CFL Fixtures...suggestions

Ive been browsing the CFL forum quite frequently now and having a great time reading up on everyones grows! I am looking to use some CFLs as supplemental lighting under a 250W in a spare closet.

I was curious what everyone recommends for fixtures for their CFLs. i see alot of splitters in order to have 2 bulbs in one socket, which ive found at home depot. Ive also found a few 3 base vanity fixtures for $10-15, but ive noticed they say a max of 100w. Ive seen a few grows on here with vanity fixtures utilizing splitters as well, so i was curious if i was able to do that with these fixtures....safely

ive also found the bulb sockets with the cheapo alumin reflector as well for about $8, but that will only support 2 bulbs with a splitter.

I guess im just trying to maximize the number of bulbs wihtout buying 5 or 6 different fixtures or cords with sockets.

thanks in advance! appreciate the help!

Get a string light set up , a 50 cortld with sockets every 5 to 10 feet and put splitters on it an blam a full customize able cfl set up for under 50 bucks

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=202022450&R=202022450#.UJrA_sXA8_c

Above is just one example, but the vanity light fixtures I've used before are rated at 100 watts per socket, not for the whole fixture. I've used them for several grows before without any complications. I used two like the one listed above, mounted together and rigged up on chains for adjusting the height. I had a splitter in each socket, and each splitter had a 23 watt bulb and a 42 watt bulb. Worked great.

Thanks for the replies guys!

king: im not sure i follow what youre saying? are you saying get a large extension cord and put sockets in that then split em?

pokes: Thats almost exactly the ones i was looking at. It did say 100w or 100w equivalent, so i was hesitant to put a splitter in wiht 2 bulbs because, essentially with 2 100w equivalents, it would be doubling the rated amount, no? I was thinking of getting a few of those clearance bulbs for 27w $2.15 (5500k) (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100687004/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=100+cfl+true+color&storeId=10051) and a couple 6500ks.

You dont think having a splitter per socket will be too much?

No, I don't believe it would be too much. Just make sure whatever fixture you choose is rated at 100 watts PER SOCKET, and not 100 watts for the entire fixture.

As far as the cfl's go, I think you are confusing actual watts with equivalent watts. A 23 watt cfl uses 23 watts, but is roughly equivalent to a standard 100 watt light bulb. Therefore, you could use a splitter in each socket, and load each splitter with one 23 watt cfl and one 42 watt cfl (65 watts total), and still be well under the rated maximums for the fixture. That's what I had done in the past. 23 and 42 watt cfls tend tend to be efficient, good bang for the buck, relatively easy to find, and didn't max out my fixtures.

Once I moved on to HPS, I reused my fixtures and cfls for veg and for extra lighting during flowering.

thewhitelotus said:

Thanks for the replies guys!

king: im not sure i follow what youre saying? are you saying get a large extension cord and put sockets in that then split em?

You dont think having a splitter per socket will be too much?

Click to expand...

Look up temporary construction string light fixtures...they run between 20 and 100 bucks...its a thick gauge ext cord but instead of having plugins every 5 to 10 feet it will have a light socket... i personally had a ext cord that is 25 feet with plugins every 4 feet, i just picked up plug to socket adapters and am making one that way..if you still dont understand what im talking about ill post pics later

thanks again guys! This is just for additional light, as i already have a 250HPS...gonna use the CFLs to get the bottoms of the girls where light from the HPS doesnt penetrate.

Just got back from the depot and purchased two plug to socket adapters and 2 splitters. gonna plug the sockets in to a two sided extension cord and plug the splitters into those....essentially creating an X pattern with 4 27W 5500k full spectrum CFLs i found at home depot for 2$ a piece in the clearance section. below is a pic of the CFL (these should be decent right?)
View attachment 2402246

Pile on the bulbs till it throws a breaker...then u know u have enough...ha....that's what I did anyway....splitters upon splitters...everything must b split...some two or three times...View attachment 2402257

i saw your picture earlier and was wondering about that! Currently i have an X pattern hovering 2 inches over my seedlings with my 250HPS hovering about 2 feet above those (scared i might burn the seedlings setting it closer)

Less than $10, reflector is a dryer or furnance vent I think.

thanks guys! ended up buying a piece of sheet metal ($6 at the depot) and bending it by hand to essentially create a reflector similar to this(flip it upside down to get the idea): \___/