Intracanopy lighting

[bovice]

Does anyone have experience with intracanopy lighting? I haven't been able to find a whole lot of information on the subject as it pertains to cannabis. Nor have I seen many people using this technique.
Here is a design I have been kicking around for an intracanopy light. The design calls for the use of remote ballasts for the CFLs as seen here Not pictured is the zipties holding the CFL base to the fan grill. I think a light of this type would be useful hanging right below or right above a scrog. I'm not sure as I haven't seen it done.
Parts list is as follows:
120mm case fan - $3 at used computer parts store
120mm fan grill - $0.50 at used computer parts store
42w CFL - $8 home depot (X2)
plywood 1' x 2' - $5 home depot
5" plexi tube = $12 on ebay
1/8" steel threaded rod 24"- $3 local hardwear store (x2)
3/16" steel tube 24" - $3 local hardwear store (x2)
1/8 nuts (10 pk) = $2 local hardwear store
zipties 8" (20 pk) = $3 local hardwear store
Total = $57 per light

 

[fatigues]

Why reinvent the wheel? If your plan is to use a light directly above or below the canopy -why are you not using a 55w Pll to do that? It doesn't need a cool tube provided you keep the base of the light out of the canopy. Far more efficient, far less complicated - and far cheaper, too.

The number of 55w PL-L grows using the light within less than an inch of the plants is ... About every one of the grows where they are used on ICM by the time the flowering period is over.

The 42watt CFL creates too much heat and not enough light. Skip those problems by moving straight to a PLL.

 

[bovice]

I've noticed quite a few people using these on this fourm and I have never been exposed to them before that.

 

[fatigues]

I've noticed quite a few people using these on this fourm and I have never been exposed to them before that.

PLLs are not available in Home Depot or Wal-Mart and are available in commercial/industrial lighting supply stores or via online ordering only (1000bulbs.com does a brisk business in them it would seem). About the only place you will see them for sale directed at ordinary consumers at the retail level is in aquarium shops (where they tend to be overpriced).

PLLs have, however, developed a significant following on ICM. While they will never supplant HIDs for larger grows, for those looking to light personal grow cabinets they are ideal, supplying twice the light of a T5HO over half the distance (they are, essentially, a T5HO bent back on itself) with very few heat issues.

About the largest problem with them is that reflectors for them are hard to find and are available online only from two places serving aquarium enthusiasts and film/tv production. There are a lot of DIY reflector designs for them as a consequence.

 

[jay-toker]

.

 

[frankenstein2]

Hang those cfl's bare vertically next to your scrog. Just like ole' uncle fishstick. Fuck all that complicated building shit and what-not. It works like a dream. As long as the air in the room is circulating like it should the heat from the bulbs wont matter.

 

[bovice]

Hang those cfl's bare vertically next to your scrog. Just like ole' uncle fishstick. Fuck all that complicated building shit and what-not. It works like a dream. As long as the air in the room is circulating like it should the heat from the bulbs wont matter.

I grew with bare CFL's (42 watt bulbs) on my last grow and I had to keep them at least 2.5" from anything I didn't want getting heat stressed/burned. That was with a fan beneath my canopy blowing up beneath the bulbs. Its possible it was just finicky genetics from bag seed. I've seen people on this forum use similar setups with micro-vertical grows to allow their plants to grow up against the plexi (less than 1" from the bulb surface)

Also, I have all of the required materials to make this on hand except for the plexi tube. Seemed like a fun idea to try squeeze as much bud out of my grow cab as possible. I have a hard-on for making things more complex and over-designed than necessary.

 

[bovice]

Correct me if I'm wrong (which could vary well be) isn't the point of a scrog to trim all the lower larf so the plant puts all it's bud producing energy into larger top cola's? Same as lollipoping except with a screen

My understanding of intracanopy lighting is that by leaving the leaves (or at least some of them) in the under canopy and sticking a couple of light sources beneath the scrog allows your plant to soak up more radiation, thus more/bigger buds. That is the theory any way.

 

[bovice]

PLLs are not available in Home Depot or Wal-Mart and are available in commercial/industrial lighting supply stores or via online ordering only (1000bulbs.com does a brisk business in them it would seem). About the only place you will see them for sale directed at ordinary consumers at the retail level is in aquarium shops (where they tend to be overpriced).

PLLs have, however, developed a significant following on ICM. While they will never supplant HIDs for larger grows, for those looking to light personal grow cabinets they are ideal, supplying twice the light of a T5HO over half the distance (they are, essentially, a T5HO bent back on itself) with very few heat issues.

