Home Made Grow Lights

[Penellype]

I didn't have much choice with regard to checking the tubes were suitable - they are described as "white". As I am completely confused by the various descriptions, and as they look the same as the ones in the grow light garden (I agree looks can be deceptive), I decided to take the plunge. This is all experimental as far as I am concerned, and the primary constraint was making something that I was happy would not set the house on fire. It was this or an east facing windowsill, which I think would be hopeless at this time of year. The fittings cost £19.99 each, including the linking connectors - I don't know how much replacement or alternative tubes would be.

[Bill HH]

I might just have a bash at this myself. We have those same lights in our kitchen, i wonder if my wife would miss a couple for a month or so. Are the tubes suitable for grow lights? I presume you have checked. How do the cost of those compare to normal flourescent tubes?

[Penellype]

I've only just put the plants in today (they only germinated last night), so I didn't want to put the lights too close straight away. The beauty of the chains is they give huge flexibility and are easy to adjust.

I've got the timer set from 8am to 6pm at the moment as this is the sort of timing I've used for other seedlings in the grow light garden. I'll probably increase this a bit as the days get longer.

[Bill HH]

Hey thats a first class job, I have no experience of grow lights but all those I have seen seem to be a lot closer to the plants than yours are. What amount of time do you light them and when?

[Penellype]

Probably not saved much money making this, but it does have the advantage of being rather smaller to store than the grow light garden. I'm hopeless at DIY so I am very pleased with this effort, which uses my clothes hanging rack, 2 pieces of 2ft6in timber (which originated as loose slats in my airing cupboard) and 2 1m lengths of plug chain fastened to the top of one of the slats with the sort of eyes you get with net curtain wire and chain repair links. The lights are 2 2ft kitchen under lights available from B&Q along with a 6-way connector block which comes with a 3 pin plug already wired. All the connectors come ready to plug straight in, and I've added a cheap timer. The whole thing is surrounded by pieces of cardboard boxes with 2nd side A4 paper sellotaped on.



Now I just have to find somewhere else to hang my clothes...

[Bill HH]

Redthorn "Put the timer BEFORE the transformer". Here in a nutshell we have a clear indication that I am on the threshold of senile dementia.

Redser. It appears that today I dont do obvious.

[redser]

I think rather than go to that hassle and expense you could look at sowing your winter leaves earlier next year. And try different types, many grow perfectly well in winter light conditions.

[RedThorn]

You get 12vdc timers, however cost is usually loads more....

What about putting the 240v timer before the transformer?

[Bill HH]

Does any one use lights to get plants to maturity in the winter? I have quite a few lettuces in the green house and they seem very lacklustre with the reduced hours of daylight. I feel they would benefit from two periods of supplemted light in the morning and evening to extend their growing time.
A green house is often dripping with water, what steps do people take to avoid problems or does the warmth of the lights evaporate any damp? maybe it all needs running in conduit!
If for safety reasons i went for a 12v systen (transformer indoors, with wires running to GH, what suitable 12v lights would do the job? Is there such a thing as a 12 volt timer like there is for 240v?

[redser]

Worked great. I only use mine for a few weeks to give them a strong early start. Only problem was that the tomatoes were too advanced too early so it was a pain keeping them in the house so long till that cold spring finally broke. I Have a greenhouse now so hopefully I'll get the balance right this year and rely on the lights less. But the strong light makes a great difference to the seedlings, making strong healthy plants later on.

[vikkib]

I have spent all evening reading through this thread, very interesting indeed. But this was way back, so how did you all get on in the end, are you still doing it or intending to do it, were the plants started this way happy to face the great outdoors?

With the cr*ppy spring we had I was soooooooooo pleased to have had mine set up! I think they really helped with the plants that need a good, long, fruiting season like aubergines and chillies.

I only used them to get plants started early so didn't run them the rest of the year and will be doing the same again!

[veggiechicken]

Thanks for reminding me why I have 2 of those light fittings from l!dl
Now just need to get myself organised for next winter

[Bill HH]

I have spent all evening reading through this thread, very interesting indeed. But this was way back, so how did you all get on in the end, are you still doing it or intending to do it, were the plants started this way happy to face the great outdoors?

[Urban]

Should be easy to wire up, bit of three core wire with a plug on the end with something like a 3 amp fuse in there should do it

[veggiechicken]

I bought the last 2 in the store The instructions mean nothing to me but here's a photo of the wiring bit for info!