4' floro in a 3' space

[blackfin]

i found some two, 2 bulb 4' floros (t-12), and two, 4 bulb 4' floros in the garage of the house i bought (bulbs in the fixture were 40 watt). i've been using cfl for veg, but it's a pain in the ass to adjust all of them for different plant height. i saw these floros when we first bought the house but assumed that they didn't work. well today i plugged them in and wola light.

the problem is that my box is only 3' in lenght i was wondering if i could shorten the fixture to 3' and just buy 3' bulbs for them. i think it would work i've read something about people "over ballasting" their bulbs. or maybe shorten to 2' if it has to be an even division.

i have some experience in electrical in that i wired my speed controler, thermostat, and ran a 20 amp line from the breaker box to the grow chamber.

to night i'll grab a 3' tube to try it out, got to go to sleep now to get ready to work a night shift. i'll check for feed back when i get up, and while i'm at work. (i work in a hotel so the night shift isn't that busy)

thank you for your suggestions and feedback,
blackfin

 

[blackfin]

well it works, this is great, no more making little adjustments, and fooling around with wires. i barowed a 3' floro tube from work, it was only 30 watts so i'll have to see if i can find three footers with a higher wattage on-line or at the store. now all i have to do is cut the metal fixtures to the right lenght.

the lights are going into a 6ft2 area so if i put 4-30watt bulbs in there it will give me 20w/ft2. there are also two more fixtures in the rafters of the garage that hold 4 bulbs each. i'll have to get them down too, to see what will work better, and to see weather they are 4' or 6'.

thank you i'll report back with my findings

 

[blackfin]

now i let the 3' bulbs run alittle longer and they were starting to get a little warm after 20mins or so.

is there anyone out there that has tried or knows somebody how has done this or thinks it shouldn't be done. or knows the principals behind florescent ballasts and the extent in which they can be pushed

thank you,
blackfin

 

[Guest]

I know I am a tight ass and like to save money any and every way I can, but the coast of a ballast is not that much, so I would just go buy the proper ballast for the 3 ft bulb's.

Now if you are 6ft long, then maybe go with the 4ft bulb's as you have the ballast's, yes you are 2 ft short, but then that is also enough room for 2ft bulb's and you could put those at the end, but you will need to be 6ft and a few inch's long on inside lenght.

I wonder what the VHO flurescent bulb's use in wattage?
Then not sure if they are in the 3 ft length's.

Have a great day and grow safe.

realhigh.