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WillSolvem
Odd-Hand




Registered: 04/24/12
Posts: 1,519
Loc: Chapter 26
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Willsolvem's Martha lighting tek
#16420928 - 06/22/12 02:55 PM (11 years, 7 months ago) |
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So one of the problems I found with the Martha was the lighting, terrariums and mono/tit let you keep your light focused yet out of the high humidity enviorment. But if you don't know by now, a fluorescent light (even one sold as a "grow" light) will not last long a humid enviorment, possibly even throwing the circuit your humidifier is plugged into... anyway here is a very low cost fix:
Get a couple small "daylight" bulbs -the ones in the picture are from home cheapo and are rated at 5000k I know they are on the low end of the blue spectrum but I've had no problems, $4.35 for the pack. A couple shitty lamps (for their light socket and threaded post assembly), and a few quart jars.

I should note that on the package of bulbs there is a notice that reads: "Suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Enclosed fixture required for outdoor use..." So I feel comfortable placing them in a sealed jar

Drill a hole through the center of the jar lid and secure the lamp socket assembly to it using RTV




Now pull the wire through the treaded tube and wire to socket


Use copious amounts of that RTV you have laying around. you want a good seal, even around the wire.

Test the light

Fasten jar lid to jar

Now you have a light that can be mounted to the underside of any shelf in your Martha with some metal wire or large zip ties.






I used regular mouth quart jars here but wide mouth quart and half gallon jars can be used in the same fashion for larger lights 
Hope this helps... good luck 
Edited by WillSolvem (03/28/15 09:24 AM)
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TheDeathryder
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: WillSolvem]
#16420940 - 06/22/12 03:00 PM (11 years, 7 months ago) |
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Awesome, I'm gonna have to try this with my next greenhouse! +5 shrooms
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WillSolvem
Odd-Hand




Registered: 04/24/12
Posts: 1,519
Loc: Chapter 26
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Thank you!
To all others: the picture with the fuzzy writing is the back of the pack that said "SUITABLE FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR USE. ENCLOSED FIXTURE REQUIRED FOR OUTDOOR USE. THIS DEVICE IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE WITH EMERGENCY EXIT LUMINARIES... you get the point, sorry for the crappy picture.
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PinheadX
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: WillSolvem]
#16421202 - 06/22/12 03:55 PM (11 years, 7 months ago) |
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Make sure your wire is long enough that the plug is outside of the martha/greenhouse! (for those clueless newbies... LOL!)
-------------------- If you want to find psilocybin in species that are not yet known to be psychoactive, you should do chemical tests. That way you won't get sick and die all the time. - Alan Rockefeller Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." - Philip K. Dick
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SpitballJedi
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Registered: 10/13/12
Posts: 8,598
Loc: Nibiru
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: WillSolvem]
#17070278 - 10/20/12 10:48 PM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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that looks pretty nifty. how's it working? would u mind if i put a link to this thread in my journal?
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: WillSolvem]
#17070317 - 10/20/12 10:56 PM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
WillSolvem said:
How is the heat going to dissipate considering glass is an insulator? It seems a better alternative is to hang the lamp on the outside of the greenhouse. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts.
Hopefully you have it wired so the neutral conductor is wired to the base or you can get a rude awakening if you touch the lid with wet hands. I see that isn't a three wire cord. If it were, I'd say to ground the base/lid. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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Mepher
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Nice idea, WillSolvem! I can think of a few industrial lighting applications I've seen that use something very similar (heavy jar-like glass cover screwed onto a metal base), both to protect the bulb from breakage and isolate it from high-humidity and cold environments. I would think with a low wattage CFL bulb, say 13 watts, you'd get plenty of light for a closet-sized area and the base and lid would be more than enough to dissipate the heat generated.
Care is definitely called for with the wiring, but even modern lamps usually use an ungrounded two-wire connection. Make sure the connection points are isolated from the high humidity space, ideally outside of it, and you are good to go. Personally, I'd probably use a clear lense or something in the top or side of the martha to keep the lamp wholly outside, but your way should keep you from dying.
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SpitballJedi
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: Mepher]
#17070703 - 10/21/12 12:59 AM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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as a safety precaution, i wounder if the exposed metal parts could be coated with a cheap insulating material, like that liquid electrical tape stuff.
As far as heat, maybe the all-thread could be extended to outside the martha so it can be left unsealed at the top.
in the end, it may be better to just put the light on the outside of a small martha. seams to be working for most people. this setup may be more worth the effort in a larger set up.
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RogerRabbit
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I use CFL lamps in my mushroom farm and they do fine in 90% humidity. They even get sprayed with the hose by accident a lot. The 42 watt CFL lamps are 4 years old and haven't had a single failure yet. I'd suggest no enclosure. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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WillSolvem
Odd-Hand




