Lights from Home Depot

[tgplp]

Which lights would you reccomend to grow tomatoes (seedlings in February and dwarfs in winter) from home depot? Here's a link to their shop lights.

http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fa...atalogId=10053

Thanks guys!!

Taryn

[saltmarsh]

I use this fixture (it didn't have the 6' drop or come with tubes and was on closeout - $20.00). http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fa...atalogId=10053

This is the best timer I've found anywhere. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

With these tubes. Phillips F32 T8/TL865/Plus Alto

Claud

[tgplp]

Got any ideas for the same kinda thing but instead of 4 ft, 2 ft depth? I'll be using it in my mini greenhouse/light shelf, 2.5x1.5x4.5 feet. I already have a two foot grow light shining on the top two shelves, and thought I'd get another for the bottom two shelves to make use of all the growing space. The first flourescent grow light I bought was 64 bucks, and I am looking for a cheaper alternative.

[dipchip2000]

Taryn

The right bulbs are what you need to look for. Lowes has a DAYLIGHT fluoresent tube that has a rating of 6500K color temp. I use them. They work as good or better than a grow light. Last year I bought a case of 10 for less than 20 dollars. Find the bulbs and then get the fixture to put them in, all at lowes. Most any shoplight that holds the 2pin larger fluoresent bulbs will work fine.Fixture will be less than 20 dollars and the bulbs are about 5 dollars a piece or 20 dollars a case of 10.

ron

[semi_lucid]

Its actually a complicated question that would take a real expert to answer definitively.

I'm not an expert, but I'll give it a shot.

To me, energy efficiency would be the first thing to look at. To the best of my knowledge, most of the LED lights that are commercially available put out much less than 100 lumens per watt, and only the very best commercially available LED's are making around 100 lumens per watt.

Most fluorescent's also put out much less than 100 lm/w, but if you choose wisely, you can get close to that mark.

There are lots of differences in the electronic ballasts used. Some are low ballast factor, some are normal BF, and some are high BF. I think you want the high BF, but I'm not sure.

There is also the "power factor" of the ballast. I think you want this to be high.

Then there is the tube type and length. The older T12 tubes are less efficient, so I would be looking at T8's or T5's. I think your choices are better in the 48" length, but you can look at 24" if you want.

There are big differences in the lumens per watt of different tubes.
If you look at the F28T8 800 Series 4 Foot Fluorescent 4100K on the page linked below, you can see its supposed to put out 2725 lumens at 28 watts. That's real close to 100 lm/w.

http://www.buylighting.com/T8-Fluorescent-s/105.htm

So based on all of that, of all the fixtures in the Home Depot link you provided, I would choose the industrial 6 light high bay. The specs list it as having a high ballast factor ballast, and I have read that "Commercial use electronic ballasts are required to have a PF >0.90 but they usually have a PF of 0.98 to 0.99."

So my guess is that fixture would have a better ballast than some of the others.

http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fa...atalogId=10053

They also make that fixture in a 4 tube version, but HD doesn't list it.

http://www.acuitybrandslighting.com/...ts/IBZ_x32.pdf

I was on an electrical contractors forum, and they get pretty rude with each other arguing about fluorescent vs LED. You might post your question over there and see what kind of fight you can get started. (Post a link to your thread if you do.)

http://www.electriciantalk.com/f8/le...rescent-22913/

If all of this is too much information, you can just go pick up a 2 foot fixture, and I'll be quiet.

[semi_lucid]

One other thing. If you want a smaller size fixture you might look at the T5 tubes. They can be very efficient and compact.

If you want to grow some serious tomatoes, you'll have to use enough wattage to do the job. If you don't have enough light, it will effect your results.

Someone told me electricity was only about $.03 per kwh in Washington state. That's cheap. It's about $.09 here.

John

[ContainerTed]

Lowes sells a 4-foot two-bulb T-12 fixture for around $11. They also have a box of 10 Daylight (6500 lumens) bulbs for around $26. I now have 8 of these fixtures and this supports my garden and the 600 or so plants I sell at the flea market.

