MM

I have a feeling that they are by Philips. I never have a lot of luck with them. I can buy a package of ten and one will go out in a week. But the others will last much longer, usually four months.

I am now using Sylvania and GE from lowes for three months...none show any blackening.

-j-

Last week, on account of a tip from I think the tomato growing forum, I went to Home Depot and bought all that they had of 140-904 light bars. They were clearanced out and I got mine for $4.06.

The sales clerk said they were replacing with a diff. stock number and of course with a higher price. So, if what I heard is true you should check out H.D. before you miss out on the clearance sale.

P.S. the lights were not marked as clearance or showed any sale tags on them...when I asked they said 5 bucks and when I checked out they rang up as 4.06.

I walked out mighty happy:)))))

good luck
m

"I went to Home Depot and bought all that they had of 140-904 light bars. They were clearanced out and I got mine for $4.06."

You did the right thing to buy them all. Our Home Depot has already cleared out the 140-904s here in the Augusta area and replaced them with 732-334 models priced at $7.98. I bought one of the new ones but haven't opened it yet to see if it is overdriveable. The new fixture may be somewhat better for plant stands, in that its reflectors don't stick out quite so far so the fixture is a bit narrower. It is also a bit deeper. I haven't determined yet whether the narrower configuration will let you get an extra fixture over a 24" x 48" shelf. I get four of the 140-904s over a shelf. It would be great if you could get five of the 732-334s over a shelf, providing, of course, that they are overdriveable.

MM

Some fluorescent fixtures with certain electronic ballasts can be rewired to use two ballasts instead of one. That applies more power to the bulbs and they emit 50% more light, which is much brighter. Plants respond to the extra light with faster, healthier growth. I lot of people who grow plants under fluorescent fixtures are modifying their fixtures to overdrive their bulbs. A user here, Zink, introduced a lot of us to overdriving. The original message thread was so popular that it grew to the 100-message limit and has since been taken off the forum. But you can find all of the original information in links that are given in the subsequent I have found the BEST cheap flourescent ballast/fixture - cont'd. message thread, which was started to get around the 100-message limit.

I feel that I owe Zink a debt of gratitude. His overdriving information revolutionized my indoor gardening.

MM