250 Watt CFLs up or what

[Bruno]

I've read conflicting info on how to hang CFLs . Info suggests best to hang fixture with CFL base up and tubes down for best performance . Says horizontal is worst performance . Base down tubes up not much better .

I'm a new medical grower trying to find my way .
Any ideas Thank You ,

 

[jackbgrower]

I just searched for information on the exact topic and couldn't find anything...common sense would tell me if you have a reflector that hanging it vertically would do the bulb justice since you would get better light direction. As for not having a reflector I am going to have to say vertical, because in my particular case I have 4 plants on either side of the CFL so they all get to share in it's when I hang it vertically.

 

[Bruno]

Thanks for the reply . But I'm still wondering base up or down on vertical positioning . Because of the BriteWing reflectors I'm using now I've got them horizontal , but it's huge problem in raising , lowering and just moving them around in the very small space I have
Next time out though I'll have built a better grow room and will move on to 600 watt HPS and Deep water culture . I'll use the CFL's for starting and clones if I can learn that trick .
Happy Growing may all your harvests be bountiful .

 

[Smoking Gun]

Vertical with CFL's is better in the case of spiral shaped lamps and U-tube lamps. The energy of the light gets focused to the end of the light making this where the most light will be emitted.

Now with this said sometimes the position of the lamp depends on your space. I had a cabinet with eight 25 watt CFL's and hanging them all vertically really wasn't an option as it cut off several inches of growing space I needed. I used Y connectors to run two lamps through each cord, but it also set the lamps at an angle so they were at roughly 45 degree's to the top of the cab. This was a very good middle ground giving me the space I needed without totally cutting my light output.

 

[Bruno]

I spoke to an electrician and he said to hang the bulb vertically with the base up bulb down on a porcelain bulb socket . he says the base on the the big 250 watt 8U lamps (these lamps are about a foot long and 4 or 5 inches in diameter and use a mogul base) gets hot and hanging them this way keeps the heat away from your plants and making it easier to keep your garden cool or not as hot . And I've had heat problems .
Thank you for your replies every bit of knowledge helps .
Happy growing and may all your harvests be bountiful .