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Old 11-02-2011, 05:48 AM posted to rec.gardens.edible
Gunner[_3_] Gunner[_3_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2010
Posts: 330
Default Indoor plant lights

On Feb 10, 11:50*am, Doug Freyburger wrote:

Love the concept, size, etc, but IMO the Aero Garden lacks in
performance, maybe better as LEDs come in to their own and prices
drop. I do not however expect the price point of the A/G to drop. A/
G is more marketing than preformance. I believe the A/G uses the 2
pin flat CFLs in the range of 26w/ ~1500 lumen so depends on if your
model is the 1-2-or 3 lights model as to how much electricity it
used. This link has a power cost estimation chart to help you.
http://www.sunlightsupply.com/t-technicalguide.aspx a 2 light model
would be ~ 60 ws, that should not cost much. To further save you can
cheat the seed packs and the nutes to save on propriety costs.

OTOH the A/G is a bit like putting a 16 Horse lawn garden engine in a
F150 and expecting it to pull a trailer at hiway speeds. Those little
lights have no horsepower to do much, even with a high ambient levels
and certainly will not penetrate to much of the lower levels of the
plant. If a bit mechanically inclined , you can do a better setup for
~ same cost, perhaps not as compact or as pretty but have a real
kitchen lettuce herb garden 24/7 365 in say a 2-3 sf space vs your 1
sf counter top.