Idiots guide to grow lights

Are you on commission for selling these lights, JJB?
Mine go on at breakfast and off at bedtime. The plants have been on the windowsill anyway until a couple of days ago and they'll go back there when there are some more tender seedlings.

I bought mine a few years back and I only have 2 lights not like you fancy Dan's with your quads . Mine has a timer and it's set to 12 hours to supplement the north facing windowsill during the day.

Are you on commission for selling these lights, JJB?
Mine go on at breakfast and off at bedtime. The plants have been on the windowsill anyway until a couple of days ago and they'll go back there when there are some more tender seedlings.

Commission?  I wish.

I was a bit doubtful (and a bit tight) about leaving on all night, the adaptor got warm, and I didn't want  to risk fire at night.  They've done alright with on and off morning and night.  Let's face it I was never going to do this seriously with just clip on LED strips, it is just a bit of fun. Very interesting too.

Forgot about mine however it switched off so there is obviously a timer or timeout, will need to investigate but I can handle just switching on

OMG!! I'm feeling really left out - I'm not in the growlights club!

Never leave my lights on all night. Like everyone else on in the morning off when I go to bed. Mines only to improve natural light levels and at no time of the year,  even up here, is it light 24 hours a day   .

Forgot about mine however it switched off so there is obviously a timer or timeout, will need to investigate but I can handle just switching on

Well I switched them off at 3 am,  further investigation required

Are any of you leaving them on all day and all night? I understand the plants don't care whether they have a nighttime or not.

Plants need some darkness every 24 hours - they've evolved to work with this daily cycle. They photosynthesise (using up carbon dioxide and producing oxygen) when it's light, but when it's dark they "breathe" like us, taking in oxygen and producing carbon dioxide. So if you keep them under lights 24/7, they'll use up more carbon dioxide and thus be less able to photosynthesise, especially if they're in an enclosed propagator.

I'm running my fluorescent lights for 16 hours a day at the moment (4am - 8pm), but I'll turn them off when the days get a bit longer and warmer - by then there won't be space in the propagator for them anyway!

Are any of you leaving them on all day and all night? I understand the plants don't care whether they have a nighttime or not.

Plants need some darkness every 24 hours - they've evolved to work with this daily cycle. They photosynthesise (using up carbon dioxide and producing oxygen) when it's light, but when it's dark they "breathe" like us, taking in oxygen and producing carbon dioxide. So if you keep them under lights 24/7, they'll use up more carbon dioxide and thus be less able to photosynthesise, especially if they're in an enclosed propagator.

I'm running my fluorescent lights for 16 hours a day at the moment (4am - 8pm), but I'll turn them off when the days get a bit longer and warmer - by then there won't be space in the propagator for them anyway!

Eyren, you are a fount of information.   Whilst I wasn't intending to run the lights continually, I didn't know the plants need down time. It sounds logical though.  Always learning something new here.  Good to know I'm  doing something right.

Eyren, you are a fount of information.   Whilst I wasn't intending to run the lights continually, I didn't know the plants need down time. It sounds logical though.  Always learning something new here.  Good to know I'm  doing something right.

Good to know my government-funded education is still of use