Ben,
I just bought an AeroGarden herb garden. It uses two full spectrum proprietary compact florescent bulbs. But the catch is they recommend replacing them every six months at a cost of $20 plus S&H because as the bulbs age, they dim and the spectrum becomes less efficient for growing. The bulbs use a proprietary connector, so buying non-branded bulbs isn't an option. So my challenge is to come up with an alternative grow light.
I had two thoughts: 1) LED grow light. or 2) Electro luminescent panels or tape. The result would have to be long lasting and energy efficient, without causing too much heat. The light is on 18 hours a day. They also must maintain a stable spectrum of light suitable for growing plants.
Examining how the lights connect to the AeroGarden, it's pretty easy to see that it should be pretty easy to hack this sucker in a visually appealing way. It connects to the main power connector via it's own 120V detachable wire. And there appears to be plenty of room in the lighting hood for a lighting scheme.
So does anyone know about what the lighting properties of Electroluminescent panels are? Do they last a long time? Are they energy efficient? Do they maintain the same color gama? Are they appropriate for growing plants?
