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  • #21
With those flourex fixtures, how did you wire them? I can only find them with not plug, so I had to try to wire on a plug myself. For some reason, maybe I just was unlucky, none of them worked really well. Also possible I stink as an electrician....
But if you could detail your process, that would be awsome. Those fixtures are only about $30 at my local home depot (when I can get the ones that don't have broken bulbs).
 
  • #22
Hey Tom that looks really awesome! I can't wait til my highland plants are making nice sized pitchers again, my lamps badly need replacing and finally I've got some money so I'll be doing that this weekend. The Aristo x Thor picture is just so inspirational!

Scholaty, what was the problem when you wired them? As long as you put positive to positive and negative to negative and put a twist cap on the connection (little plastic cones that can be twisted down over two connected wires) then you should be fine. Just plug that baby into a timer and let 'er rip! if you're concerned about water getting in there you can cover the cap with electrical tape, but don't just use electrical tape to shield your connections though-get some of those caps.
 
  • #23
Oh, one other thing on the fluorex lights: most of them have a light sensor on them, to turn on automatically at night. You have to put a piece of tape over the light sensor so it will go on during the day. At least mine were like that. Took me 15 minutes of aggravation to figure out why mine weren't turning on.

I also love these lights. They're cheap, bright, and small.

Capslock
 
  • #24
Great plants, and great photos! Well done!
 
  • #25
...sorry, but I was unable to check this site until today:

The Griffin:  As Schloaty mentioned, they're around $30.

Schloaty:  I was also unable to find the fixture with a plug (however, the last time I checked the Lights of America website, the same fixture was available WITH and without a plug).  In any case, I generally don't mess around with re-wiring things, but Swords informed me about how he wired his lights.  I purchased an extension cord with a plug at one end, and two bare wires at the other...make sure the extension cord is heavy enough (Amps-wise).   Connect the wires as Swords mentioned, and put the twist caps on.  Protect the connection with electrical tape, or a connection box.

As far as the sensor goes, my lights came with dark plugs than can be placed over the sensor so that the lights will be on during daylight hours.  But as Capslock mentioned, a piece of tape would work just as well.

Tom
 
  • #26
Swords/Tom,
There were various problems I had. I think that they are all from faulty merchandice, though. Some fixtures came with broken bulbs (no wiring issues there!), and even the fixtures that worked didn't work for long. Wiring them was no trouble. However, they all stopped working after various amounts of time. None of them lasted longer than 3 days. And, after getting them to on the first time, I would have to smack or shake them to go back on the second time. I may have just been the victim of a shipment of lousy balasts. Who knows? Maybe I'll give it another whorl.

I'll definately check out the lights of america website and see if I can find the plug in variety.
 
  • #27
You know, the penny dropped on this. I actually have two of these from eBay. one without a plug, one with. I will have to read this thread from the beginnign when ihave more time.
What is the distance range on these puppies? Does a 500 Watt cover as much as a metal halide of similar wattage?

Thanks,

Joe
 
  • #28
Aha! Found out the ones with plugs are "work lights" while the ones without are "floodlights." Some fixture with a different mount. Heading to Home Depot tonight (gotta go, anyway) to see if they have them.
 
  • #29
Schloaty,

See if there is a adapter or something for the floodlight type, so it can be used as a plug in.

Thanks,


Joe

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  • #30
The only place I've found the preplugged worklight Flourex fixtures is Walmart (and yes, I've had to look for an unbroken one)! They ,must be shipped quite badly. The replacement bulbs are harder to find. If you have a Menards hardware store then you may find them there but not all of the Menards carry the replacement bulbs. In Minnesota only the Menards in Apple Valley carries them.

Griffin these don't cover the same area as a big MH bulb. The 65W flourex have a lumen output of about 8500 (which is real good but a 400W MH bulb delivers much more). You can shine these down about 2-3 feet for well lit area of about 18" x 18". Use a few next to each other for a wider growing area but Anything taller than about 36" then you'll need more intense light like a MH fixture - which are actually real cheap nowadays if you buy the unassembled remote balast kits which only take a little while to assemble and save yourself a couple hundred $$. It's the cost of running them that is most prohibitive. However, 400W of metal halide and 400W of power compact lighting is still 400 watts of electricity.

The "500 Watts" tag line for the Flourex bulbs is a bit misleading. I believe what they mean is that these bulbs have the same lumen output of 5 x 100 watt incandescents but the fixture only used 65 watts. BTW: I've seen these same prewired workights being sold as hydroponic lights on Ebay for five times the price when labeled as "worklight" so be sure and comparison shop!
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  • #31
Guilty. I got gouged from eBay, from what i have seen here. live and learn.

Joe
 
  • #32
...yes...These lights are pretty strong...and give a good amount light for a distance of approx. 36". I keep plants like N. bicalcarata right under these lights with no problem. I made the mistake of putting N. campanulata too close...the leaves were burned and the delicate lids of the campanulata pitchers were singed right off. I have since moved the plant approx 36" away which seems perfect...so be careful with delicate species.

Tom
 
  • #33
Josh,
My Home Depot sells the replacement bulbs, so that's not the problem. It's finding them in working order. Sounds like I really am not as bad an electrician as I thought. But after nine (yes, NINE) failures, I figured they couldn't be packed that badly.
Well, at least they don't give me any grief for returning merchandice. I guess I should just keep trying.
 
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