[tjg911]

this is a complex subject and entire forums are devoted to this discussion. that said, i have repeated said here at tv that if you buy a 4' 2 tube shop light for $8 and the cheapest tubes they sell you will grow excellent plants. i have for several years with excellent results and i'll put my plants up against the fancy smacy setups. stick with t8 or t5 tubes. it's your money you decide but there is no need to buy expensive light fixtures and tubes. all you are doing is growing plants to put out come summer, you are not growing them under lights all year because it doesn't work for tomatoes - when the plants are 2-3' tall the lower leaves don't get the light. this is for seedlings that'll be 18" tall come plant out time.

tom

[semi_lucid]

Tom

I generally agree with your post, I am among those who have done exactly as you said. That is used low cost fixtures and cool white or daylight tubes with good results.

What gets me going on the energy efficiency thing is that she's talking about growing mature plants in the winter. She needs to have a lot of light to do that and energy might become an issue.

I know I over complicate the subject, thats why I ended my post saying she could just go pick up a fixture, and I'll be quiet.

I've been thinking of supplementing winter sunlight in a green house with lights, and that's where my interest comes from. If I put lights in a greenhouse, I wouldn't buy fixtures. I would buy ballasts and tube connectors, and in that case I would put some effort into getting the most efficient setup possible.

It amazes me that the best fluorescents are beating most LED's in efficiency.

John

[tjg911]

Originally Posted by semi_lucid

Tom



What gets me going on the energy efficiency thing is that she's talking about growing mature plants in the winter. She needs to have a lot of light to do that and energy might become an issue.

oh, i thought this was about growing seedlings for transplant in the spring. growing larger plants does require more than shop lights as the taller the plant gets the less light reaches the lower leaves and the distance/strength of the light is an issue.

tom

[beefyboy]

I just found this discussion and have a few words of imput to this. I was using a two bulb shop light from H.D for years and they use T12 bulbs. I went online and bought a new system from best grow lights. I now have the hydrofarm 8 bulb 6400 commercial with T5 bulbs. I was able to grow about a hundred plants which is what I needed but the main difference with this unit versus the typical shoplight was the thickness of trunks on my tomatoes and the growth was amazing. To give you an idea! I took pics as well. I started a Sungold cherry from seed and in 2 weeks and 5 days it was flowering under the growlights at 7 inches tall. No other tomato did this like the Sungold but I was truly amazed. My T12 bulbs would take 8 weeks to get decent sized plants and my new system can go from seed to 8 inch plants in 4 weeks tops.

[semi_lucid]

beefyboy

Can you tell me about how many watts per square foot you had with the T12's and now the T5's?

The T5's may be putting out twice as much light per watt as the T12's did, but you also may have a higher wattage per sq. foot.

John

[beefyboy]

I have no idea about the wattage on either one off hand since I am at my business writing this but the T12's were typical home depot hanging shop lights (4 ft.) and had the grow bulbs in them. And yes the t 5's put out twice as much light but the wattage is also much much higher as well. If you are growing the maximum amount of plants then it is an advantage in my opinion, but if only growing a few tomato plants then I would stick with the T12's. I have a shut off for half the system and run on 4 bulbs so that conserves energy. But these transplants surely resemble trees when growing and they do not bend in the wind when placed outside. My T12's were much thinner and weaker! out of 47 plants I have only lost one to disease this year and that is a record for me here in Florida. But a warning to those wanting T5's!! they run hotter and your seedlings will need more care and a watchful eye. I used the 50 mm jiffies for starting my seeds and they are 3 1/2 inches tall by 1 1/4 inches round, this kept them moister and if I had used the old jiffies that are much smaller, they would have never been able to stay moist if you go to work and then come back to water them in early evening. They will also need transplanting at 3 weeks and I did this in 7 inch glueless peat pots made in France. They are the deepest pot I could find but narrow so I can get many under the grow lights without taking up much needed space.

[beefyboy]

I will check on the wattage John when I get home.

[beefyboy]

54 watts per bulb John. Does that sound right?