About the largest problem with them is that reflectors for them are hard to find and are available online only from two places serving aquarium enthusiasts and film/tv production. There are a lot of DIY reflector designs for them as a consequence.

What kind of socket do these bulbs fit?

 

[Aotf]

What kind of socket do these bulbs fit?

They are their own socket sometimes listed as 2G-11's [4 pin[other pin variations too, not as predominate]]. PLL is just Phillip's trade name, they really are just bent T5 tubes.

They are great lights and have great spectrum and provide a fair amount of lm/W.

I felt they had drawbacks, by needing ballasts too, usually, especially if you are going 55w's.


As far as intra canopy lighting grows currently, PetFlora is doing an LED bulb/Tube grow, also using some intracanopy lighting and likes their results. [LED forum]

He is using LED Tubes [T8 i think], which can be bought at a Home Depot/Lowe's/ Menard's/ etc. although they usually replace t8/t12's, although there might be some new LED tubes out for T5 fixtures, doubtful for Pll's though.


I am contemplating using LED COB strip lights I found dirt cheap and mount them to 1 1/4" Aluminum Bars. Vertical intra -canopy.

Driving them @ 12v yields about 1400 lumens for about 12w's each [Safe even for these cheaper diodes]. Very non-intrusive, but a lil' tech heavy.

4 chips =[2]5000k / [2]3050K

 

[bovice]

They are their own socket sometimes listed as 2G-11's [4 pin[other pin variations too, not as predominate]]. PLL is just Phillip's trade name, they really are just bent T5 tubes.

They are great lights and have great spectrum and provide a fair amount of lm/W.

I felt they had drawbacks, by needing ballasts too, usually, especially if you are going 55w's.


As far as intra canopy lighting grows currently, PetFlora is doing an LED bulb/Tube grow, also using some intracanopy lighting and likes their results. [LED forum]

He is using LED Tubes [T8 i think], which can be bought at a Home Depot/Lowe's/ Menard's/ etc. although they usually replace t8/t12's, although there might be some new LED tubes out for T5 fixtures, doubtful for Pll's though.


I am contemplating using LED COB strip lights I found dirt cheap and mount them to 1 1/4" Aluminum Bars. Vertical intra -canopy.

Driving them @ 12v yields about 1400 lumens for about 12w's each [Safe even for these cheaper diodes]. Very non-intrusive, but a lil' tech heavy.

4 chips =[2]5000k / [2]3050K

Thanks for the info! I had played with the idea of making my own LED grow light but decided to go with some Blackstars instead. I also played with the idea of making intacanopy LED arrays but decided my CFL design would be a little simpler. The images may not reflect it, but its a pretty simple design for 80w worth of juice.

I live in a hot climate so I feel the extra ventilation over the bulbs is necessary to keep from cooking my ladies tender parts. I was thinking of hanging them vertically between my plants, or horizontally under the scrog and mainline my plants around them.

 

[frankenstein2]

I grew with bare CFL's (42 watt bulbs) on my last grow and I had to keep them at least 2.5" from anything I didn't want getting heat stressed/burned. That was with a fan beneath my canopy blowing up beneath the bulbs. Its possible it was just finicky genetics from bag seed. I've seen people on this forum use similar setups with micro-vertical grows to allow their plants to grow up against the plexi (less than 1" from the bulb surface)

Also, I have all of the required materials to make this on hand except for the plexi tube. Seemed like a fun idea to try squeeze as much bud out of my grow cab as possible. I have a hard-on for making things more complex and over-designed than necessary.

I grow with cfl's too. The thread is called- ssh x sssdh The search for a super haze. Check it out. I have bare cfl's an inch away from nugs with no burn, and no fan for each bulb. Just a six inch exhaust and intake. Works like a dream, without losing any light intensity or grow space.

 

[bovice]

I grow with cfl's too. The thread is called- ssh x sssdh The search for a super haze. Check it out. I have bare cfl's an inch away from nugs with no burn, and no fan for each bulb. Just a six inch exhaust and intake. Works like a dream, without losing any light intensity or grow space.

I'm not sure why my plants are so touchy when it comes to heat. I grow with some good bag seed I created a bunch of feminized seeds from. (unsure of the strain but the nug it came in was quite nice) Luckly I haven't had any trouble with herming.

My space typically doesn't get above 75 but if i place my bulbs too close my leaves start curling and she looks stressed. :|

 

[bovice]

Also, great plants! I like that LED light.