How do I know exactly how well CFLs perform?

My grow "area" is equipped with 4 CFLs that put out the equiv. of 100 watts each. So far they've worked great, but hear is my question:

Does using 4x100 watts = 400 watts?

How does this math work, please and thank you?

so its actually 23 watts per bulb

straw said:

so its actually 23 watts per bulb

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Yes, but what effect does combining multiple bulbs have?

What hes sayin is a 100w flouro dosent actually use 100 watts its just equivalent to a standard 100W bulb.
23x4=92W total.

danksmoker77 said:

What hes sayin is a 100w flouro dosent actually use 100 watts its just equivalent to a standard 100W bulb.
23x4=92W total.

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I should probably rephrase...

If each bulb puts out 1600 lumens, is the total output from all of the bulbs combined 6400, or just still 1600 with more coverage?

6400 lumens you are right its just the watts that are different from what i understand

How big is your grow area ?

Is it enclosed ?

What are you expectations ?

Peace -

golddog said:

How big is your grow area ?

Is it enclosed ?

What are you expectations ?

Peace -

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The theoretical grow area in question is a Rubbermaid clothes hamper (you can imagine the dimensions). The front side is mesh, which would allow me to position a small fan in front angled up to circulate air (so... semi-enclosed).

As far as my expectations, I would have started flowering at 6-7 in because of the spacial restrictions. Right about now she should be stopping around 12-14 inches (I wouldn't have noticed much vertical growth as of late). Hopefully such an indica-dominant plant would produce at least an ounce under the circumstances, but anything like Whiteberry would would be a godsend compared to the shit circulating around here.

dr.sexy.fox said:

My grow "area" is equipped with 4 CFLs that put out the equiv. of 100 watts each. So far they've worked great, but hear is my question:

Does using 4x100 watts = 400 watts?

How does this math work, please and thank you?

Click to expand...

Sorry if any of this is just obvious, or way TMI but I thought I would put it out there ...

Most people refer to CFLs in terms of actual power, and not equivalent. Equivalent only matches the light output of incandescent bulbs ( what they were intended to replace ) relative to the CFL. The actual wattage should be reported on the base of the bulb, where the little ballast is.

True watts is only a measure of power, and indirectly, heat.
Lumens are the measure of total light as perceived by the human eye. It is not a measure of the usable light to a plant. It is cumulative as you use more bulbs - just add them up. Be aware though that the amount of light that your plant gets is a function of your space, distance, reflectivity and spectrum, which are variable. You can say you have so many watts CFL or lumens, but there are other factors that effect how the plant gets the light and what intensity it is.

Efficiency is how many lumens are produced by an amount of power. This changes by bulb type.

23w CFL = 1600 Lumens = Efficiency is 1600/23 or about 70 Lumens per watt. ( good )
600w HPS = 95000 Lumens = Efficiency is about 160 Lumens per watt. ( great )

Watts = Heat :
A 250 W HPS and 250 W total of CFL bulbs will produce the same amount of TOTAL heat, but the HPS will put out quite a bit more light, and the heat will be highly concentrated at the one bulb.

Opinion :
Use at least 40-50 W of CFL per 12" plant with the light well distributed. Of course, more is better.

I wish you much bud

I would say you need to go with the CFL's in the Rubbermaid. Then put in a bunch of CFL's when you go to flower. The HPS light would do a better job on the Buds, but would probably not work well in the clothes hamper.

BTW - I flowered under CFL's. I have now switched to 400w MH/HPS

P.S. - It will work either way, good luck!

dr.sexy.fox said:

Hopefully such an indica-dominant plant would produce at least an ounce under the circumstances

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Yea..... Good luck with that shit homie... Let me know how it works out...

Not trying to be a dick or anything, but expecting to get an OZ off a 12-14 inch plant with 98 watts total..... You've got WAY high hopes!

G/L W/The gro!

Check out my 1st Journal <- click here.

Total take was 84.1 g wet , 23.9 g Bud trimmed and dried. That was from a total of 256 watts, Flouro and CFL.

Peace -

dr.sexy.fox said:

I should probably rephrase...

If each bulb puts out 1600 lumens, is the total output from all of the bulbs combined 6400, or just still 1600 with more coverage?

Click to expand...

Sorry to say, it's the latter - "or just still 1600 with more coverage?". That is exactly right! And it is also the reason why "Lumens" are confusing and a piss-poor measure of light when it comes to growing.

Lumens (the true scientific definition) are a measure of how bright a source of light is, as measured by how bright it appears to the human eye. Lumens do not take into consideration the "wavelength" of the light, which is the ultimate "consideration" for plants. The human eye is most sensetive in the "Green" range of the spectrum - so green light registers high on the "lumen scale". Plants, on the other hand, don't use green light much, at all, so any green light is just wasted on plants! Those lumens are just "thrown away"!

That is why 4 CFL's doesn't create a "brighter" light, it just creates "more" light to cover a larger area.

Now we got some good answers!

And yeah, that one ounce was my best-case scenario/masturbation fantasy. I do know someone who grew the same strain (Whiteberry), finished it around 3 feet, and ended up with somewhere between 2-3 oz.

Thing is, everything else has already worked out 10x better than I thought it would, so I guess I'll just have to see. I mean seriously, it's a f#@%ing clothes hamper!