Re: Halide lamps

Robert Allen (Robert.Allen@Eng.Sun.COM)
Tue, 8 Jun 93 09:37:36 PDT

>>> That seems like a LOT of light. Like more than I'd need.
>>> I was thinking more in the 150-300 watt range. Are those
>>> prices for the bulb, socket, and reflector unit, or just
>>> the bulb? How long do bulbs last, and how much to they
>>> cost to replace?
>>
>>Not really. It is a lot of light, but not for CP, if you want any kind of
>>good area. This will give you about a 10 foot circle (but not all of it
>>is intense enough for the really high-light things such as sarracenias).
>>I would go with at least a 400 watt setup. Anything less costs just as
>>much (or only minimally less) than the 400 w setup, so your savings are
>>not much, but your loss of power is.

I'm going to strictly be growing Nepenthes in an indoor growth
chamber with a footprint the size of a 35-50 gal. fish tank.
That's not even a 5' circle.
>>
>>> I wish I could share your trust. I'd really rather not
>>> have myself, my housemate, and my neighbors woken up at
>>> 4am as the Goon Squad kicks in my door and stuffs a
>>> machine-gun in my crotch :-(. I think I'll purchase it
>>> locally. Of course if I pay cash I'm likely to attract
>>> further attention.
>>
>>Well, the raids locally were on people who had bought their lights from
>>the store I worked at. The DEA took the computer and all our records.
>>But we deal mainly in cacti and succulents, as well as other really exotic
>>things, so we had plenty of customers growing legal things. Of course we
>>know some people are going to grow other things, but we try and screen
>>them out. (Certain "buzz words" tip you off). Generally the police just
>>knocked on the doors and asked to see what was being grown. Also, they
>>usually don't check on people with only one light unless they think they
>>have a really good reason. (That being reports from other people they
>>have caught, or sudden jumps in utility bills - I am talking big jumps, as
>>when someone buys 6 1000 watt setups and starts them up, making their
>>utility bill jump 120 dollars all of a sudden - a growing operation). We
>>just aren't really worth their trouble.

Great. So tell me Rick, when you cranked up that 2500 watt
heater for your greenhouse this winter, how much did your bill
jump?

I'm sure people like Jan and Rob Maharaj, in other countries,
are amused by life here in the land of the free...

R.