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

headseed

Active member
anyone know if I could run a 36w pll off of a 42w cfl ballast?
SD are you meaning to disassemble a 42 CFL spiral bulb and use its ballast? There was a thread here somewhere where someone remote ballasted spiral CFLs for a PC or micro dresser grow, but I can't find it.

Physically I'm sure you could make the connections. Electrically I will defer to someone more knowledgeable than myself. Better safe than sorry with that stuff.
 

Anti

Sorcerer's Apprentice
Veteran
I'd be willing to bet it could be done but it seems a lot of work and effort and risk just to save $20 bucks.

(And I am NOT well off and I do NOT earn a dime from my grows.)
 

Buuudy

New member
I pretty much looked through this whole thread and did not see any scrogs with pll's. Im about to harvest my first pll grow and the plant has always looked healthy but Im guessing it will only be about an 1/8 or two. Im thinking the light could have been closer. But, I want to try a scrog next time. Any threads on here with a pll scrog? I could not find any.
 

oldone

Member
Hi Buuudy,
I pretty much looked through this whole thread and did not see any scrogs with pll's. Im about to harvest my first pll grow and the plant has always looked healthy but Im guessing it will only be about an 1/8 or two. Im thinking the light could have been closer. But, I want to try a scrog next time. Any threads on here with a pll scrog? I could not find any.
Check it out:

1 plant, scrogged, 220w PLL goodness...

PLLs are made for scrogges,
OO
 

Ted Shred

Member
anyone else having a hard time finding 2700k bulbs in the states? the only sites i find have a 10 bulb min order or they are in Europe. i ordered some from england but they are presently lost in the mail... any help is much appreciated.
 

oldone

Member
Hi Ted,
anyone else having a hard time finding 2700k bulbs in the states? the only sites i find have a 10 bulb min order or they are in Europe. i ordered some from england but they are presently lost in the mail... any help is much appreciated.
I could'nt find them either and had to settle for 3000Ks. They have worked out fine though...

OO
 

rives

Inveterate Tinkerer
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
1000bulbs.com is where I got mine...even went with the cheapy PlusRites. They sell singles as well...

Yep, that's where I got my first batch of lights too. I modified my post above - they carry 2700k and 1000bulbs doesn't. I was pretty happy with the Plusrite lamps that I bought, but I'm interested to see if there is a noticeable difference with the Osram's. The spd charts are really interesting, the Osram 2700k appear to have far more of the blue spectrum and a bit more red in them than the 3000k.
 

rives

Inveterate Tinkerer
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I just got an email today that all compact fluorescents are an extra 10% off at 1000bulbs if you use coupon code 65896 during checkout. Don't know how long it lasts, but it would help cover the shipping.
 

oldone

Member
Yep, that's where I got my first batch of lights too. I modified my post above - they carry 2700k and 1000bulbs doesn't. I was pretty happy with the Plusrite lamps that I bought, but I'm interested to see if there is a noticeable difference with the Osram's. The spd charts are really interesting, the Osram 2700k appear to have far more of the blue spectrum and a bit more red in them than the 3000k.
Sounds good to me. Please let us know how it works out.

Do you have a thread going?

see ya,
OO
 
my pl-l that im ordering comes with the 6400k blue bastards, id assume tighter plants n slightly more resionous buds, im just not sure with the lessoned lumens as im switching from a hps if i might want to get the 3000k ones for yeild, anybody flowering with the blue spec bulbs,, not the 4100k but the 6400k ones and if so what have been your results? thx for the shared wisdom-


actually i have one more question, dam i luv the ic.. bascially i need a computer fan n power supply for said computer fan recomendation. my cab will be 110 pl-l kitchen cabinet bascially, 2.5 ft tallish, 2ft wide, 1ft or so thick, i figure ill need one up top n down on by the bottom or maybe just one up top and a hole in the side by the bottom. thx a ton u guys.
 
Word of Caution


Just want to make sure that nobody missed the safety warnings that should be included with these lamps.

DO NOT expose your eyes to the light from these lamps when you're close up. Avoid spending a lot of time where your head is within a foot and a half of these lamps where you can catch reflections. These lamps are INTENSE and even though it doesn't seem to bother you at first, there is subtle damage being done to your eyes that takes time to build up.

