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PLL Club. (if you don't know, now you know)

Slim Pickens

Well-known member
Veteran
What is the longevity of components on these PLL's ?I would imagine the workhorse ballasts last ok? Is bulb failure an issue?
 
Speaking for fullham workhorse ballasts only, if you keep them below their maximum rated output they will basically last forever.

The bulbs are like any other fluros, as they get older their intensity drops off. You can probably get one or two grows out of a set of bulbs before you notice the output dropping off.
 

yesum

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I have been using my bulbs for 2 years growing non stop. Did not measure lumens or anything but felt that the number of hours they were used was enough to drop the intensity by 10% or more.

I am using the 10,000K Finisher bulbs start to finish. The quality of the smoke has been high. Use a uvb cfl for a couple days too at end of flower.
 

Boleman

Active member
Boleman = Melkor420

Boleman = Melkor420

Ok,

PLL Club. It has been a long time since I have posted here. But I am still building pl-l cabs as well.

I want to show you something NEW and Exciting! Then I will start a new club.

COB LEDs are the future. Ultra low wattage, high output of lumens and low heat resonance!! Check out this pic!

https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=74558&pictureid=1940651
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Blast from the past :) I remember loving my PL-L lamps :)

Are the Meanwell drivers the same as the fulham ballasts?? It's simply an ac/dc converter, no?

Personally, I'm looking at strip led lighting vs cobs. I have some cobs running and I'm just not sold on having a heat sink and fan for each one. heh :) LEDs are definitely awesome tech for growing though. :)
 

CannaRed

Cannabinerd
I brought home a T-Rex Phototron from the dump. It has two pl-l bulbs in it.
I use it for cloning sometimes, or a male chamber.
 

Boleman

Active member
want some?

want some?

if anyone wants some plls let me know. I no longer use them, and have a ton of em!
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
I'd like to see LED plug in replacements, for everyone still rocking the old ballasts. :) I'm picturing 55w plug-in boards about the same length as the lamps, yeah? :D Some LM301B chips and a few crees? :D
 

Dropped Cat

Six Gummi Bears and Some Scotch
Veteran
IM STILL USING 4 X 54W pll


Yup, I have 3 x 55W, been flowering with this rig a few years,
replace the bulbs often enough to seek out an LED retrofit.

picture.php


So far no complaints with quality, but I feel the LED retrofit
may increase yield.
 

yesum

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I stopped using the pll at 10,000K. Went over to LED replacement for pll at 6400K . I am using LED at around 4000K now and the other area at 5000K because I can get more lumens out of these lights. Easier to just use LED but I wish they went higher in Kelvin.

Not sure what I gave up in quality using LED, if anything. I would have to run a side by side using clones.
 

Podenco

Well-known member
I stopped using the pll at 10,000K. Went over to LED replacement for pll at 6400K . I am using LED at around 4000K now and the other area at 5000K because I can get more lumens out of these lights. Easier to just use LED but I wish they went higher in Kelvin.

Not sure what I gave up in quality using LED, if anything. I would have to run a side by side using clones.
Some years ago I had a par meter passing through my house and measured my pll and diy led sets. Led had double the par for half the wattage if I remember correctly. I put all my pll fixtures in a box, for future use. I do use cfl for UV a/b, as there are no good affordable leds for this. Yet.
 
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