What CFL light is best for growing?

If you’re just starting out, the best CFL grow light on the market is the Agrobrite 2′, 4-Tube T5 Fixture. It comes with four 2″ long T5 bulbs in the 6500K range – perfect for getting plants through the vegetative phase of the growth cycle.

Are CFL lights good for growing?

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a good source of supplemental light for growing plants in low-light conditions or for providing extra light to increase the day length and encourage blooming.

What is better CFL or LED for growing?

CFL systems are great for small spaces, small budgets, or for starting your plants. LED systems give better results than CFL but less results than HID; they produce much less heat, but come at a higher price tag. You can see all of our hydroponic grow light options here!

Can I use a CFL bulb in any fixture?

Compact fluorescent light bulbs may generally be used in enclosed fixtures as long as the enclosed fixture is not recessed. Totally enclosed recessed fixtures (for example, a ceiling can light with a cover over the bulb) create temperatures that are too high to allow the use of a compact fluorescent bulb.

How many CFL lights do I need for one plant?

The easiest to use is the square foot. When using CFL bulbs to grow a plant with a high light requirement (like cannabis), you want a minimum of 60 watts per square foot. Ideally, you want 100 watts per square foot. And it doesn’t hurt to go higher (though there’s not much point going over 150w).

How high should my CFL be from my plant?

12″
In general, you’ll want to hang your light no more than 12″ away from your plants. – Remember: after 12″ fluorescent lighting loses its power, so make sure you don’t raise it any more than 12″ above your canopy otherwise your plants aren’t getting light energy.

Do CFL bulbs get hot?

Test 1: Heat And not just for fire hazards. Incandescent and CFL bulbs get so hot because most of their energy is being released as heat, not light, making them much more ineffeicient. Proprietary tests show 100W incandescent lights burning at 335.4 F, CFL lights burning at 179.2 F and LED bulbs burning at 87.2 F.

Can I put a 100 watt CFL in a 60 watt socket?

For a 60-Watt fixture, you could use a 100W, 125W, or even 150W LED equivalent because they all consume under 60-Watts! That means you could use a 150W LED equivalent bulb in a 60W socket and get more than three times the brightness of your old 60-Watt incandescent bulb.

Can you use a 23w CFL in a 60W socket?

Yes, you can use a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb that produces more light as long as it doesn’t exceed the wattage recommended for the fixture. A CFL bulb that produces the same amount of light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb (900 lumens) only uses around 15 watts of electricity.

How do you tell if grow light is too close?

The first signs look like thin outlines on the outside of the leaves, so if you catch this quickly you will have a chance to avoid further damage. If some of the leaves start curling up, it might also be a sign that the plant is too close to the light. Good ventilation usually also helps with this issue.

What are the disadvantages of CFL light bulbs?

Disadvantages of CFL Light Bulbs Because CFLs are so much more complex than incandescent bulbs they are prone to more errors. Research has shown that lower grade CFLs are much more susceptible to dimming than higher quality bulbs.

What are the risks of CFL light bulbs?

Sounds good-until you realize that CFL bulbs contain mercury, and mercury poses a significant cancer risk. A new study shows that CFL bulbs also emit high levels of ultraviolet radiation-specifically, UVC and UVA rays. In fact, the UV rays are so strong that they can actually burn skin and skin cells.

How does a CFL produce light?

Compact fluorescent bulbs are made of glass tubes filled with gas and a small amount of mercury. CFLs produce light when the mercury molecules are excited by electricity running between two electrodes in the base of the bulb. The mercury emits ultraviolet light, which in turn excites the tube’s phosphor coating, leading it to emit visible light.

What does CFL stand for in bulb?

CFL stands for Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. How do Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs work? Unlike incandescent bulbs which use a filament, Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs give off light when a mixture of three phosphors are exposed to ultraviolet light from mercury atoms.