Just like in an HID garden, it's best to have lower wattage CFL's or incandescents to use when you need to be in the garden for more than a minute or two. UV-B protective lens shades are also a great item to have on hand. :D

Stay Safe Everyone!

p.s. I just don't want to hear about 2,500 growers having cataracts or other eye issues in about 10 years.... because someone on the internet suggested PL-L without a warning. :D


great points, thx for posting this, its always a good reminder
 

Ted Shred

Member
Originally Posted by Hydro-Soil View Post
Word of Caution


Just want to make sure that nobody missed the safety warnings that should be included with these lamps.

DO NOT expose your eyes to the light from these lamps when you're close up. Avoid spending a lot of time where your head is within a foot and a half of these lamps where you can catch reflections. These lamps are INTENSE and even though it doesn't seem to bother you at first, there is subtle damage being done to your eyes that takes time to build up.

Just like in an HID garden, it's best to have lower wattage CFL's or incandescents to use when you need to be in the garden for more than a minute or two. UV-B protective lens shades are also a great item to have on hand.

Stay Safe Everyone!

p.s. I just don't want to hear about 2,500 growers having cataracts or other eye issues in about 10 years.... because someone on the internet suggested PL-L without a warning.
yes this is something we should all keep top of mind.

I am about to build a vertical 'wall' of 4 lamps in the center of my space with plants on either side and will definitely have some shades specifically for when gardening.
 

fatigues

Active member
Veteran
At a bare minimum, you should be wearing a decent pair of polarized sunglasses when working anywhere near PL-Ls. I totally agree with this.

But that's just a bare minimum. Better still, you should not be working anywhere near operating PL-Ls when direct exposure to your retina can occur when close up to the lamps. Turn them off and do whatever it is that you have to do - then turn them back on. It's not like you have to wait 10 mins for them to re-ignite.

Treating a number of kick-ass 55w PL-L lamps concentrated into a small area as if they were bathroom mirror lights is silly. Pl-Ls work so well compared to CFL's precisely BECAUSE they are vastly more intense. These lamps are currently the king of the flourescent castle for a reason.

Respect that intensity and don't pretend that intensity does not make them more dangerous to human eyes. These things can damage your vision if you don't reat them with respect. Don't screw around with them.

Turn them off if you need to work near these things. You flick the switch off (or unplug) - do your stuff - and flick it on again (plug it back in).

A few seconds here and there is probably no biggie when you are wearing protective eyewear, but working unshielded near these things for minutes at a time is just STUPID. Don't do it.
 

MeLikesPCs

Member
55Watt PLL Bulb Sources and Brands

55Watt PLL Bulb Sources and Brands

1) Anyone know a site for getting 2700k 55 Watt 4 pin 2G11 PLLs without having to buy a whole case? So far that is the only option I see atlantalightbulbs Alldaylighting

2) What is the difference between Osrams and Eikos beside price? Eikos are a lot cheaper price-wise. I would guess they put out less lumens?

3) Can I still get good results with 3500k and 5400k instead of 2700k and 6500k?

Thank you.
 

oldone

Member
Hi Fatigues,

Are you talking about having the tubes in direct line of sight as apposed to reflections only? My lights are only 30" up from the floor of my cab and when I'm sitting in front of it I cant see the tubes themselves. They are further shielded by the reflectors.

Thanks for the warnings...everyone should take heed,
OO
 

oldone

Member
1) Anyone know a site for getting 2700k 55 Watt 4 pin 2G11 PLLs without having to buy a whole case? So far that is the only option I see atlantalightbulbs Alldaylighting

2) What is the difference between Osrams and Eikos beside price? Eikos are a lot cheaper price-wise. I would guess they put out less lumens?

3) Can I still get good results with 3500k and 5400k instead of 2700k and 6500k?

Thank you.
Hi MeLikesPCs,
I use 1000bulbs.com. Their selection is great and you can order any quantity. I had great success with their Plusrite cheap tubes.

3000k and 4100k worked fine.

Hope this helps,
OO
 
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