# Solar Tube Lighting?



## Super Silver Haze (Apr 4, 2009)

I was wondering if anyone has thought about the solar tube type lighting?  it really is a skylight but it uses a reflective duct allowing you to install in any location, and NO HEAT!  oh, it has a dome shaped collector on your roof.  
i pass a showroom frequently that sells them.  they have 30 or 40 domes (diff sizes) on their roof.  they say they install in 2-3 hrs.  i know there are alot of ingenious & creative growers so im just curious if anyone has one.:bong:   

why couldnt you install them on the top & sides of your grow box surrounding your babies with mother natures fnest.  free lighting....no heat.

always thinking

SSH


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## blancolighter (Apr 4, 2009)

Dude, If I wasn't renting, I would have those all over the place, they look stellar. I'm all bummed out every time I pass em at the store and know I cant get em...


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## D3 (Apr 4, 2009)

I have installed several in homes, they do put off a lot of sun light. Quite bright. Thats a good idea. Let us know how it works.


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## donkey942 (Apr 5, 2009)

Brilliant idea should be some specs about the lumens transferred somewhere in a brocher, Im going to look it up in the morning.


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## Super Silver Haze (Apr 9, 2009)

DLM3 said:
			
		

> I have installed several in homes, they do put off a lot of sun light. Quite bright. Thats a good idea. Let us know how it works.


 
i was thinking about using the ducting that is used so i can re-locate my lights out of the grow room.  i wonder how much loss of lumens you would have per foot of ducting?  i cant use the Solar Tubes b/c im renting.

do you know the cost of the ducting?  any knowledge is helpfull

SSH


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## SPEARCHUCKER (Apr 10, 2009)

Super Silver Haze said:
			
		

> do you know the cost of the ducting?  any knowledge is helpfull
> 
> SSH



			 Found that at some place called Dwellsmart just surfing around. The torrent extensions run $149 for 48inch, then down for smaller sizes. Inside extensions go 16 and 24 inches, with a 90degree angled one at 23 inches. They range from $27 to $72.

Looking around, reading about them. They are pretty interesting. I dont know about telling someone, "Yea, just put it up there, and pipe it into this closet."


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## Sir_Tokie (Apr 10, 2009)

Those are pretty cool I would love to have them for my house. Sure would save on lighting bill. As far as for growing I can only see getting 1 harvest per yr just the same as outdoors. Because of the long and short light cycle of the earth. But if you had the room you could get a harvest big enough to last a yr...take care..


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## winstonwolf (Apr 10, 2009)

I'd love to hear more about how this works.


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## blancolighter (Apr 10, 2009)

Well you could suppliment that room with lights to control harvest times, but you would only have to run the light after the sun went down, so it would be a big energy saver...


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## Sir_Tokie (Apr 11, 2009)

True blanco very true...take care..


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## Super Silver Haze (Apr 11, 2009)

i just want to relocate my lighting to eliminate heat.  i found the ducting @ homer-de-pot yesterday.  i dont remember the price though (Short Term Memory Loss :bong: )

i want everything that generates heat moved to the attic.

always thinking
SSH


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## smokeup420 (Apr 11, 2009)

thats cool. i was serching but idk, how much are they?


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## Sinisterhand (Apr 11, 2009)

Very cool idea.


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## Newbud (Apr 11, 2009)

Wow cool, never seen them.
Might consider these for a lighting supplement when i move things to the attic, would be perfect.
Thanx for bringing them to my attention


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## King Bud (Apr 12, 2009)

It will still give off heat.. like when you sit in front of a window on a sunny day.

I've seen some beautifully kitchens that had these.

Cool idea to use it for growing plants though!

edit: Just be careful that no one can see what you're growing


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## Newbud (Apr 12, 2009)

Yeah that kinda crossed my mind, pigs always round here in the chopper


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## Super Silver Haze (Apr 13, 2009)

King Bud said:
			
		

> It will still give off heat.. like when you sit in front of a window on a sunny day.
> 
> I've seen some beautifully kitchens that had these.
> 
> ...


 
how can anyone see in?  Solar Tube's use a mylar-type ducting allowing you to go around corners b/c the light bounces off the inside of the ducting until it exits wherever you place the fixture.  if you did look in one then you probably couldnt make anything out, plus you would block the sunlight you would need to see in.

since i have yet to speak to a salesman i couldnt comment on the heat given off.  as soon as i find out ill post it.

SSH


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## ishnish (Apr 13, 2009)

looks like a great idea for homeowners in sunny locations.
i found this site with a lil FAQ..
hxxp://www.solatube.com/homeowner/faq_general.php

i imagine, you get the setup designed for 500 square ft and route it to a 10x10 or 5x5 area or something like that...


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## patty (Jan 24, 2012)

A solar tube variation has been designed for indoor growing. I find a company that has designed them specially for growing indoors. They have a different lens that provides whats needed to grow.  The Solar Garden Solar Skylight tubes that I'm referring to can be found at tubesolar.net.  It looks to me like this would be awesome.  No electric bill or at least cut in half if your a 24hr grower.  They say the reflective material used will bring in light even in low light or dark days so you could possibly get a pretty long growing day.  I haven't ordered one yet but I'm thinking this could really be something good.


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## GREENIE_420 (Jan 26, 2012)

Yes, good idea, definitley thinking outside the box. I am a roofer with 16yrs. exp. they probably do have a lumens scale. For Newbud, you can't see anything when your standing directly over it, it is some cool stuff, almost mirror like. I save any that is left over and I have looked for just the tubing and could not find it but this was couple years ago. I have not put one in for a while but I beleive, I could be wrong but by the time it gets to your ceiling it may be to weak. I actually thought about having grow area in the attic right before I read NewBuds post. Were you going to the attic anyways? Kinda cool because I think it might work in the attic! or the closer you get to the roof and you still would not have to worry about seeing. I wanna say the lens or cover maybe a factor but they definitley bring in lots of light. If youve never seen one it looks like there is a pretty bright center light in the room. I am also a freelance artist and I have installed one in my studio room, was goona do two but it wasn't neccesary at all. They were around $300-$350 about a year ago. Feel free to ask me any questions I have friends at the supply house


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## GREENIE_420 (Jan 26, 2012)

patty said:
			
		

> A solar tube variation has been designed for indoor growing. I find a company that has designed them specially for growing indoors. They have a different lens that provides whats needed to grow.  The Solar Garden Solar Skylight tubes that I'm referring to can be found at tubesolar.net.  It looks to me like this would be awesome.  No electric bill or at least cut in half if your a 24hr grower.  They say the reflective material used will bring in light even in low light or dark days so you could possibly get a pretty long growing day.  I haven't ordered one yet but I'm thinking this could really be something good.


  Yes that is when you really notice them, how it intensifies the light at dawn or dusk, from another room you will think there is a light on and with the different lens it may be more. anyone whos curious just look through a rifle scope or a quality pair of binocs at dusk when you almost cant see across a distance, it will be 2 or 3 times stronger than that effect. by the way how much$$$


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