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Post by tom on Feb 17, 2009 7:54:24 GMT -5
Just being curious about those little beats recently and would like to have some 'testimonial' from CP growers about them: Do you use them? Are they worth the price? What have been your source? Pictures? (well, you figure...) Too bad the search option can't take 2 letters words... "t5" just can't be search on most forums! (And I'm a bit too buzy/lazy to search and 'skim' all the info searching the threads all one by one ). Googling gave good information, but there's nothing like a canadian testimonial on growing CP indoor
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Post by vraev on Feb 17, 2009 11:13:18 GMT -5
I have heard promising things about it..but the major bane with it is HEAT. it is almost like having a supernova in the room. It would be a problem with highland nep species. But, in general...its the perfect light. From a friend who uses them, he says LED is the best way in the future as it is a cold high intensity light source. If you want to grow Helis with the best possible coloration ever...nothing can beat T5.....my friend has some plants which are just hard to beat in terms of color from anything that I have seen. This picture amazes me everytime I see it. I simply haven't seen a better looking heli ever. So yeah...in essence...T5 are amazing. They are expensive...but amazing. But also they do bring their fair share of issues. He has told me that the lights themselves cause temps of 160F - 170F.
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Post by dvg on Feb 17, 2009 11:19:25 GMT -5
Very nice Heli's. If that,s what T5's do to Heli's, I'm going to have to get mine under one of those bad boys.
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Post by prmills on Feb 17, 2009 12:04:15 GMT -5
No kidding! As long as the lights are outside the enclosure or some pretty good ventalation, it would be worth the money if you have the money for them I'd love to get that ype of colour on my plants!
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Post by tom on Feb 17, 2009 12:23:21 GMT -5
170F! ouch! talk about heat...
Do you know if it was a t5HO or a VHO? some sites stated that HO aren't heat mas producer (perhaps in comparison to VHO...)
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Post by vraev on Feb 17, 2009 12:37:07 GMT -5
Its a T5 HO.
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Post by lloyd on Feb 17, 2009 12:53:03 GMT -5
For the experts:
Aren't T5's more efficient than T12's or T8's?
If they are more efficient shouldn't they produce LESS heat for the same amount of light given off?
So do T5's give off "MORE" heat just because they are giving off way more light than could be achieved with T12's and T5's?
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Post by lenynero on Feb 17, 2009 12:55:58 GMT -5
I Use T5's in 2 of my terrariums. The first is a 50 gallon with 4 3' foot aquarium housing fan cooled T5 HO's and the second is a 40 gallon with 4 2' foot T5 HO's... there is no fan they are just screwed into a laminate particle shelving. They came with wood mounting screws. The temperature near between the lights gets pretty hot but the inside of the tank never exceeds 29 Celsius. As per Hackerberry below I am also using SUnblasters in the 40 gallon aquarium.
Leny
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Post by hackerberry on Feb 17, 2009 12:57:38 GMT -5
I'm a user of T5 but just the regular 4' 28 watts. Using 4 of them as lighting for my mature plants. This wattage does not emmit too much heat. www.sunblasterlighting.com/t528.htmlhb
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Post by vraev on Feb 17, 2009 13:03:48 GMT -5
yes! T5s are more efficient than T12's or T8's. I haven't seen them in substance myself...but from pictures I have seen...T5's are incredibly thin. Now this is just a personal theory...but I thought flouroscents work my bombarding electrons against certain phosphors in the tube. Now considering that with T5...if the number of electrons per unit time is higher, a higher potential difference between the electrodes, electrons maybe travelling faster hitting more gaseous particles to release their energy. Since there is a lower volume to dissapate the resultant heat, more of it is transfered and felt at the bulb surface. BTW...lol! I have read on a faq site that T5s can get hot enough that you can fry an egg on top of it. lol!
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Post by vraev on Feb 17, 2009 13:05:51 GMT -5
Fantastic lighting setup there HB. I really need to revamp my lighting. I am planning a renovation soon and I am going T5 myself. I still have to figure out cooling though. PS: I have seen these sunblaster fixtures for sale: 35$ or so for a 4 foot single tube fixture. its a big expense to get 4...but from what I see...worth every penny. The other alternative is MH or high pressure sodium vapor lights. These are the best for bigger spaces and more open spaces: say a grow room. BTW....from what I read...T5s don't transmit too much heat by radiation....most of the produced heat is transmitted by conduction and convection.
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Post by lloyd on Feb 17, 2009 13:31:27 GMT -5
www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/lat5/pc1.aspI'm now an "expert" as I read this article. T5's are not more efficient as a general rule. They do produce more light than the others for the same number of tubes (takes up less space). So if you want a simpler set-up for a certain amount of light-go with T5's or better T5HO (However the HO's are actually LESS efficient, just a lot more light per bulb). T5's need temps of 35C to get the higher efficiency, at 25C T8's are more efficient. So for a simpler set-up, go with T5's or T5HO for the same amount of light. Don't expect much difference if any in efficiency unless the ambient temp is 35C.
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Post by dvg on Feb 17, 2009 13:36:28 GMT -5
Sounds like the T5's would be good in the middle of a heat wave. The 'dews and lowland Neps, would be in heaven.
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Post by briar on Feb 17, 2009 13:56:11 GMT -5
t5's are 5/8" diam, t8's are 8/8" and t12 are 1.5" diam (measured in 8ths of an inch) a four foot t5 bulb is 54 watts, a four foot t8 is 36, so just looking at it in the pure sense of the word, t5 can put more wattage in the same length of bulb. In addition to this their smaller diameter means less surface area... so combine the increase in wattage with the drop in surface area and you have heat... and lots of it, T5's are designed to have a cold spot temp of 150ish or so... ( i forget the exact number, but its freakin hot and they have to run hot or efficiency drops) one of the big advantages is with the smaller diam a more efficient reflector can be used... its kinda like two people standing in front of mirrors, one is fat and one is thin... just ask yourself which of the two blocks more of the mirror so add the additional watts per foot, the ability to add additional bulbs within the same area and a greatly improved (up to 300%) reflector and there you go... ohhh yes, a t12 dramatically loses efficiency with age, whereas a t5 remains over 95% efficient till bulb burn out... so that is another big advantage Some of my "T5" Helis with 5000k/85cri bulbs Briar
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Post by hackerberry on Feb 17, 2009 14:00:53 GMT -5
Thanks V. I got mine on sale for $20. Yeah, it's worth it.
hb
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