December 07, 2021
LED technology is perhaps one of the quickest developing areas with significant progress occurring on a regular basis. Some early panel LED fixtures entered the horticultural industry with grand claims that didn’t match up to reality. The marketplace has now matured somewhat and LED grow lights are beginning to find their place. Many medical growers use LED grow lights to supplement the spectrum of their existing grow light setup in order to steer plants into generative development (flowering and fruiting).
There are many reasons to use LED lights when growing plants.
Affordability
For many, the main reason is that they are relatively inexpensive when compared to the much pricier HID setup. This is especially true if you are growing a smaller number of plants. Our grow lights at A Pot for Pot are specifically designed for growing a small number of plants and is priced well under $200 — proof that high-quality lighting doesn’t need to be expensive.
This was not always the case. When LEDs were first gaining momentum among growers, the technology was still fairly new and had not entirely been perfected. Think about how expensive and inconvenient cutting-edge technology like smartphones was when they first came out, and it often wasn’t worth it. For example, many agree that the first-generation iPhone was not the greatest. However, today’s smartphones are much more affordable, and they are everywhere.
Energy Savings and Privacy
Another thing to consider is how much money LED grow lights will save you on your energy bill. HID lights are good at what they do, but the amount of energy they use will cause your energy bills to skyrocket. This not only hurts your pocketbook, but it can also draw unwanted attention in your direction either by a landlord, a nosy neighbour, and/or the police. When people had to keep their plants growing activities under wraps, spiking electricity bills often gave them away.
Reduced Water Usage
Not only are LED lights more energy-efficient, but you’ll also save on water usage as well. As you are now aware, HID lights use a lot of energy, which in turn produces more heat. This dramatically increases the temperature of the grow room, causing your plants to consume more water. Any way to reduce water consumption is great for the environment, not to mention great for your utility bill.
Durability
Finally, LED lights last longer than HID or CFL bulbs, ensuring many years of good use before they need to be replaced. Traditional grow lights last for only 20 thousand hours. In contrast, LED bulbs last more than twice as long, for up to 50 thousand, or sometimes even 100 thousand hours. That’s five times the life of HID lights!
ECO Farm DBL3000 Full Spectrum LED Grow Light 320W
Features:
This ECO Farm LED grow light provides more energy while consuming less electricity. Balanced and stable light distribution and high-efficiency light output bring amazing output, creating more ideal light level for professional growers. This LED grow light 320W has 864 pcs SAMSUNG LM281B diodes which can achieve as high as 2.5 umol/J of energy efficiency, so that it provides powerful light output and uniform canopy penetration to achieve high yield. The full-spectrum grow light (3000K, 5000k, 660nmnm, 30nm) is infinitely close to sunlight, providing a complete natural spectrum, speeding up the growth and flowering time of plants, achieving higher yield, and being suitable for the growth of plants at all stages (perfect for veg to bloom). It also can magnificently improve the light coverage and your planting efficiency.
Item:DBL3000
The Amount of LED:864 LEDS
LED Diodes:3000k:480pcs;5000k:188pc;660nm:192pcs;730nm:4pcs
Full Spectrum:3000K, 5000k, 660nmnm, 730nm
Power Draw:320W±3%@AC100–277V
PPE:2.5 umol/J
Component:SAMSUNG LM281B Diodes & MEANWELL Driver
Daisy Chain:supports to connect each other, up to 15 lights
Footprint:Veg: 4x4FT/Flower: 3x3FT
Light Size:80.8cm*69cm*3.4cm
Input Voltage:AC100–277V
Item Weight:8kg
Certification:CE,FCC,ROHS
MAXSISUN MG3000 300W LED Grow Light
Features:
This grow light uses top components with Samsung diodes and MeanWell driver with a bar light design. It fits perfectly into a 3x3 ft space from seeds to harvest.This grow light empowers plants with plentiful and evenly PAR distribution without hot spot, the MG3000 consumes only 300 watts, offers a truly high efficacy rating of PPF per Joule 2.4 μmol/J. It keeps the same distance between plants and the MG3000. Adjust its brightness for different growing stages. It provides a PAR map including brightness, hanging height, and power draw. A smooth rotary dimmer offers flexibility to reduce the amount of energy while reducing your electricity bill. It helps you master light levels from normal daylight to super bright.
Power Consumption: 300W ± 3%
HID Replacement: 600W HPS/MH
Control Type Dimmer: Remote Control
Dimensions: 24 x 24 x 2.7 inches
Vegetative Coverage: 4 x 4 ft at 24”
Flowering Coverage: 3 x 3 ft at 18”
Now that the importance of having quality LED lighting systems is established, growers should know what they are looking at when they buy one. It is important that growers don’t just shop by the price tag, as the lowest-priced items are usually substandard. Below is a summary of what to expect from LED grow lights in each price category.
Low Price Range
LED lights in the low-price range rarely provide a broad with enough spectrum to support healthy plant growth. These lights may be branded as full-spectrum lights, but growers can tell they are not by the cheap materials used and the large red and blue lights on them. Without a full spectrum of light, these cheap LEDs will inhibit the plant’s growth and reduce the yield.
Middle Price Range
The lights in the middle price range will be obviously higher quality than those in the low-price range. The materials used in their production will be stronger, they will probably include an internal fan for temperature regulation, and they will produce a larger spectrum of light. While they may also advertise a full spectrum, it is likely that there will be gaps that are not covered, which can limit a plant’s growth potential. Additionally, lights in this category may degrade faster than those in the higher price range.
High Price Range
Lights in the high price range will provide the best results, increasing both plant growth and overall yield. They will be made of the best materials, which increases their durability and lifespan. They do not require a cooling fan and provide full-spectrum lighting for optimal plant health.
Indoor gardening keeps getting more manageable with the advent of products such as LED grow lights. If you want to take your indoor garden to the next level, you might want to consider getting yourself one of these handy lights. You can get the perfect open by considering the pre-purchase factors mentioned above.
October 20, 2023