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Wiring TG11 Socket Remote CFL lamps

H

Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
Squeeky said:
When wiring remotely what gauge wire should one use. The workhorse ballast leads are 18awg, however the pins on the lamp are roughly 12awg. I plan on buying stranded wire in order to mount the wire easier.

What gauge wires should I use, I will be connecting lamps to ballast with Euro wire terminals so I have to get the right gauge for those as well. I would assume 12awg would be find but would like a 2nd opinion. They will be mounted roughly 4-5 feet from the ballast.
Click to expand...

These are questions I have along this line myself.....


1) What is the maximum distance you can run a lamp (Or all lamps) from the ballast?

2) Can you use Stranded wire?

3) What guage is best for 55w lamps?

If anyone can help with these, I'm all ears!
 
S

Squeeky

Member
the ballast create heat therefore mounting at a distance keeps temps down greatly.

I wired last night using euro terminals which work great. I will warn though its a very tight fit. I had to bend the strip a little to get the 4pins to line up. basically 1.79 a piece if you cut the terminal into thirds. This was nice due to no separate order for sockets and available almost everywhere.

I used 18awg as that's what the ballast used at 4 ft seems to work great. I have not built a reflector yet. I want to build something too house three bulbs but still let air through to cool.
 
N

niacinamide

Member
Great thread Hydro-Soil. I only wish I came across it before buying a pack of traditional spiral CFL bulbs. One small correction: the proper name for the socket is 2G11 not TG11.
 
H

Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
niacinamide said:
Great thread Hydro-Soil. I only wish I came across it before buying a pack of traditional spiral CFL bulbs. One small correction: the proper name for the socket is 2G11 not TG11.
Click to expand...
LOL

Yeah Me! :woohoo:

Gotta get a typo in there somewhere. I wonder how long I've been mistyping that.
 
D

down2grow

Member
hydro,

I dont know if I missed it or if I'm just tired bro, but you use full spectrum (5000-5500k) for flowering or just veggin or both?

Thanks,
D2G
 
H

Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
down2grow said:
hydro,

I dont know if I missed it or if I'm just tired bro, but you use full spectrum (5000-5500k) for flowering or just veggin or both?

Thanks,
D2G
Click to expand...

I'm trying out the 5600Ks for vegging right now. Seem to be doing just peachy :)
After reading up on more of what Knna has to say on the subject I'll most likely be sticking with the 4100K lamps for vegging when the max lumens per watt count. Right now it's not a big deal as it's just me mums hanging around to throw the occasional cut. :)

I flower with the 3000K lamps. :)
 
D

down2grow

Member
Hydro-Soil said:
I'm trying out the 5600Ks for vegging right now. Seem to be doing just peachy :)
After reading up on more of what Knna has to say on the subject I'll most likely be sticking with the 4100K lamps for vegging when the max lumens per watt count. Right now it's not a big deal as it's just me mums hanging around to throw the occasional cut. :)

I flower with the 3000K lamps. :)
Click to expand...

hydro, thanks for clarifying that up.. when I make my cab I'm definitely going to look into these PL-L's for sure.. D2G
 
F

fsaebud

Member
hi i am new to the forum but have found a UV PL-L if there was someone who wanted to experiment with it (http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=PL-L55W.TUV) its UV-C i don't know how much different that is from UV-B that people have talked about it must be a different spectrum

edit: just found this article so its probably not useful for us in less we consider THC to be a UV absorbing compound which i think it plays a role in but have not studied it much. (http://www.doaj.org/doaj?func=abstract&id=315916)

i found a source locally for my lights to my surprise and will be picking up some of the 3000k spectrum this coming week for my new cab. they also have the workhorse's for cheaper than 1000bulbs when you cost in shipping but i didn't know that before i ordered one.
 
