I currently run 8, 4ft. double light strips to provide light for some s. african succulents and over winter some other plants. It isn't bad for over wintering but is becoming expensive. I am trying to find a small scale solution for the tiny s. african plants. I have two dimly lit windows that are at most 22" wide. I would like to find some HO t5 lights that i could use in them above some glass shelves. Any ideas or suggestions? How much energy savings would it be if I switched the 4 ft lights over to T5's as well?
Cheryl
Lighting Ideas and or Suggestions
Don't know to much about T5 lights. I will make a sugestion about lighting. I use aluminum foil above the light strips {the shinest side) and the reflection off the alunimun increases the luminairs thus cutting down on the amount of power I use. In some cases were I have 4 strips I can get away with using 2 strips. I find this also when I use regular light fixtures. It has increased the amount of light in my Greenhouse. I have also added aluminum isulation on the walls between my windows. I hope any of these sugestions are usfull. Jake
Older thread, but I'll nuke some myths.
T5 is not more efficient than T8 apples per apples. T5, if you are using a high tech reflector is a bit more efficient because the thinner tubes have less strikeback. Maybe 15-20% better if you have a really good reflector over T8 running in powder coated white housings.
T5 HO just sends more juice to the bulbs which have phosphors designed to handle the greater wattage. T5 HO gets you more light density, but no more energy savings than regular T5.