Lighting Few T5 questions.

[Sauce]

So I have a T5, 2x4 8 bulbs. I was doing some reading, and some one said that you need a ballast for a T5? Is that true, if so why?

My next question is a lot of people are talking about the watts on their t5 bulbs. I just bought a few new bulbs and wanted to know if they will be good to use or I should get better ones.

SunBlaster
6400k
54W
5022 lumens
CRI(Dont know what that is): 81

And

SunBlaster
2700k
48W
5255 lumens
CIR:81

They are T5HO

If you think these are no good please let me know, maybe link to me or guide me to some better ones or some stuff to read.

Thanks.

 

[BillyMadison]

So I have a T5, 2x4 8 bulbs. I was doing some reading, and some one said that you need a ballast for a T5? Is that true, if so why?

My next question is a lot of people are talking about the watts on their t5 bulbs. I just bought a few new bulbs and wanted to know if they will be good to use or I should get better ones.

SunBlaster
6400k
54W
5022 lumens
CRI(Dont know what that is): 81

And

SunBlaster
2700k
48W
5255 lumens
CIR:81

They are T5HO

If you think these are no good please let me know, maybe link to me or guide me to some better ones or some stuff to read.

Thanks.

If you received a unit and bulbs then you would mostly likely plug and play if you know what I mean. Ballast are built in.

Bulbs should be fine...mix the spectrum up a bit..

- - - Updated - - -

http://https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=207042

Experienced t5 growers...

- - - Updated - - -

AFN's cfl and t5 manual http://https://www.autoflower.org/f101/t5-cfl-only-thread-manual-2321.html

 

[az2000]

So I have a T5, 2x4 8 bulbs. I was doing some reading, and some one said that you need a ballast for a T5? Is that true, if so why?

Unlike an incadescent bulb which draws a specific amount of watts, a fluorescent is driven by the ballast to a specific wattage.

My next question is a lot of people are talking about the watts on their t5 bulbs. I just bought a few new bulbs and wanted to know if they will be good to use or I should get better ones.

When buying tubes, keep in mind that there is a difference between T5 and T5HO. What you mentioned (54w and 48" long) is T5HO. You don't want to buy T5 tubes which are 28w (at 48" long).

There are also T5VHO tubes available which are about 85 watts. I believe they need their own ballast for that wattage. (I don't think too many people use this. I haven't seen it around.).

My first grows were with T5HO. They worked well in veg, but in flower they didn't seem to penetrate very well. I'm trying LED now, but may continue to veg using T5HO. I'm in a hot climate and the LEDs produce less heat. So, in the summer that may cause me to use LED for veg.

I've read that T5 tubes grow dimmer with more hours of use. Even if the tube still works, it may not put out the same lumens as when it was new. There is an Android app named "beeCam LightMeter" which you can use to measure the lux (the amount of light falling on an area, unlike lumens which is the amount of light emitted from a light source.). You could measure LUX at 2-3 different distances and keep a record of that. Over time, check it again to see if the light is diminishing.

 

[BillyMadison]

Unlike an incadescent bulb which draws a specific amount of watts, a fluorescent is driven by the ballast to a specific wattage.



When buying tubes, keep in mind that there is a difference between T5 and T5HO. What you mentioned (54w and 48" long) is T5HO. You don't want to buy T5 tubes which are 28w (at 48" long).

There are also T5VHO tubes available which are about 85 watts. I believe they need their own ballast for that wattage. (I don't think too many people use this. I haven't seen it around.).

My first grows were with T5HO. They worked well in veg, but in flower they didn't seem to penetrate very well. I'm trying LED now, but may continue to veg using T5HO. I'm in a hot climate and the LEDs produce less heat. So, in the summer that may cause me to use LED for veg.

I've read that T5 tubes grow dimmer with more hours of use. Even if the tube still works, it may not put out the same lumens as when it was new. There is an Android app named "beeCam LightMeter" which you can use to measure the lux (the amount of light falling on an area, unlike lumens which is the amount of light emitted from a light source.). You could measure LUX at 2-3 different distances and keep a record of that. Over time, check it again to see if the light is diminishing.

I was wondering about that 54w and 48w.

Bulbs come free when you buy most t5ho grow lights op.

I don't know what I can and can't recommend via lighting.

Az2000 has some sound advice.

 

[az2000]

I was wondering about that 54w and 48w.

I didn't understand that either. I thought all 48-inch T5HO tubes were 54w. I assume it was a typo (OP was thinking 48 inch?). If they really are 48w, the OP could contact the seller or manufacturer for an explanation.

To the OP, you asked about CRI. That's Color Rendering Index:

"A lamp’s Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measure of the ability of a light source to reproduce the color of various objects faithfully in comparison with an ideal light source. Colors, under a lamp’s light, will appear as they would in natural daylight the closer the CRI is to 100. Standard, High Lumen and Low Power Lumenus T5 lamps have a CRI ranging from 82 to 86. Lumiversal also manufactures High CRI T5 lamps producing a CRI of approximately 93. Studies have shown that lamps with high CRI indices are associated with a positive boost in worker productivity, improved safety and increased retail sales."
-- http://lumiversal.net/products/lamps

I don't think it impacts growing because it's about how our human eyes perceive light. Much of that light is in the green spectrum which plants can't use. LEDs tuned to the spectrum used by plants make it almost impossible to see the true color of those plants. (I think that's part of why LEDs are more heat/energy efficient. You don't waste electricity generating lightwaves the plant can't see.).

