Power Strip CFL Fixture

I saw a number of grows using these power strip CFL fixture for VERY successful micro and slightly larger personal use grows. One of the usually less than mentioned bonuses of these power strip fixtures is you can customize like crazy!! (if you're a DIY nut like myself, that means fun) Say a lone branch started growing towards a light... no big deal, hop over a socket in the fixture. Got a dark corner? Put a higher wattage CFL in the socket nearest. Just a lot of options, and i like that.

So all in all, they seem pretty cool and I am in need of a light solution for my AG cabinet (link in sig). So off I went to pick up some bits and pieces to get a pair of these knocked out!

First let me introduce you to your new best friends...


The setup I'm going with is more targeted at flowering, hence the big 2700k bulbs and the smaller 6500k.


I'm using both, because from research I discovered that with CFL you want a slightly bigger spectrum than with HID. Something about the efficiency of the bulbs and the way the light dissipates and this and that... not the point we're building a fixture. Just my two cents, if you're going to do a Vegetative lighting rig, go with bigger 6500k and maybe no 2700k at all... I veg'd CFL with only the 6500k and did just fine!

Moving right along...

these are a bit of a pain to find, so a heads up, skip the home improvement retailers and head straight to Wal-Mart haha. I hate to promote the evil beast, but dammit they had the shit I needed!!!

So pretty simple from here, plug in the adapters, screw in the bulbs, hook up to your timer! That's all... hope this gives some anxious to get going growers some ideas beyond expensive HID lighting. It's cheaper than you think to get started!




Shack

Just awesome! Thats exactly what I was looking for. Didn't know I could do it so ez and cheap! Thanks a ton, peace!

glad you dig it my friend. easier than you think to get started... was about 70 bucks (but i also bought 12 socket adapters hoping to maybe fit every socket, and only used 8, could have saved like 6 bucks getting JUST what i needed)

Wow! I think that just totally changed my mind on my little VEG box. Thanx a million. +rep

May use something like that for my tent. Ive already got all the supplies. Those light plugin adapters are easy to find at Lowes/Home Depot. Every time ive went they have had plenty.

Just you need to find a way to secure them, when hung upside down, they have a chance of falling out.

AH HA! something i've been meaning to add to all of this! ZIP TIES!!! they are your best friend... loop them around the base of the CFL, where spiral meets ballast, around the back of the strip, and trim excess zip tie... BAM secured!

KayAreOEnnEyeSee said:

Wow! I think that just totally changed my mind on my little VEG box. Thanx a million. +rep

Click to expand...

if you want a cool veg box, and flowering chamber, AND want to use a fixture like this...

Dopewear's PC Case Grow

very inspirational micro grow, he just harvested... not sure if he's smoked it yet.
definitely read it through.. AND!!!

MY AeroGarden Grow

just finished the cabinet for it, trying to decide where to mount fixtures... might wait till flower and add them then, AG hood seems to work...

anyhow, check the threads, cruise around, TONS of cool cabinet ideas out there...

lastly...
Wolfman Zen's Stealth Cabinet
THE stealth cab grow to read


Shack

it looks like your 42w lights are broke
there not all lite up check out my grow and till me what you thick of my cfl setup
trust you will like

That 5hit said:

it looks like your 42w lights are broke
there not all lite up check out my grow and till me what you thick of my cfl setup
trust you will like

Click to expand...

yeah they looked that way... then i flipped them on and off a few times..haha, they work now! haha i don't know if thats a good or bad thing. i'm not too concerned, as small as the cab is i'm using them for, and thats there for of them.. i dont think it will be an issue if they have a few bad days in the cab.

growing isn't science, it's an art... take it as it comes (yeah it kinda is science too i guess)

i had some lights go out on me the same way and i threw them out if i wouldev known that you could just flick them on and off..........

i might just be lucky. or... the herb could be clouding my memory haha. but i'm pretty sure they cleared up on their own, maybe not screwed in securely, i swear they went to working quickly after. haha


Shack

next time i will play around with them and see what happens

i came up with this... this is another way to do lights if u like to get creative.....

diy cfl lights

https://www.rollitup.org/117244-diy-cfl-fixture.html

I also did something about what you did, but changed it a bit.

Being lazy so dont want to take any pictures, but hopefully the ones attached will do justice.

Basically used to Y splitters, and put a single light in the middle. That way I can drop it really low on the plant, and the ones on Y splitters are right beside it. Of course that will only matter when its small, but still liking the design.

how much heat do those put off? I've got a veg cab w/ a 4 -24" t5 fixture but was thinking of adding some cfls for mother storage. Just cant take much more heat.

do you use these lights to flower?

thats pretty cool. i have something like that!

hey i kno you guys all love zip ties but if you look there should be screw holes on the back (at least mine does) all you have to do is take a small piece of wood ( a survey stick works great) thats strong enough to support your lights , put two scews in it and leave them a few turns out so it has room to slip you power strip in place, then put two eyehole hooks on the back and hang that bad boy up lol

mrduke said:

how much heat do those put off? I've got a veg cab w/ a 4 -24" t5 fixture but was thinking of adding some cfls for mother storage. Just cant take much more heat.

Click to expand...

hmmph.. no experience with T-5 so i couldn't tell how much "hotter" it would be by comparison. i will say this, without proper ventilation, CFL can easily get your temps up to 85. if you have a place for hot air to escape, and cooler fresh air to come in you should be alright. especially if your using powered fans to exhaust and/or intake

hedrickmonster said:

do you use these lights to flower?

Click to expand...

i had intended on using them to flower, check the stealth cab guide in my signature, you can see the lights i went with. the 4-42W remained the same, the smaller bulbs were replaced 4-23W micro spiral CFL. going a more full on flowering light temp.. closer to 2300 or 2500K. i moved the 42W to the far end, and have the micro spiral in the middle sockets.

kho20 said:

hey i kno you guys all love zip ties but if you look there should be screw holes on the back (at least mine does) all you have to do is take a small piece of wood ( a survey stick works great) thats strong enough to support your lights , put two scews in it and leave them a few turns out so it has room to slip you power strip in place, then put two eyehole hooks on the back and hang that bad boy up lol

Click to expand...

thats a VERY clever idea..

i had considered something like that, but i wanted the bulbs to face horizontally to the plants. more light output that way, as the side of the spiral not the top has a higher output to see what i'm talking again refer to the DIY link in my signature for its final resting place.


Shack



the fixture on the left, is how they BOTH look now.

that looks like it ll work as a refelctor too

easy fix tho for the side ,mount one on each side of the board and move the eye hooks to the side of the board or you could also put a hook on the end and have a vertical one also

and i was actually lookin at your grow box earlier i like the use of the car windshield thing for reflection