Registered: 04/24/12
Posts: 1,519
Loc: Chapter 26
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
Quote:
WillSolvem said:
How is the heat going to dissipate considering glass is an insulator? It seems a better alternative is to hang the lamp on the outside of the greenhouse. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts.
Hopefully you have it wired so the neutral conductor is wired to the base or you can get a rude awakening if you touch the lid with wet hands. I see that isn't a three wire cord. If it were, I'd say to ground the base/lid. RR
The 14 watt bulbs don't produce allot of heat really, never had any over heating problems, not bad on humidity fluctuations
They are still running with zero problems for some time now, if I would suggest anything, hang two on each shelve, use a outdoor rated 2+1 and ground it. I use this martha for small grows I like to keep an eye on. Just wrote this to share a build.
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Edited by WillSolvem (03/28/15 09:27 AM)
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WillSolvem
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: Mepher]
#17071435 - 10/21/12 07:14 AM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Mepher said: Nice idea, WillSolvem! I can think of a few industrial lighting applications I've seen that use something very similar (heavy jar-like glass cover screwed onto a metal base), both to protect the bulb from breakage and isolate it from high-humidity and cold environments. I would think with a low wattage CFL bulb, say 13 watts, you'd get plenty of light for a closet-sized area and the base and lid would be more than enough to dissipate the heat generated.
Care is definitely called for with the wiring, but even modern lamps usually use an ungrounded two-wire connection. Make sure the connection points are isolated from the high humidity space, ideally outside of it, and you are good to go. Personally, I'd probably use a clear lense or something in the top or side of the martha to keep the lamp wholly outside, but your way should keep you from dying. 
What he said! And thank you
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WillSolvem
Odd-Hand




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Loc: Chapter 26
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: I use CFL lamps in my mushroom farm and they do fine in 90% humidity. They even get sprayed with the hose by accident a lot. The 42 watt CFL lamps are 4 years old and haven't had a single failure yet. I'd suggest no enclosure. RR
Quote:
RogerRabbit said: I use CFL lamps in my mushroom farm and they do fine in 90% humidity. They even get sprayed with the hose by accident a lot. The 42 watt CFL lamps are 4 years old and haven't had a single failure yet. I'd suggest no enclosure. RR
Do you rewire the ballast to move it outside of the GH?
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: WillSolvem]
#17072086 - 10/21/12 10:40 AM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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No, the ballast is built into the base on CFL. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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WillSolvem
Odd-Hand




Registered: 04/24/12
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Your right, I thought you were talking about tubes, my mistake.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: WillSolvem]
#17073927 - 10/21/12 04:21 PM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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Bear in mind, you'll need one on every shelf. I've found the best way to light a mini-greenhouse is with 48" fluorescent tubes in a fixture hanging vertically from the ceiling so it spreads light onto all the shelves. Hang it outside, but as close to the plastic walls of the greenhouse as you can without causing heating. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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WillSolvem
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Registered: 04/24/12
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These were grown a month ago under these very same lights, only one per shelve.

Edit: added better pics to the first post
Edited by WillSolvem (03/28/15 09:29 AM)
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WillSolvem
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Registered: 04/24/12
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: Bear in mind, you'll need one on every shelf. I've found the best way to light a mini-greenhouse is with 48" fluorescent tubes in a fixture hanging vertically from the ceiling so it spreads light onto all the shelves. Hang it outside, but as close to the plastic walls of the greenhouse as you can without causing heating. RR
I have one on every shelf and suggest two per shelf, at ~2.50 per light why not, I personally prefer to place lighting directly above each tray, its just personal preference though, I tried placing a tube along the backside, but I didn't like the results, searched here for ideas but didn't find much so I did this, then created a account here and posted it, this was my first thread/tek sorry its crude, my only internet source is a smart phone, hopefully this has been useful to some o some.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Martha lighting fix [Re: WillSolvem]
#17077552 - 10/22/12 06:51 AM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thanks for posting. And yes, two small lights are better for each shelf. Also, light from above and to one side is superior to light from directly overhead. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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WillSolvem
Odd-Hand




Registered: 04/24/12
Posts: 1,519
Loc: Chapter 26
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said: Thanks for posting. And yes, two small lights are better for each shelf. Also, light from above and to one side is superior to light from directly overhead. RR
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Edited by WillSolvem (03/28/15 09:30 AM)
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