 

[Muddy]

From http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightinganswers/lat5/pc1a.asp. T5 lamps are available for standard output and high output. The wattages for standard T5 lamps are 14, 21, 28, and 35 watts. The high-output T5 (T5 HO) lamps are available in 24, 39, 54, and 80 watts (49-watt T5 HO lamps are also available from GE Lighting). Table 1-2 summarizes the features of the standard T5 and T5 HO lamps available in the United States. A four-foot long, 54-watt version that delivers 5,000 lumens is popular in the United States. The high light output allows fewer luminaires to achieve the same illuminance levels as when using other fluorescent lamps. As Table 1-2 shows, however, T5 HO lamps are slightly less efficacious than standard T5 lamps.

There are also VHO bulbs available at 95 watts and XHO at 110 watts but these require a ballast rated to handle the higher wattages. They won't work in a standard T5HO fixture. I'm considering some of the XHOs and have been talking directly to the manufacturer. They draw 2 watts per bulb so only 8 bulbs can be run off a 20 amp circuit without overloading it. So power restrictions may put me off of them.

 

[Sauce]

Sorry was up for way too many hours lol. Nice catch, I re-looked it was a typo. Both are 54W.

Thank you guys very much for all the information. I got the T5 along with an xtreme ebba and gro(yeah its flo), for 100$. Thanks for the links I will read them for sure. And thanks for all your input.

 

[Sauce]

Unlike an incadescent bulb which draws a specific amount of watts, a fluorescent is driven by the ballast to a specific wattage.



When buying tubes, keep in mind that there is a difference between T5 and T5HO. What you mentioned (54w and 48" long) is T5HO. You don't want to buy T5 tubes which are 28w (at 48" long).

There are also T5VHO tubes available which are about 85 watts. I believe they need their own ballast for that wattage. (I don't think too many people use this. I haven't seen it around.).

My first grows were with T5HO. They worked well in veg, but in flower they didn't seem to penetrate very well. I'm trying LED now, but may continue to veg using T5HO. I'm in a hot climate and the LEDs produce less heat. So, in the summer that may cause me to use LED for veg.

I've read that T5 tubes grow dimmer with more hours of use. Even if the tube still works, it may not put out the same lumens as when it was new. There is an Android app named "beeCam LightMeter" which you can use to measure the lux (the amount of light falling on an area, unlike lumens which is the amount of light emitted from a light source.). You could measure LUX at 2-3 different distances and keep a record of that. Over time, check it again to see if the light is diminishing.

Thank you for the app, ill look more into that. Do LEDs penetrate better? Just wondering, you said you was using LED for flowering, how are you liking it?

If you received a unit and bulbs then you would mostly likely plug and play if you know what I mean. Ballast are built in.

Bulbs should be fine...mix the spectrum up a bit..

- - - Updated - - -

http://https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=207042

Experienced t5 growers...

- - - Updated - - -

AFN's cfl and t5 manual http://https://www.autoflower.org/f101/t5-cfl-only-thread-manual-2321.html

Im still reading over a lot of that. I have read that some people mix it up during all stages. But I read mix things about it. IE some like to run all 6400k during veg then mix it up during flowering. Sometimes you read so much and it kidna confuses you LOL.

Also, I did buy this off a guy, not from a shop or any thing. So I was wanting to change out the bulbs, because I also read before that over time bulbs start to go a bit dimmer.

From http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightinganswers/lat5/pc1a.asp. T5 lamps are available for standard output and high output. The wattages for standard T5 lamps are 14, 21, 28, and 35 watts. The high-output T5 (T5 HO) lamps are available in 24, 39, 54, and 80 watts (49-watt T5 HO lamps are also available from GE Lighting). Table 1-2 summarizes the features of the standard T5 and T5 HO lamps available in the United States. A four-foot long, 54-watt version that delivers 5,000 lumens is popular in the United States. The high light output allows fewer luminaires to achieve the same illuminance levels as when using other fluorescent lamps. As Table 1-2 shows, however, T5 HO lamps are slightly less efficacious than standard T5 lamps.

There are also VHO bulbs available at 95 watts and XHO at 110 watts but these require a ballast rated to handle the higher wattages. They won't work in a standard T5HO fixture. I'm considering some of the XHOs and have been talking directly to the manufacturer. They draw 2 watts per bulb so only 8 bulbs can be run off a 20 amp circuit without overloading it. So power restrictions may put me off of them.

I only search a small bit for that XHO, one place said 60% more light... I will need to read more on that ( was just one site). If you do happen to buy them, I would love to read a review from you about that. Ill do more research as well on them, if thats true it seems pretty interesting.

 

[Muddy]

I only search a small bit for that XHO, one place said 60% more light... I will need to read more on that ( was just one site). If you do happen to buy them, I would love to read a review from you about that. Ill do more research as well on them, if thats true it seems pretty interesting.

To my knowledge this is the only company making the XHOs. They developed them and wholesale them to hydro shops. http://www.ncwgs.com/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=1637. The price they show is MSRP. Plantlightinghydroponics is selling them for $204 for the 4 bulb fixtures.

 

[Sauce]

Wonder how they compare vs HID and LED.