Lighting Few T5 questions.

[BillyMadison]

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.

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?



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.



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.

"Munch..munch..munch muddy is full of pearls!! haha

OP LED's do penetrate better then T5's (HO) ... They are also placed a lot higher above the canopy vs common flouroscent's.

Check out the grow northern light journals for hard proof of success, those LED's work great!

https://www.autoflower.org/f109/

 

[az2000]

Do LEDs penetrate better? Just wondering, you said you was using LED for flowering, how are you liking it?

I'm not very experienced, but I've read they penetrate better than t5.

If you're new to growing, I think t5s are a better choice. Grow a shorter, bushier indica strain. Penetration won't matter as much with a shorter plant. Where I noticed t5s were inadequate during flower was my photosensitives. When they stretched to about twice the height of my autoflower the lack of penetration was extremely noticeable. I still got decent bud. Wasn't a complete waste or anything. But, a lot of larfy popcron buds down lower.

OTOH: my first autoflower did very well under t5. I had 4 tubes on top, 2 tubes angled at 45-degrees in the back, and 2 ordinary household CFLs (30-40 watt?) on the sides. I added those CFLs midway through flower.

You'll do fine with your t5s. LEDs bring some additional challenges. As mentioned earlier, the color balance can mask things like fading/yellowing leaf color. You're bound to see it sooner under t5 than LED (unless you deliberately switch normal lights on every time you look at your plants).

And, with CFL you can feel the emitted heat on the back of your hand. You can judge what your plant feels. I kept my tubes (after the initial week or two of slow, seedling development) 2-4 inches from the plant. LEDs can light burn the plant if too close. That's hard to figure out without getting too close a time or two.

Finally, I see many people say they started having more (or more severe) calmag problems using LED. I'm now struggling with a magnesium deficiency in autoflower I grew from seedling under LED. I'm reluctant to blame the LED because I got careless and stopped measuring the ph of my runoff when I thought I had my process perfected. (I discovered my soil is extremely acidic. I don't think the LED caused that. But, it may make the resulting plant symptoms worse.).

Don't sweat it. Start growing. When you can, pick up a round "UFO" LED in the 90-135w range and use it to augment your t5. I think that would be a good way to orient yourself to LEDs.