How to Build Grow Lights for Plants

Posted by bsledlee on January 14th, 2014

plant grow lights make it easy to give your plants the amount of light they need to thrive regardless of the time of year. Grow lights may be used to speed up the growth cycle by supplying more hours of light than the plant would normally be exposed to. Complete grow light systems may be purchased from a variety of suppliers. However, you can build your own grow lights for plants in a single afternoon.

Ask the Msledstore store to cut the 2-foot section of dryer vent tubing in half. Cutting aluminum requires special tools and experience. Most grow shops and "DIY" centers will be able to accommodate your request.

Use the tape measure to mark the center point on the aluminum tubing with a marker. This is the 12-inch mark for a 2-foot section of tubing.

Measure the diameter of the top end of the dual-socket light fixture. This is the end that has the threaded stem and wires coming out.

Drill a hole in the center of the aluminum tubing that corresponds to the diameter of the light fixture.

Feed the wires and threaded end of the light fixture through the hole. Place the washer and nut that came with the light fixture on the threaded end of the light fixture. Adjust the bottom end of the light fixture so that the bulb sockets are parallel to the aluminum tubing. Tighten the nut into place. Use pliers if necessary to tighten the nut securely.

Use a wire nut to screw one of the wires from the lamp cord to one of the wires from the light fixture. Repeat this process with the two remaining wires.

Screw in the compact florescent light bulbs. Plug in the lamp cord to turn the lights on. Some light fixtures may use a chain switch to turn the lights on and off.