Can you use Red and Blue (6500k 3000k) in same cfl fixture?

ItsDave

Member
Hi i was wondering if you can use both red and blue (6500k and 3000k) bulbs in the same fixture? and if so is there a certain way it needs to be done?

I saw a video of the testing of a quantum badboy t5 8 lamp fixture, in which they had 4 red on one side and four blue on other side. 2red+2red / 2Blue+2blue
but this reflector looked like it had two small ballasts inside it. and i wasnt sure if thats why it was done half and half.
Or if you could put them in say every other bulb? every two bulbs? 2r+2b+2r+2B or 1r,1b,1r,1b,etc so i wasnt sure if other fixtures could run both bulb types at the same time or not.
 

Dick Moser

Active Member
as long as they are the ame wattage there wouldnt be a problem at all, and if you are talkinga bout the banks lights (2' 4' 4 or 8 set tubes) then i have done it to add sup lighting when i wasnt using for somthing else, but mine had two sets of one off switches (making me think it ad two ballasts) and i would run the 24 watt reds in the middle four and 54 watt blue on the outer 2blue 4 red 2blue. and that just keeps it at a level electrical pull so as not to burn out bulbs at an accelerated rate. if you are usingfor veg i can honestly see no reason you would want to use red and if you are using to bloom i hope its only as supplemntary light. if you are talking about cfl single sockets then i wouldnt suggest mixing them on the same fixture at all, but if using tubes go for it but be wary of shortened life spans.
 

tokingtiger

Well-Known Member
i have both in a 2 bulb fixture, i dont know about going 50/50 though? i do know i have read lots about having some 5k-6500 in the budding room but i only use about 1/8 of the off spectrum.. and for prev poster.. im giving that picture a rep bump. sweet :+)
 

ItsDave

Member
Yeah was talking 4-8 lamp or even 2-16 lamp t5 fixtures. such as sun blaze 6 bulb or quantum bad boy 8 bulb fixture.
And Yes it would be just for bloom sup lighting.
like could i just use one 6500k bulb in a 2,4,8 fixture? or sets of two? or one at each end sounds like it would work.
Thanks for the reply.
 

Dick Moser

Active Member
as i stated not so clearly before, if they are not the same WATTAGE then at the very least it would affect the pull off the ballast and because its run on a closed circuit at the very least i would expect it to effect the life of your light negatively but im sure it wouldn't hurt the lumen or spectrum, hope that answered it completely.
 
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