# 16,000 lumens of CFLs v. HPS (cost comparison)



## booradley (Jul 27, 2007)

If you are buying CFLs, it is cheaper to buy many lower wattage than few larger. 

At 1000bulbs.com a 55 watt CFL costs $16 each and offers 3600 lumens so you'll need five to get 18,000 (I know, it's more than 16,000) lumens and ideally you will need one set for veg and another for bloom. That's $160 before you even buy the sockets and/or reflectors. I have found clip on, plug in reflectors suitable for CFL for about $5 each. So that's another $25 dollars. So for a complete set of CFLs for veg and bloom you will end up spending $185 plus you will need to buy replacement bulbs every year, more or less.

The 23 watt bulbs that everyone seems to use cost $2.70 each at the same site but give off 1600 lumens so you will need 10 to reach 16,000 lumens at a cost of $27. So for a full set of veg and bloom, you would spend $54 but you'll need twice as many sockets/reflectors so that is another $50. So that is a total of $104 to reach 16,000 lumens and again, you'll need to replace your bulbs every year.

You can buy a 150 watt HPS which gives off 16,000 lumens for $95 at htgsupply.com. You'll need a flange ($7 at the same site) and duct (about $20 at most hardware stores). for a total of $122. However, you'll only need to replace one bulb each year for $10.

55 watt CFL set up: $185 plus $160 per year in replacement bulbs.
23 watt CFL set up: $104 plus $54 per year in replacement bulbs
150 HPS set up: $122 plus $10 per year in replacement bulb.

Now I know you can buy CFLs in smaller quantities and can make do with a mix of spectrums so you don't have to buy 2 full sets and you can probably shop around to find lower prices on everything here, and many of you can find things around your house such as sockets, reflectors and even bulbs, but this is a pretty good example of the over all costs of CFLs v. HPS. Sure for many of you, cost isnt' the only factor in going with CFLs, but I just wanted to show that CFLs are not really that much cheaper in the end!

Hope this is useful to someone! I will add the price of t-5s soon as well.


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## Mutt (Jul 27, 2007)

e-conolight (link) has 150W HPS flood for 40 bucks with bulb.


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## booradley (Jul 27, 2007)

Mutt said:
			
		

> e-conolight (link) has 150W HPS flood for 40 bucks with bulb.


 
Knew it wouldn't take long for someone to come up with lower prices. Anyway, what do you need to do to those lights at your link to use them? How close are they to plug and pla... er grow? That bit about "a qualified electrician should do all the work" in the instructions sort of scared me off of DIY hps lamps.


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## LaserKittensGoPewPew (Jul 27, 2007)

Not to mention dealing with the heat that CFLs put out. And this is where everyone will jump up and say that fluoros don't put out heat. Wrong. When you cluster that many together you will have more heat build up than you would with a single HPS. 

I bought a 600w HPS with digital ballast, a very nice hood, and enhanced spectrum bulb for $300 which included $50 for shipping from HTGsupply.


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## DLtoker (Jul 27, 2007)

The day I go back to HIDs is when I can buy/find a water cooled hood for it.  Now those things work wonders for indoor gardening I hear :aok:.


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## Mutt (Jul 27, 2007)

booradley said:
			
		

> Knew it wouldn't take long for someone to come up with lower prices. Anyway, what do you need to do to those lights at your link to use them? How close are they to plug and pla... er grow? That bit about "a qualified electrician should do all the work" in the instructions sort of scared me off of DIY hps lamps.



It's not that hard. Patience, lil research and basic wiring knowldge is all to make em remote. but if you don't want all of that...just a standard grounded plug (5 bucks at homedeopt) some wire nuts and elec tape and they are plug in ready. The reason they say "qualified electrician" under the IRC (international building code) you MUST be a liscensed and bonded electrician to install them...so thus there "don't blame us if you install it wrong" policy. they are meant for outdoor bad weather and crap. indoor ha...safe no worse than the enclosed ballast systems for 125 bucks+


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## 3patas (Jul 27, 2007)

booradley said:
			
		

> If you are buying CFLs, it is cheaper to buy many lower wattage than few larger.
> 
> At 1000bulbs.com a 55 watt CFL costs $16 each and offers 3600 lumens so you'll need five to get 18,000 (I know, it's more than 16,000) lumens and ideally you will need one set for veg and another for bloom. That's $160 before you even buy the sockets and/or reflectors. I have found clip on, plug in reflectors suitable for CFL for about $5 each. So that's another $25 dollars. So for a complete set of CFLs for veg and bloom you will end up spending $185 plus you will need to buy replacement bulbs every year, more or less.
> 
> ...


 well my friend i am a cfl grower and I dont agree with you and  i am goin to proof you wrong the problem that you have is that you thinking little look I have 5 fix 4 feet long each fix with a cost of $8.00 each 8x5=$40.00 and 10 tubes of 3000 lumens each tube for $3.00 each 10x3=$30.00 for a total of $70.00 all you will produce 30000 lumens plus you have the advantage of having your lights closer to your plants since they produce less heat and you harly will have a heat signature on any passin helipcopter if you know what i mean


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## A.K. (Jul 27, 2007)

do you think i could buy that 150w hps light open it and take out everything and wire the ballast outside of my grow room?


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## Mutt (Jul 27, 2007)

yes you most certainly can, just do your research and don't be all baked when you do it. safety first when dealing with 150W.


