Kinda like this? Can you buy double T sockets at Home Depot?

Here is a link that might be useful: How to build a CFL grow light fixture.

I don't think the CFLs produce enough lumens to produce mature plants and ripe fruits. I used a 105-watt bulb (6,900 lumens) with a reflector and Mylar and the plant was fantastic - until it got about 16" tall. After that, the growth practically stopped.

IMO, they still are fantastic for seedlings, and probably would be great on short plants, just not large ones (unless you have a few bulbs per plant!)

Mike

Mike

Yes Urban. I stole the idea from him. I think the only store that had that socket was Ace at four and a half. I found a couple of junk ones at the local habit for humanity store. Old ceiling lights used to be made with them. I Have two 40 watts in a 24 inch aluminun like he does. I also bought 2 105 watt bulbs and they are big-BIG. Used a 36 inch steel from 8 inch duct. Had to use like a 3 inch extension to give them room. Punched holes in the edge for chains. That thing puts out the light, but I wonder if I need a little more red to go with it.
KennyP

Just read Wordwiz's results with the CFL. Kind of what I am getting. Nice plants but no fruit. I have 2 40 watt shop lights over 4 plants and the 2 105 watt CFLs at the front. That was what made me wonder about needing some red.
Kenny

MY local farm store has 70w hps in an outdoor fixture for around 60 bucks that would add some red would it not. I don't know if that would be enough lumens to even play with? They use them on the farm for yard lights.Just FYI.
I am a green grower and don't do fruit.
Curt :-)

Kenny,

It ain't the red, the CFL bulb has plenty of it. It's the intensity, the total amount of lumens provided and how deep they penetrate.

As much as I hate to admit it, I think this is a failure in my posts about how many mols/day are needed to raise veggies, especially ones such as tomatoes and peppers. The science is right, the calculations are precise but it's the definitions that are, IMO screwed up. To simplify, supposedly you need say 3,000 foot candles of light for eight hours a day. What is not mentioned, is the entire plant, or at least a big chunk of it, apparently needs that, not just the canopy.

With the 105 watt CFLs, I can easily deliver 20 mols/day to the canopy, which is more than sufficient, according to guidelines (that do not mention canopy). But if I drop down six inches, where the foliage is thick, I'll probably be lucky to get 10 mols/day. Go down another three inches and I'll be lucky to get 3 mols/day, except at the very edges of the plant.

Growing seedlings is not hard and doesn't require anything more than a shop light. I'm still trying to learn what it takes to grow tomato plants that will yield 30+ pounds per plant!

Mike

I hear you Mike. And thanks.
In my case, temperature is about 65 degrees F and might be an influence.
Kenny

What would be the most red CFL I could find? Do they make any?

Feit Electric makes (imported from China) red CFL and they are on display, lit, at my local Menards. They don't look bright and I suspect that they have a white phosphor blend and covered on the outside with a red filtering material. You want a CFL with red phosphor that looks white when not lit. Like these fluorescent tubes:

If you want to experiment with red, I suggest you get LED.