May 07, 2021
There was a time when switching from MH to HPS bulbs between veg and flower counted as tailoring your light spectrum to your plants’ needs. Now, with advancements in LED grow lighting, you can do far, far better than that.
First of all, high quality LED grow lights feature a full spectrum that closely mimics the sun’s natural radiation. While MH bulbs provide a blue spectrum and HPS radiate red, LEDs cover the entire visible spectrum.
When you switch from HPS to LED, your plants receive the blue hues they need for sturdy growth and root development. They get the red they need for serious blooms and high yields. They even get white to increase potency and green to promote penetration through the canopy.
Plus, advanced LED grow lights like the California Lightworks’ SolarSystem series go one step further with spectrum control. That means you can adjust and program spectrum settings to optimize the spectrum at every stage of growth.
Did you know quality LED grow lights provide just as much light intensity as your HPS bulbs? When you consider the added benefits of a comprehensive light spectrum, it’s no wonder you can expect a better-than-ever harvest when you make the switch from HPS to LED.
For one thing, a full light spectrum ensures your plants receive the exact light they need for every stage of development. And if you use variable spectrum LED grow lights, you can even adjust the light spectrum to manipulate your crop. Using intelligent, strategic light recipes, you have the ability to heighten flavor and increase potency.
High quality LED grow lights also produce higher yields. This is especially true in the case of variable spectrum lights that allow you to usher your crops through the grow cycle more quickly. When you adjust the light spectrum, you signal a change in season. Your crop responds accordingly, budding and flowering at a faster pace. The result is higher yields per harvest cycle and more harvest cycles per year.
All you have to do to find an equivalent LED grow light to replace your HID is find an LED with the same PAR (PPFD) reading.
Now if you're not sure what PAR is or how to find it, don't panic. We'll be walking you through what it is and how to find it so you can definitively find the best LED to replace your HPS/MH setup.
But first, we think it's best to clear the air and clear up a big misconception: you can use wattage and/or lumens to determine what sort of LED can replace an HPS/MH grow light.
Alright, let's get down to business: let's find the correct LED grow light to replace your HPS/MH grow light system.
It's a simple job that starts with one tool: a light meter. If you don't have one, we sugguest purchasing a meter just like the one in our How to Measure PAR article (don't worry, you can find them pretty cheap).
Once you've got your meter, here's what you do:
Turn on your HID light and let it completely warm up.
Center the probe of the meter in the middle of your growing area. Be sure your light's as high above the meter as it is above your plants. *Note: This measurement works best with no plants in the growing area.
Here's where it gets a little tricky: PAR for an LED needs to be at the optimal height for your plants. If it has the right PAR but it can't be used at the right height, your plants won't grow.
For example, say you need a light that gives you around 600-900 PPDF. You have two choices:
The ECO Farm ECOZ 510W LED Grow light(power draw of 500w) that has 930 PPFD at 24" above your plants, and 657 PPFD at 36" above your plants.
The ECO Farm ECOT 480WLED Grow Light (power draw of 480w) that has 1062 PPFD at 24" above your plants, and 609 PPFD at 36" above your plants.
In this example, these two product would be the best choice for your grow room. The average height to hang an LED over plants is 24-30", and if you needed some more, moving this light down to 24" would be both safe and effective.
Running on LEDs is the energy-efficient solution. The numbers tell the story: You can expect a 50% or more savings on your lighting-related energy costs by switching to LEDs.
The energy story continues… LEDs also run cool compared to HPS lamps. Which means you can realize significant savings on cooling and ventilation costs. And what does less heat mean? Less evaporation. And less irrigation. It’s an ecosystem of savings with LEDs.
The LED grow light industry understands what you want in artificial lighting. From reproducing the full spectrum of natural light to being technologically advanced and delivering cost savings in longevity and energy usage. The last thing you want is for this technology to be complicated. And LEDs are anything but.
From set-up to maintenance, everything about using LEDs is built around simplicity. With built-in drivers and turn-key installation, your lighting solution has never been easier. No ballasts or costly bulb changes that you have with HPS. When it finally does come time to switch out LEDs (after more than 10 years), it’s just a matter of plug-and-play – or should we say – “plug-and-grow.”