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## A.K. (Jul 27, 2007)

Mutt said:
			
		

> yes you most certainly can, just do your research and don't be all baked when you do it. safety first when dealing with 150W.



true,
cool i think i will do that and i am firmiliar with wiring things so i think it should be no problem


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## LaserKittensGoPewPew (Jul 28, 2007)

DLtoker said:
			
		

> The day I go back to HIDs is when I can buy/find a water cooled hood for it. Now those things work wonders for indoor gardening I hear :aok:.


 
I actually came across a website that was selling water cooled HID systems. I'll try to find it again. The bulb was basically incased within another case that was filled with cooled water from a resevoir similar to a computer cooling system. I'll see if I can find the site again.


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## booradley (Jul 28, 2007)

3patas said:
			
		

> well my friend i am a cfl grower and I dont agree with you and i am goin to proof you wrong the problem that you have is that you thinking little look I have 5 fix 4 feet long each fix with a cost of $8.00 each 8x5=$40.00 and 10 tubes of 3000 lumens each tube for $3.00 each 10x3=$30.00 for a total of $70.00 all you will produce 30000 lumens plus you have the advantage of having your lights closer to your plants since they produce less heat and you harly will have a heat signature on any passin helipcopter if you know what i mean


 
You're using something like this right? 
http://www.refrigeration-equipment.com/shop/files/images/thumbnails/t_16154.jpg

If so, those aren't CFLs ...  And I am not trying to prove anything, just showing a cost comparison between the two. This isn't my opinion. This is how much most places charge.


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## Stoney Bud (Jul 28, 2007)

Here's some data that may interest all of you.

Keep in mind that even among the manufacturers, statistics differ.

These numbers are general, but show clearly that when lumens per/watt are a consideration, HPS lighting is by far the most efficient:


Compact Fluorescent

Life span: Up to 10,000 hours   
5&#8211;24 W compact fluorescent 60 lumens per watt
 34 W fluorescent tube (T12) 50 lumens per watt
 32 W fluorescent tube (T8) 60 lumens per watt
 36 W fluorescent tube (T8) 93 lumens per watt
 28 W fluorescent tube (T5) 104 lumens per watt

Fluorescent (tubular)

Life span: 10,000 - 20,000 hours 
Efficiency: 100 lumens per watt 

Metal Halide

Life span: 6,000 - 10,000 hours   
Efficiency: 125 lumens per watt 

High Pressure Sodium

Life span: 18,000 - 24,000 hours   
Efficiency: 140 lumens per watt


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## booradley (Jul 28, 2007)

That's why I did a lumen for lumen comparison rather than watt for watt.


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## Mutt (Jul 28, 2007)

I posted this in another thread hope its useful to someone.
http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Documents/SO2 Spectral.htm


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## jcolvv89 (Jul 29, 2007)

Question

Would this http://www.e-conolight.com/Product/EProductDetail.asp?ProductFamilyID=3&FGNumber=E-HC1H151Z

be to big for a 1.6ft by 4ft high box??


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## Mutt (Jul 29, 2007)

Is that 1.6' X 1.6' or is it total 1.6' sq.ft.?


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## jcolvv89 (Jul 29, 2007)

1.6' wide all around....and 4' high


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## Stoney Bud (Jul 29, 2007)

jcolvv89 said:
			
		

> Question
> 
> Would this http://www.e-conolight.com/Product/EProductDetail.asp?ProductFamilyID=3&FGNumber=E-HC1H151Z
> 
> be to big for a 1.6ft by 4ft high box??


 

The light you've shown is overkill for such a small area and it has an enclosed ballast that would heat your area up as well.

The cost of your chosen light would be less than this one, but you may find that the heat put out by the 150 would be too much for your area.

3711 Lumens per/sq ft. would be supplied by this light. That would be enough for a very good grow in the amount of space you have. It would also help keep the heat down in that small of an area. You'd still need some sort of ventilation.

Here's the link to it:
100 W HPS


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## Mutt (Jul 30, 2007)

If I were you man, that 100W light is 105 bucks that stoney showed. either go with that or make a bigger box. that is tight for a plant. you only @ 2.5 sq.ft. 4 sq.ft. and the 150W @ 40 bucks you would be much happier. thats 60 bucks cheaper and 50 more watts...you do the math. 60 bucks can make you a much bigger box and a couple of fans. IMHO


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## Stoney Bud (Jul 30, 2007)

Mutt said:
			
		

> 60 bucks can make you a much bigger box and a couple of fans. IMHO


 
I couldn't agree more. Instead of trying to make the MJ grow in a shoebox, build yourself a real grow area and grow it right.

4 ft tall isn't enough room to do the job right.


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## Brussels (Jul 31, 2007)

One 65 watt cfl with 4200 lumens (65 lumens per watt) is $24.95... a 95 watt cfl with 8900 lumens (94 lumens per watt) is $50.54... a 125 watt cfl with 9500 lumens (76 lumens per watt) 52.00 on ebay. 200 watt cfl's are out there, but I've never used them... 

I just found all these on google...B


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## Cook_ (Aug 9, 2007)

By what ive seen in most grows with CFL it really doesnt matter ive used a 25watt and 13 watt for my veg ands its doing great bout 2 months and its 2 feet tall in my hydro system. and i still dont see the cost for electricity


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