H

Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
fsaebud said:
hi i am new to the forum but have found a UV PL-L if there was someone who wanted to experiment with it (http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=PL-L55W.TUV) its UV-C i don't know how much different that is from UV-B that people have talked about it must be a different spectrum

edit: just found this article so its probably not useful for us in less we consider THC to be a UV absorbing compound which i think it plays a role in but have not studied it much. (http://www.doaj.org/doaj?func=abstract&id=315916)

i found a source locally for my lights to my surprise and will be picking up some of the 3000k spectrum this coming week for my new cab. they also have the workhorse's for cheaper than 1000bulbs when you cost in shipping but i didn't know that before i ordered one.
Click to expand...


Sweet find. I wonder when they'll come out with 55w UV-B lamps? I can't recall offhand what UV-C does to cannabis but I'd rather read up a bit first. :)

Congrats on finding the ballast locally. Was it a chain shop or lighting store or something? Details, details! :)
 
F

fsaebud

Member
yea i figured as much after reading a couple more articles. to bad its not a UV-B just need that spectrum a little higher. they use UV-C for cleaning algae out of ponds so i assume it would kill other plant mater as well.

the store i found locally is in GA and is that same website i posted with the UV-C they are only based in atlanta i would assume. but i am sure if you are located near a major city there should be a light specialty store that would carry 2G11 Stuff.

does anyone know about these Fire horse emergency ballast by fulham (http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Browse.asp?category=B-Fulham+Firehorse) and how long there back up last? i could always go in and talk to one of the people who works there and see what kind of back up it has. would be nice to have incase power went out and i didnt have a server back up
 
charlesweedmore

charlesweedmore

Member
i did 4 X 55w pll reflector .
but PLL lamps are not cold,they are hot! ( osram pll 55 watt )
what is the optiömum distsance between seelingd and lamps ?
i'll use this lamps ( 4 X 55 watt 6500K PL-L lamps) for first 15 days from seeds.
i need advice of PLL users.

thanks
 
H

Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
charlesweedmore said:
i did 4 X 55w pll reflector .
but PLL lamps are not cold,they are hot! ( osram pll 55 watt )
what is the optiömum distsance between seelingd and lamps ?
i'll use this lamps ( 4 X 55 watt 6500K PL-L lamps) for first 15 days from seeds.
i need advice of PLL users.

thanks
Click to expand...

Hey Charles, check your airflow and increase it. Though the lamps should run a little hot at first, the only part that stays hot after a few weeks is where the lamps enter the base. The first couple inches there get too hot to touch.

The rest can be easily cooled with a bit of airflow. I'd keep them about 6" away from your seedlings until you see them start to stretch and then drop them down to around 3-4". Always make sure your ventilation is keeping a flow of air across the lamps.
 
S

Squeeky

Member
just an FYI, 1000bulbs will no longer be carrying the sockets after they sell out. Had 23 in stock as of 20min ago. They are now 2.20 a piece, not bad but flat rate shipping of 9.98 kills it. I found an international site that sells them for much less with higher shipping. I can get 19 for just over 10 dollars shipping. Would anyone be interested in a few as I only need 8. I would probably sell for 3 a piece with actual shipping cost which would be like 2-4 dollars as oppose to 9.98.
 
sugabear_II

sugabear_II

Active member
Veteran
nice DIY - I remember seeing these bulbs in setups for aquiriums a few years back with a reflector - maybe ebay - I remember thinking these would be nice as they have very high output in terms of lumens. neways thank you much for showing how to set these up remotely - I assume with the electronic ballast the whole rig is silent - i.e. no ballast hum
 
H

Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
Hey Squeeky, Gonna have to pass on that, I'll be picking up lamps later, sorry.

sugabear_II said:
nice DIY - I remember seeing these bulbs in setups for aquiriums a few years back with a reflector - maybe ebay - I remember thinking these would be nice as they have very high output in terms of lumens. neways thank you much for showing how to set these up remotely - I assume with the electronic ballast the whole rig is silent - i.e. no ballast hum
Click to expand...

Totally silent. Neither the lamps nor the ballast hum or make any noise.
 
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