Do cfl bulbs degrade over time?

[renyman]

i.e. do they produce less light the more theyre used? Anyone know?

 

[Pipe Dream]

yes it says on the package how many hours it has but i don't remember how often you should really swap

 

[indyman]

yes and should be replaced every grow,because they get weaker and weaker,u could prob get away with 2 grows no more plants will suffer!!

 

[That 5hit]

what i do is right the date on them with a shapie
and i chang them out every other grow regarde less the more you use them you will see the differance in the brightness of the ones the you replace

 

[BongJuice]

Before you start throwing your money away on buying bulbs every grow,
Invest in a light meter, they only go for about $30 at any grow shop.

 

[renyman]

what i do is right the date on them with a shapie
and i chang them out every other grow regarde less the more you use them you will see the differance in the brightness of the ones the you replace

thanks. thats what i thought. it just sucks that the costs never stop. it sounds like hids may be a bit cheaper to use. I hear you can get a good two grows atleast out of hids so if you buy a 600w bulb for say $50 how many 42w cfls can you get for $50? 6- i think. That's only about 250 watts. But you need a ballast and thats $200. How long are they good for. 5 grows?

 

[renyman]

Where's the cheapest/best place online to buy cfls? thanks.