to let it grow to full height dry it out and then smoke it, I was use other bulbs more designed to grow with and not cook with.

**babygro** · 02-15-2007, 03:53 AM

Originally Posted by scarlette420

ok so i have heard many times not to use halogen, but i havent really heard WHY? so if someone could give me an answer that would be cool. thx.

Tungsten halogen bulbs are much like Incandescent bulbs, they're very inneficient in converting electricity into plant useable light as only about 10-15% of the light they output is in the 'plant useable' spectrum. The majority of their light output is in the far red and infra-red end of the spectrum and this is why they give out much of their electricity input as infra-red heat.

So for a 100w halogen bulb, only about 10-15% of that light output would be useable by plants, for a 100w HPS, typically about 32,33w of that would be useable by the plant. Straight away the HPS is twice to three times more efficient at converting electrical energy into plant useable light, as well as having a 'better and broader' plant useable light spectrum.