LED bulbs are cheap. For a start make a reflector out of cardboard, tape and aluminum foil/ white card stock. You are wasting half your light.
No cardboard - it is too flammable for lights![]()
I don't think so, if you can put your hand on it and hold it there it is not going to ignite. Especially not the 15W and 20W cfl's. And a little airspace between the bulb and the cardboard will do wonders but even if these touch it will be a non-issue.
Its just good grow advice not to use flamable stuff near any lights and electrics, theres no chance of anything in my house causing fire yet every single appliance has been responsible for one somewhere in the world and hence the ongoing logical fire safety advice.
Id also say tin foil is useless in a grow tent too except as a light shade/reflector and then only the shiny side![]()
The question is how close is near, how flammable the material is and what the ignition source is. It is dangerous mixing water and electricity but I doubt anybody would mention not to water when the lights are on. Yesterday I overheard a nurse telling a patient not to use petroleum jelly on their lips when using their oxygen tank. Something I would not have thought of but makes sense. As far as cellulose material around a light bulb socket with the bulb in, the electricity will not be jumping out to ignite the cardboard. As far as the heat off the said bulbs is concerned there is not enough to cause a change in the cardboard.
I would not suggest using cardboard with an actual 100W light bulb but then again it all depends on distance. I have white card stock as reflectors in my grow area right now but they are not touching the Led strips and the strips are long enough that the 160W being dissipated is 86 degrees on the surface I am not worried about the cardboard. It is just a question of common sense. But seeing that common sense is getting rarer every day I guess we have to put warning signs on coffee cups that there could be hot coffee in them.
Plenty of light for now and a little longer. Make a reflector and get y adapters. 100 watts per square foot is good with cfl with a plant thats older than seedling..atleast three weeks old. Keep close within three inches if you can. I used to exclusively grow cflWhat is the minimum watts needed for one plant?
I have 3 cfls
2-20watts
1-15 watts
For now
What is the minimum watts needed for one plant?
I have 3 cfls
2-20watts
1-15 watts
For now
If we promote one thing for one reason others will misconstrue the application and before you know it some one hangs cardboard on their ceiling which falls on a 1000w light and bingo you have fire.
We have witnessed all sorts here leading to the simple rule not to construct stuff out of cardboard![]()
All my cardboard is used on my car, got a cardboard bodykit, +100 hp lolIf we promote one thing for one reason others will misconstrue the application and before you know it some one hangs cardboard on their ceiling which falls on a 1000w light and bingo you have fire.
We have witnessed all sorts here leading to the simple rule not to construct stuff out of cardboard![]()
Then the cardboard box for a grow chamber as suggested in the Budget Grow thread might not be for all eyes. May have to put an adult warning sign on it.
Suprisingly it wouldnt be the first cardboard box grow tent we have had here....