orchid light tables
orchid orchids Light tables orchid orchids
Orchid care comprises 4 major issues as discussed on this web site:
FOOD & FERTILIZER | LIGHT | WATER & HUMIDITY | TEMPERATURE
CLICK ONE of the above underlined items for more information about that particular orchid care aspect.

IN ADDITION, an extensive chapter on this web site about fertilizer mixtures comprising a number of assisting ingredients and agents, can be reached by clicking: Fertilizer

BASIC ORCHID CARE discussed in 20 interactive chapters, a photo gallery with more than 7,000 interactive full screen orchid photos, and an orchid classification system on MöhltiMedia's Orchid cd rom.

ORCHID CARE | FOOD & FERTILIZER | LIGHT | WATER & HUMIDITY | TEMPERATURE | FERTILIZER | ORCHID CD ROM

Light Tables

The light source data has been summarized in the tabel below (these data are not accurate and only serve the purpose to give you a flavor).

The column 'Eff. (%)' denotes the fraction of consumed electrical power that is converted into light output. The rest (100% - Eff(%)) of the consumed electrical power is converted into heat. So, even the 'best' lamps convert more than 70% of their electrical input power into heat!

The column 'Equiv. Power (Watts)' denotes the number of electrical lamp Watts (concentrated in one point) required to simulate a light output intensity of 2,000 foot-candles (=20,000 lumens/m2) at a position 3 feet (=1 meter) from that lamp; it is assumed that the lamps are equipped with a reflector, bundling the light output into a quarter surface area of a sphere (=6'x6', or 1.7 meter x 1.7 meter at a distance of 3', or 1 meter, from the bundled light source). The amount of 2,000 foot-candles is an average intensity needed for orchid growth.

The 'Equiv. Powers' of the Hg HID and Na HID lamps have been reduced by a factor 4-5 since most of their spectral output is in bluish or reddish colors instead of being spread out over all colors as is the case with sunlight, incandescent, fluorescent and MH HID lamps.
So, Hg HID and Na HID lamps are not only more efficient in terms of electrical to light conversion, but also much more efficient with respect to spectral output in relation to the colors orchids can absorp!

The column 'Oper. Costs' denotes the electrical operating costs to achieve the 2,000 foot-candles intensity at a distance of 1 meter from the light source, assuming a kiloWattHour price of $ 0.1 (=10 cents).

The last column 'Equiv. Time' denotes the number of operating hours after which it becomes cheaper to change incandescent lamps for that particular lamp, taking both the higher purchase price and reduced operating costs into account.

LAMP
TYPE		COLORPOWER
(Watts)		EFF.
(Lum./
Watt)		EFF.
(%)		PRICE
($'s)		Equiv.
Power
(Watts)		Oper
Costs
$'s/Hr.		Lamp
Life
(Hrs.)		Equiv.
Time
(Hrs)
Incand.Yel./Red10-3005-151-31-26,0000.601,000n.a.
HalogenYel./Red10-5005-151-33-105,0000.501,000n.a.
Fluor.
'cool'		Blue10-6050-8010-151-310000.1010,00010's
Fluor.
'warm'		Blue/Red10-6050-8010-152-510000.1010,00010's
Hg HIDBlue250-60050-7010-15~100250*0.02510,000100's
MH HIDBlue/Red250-1,00070-9015-20~1007500.07510,000100's
Na HIDRed250-1,000120-18024-36~100100*0.0110,000100's

* Hg HID and Na HID lamp 'Equiv. Powers' have been reduced by a factor 4-5 because of 4-5 times better match of those lamps' spectral output and orchid plant absorption as compared to sunlight, incandescent, fluorescent and MH HID lamps.

LIGHT & LIGHTING NEEDS are, among others, discussed in a series of 20 interactive chapters on orchid care, present together with a photo gallery with more than 7,000 interactive full screen orchid photos, and an orchid classification system on: MöhltiMedia's Orchid cd rom.


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