November 17, 2021
If you want to grow the best plants, then you need the best LED grow light, but what makes an LED grow light great?
It doesn’t matter what you’re growing. A high-quality LED grow light is the key to maximizing yield and increasing quality.
An important consideration for picking indoor grow lights comes in the form of Lumens: a measurement of the total quantity of visible light emitted from your grow light.
This can get a bit tricky, and here’s why: Lumen measurement is weighted according to a model of the human eye’s sensitivity to various light wavelengths.
And since the human eye is more receptive to yellow light than it is to the blue and red light that plants need most, yellow light is weighted more heavily than blue and red light when it comes to lumen.
As a result, while grow lights producing more lumens look brighter, and those producing fewer lumens look dimmer, lumens are not an absolute measure of the overall power of a grow light and its effectiveness in helping you grow plants indoors.
So, as a generality, you should try to use lumen output in combination with color temperature and consider it a metric for comparing the relative output of different grow lights.
Wattage is one of the most commonly known measurements when it comes to light.
But how does it factor into your grow light selection?
The short answer is it doesn’t have a huge impact on your grow light’s ability to grow plants: watts are a measurement of power consumption but not necessarily of a light’s output or color.
Wattage indicates how much it will cost to operate a light versus how much power it puts out. For instance, a high-efficiency light will give off more light per watt than lower-efficiency ones.
Once you’ve decided which grow lights are the right ones for your specific needs, the next question becomes one of volume: how many lights do you need to effectively grow plants indoors?
As a best practice, the best way to decide how many lights you need is to determine your plant’s lumen needs and purchase lights that will meet that range. But your safest bet is to consult with the lighting experts from whom you’ll be purchasing your grow lights to ensure you get the right volume.
Once you’ve got your lights, you’ll want to have the fixture between three and six inches from the plant canopy. And you’ll also want to keep an eye on your plants because they’ll tell you if you’ve got the lighting right: weak, leggy plants are an indicator that you’ll need more light.
Active Grow 320W LoPro Max Horticultural Luminaire LED Grow Light
Features:
The Active Grow LED grow light is a lightweight (only 12.5 lbs) horticultural fixture that features a super thin design (less than 3’’ with no bulky drivers) which allows it to go to work in minimal clearance vertical racking systems. The 320W luminaire provides uniform coverage over a 3'x5' area during the vegetative stage and a 2'x4' area during the flowering stage. Premium Philips brand chipsets, fully dimmable drivers and all IP65 rated components allow the LoPro Max to perform at the top of its grow game in any space. This LED grow light can save 45% of energy costs compared to 600W HPS and HID lamps with additional savings available from lower heat and HVAC costs. The Entourage Spectrum features 94 CRI light and additional 730 nm Far-Red wavelengths to increase photosynthesis rates via the Emerson effect.The grow light has built-in rotary dimmer provides smooth dimming down to 10%. 1–10V hardwiring option and wireless group control system available upon request.
FGI HT-02 Uniformity Pro 320 LED
Features:
Dual LED diode design of this FGI grow light creates the ideal grow spectrum for indoor plants. 4 bars create perfect light uniformity on canopy. This grow light is designed for long term use in harsh commercial growing conditions, that carries a wet safety rating by Underwriters Laboratory. Every wiring connection uses IP68 circular connectors to keep dust and water out. The bars are made of heavy duty aluminum and also act as heat sinks to dissipate heat away from the diodes. There are no fans or moving parts of this grow light.
The diodes are protected with crystal glass covers with waterproof seals. The Uniformity Pr 320 produces 350 umols of PAR at 36" above canopy with excellent uniformity of light over a 5'x5'. At 24" light levels increase to 450 umols over a 4'x4' grow area.
Plants don’t need special lighting to grow, so you can buy and use anything from incandescent or HPS bulbs to fluorescent or LED bulbs.
It all boils down to how much money you’re willing to spend upfront, over time, and for replacement bulbs. You should also consider how cold your grow space is and whether it can withstand the heat generated by particular grow lights.
It’s likely that you’ll want to utilize a variety of lights for growing, but most of them now provide full-spectrum light, so you won’t have to look for natural white light, blue lights, or red lights to promote photosynthesis.
Grow lights are potentially complicated systems. You can pick from a variety of units with various light-emitting beads. Users can also choose from a variety of installation methods and illumination settings. With so many options, it’s easy to become perplexed. That is why we have compiled a list of things to think about when looking for the finest grow lights for plants. Continue reading to learn about the most significant features of these goods and how to choose the best one for your needs!
Type
Grow lights are the first thing you need to be sure of. LED grow lights are the finest option you can make. Because they produce less heat and use less energy, these are superior choices. The technology can be used inside, in greenhouses, and in other locations. Hanging LED panels with a large area of coverage are easy to install and modify in this article. Finally, there are clip-on lamps with adjustable goosenecks, which are ideal for tiny gardens.
Power
Everything is simple when it comes to the power of LED grow lights. If you don’t need to cover a vast area, you can get away with a smaller, less powerful unit.
Grow lights, on the other hand, can produce up to 1,500W of power, and some models may even reach 3,000W. There’s nothing better than having the option to dull a powerful system when you find one. That way, you may tailor them to the specific demands of the plants.
Make sure you also check the power consumption. As a rule, the real power consumption is lower than the power rating.
Cooling system
Some grow lights necessitate a cooling system. These systems are designed to keep your plants from drying out or causing other problems by ensuring that the heat is dissipated and the air is circulated properly.
Estimated lifetime
Lights for indoor plants growing are long-term investments, which is a positive. With the right manufacturer and product, you may expect them to last for many years.
50,000 to 100,000 hours is a typical lifespan for one of these machines.
Replaceable lights can help you extend the life of your product.
Size and weight
Several factors are influenced by the size and weight of your LED grow lights. Installing and relocating smaller, lighter units may be more straightforward. However, the smaller the unit, the less coverage it provides.
Larger systems are needed if you want to expand the area covered by your lights. Consider the product’s shape as well.
Warranty
Most of the grow lights on the market come with a guarantee. Most products come with a 12-month warranty from the manufacturer, although some have a two-year warranty. As a result, it is critical to read the contract thoroughly before signing.
Some manufacturers are willing to offer a new kind of bargain to encourage their products. That includes a 14- to the 60-day money-back guarantee. It gives you a chance to check if the product is a good fit for your garden before you buy it. There is a money-back guarantee if you don’t like the product. It’s all about finding a reputable manufacturer who will honour the agreed-upon discounts.
Growing plants indoors seems convenient, but it won’t work without the right grow lights. Plants need light to photosynthesize, and if there’s no sunlight, artificial grow light will do.
The right choice of grow light will bring color to your plant, help the fruits grow, and make the flowers bloom.
October 20, 2023