In doubt about installing multiple CFLs

I just have a very stupid question guys. Let's say I have 3 or 4 CFLs in the grow tent, and they are all split across the tent to provide light equally on every side of the plant. How do I turn these bulbs ON, what do I connect them to? I want them to be stand-alone because I'm only starting with 1 bulb and I'll upgrade accordingly. Sorry for the mess, but I've never dealth with electrical installations.

What type of CFL's? regular or mogul socket?
Mogul socket are for CFL's above 75 watts.
regular socket CFL's are under 65 watts.

I use 3 125w (6400k) CFL's on the sides and three 150w (2700k) CFL's on top. Total 825w for flowering.

It's not very efficient compared to HPS or LED but it's my first grow, ill upgrade later.

Alright, but you still haven't answered my question xD How are these sockets called? Give me a link or something.

There are different types of CFL's. Mogul size, Regular size. For moguls you buy either a "mogul plug and cord" or a "mogul reflecting lamp". For regular CFL's you just need a standard lamp.

With CFL's you just screw the bulb into the appropriate lamp; you do not need a ballast.

I use this and this.

justataylor said:

I just have a very stupid question guys. Let's say I have 3 or 4 CFLs in the grow tent, and they are all split across the tent to provide light equally on every side of the plant. How do I turn these bulbs ON, what do I connect them to? I want them to be stand-alone because I'm only starting with 1 bulb and I'll upgrade accordingly. Sorry for the mess, but I've never dealth with electrical installations.

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What you do is buy some sockets, if you don't already have them, and wire them in parallel to a wire with a plug on it. Plug that into a timer and plug the timer into a power bar with a circuit breaker in it. I guess you said you wanted them to be standalone, so put a separate plug on each one and plug them into a power bar which is plugged into a timer. Make sure it's a good digital timer with 3 pronged outlet on it.

BobCajun said:

What you do is buy some sockets, if you don't already have them, and wire them in parallel to a wire with a plug on it. Plug that into a timer and plug the timer into a power bar with a circuit breaker in it. I guess you said you wanted them to be standalone, so put a separate plug on each one and plug them into a power bar which is plugged into a timer. Make sure it's a good digital timer with 3 pronged outlet on it.

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Omg sorry I don't really understand these names, english isn't my first language. Could you provide me with some links to everything I need please? Thank you.

justataylor said:

Omg sorry I don't really understand these names, english isn't my first language. Could you provide me with some links to everything I need please? Thank you.

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You know what a lamp socket is, right? The thing you screw a bulb into. You just go to a hardware store like Home Depot and find some nice sockets that you think would work well with your growing space. Then you wire the sockets to a wire with a plug on it. I don't know where you can buy such wires. I just cut them off of some appliance that I don't use anymore. For the bulbs I would recommend 23w soft white, which would be around 2700k on the label.

Here's the CFL tutorial page. You can find information there if you haven't read it yet. Here's what lamp sockets look like. Here's power cords. These are the power bars I mentioned. You use these to connect the wires. Screw them onto the twisted together ends of the wires.

I would just wait and invest in some LED's, I've got a 600w panel and I haven't looked back to the old CFL days!