Vacation lighting

[Tabbyblack13]

Since I keep the blinds down and the curtain closed when I'm on vacation I need to get some replacement lighting. This will also do as a study for when summer rolls around and I need to keep the curtains close to keep my poor house cooler in 100+ temps.

So what I found for the middle shelf was a 6' long LED strip that came with a remote and the webpage is here. They look like they are really bright and I can control the color of these strips to certain colors. The LEDs in each "light" is actually 4 small LED and each is a different colors. They are red, yellow, blue, and green. Then each light does a varation of color depending on the brightness of each color and the LEDs needed to make that color. For "White' light all for LEDs are used.

The top shelf is a 6000 K daylight florescent bulb in a desk lamp. There is enough room on that shelf for me to add another one to get more light up there.

Also the light is controlled by a timer and there is a surge protector on the lights as well. We get a lot of "dirty power" here and all of my electrons are on surge protectors.

I've added some pics so everyone can see what I am talking about. Do you believe that this is enough lighting for my orchids? If not what else can you recommend short of getting and electrician out here in the boonies to rewire my lights.

[jeremyinsf]

I have a set of those lights too (from Costco in my case) and my take is that while they look bright, I don't think there is actually enough output for orchids. I can't find a lumen spec for them though, it's just an opinion.

Ray sells LED orchid lights that go into a standard fixture. Maybe that's a good way to go?

Here is a link:
LED Vivarium/Grow Lamp $29.00 Lighting First Rays LLC

[naoki]

The spec of the LED strip seems to say that each 2' strip is around 7W and you have 5 strips (total of 36W) and that each strip has 50 lumens (total of 250 lumens).

https://assets.sylvania.com/assets/D...6f94535980.pdf

I'm not sure if there is a typo in this document because the efficiency is an order of magnitude lower (7 lumen/W for this strip vs 80 lumen/W for household 9-10.5W LED bulbs). If the spec is right, the strip won't contribute much to plant growth. But it is probably ok during the vacation etc.

If you need artificial lights as the main light source, there are several options. 2-3 bulbs of 2' T5 normal output florescent light (available at Home Depot), 1-2 bulbs of 2' T5 HO, or 2x Clip-on light fixtures with 23W or so CFL or Ray's LED. 2-3 LED household bulbs could be an alternate (10.5W Philips LED, 9/9.5W Cree, a cheaper one from Walmart brand etc) for about 2 sqft of area. It looks like you grow mostly Phals, and you may need more intensity if you have higher light orchids.

[Tabbyblack13]

Jeremyinsf: do you know what fixtures those lights would fit in? I would like to get them but I don't think they would work in the desk lamps I have.

Naoki: that's some good info. I need to do some research to see what I can afford and fit into that self.

[jeremyinsf]

Good research! I Did a quick check a d didn't find that info. But good time know.

I use T5HO bulbs and fixtures myself. However those LED lights from Ray do fit into a standard socket. I don't know your desk lamp But it sounds like it would work. If not you can get something else at the hardware store for pretty cheap. Or IKEA. Or target... or wherever!

[Ray]

Tabby, my lamps screw into standard Edison base (incandescent) sockets.

I use them in desk lamps that have had the shade removed. I spray painted one black to match the articulated-arm lamp fixture I used in a bathroom, and another in a goose-neck type in my office. I am also using two in a terrarium, and they work great!

AND... they are on sale through the 15th (while supplies last).

[Tabbyblack13]

Ray: Would these holders work? www.neherpetoculture.com/bulbsviv

I saw that those lights were on sale and I would like to try them. I don't have a lot of room and I really don't want to have to take lamps apart.

[Ray]

Yes they would.

I also use "Clamp Lamps", and just unscrew the shade. That way they can be easily positioned any way you require.

[Tabbyblack13]

Cool. Thanks Ray.

[Tabbyblack13]

I got my lights from Ray and the holders today and I had to set it up. So I took the lights and holders and set them up. Then I took my CFL daylight bulbs and put them up top to give the plants on top more light.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk