November 19, 2022
Full-spectrum LED grow lights are one of the most advanced types of grow lights.
These lights produce the highest PAR of any light source.
LED grow lights usually contain heat sinks and built-in fans. They also work well in wet environments because they have a constant DC current.
If you’ve been looking for the perfect way to keep succulents and other houseplants alive through winter, consider growing them under grow lights.
These grow lights plug into an electrical outlet and can be adjusted to suit the needs of your plants.
Grow lights are especially useful when seeds are germinating.
A grow light is basically a bright light designed to give your plants a specific amount of light.
It’s important to note that these lights can be very powerful, but may emit some harmful light.
So you should always choose the correct one.
A minimum of 32 watts of actual power is required per square foot of growing space.
The actual watts are the power the grow light draws from the wall outlet.
Most manufacturers don’t advertise the total wattage of the LED chips in their product names, so be careful not to confuse the LED chips.
If you plan to grow 4 plants, you will need a lamp with a practical power of at least 128 watts to match the corresponding area required.
Note: In addition to actual wattage, it is also important to know the PAR value of your light output, as some LED lights may have high actual wattage and low PAR output due to lens angle, efficiency, etc. — so keep an eye out for high PAR output!
ECO Farm ECOZ PRO 1000W Samsung 301H Chips LED Grow Light
Features:
This ECO Farm LED Grow Light adopts 3480 diodes, high energy efficiency driver, a photon efficiency of 2.9 umol/J, and actual power of 1000W, providing a sufficient light source for plant growth. It’s perfect for a 7 x 7-foot plant area or a 6 x 6-foot flowering area. Composed of 660nm red light, IR, 3000K and 5000K white spectrum, this LED grow light provides everything plants need in natural sunlight at all stages from vegetable to flowering. It has a daisy chain feature that allows you to connect up to 100 lights. You only need to operate one controller (not included) to dim multiple lights at the same time, which is a great convenience for large commercial growers. The 8-bar light design and the aluminium on the back contribute to better airflow and good heat dissipation while ensuring the long life of the lights. Quiet fanless design.
Features:
The GrowPros LED grow light, with a longer lifespan than traditional grow light sources, produces healthier, happier plants. The grow light yields 1.8 grams of crop per watt (dry). High PPFD and PAR indicate high efficiency, or light output per unit of power consumption. Compared to traditional HID and HPS light sources, the HM960 saves about 50% energy, and you can save a lot of energy over time. Almost 100% of energy consumption is converted into light energy for growth. The HM960 lighting system is a complete pre-assembled LED grow light that reduces installation time with a variety of wiring techniques and connectors. This grow light systems run cooler with passive cooling thermal management, meaning your lighting system will last longer while maintaining high light output levels.
Spectrum
In general, plants absorb and utilize light in the blue and red spectrum the most during their various stages of growth. Light in the blue and red spectrum is where most photosynthesis occurs, making full-spectrum grow lights very efficient. Some growers believe that white LED grow lights are the best because it is the closest to natural sunlight. However, white LEDs contain light in the yellow and green spectrum that plants cannot utilize and is simply wasted, reducing the efficiency of the grow light and unnecessarily increasing electricity costs.
PAR
Simply put, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, or “PAR,” is the light emitted by a bulb or fixture that is actually available to plants. PAR values for LED grow lights vary from brand to brand, but a higher PAR value is not necessarily better because if your plants aren’t using it, the energy needed to produce it is wasted.
You’ll notice on the manufacturer’s PAR chart that the PAR is higher in the center and decreases as you move to the edges of the light coverage area. This means that plants that are directly in the light will get more PAR than those that are farther from the center. The more even the PAR distribution from the center to the edge the better, so that the plant gets a more even distribution of valuable PAR. Not only is this better for your plants, but it makes the light more efficient because the energy is not concentrated in the center, but distributed more evenly.
Watts
When it comes to wattage, it’s easy to make the mistake of thinking bigger is better, but bigger isn’t always better. While light spectrum and PAR play an equal or greater role in plant health and yield, wattage is an important consideration when it comes to cost and preventing damage to plants such as leaf burn and bleaching.
There’s a common rule of thumb that says you need 30–40 watts per square foot of plant coverage (not the growing space itself, but the current or projected size of the plant canopy) for flowering and light-loving plants, and 10- 20 watts per square foot. These rules of thumb can be used as a starting point, but keep in mind that these rules do not take into account plant count, plant height, density, and other factors, so remember to weigh things like PAR and PPFD more in your buying decisions.
Energy Consumption
Look for power draw not power output. If you use less power to produce the same amount of light, you’ll spend less on your electricity bills, and LED lights typically pay for themselves within 2–3 years.
Durability
Make sure that any LED grow light you choose is well-made with heavy-duty materials. Sturdy, durable construction is very important to the durability of the lights, especially the wiring, which not only can cause a fire, but can also generate unnecessary heat and make it more difficult to control the grow space environment.
Temperature
One of the many advantages LED grow lights have over other types is their cooler operating temperature. LEDs don’t completely eliminate the need for additional cooling and ventilation, and they generate far less extraneous heat than compatible HID lights, which can generate temperatures in excess of 95°F, which is harmful to many plant species. These extra cooling and ventilation systems required by HIDs and other traditional lighting systems can add to your power bills and take up valuable space in the grow area.
Ventilation
Since LEDs operate at a lower operating temperature, they do not require the same ventilation as equivalent HIDs to maintain acceptable temperatures in your grow space. Cooler operating temperatures mean less hot air needs to be moved, which means lower operating costs, equipment needs and space requirements.
Cool Down
While LED grow lights run cooler than HID and HPS lights, they still require an elaborate cooling system to dissipate the small amount of heat they generate. A well-designed LED light should include an effective heat sink to dissipate the heat generated by the light away from the light fixture and plants.
Lifespan
Older style HID bulbs can typically last up to 20,000 hours before needing to be replaced, but since their peak performance is typically in the first 3,000–5,000 hours, many growers replace bulbs sooner as plants grow in Older cases will slow down hidden lights significantly. In contrast to LED grow lights, which typically have a lifetime in the 50,000 hour range, more than 5 times longer than HIDs.
Space
Since LEDs are typically smaller and thinner, often have only one cable, and don’t require additional fans or ventilation ductwork, they require far less space in your grow area. This allows more room to move around the garden to monitor and care for your plants.
Whether you’re a houseplant enthusiast or someone with a passion for growing your own food, indoor grow lights are a valuable tool. No matter where you live, high-quality grow lights can keep indoor plants growing year-round. Most importantly, they’ll help you grow healthier, happiest plants than ever before.
I hope this article has given you a better idea of which grow lights are best for your indoor gardening needs. Happy gardening!
October 20, 2023