Are CFL lights good for growing plants?

There are bulbs with different CFL color spectrums and it’s generally recommended to get “daylight” (6500k) CFLs for the cannabis vegetative and “soft white” (2700k) CFLs for the flowering stage. Each color spectrum has a small impact on how the plant grows (ex: 6500k encourages slightly more squat growth).

Lighting Options for Indoor Gardening. If you’re growing only foliage plants, then incandescent lighting may be sufficient. However, flowering plants benefit from the use of fluorescent lighting. One of the major differences between these two forms of lighting is the heat output.

A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), also called compact fluorescent light, energy-saving light, and compact fluorescent tube, is a fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent light bulb; some types fit into light fixtures designed for incandescent bulbs.

60 Watt Incandescent Equivalent, 13 Watt, 120 Volt Warm White Spiral CFL Bulb. 13W/ELS-M/A 27K (Mini) Bulbs.com.

Incandescent and CFL bulbs get so hot because most of their energy is being released as heat, not light, making them much more ineffeicient. Proprietary tests show 100W incandescent lights burning at 335.4 F, CFL lights burning at 179.2 F and LED bulbs burning at 87.2 F.

An incandescent bulb emits light through the heating of a small metallic coil called a filament surrounded by gases that heat to approximately 4000 F! While providing plenty of light, they release 90% of their energy as heat making them fairly inefficient in comparison to compact fluorescent lamp bulbs.

Let’s take a look at why it is highly unlikely that an LED bulb will overheat and cause a fire to break out, and what you can do to minimise your risk of electrical fire. LED light bulbs might be hot to the touch, but they are nowhere near as hot as CFL, halogen or incandescent bulbs.

Increasing concern that “light pollution” caused by artificial lighting that reduces the production of the hormone melatonin by the brain’s pineal gland can cause cancer and other diseases has led to new research into which types of electric bulbs cause less potential risk.

LED lights do burn out, but at least in theory they should last far longer than incandescent or fluorescent lights. An individual LED may well last 100,000 hours, but it only takes one of those diodes failing before the bulb can be considered to no longer be working properly.

Warm white and soft white will produce a yellow hue, close to incandescents, while bulbs labeled as bright white will produce a whiter light, closer to daylight and similar to what you see in retail stores. If you want to get technical, light color (color temperature) is measured in kelvins.

“LEDs do not give off heat.” It is true that LEDs do not emit as much heat as other sources of light: that’s because they are so energy efficient. However, LED fixtures still need to be designed to dissipate heat; otherwise, they will fail prematurely.

An incandescent lamp is an extremely inefficient light source. According to the Wikipedia online encyclopaedia, a 100 watt bulb is 2.1% efficient. In other words, it produces about 2 watts of light and 98 watts of heat.

Leaving lights on when you are gone is not only a fire hazard but also increases your electricity bill. Lightbulbs can become very hot and if not used properly can ignite a fire. It caused many fires because the shade(s) were made of plastic.

Having your lamp on for a couple of hours as you watch television is fine; leaving it on all night while you sleep is not. An overheated bulb can catch fire very quickly, especially if it is a bulb that is near the end of its life. However, the bulb could catch fire while it is left burning unattended for so long.

Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances. Never use an appliance with a worn or frayed cord which can send heat onto combustible surfaces like floors, curtains, and rugs that can start a fire. Running cords under rugs is another cause of electrical fires.

Switch off appliance and pull out plug. Smother fire with blanket or Type C extinguisher. Never try to cool with water because water conducts electricity and can give you an electrical shock. Use one with thermostat (not just switch) that shuts off by itself when tipped over.

When plugging in or unplugging items:

Hold a plug securely to pull it from the wall.

Use multi-outlet extenders, power bars, and surge protectors sparingly.

Use extension cords temporarily.

Avoid running electrical cords beneath carpets.

Keep electrical cords away from sources of heat and water.

Create a safer home by making a check for electrical fire and shock hazards: Electrical outlets— Check for loose–fitting plugs, which can be a shock or fire hazard. Replace missing or broken wall plates so wiring and components are not exposed. They are not intended as permanent household wiring.

Instead, try one of these methods:

If the fire is small, cover the pan with a lid and turn off the burner.

Throw lots of baking soda or salt on it. Never use flour, which can explode or make the fire worse.

Smother the fire with a wet towel or other large wet cloth.

Use a fire extinguisher.