Best T5 fixtures

[Stonefree69]

Sorry for the silly question, but where did you guys get the idea that the racehorse ballast is better than the workhorse? I read most of the PLL thread and all that is reccomended is the workhorses...
Are PLL not compatible with the racehorses? or are the racehorses just more efficient for t5s?

For 1 I heard the Racehorse ballast puts out over 20% more light. Not sure if it's because it works better w/tri-phosphor bulbs. Why a PLL would be different as it's mainly a T5 folded and should have similar characteristics.

Looking forward to seeing it. A safer bet is that it is a one man show - calls go into a cell phone voice mail system. Really nothing wrong with that. I run a similar business in a completely different market. It can take me a week to respond to purchase questions, but once you have the customer's money you really need to let them know what's going on. Appears to be a drop shipper anyway. Business looks to be in CA and the fixture shipped from FL. Should be other sources for the same product.

I know Dan from DX Hydro is mainly a one-man show (well his wife helps too). He makes top notch heavy-duty 120/240v timers/controllers for your lights and accessories that you hook up to a main panel or 240v dryer plug. Took a month to get mine but gave me a free upgrade and answered all e-mails. My bro-in-law & his company installed the lighting system for the Grand Canyon skywalk is also impressed (uses Square D breakers and panels exclusively). I'm definitely ordering from him again!

 

[RB56]

Just had a flurry of e-mails with the guy. A little too much of it being my fault for expecting him to do what he said he would for my liking, but I get annoyed pretty easily In any case, he does exist and the fixture should get here tomorrow.

 

[soursmoker]

interesting i wonder what everyone in the PLL thread thinks...

 

[Desert Hydro]

i cant remember the brand of mine but its green and uses fulham racehorse ballasts. its bright as hell and can be daisy chained togeteher which is nice. usually i just plug a fan into it. its from a company in FL, thats all i remember haha. decent price for the quality.

 

[RB56]

i cant remember the brand of mine but its green and uses fulham racehorse ballasts. its bright as hell and can be daisy chained togeteher which is nice. usually i just plug a fan into it. its from a company in FL, thats all i remember haha. decent price for the quality.

Industrial Lighting Products in Sanford? That's where mine was drop shipped from. Came today. Very well packed. Be very interested to get it home and try it out.

 

[Stonefree69]

Industrial Lighting Products in Sanford? That's where mine was drop shipped from. Came today. Very well packed. Be very interested to get it home and try it out.

Yup that's the one I got, getting another to early veg 6 more plants in 5 gal buckets and later 5 gal Igloo coolers. Fluorogrow is a division of Industrial Lighting Products.

 

[RB56]

Pretty nice fixture. Trips the GFI outlet I wanted to use but that seems to be a problem with many ballast driven lights. Good price for plenty of light for a 36""X48" vegging work area.

Good recommendation - thank you.

 

[Stonefree69]

Pretty nice fixture. Trips the GFI outlet I wanted to use but that seems to be a problem with many ballast driven lights. Good price for plenty of light for a 36""X48" vegging work area.

Good recommendation - thank you.

My bro-in-law who's an electrical contractor says all GFCI breakers and outlets are a PITA. They seem to eventually trip no matter what you're using with them. He knows I have a grow room but says just keep GFCIs in the bathroom where they belong, unless it's an absolute necessity.

I use my 8 bulb for about a 20" x 36" vegging area (6 5 gallon buckets) before they go to MH.

 

[RB56]

My bro-in-law who's an electrical contractor says all GFCI breakers and outlets are a PITA. They seem to eventually trip no matter what you're using with them. He knows I have a grow room but says just keep GFCIs in the bathroom where they belong, unless it's an absolute necessity.

I use my 8 bulb for about a 20" x 36" vegging area (6 5 gallon buckets) before they go to MH.

Yeah, thought I was being responsible with outlet. Saved it for "later" I can see adding an 8 tube for vegging and use the 4 for cloning. I just split my room in half so I can do flower and veg at the same time. Super excited and these units seem great for the veg side.

Wonder if the place in Florida sells these direct?

 

[RB56]

Just ordered another 4 ft - 4 bulb fixture from the same source. Was the best deal I could find. Product arrived in about a week but still no tracking number or responses to e-mails. Both lamps are working well. I just like to know what's going on.

 

[watts]

wheres a good place to order those evergreen T5HO ballast, with the racehorse ballast, online?

 

[RB56]

wheres a good place to order those evergreen T5HO ballast, with the racehorse ballast, online?

Place I'm talking about is linked to in the OP.

 

[watts]

Thanks RB. Seems like a great t5 fixture but I find it strange there's no venting on it. Guess a fan will work.

 

[Stonefree69]

Thanks RB. Seems like a great t5 fixture but I find it strange there's no venting on it. Guess a fan will work.

Yeah no venting but these are great T5 fixtures. There's DIY info on the net in installing some fans in a T5 fixture. I just blow across for now with a 9" fan and vent the label side & my plants at the same time (not hit plants directly).

Gonna get another 8 bulb t5 so I'll have about 32" x 48" direct footprint for vegging 6 plants. Past about 4-6 weeks veg from seed they take off like a rocket & I put them in a donut with MH. HID may be more efficient but the T5 light covers/penetrates the young canopy super-efficiently till they get bigger.

 

[Hammerhead]

I have 2 8 bulb units in a SJ 150 tent. I use these for veggin. One unit(hydrofarm comercial) has been running for 2 years the other is new..

 

[RB56]

I'm using 2 4', 4 bulb units over a 40"X40" table. Mothers and propagation. Not going to add any more capacity. No matter how much space I have it's filled to 110%.

 

[cocktail frank]

Home Depot has a 4' 4light t5ho fixture for $90.
not too shabby

Doesn't come with a cord, but that's easy enough to do.
If push comes to shove you could cut an old 3wire ext cord and use that.

 

[RB56]

Lowes has SYLVANIA 6-Pack 54-Watt T5 45.8-in Cool White (4100K) Fluorescent Light for $40. Seemed like a deal to me. Mix em with warm white or daylight, depending on which way you want to go.

 

[Euphoriaholic]

My sunleaves 6 bulb T-5 fixture lasted for over 7 years. It was used everyday on a 18/6.
I now have a Hydrofarm Designer 8 bulb fixture and works well. The reflector on the Hydrofarm fixture is better quality than the Sunleaves. Hope it will last as long.

 

[PetFlora]

I have a BB 8 bulb but as bulbs die I will retrofit it (or another fixture) to accommodate LEDs.

Using 4 x 4ft LED tubes now. Had to retrofit T8 fixtures @ $18/, bulbs came with external drivers

Very excited to explosive pistil development in just 4 days

See my new thread The Next Rage Tube LEDs




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