I've read several comments/opinions around the internet, that grow lights that are powered by USB are not any good, that they're too weak too do anything. Is this true?

Think about it... A USB port is about 5w. What kind of a lightbulb runs on 5 watts of power? In LED speak, about 450 lumens, equivalent to a 30w incandescent bulb. To recreate light as bright as the sun outdoors, you need 127,000 lumens.

What are you wanting to grow?

I've have the lights plugged into an outlet through a charger, not directly through a USB port. Wouldn't that make a difference? All the regular outlet lights I've seen are way too expensive for me. I've been trying to grow radishes from seeds, but they keep getting leggy.

vajmisc, you don't need expensive "grow lights" to successfully start plants; I recently purchased four 4-foot LED shop lights on Amazon that only cost about $15 each, similar to some I purchased a couple of years ago that worked fine not just for growing seedlings but also for growing some micro dwarf tomato plants from seed to producing tomatoes. You do need to keep this type of light quite close to your plants (just an inch or two above them).

(The lights have been moved up to take this photo)


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SYX9FD/

Weedwhacker said: vajmisc, you don't need expensive "grow lights" to successfully start plants; I recently purchased four 4-foot LED shop lights on Amazon that only cost about $15 each, similar to some I purchased a couple of years ago that worked fine not just for growing seedlings but also for growing some micro dwarf tomato plants from seed to producing tomatoes. You do need to keep this type of light quite close to your plants (just an inch or two above them).

(The lights have been moved up to take this photo)


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SYX9FD/

I too recently bough a 4 foot LED shoplight locally and it's plenty bright enough. Uses only 42 watts too! Going to get another I think soon. $20 at a local Ocean state job lots.

If going the shop light route I would suggest looking for ratings of around 4000 lumens and 5000-6000K (Kelvin).

To your original question, if the electricity is going through a wire with usb connection(s) anywhere along, then the electricity is limited by that puny wire and/or connection. It is absolutely not enough.

vajmisc said: All the regular outlet lights I've seen are way too expensive for me.

From this I have to assume that the lights you are using use a usb connection. On the other hand, if your lights have regular plugs and you charger has a regular plug inlet and outlet, then you need to look at the maximum wattage the charger can support and the light output of the lights.

Yeah, I'm not going the shop light route, I rent & can't put holes in the walls/ceiling. I need stand-a-alone lights. I guess I'll buy a regular clamp lamp & put a grow bulb in. Is that sufficient?

I don't know the answer to the last part, but you don't need to put holes in anything to hang a shop light; you can make a simple structure to support/hang them, or use something as simple as a saw horse.

What about a rack? You can make one for cheap if you can find the pvc pipe at the ReStore or elsewhere

I can make anything out of PVC pipe. And I have made PVC light racks because I only get them out and put them together during seed starting season.

Good suggestion! (You can also find quite inexpensive shelving units at places like Home Depot, Menards, etc. Having adjustable shelves is a plus!)

I have a cheap plastic shelf unit with fixtures attached. Tho the shelf unit limits how tall the plants can be, it is great for seedlings to about 6 inches.
One fixture is shop light ish, 3 feet long and LED.

If you are getting your first sets of lights, get LED. Fluorescent tubes are being phased out so its getting harder and harder to buy them. You can probably get a good deal on fixtures though.

Thanks for all the suggestions, but they won't work for me. I only have my bedroom & I have no wall or floor space. The seedlings I'm growing now are on my bureau on top of my jewelry box.

https://www.idigorganics.com/d...

That's exactly the one I made. You can make it any size you need, as small as you want. Mine here is 2' long, 3/4" pvc parts cost about $10 to make it. I didn't glue the pvc so I can change it around when I need.


I added a 2nd light here to give adeniums more light.


I used to put those 2 side by side to make a 4' length for when I start my spring seeds, but this year I bought a 4' LED light since I used both of the 2' lights for the adeniums.

Where will the tv go?

vajmisc said: Where will the tv go?

And the jewelry box!

Those both look like what i built too but I didn't want to assemble it for a photo op.

Try the lights you want to use and see how they work for you. But if you have a small enough pot to sit on top of a jewelry box, chances are an LED grow spot light in a desk lamp fixture will work just fine.

Good luck!