Grow lights

Lisa - I hope you will take this as more a concern and worry about your safety. I work as an electrical engineer and have worked as an electrician apprentise in the past. I wouldn't be bothered saying anything about the installation it unless I thought it was a safety or fire hazard. I could skip saying anything but then I would feel badly if something happened. I'm not sure what kind of liability I would have. Just because it is in writting on the web or in DG does not mean it is a safe method.

There are methods for dropping florescent fixtures into a frame but the frame is usually ridgid, firmly attached to something solid, and the fixture is usually clipped into place so that it can not fall out of the frame.

This message was edited Aug 29, 2011 1:02 PM

Ozark,
I'm with you on using only the cool lights from here on. I bought a case on sale last season at HD or Lowe's for $10, to mix in with some of the lights I already had from the Habitat Restore. I'm watching the seedlings closely, to see if there's any leaning going on. If I see any, those lights will get changed out for the cool whites...

Linda

I'll be looking at that also. I think we have more issues with seedlings going toward the one light fixture. I'm thinking we need to go to a double light fixture like some of you are showing.

Just curious but I would worry about using light fixtures attached to metal shelving on which you had watered plants.

Could that not pose the risk of electrical shock. I would worry about how well grounded any light fixture would be used under those circumstances and would far prefer wood as it wouldn't conduct electricity.

Is that not the case?

You should use 3 prong lights for safety and plug into GFCI when water will be present (kitchens, bathrooms, and basements should have GFCI installed by most codes). I've had a few drips on top of shop lights over the years but not once has the circuit tripped since the water never contacts the wiring inside the fixture. The only time the circuit trips is when I have all the lights on and run the shop vac on the same circuit.

Yes, I agree and do understand that but realize nothing is 100% foolproof.
Although it should be, not all wiring is to code.
I'd want everything to my advantage, in fact I'd take fire over electrocution, myself.

Hcmcdole,
You are sooooooooooooooooooooooo wrong for posting that wonderful pic!

You are an enabler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enable me!!! Enable me!!!!!

^^_^^

Hcmcdole,
Nice shelves. Both the wooden and the metal. Agree with you on the 120vac three prong plug. In order to get a good ground it would have to be plugged into a grounded recepticle. My experience is that not all existing houses have a ground run with the electrical wire but some of them have had the old style recepticle replaced with a newer grounded recepticles. That would not provide a ground to the lights.

NEC wiring codes are the minimum requirement to prevent property damage and loss of life. I've been around both house fires and electricution. I'd much rather not deal with either of these. They are not very plesant. Plus we have animals at home alone during the day. I would personnaly have a hard time with knowing I had inadvertantly caused a fire because I was careless on the electrical & fire safety rules.

Here's what two sets of plain 'ole shop lights, side by side, on a chain can do...

And here are some beet seedlings sown this spring in a border-wallpaper tray growing under two cool white tubes, in a 48" shop light, hung by chains :

WOW, BEE! THOSE BEET SEEDLINGS ARE TOTALLY GORGEOUS!!!! AND, YES, I'M YELLING! WOW!

Uh hum... What variety is that you grew, and, when did you sow them?

Gymgirl -

Merlin beets sown indoor under lights Jan 11th, 18th, and 25th. Harvested beginning April 26th. (These were recommened by Farmerdll)
Moneta beets same as above

They both tasted the same. The Moneta were a little harder to get started, but I did not need to transplant them as they only have one seed. The Merlin's had two and sometimes three seedlings, and I had to transplant them.

You have just reminded me that I still have some seeds left. I should go outside and sprinkle them on some vacant spot and see what happens! LOL

HoneybeeNC, are you saying you just grew the beet in the cup until it was ready to eat? If so, that is pretty cool!

LiseP - No, I didn't mean to indicate that they were grown in the cups. They were transplanted outdoors beginning February 16th.

The Merlin beets had to be thinned, but the Moneta ones did not. I separated the Merlin seedlings into separate cups, but it was a pain to do. I think I'll stick with the Moneta beets from now on.

Sorry about the misunderstanding :(

HoneybeeNC -- No, that's okay. (Although that would have been cool!) I'd read that beets don't transplant well, so I'm glad to know that you've had success with transplanting them into the garden. And thanks for the further info on the Moneta beets. I have different varieties for this year, but I'm making notes!

Okay, back to the light discussion -- sorry for the quick threadjack but thanks for the info.

I think she used the word "transplant," when she meant to say "thin"...

Gymgirl - you are correct. How come you can read my mind, but my hubby, to whom I've been married for 47 years, can't?!