LED vs HPS Grow light – Which is best for you? | ECO Farm
Are you wondering whether to use HPS or LED lights in your grow? If so, you’re not alone. This is one of most common medicinal plants cultivation questions.There have been a lot of misconceptions over the years as to which option is the superior choice. You’ll find advocates on both sides of the spectrum. Hence all the confusion.
The reality is that technology has changed dramatically.Growing lights have improved leaped and bounds, even within the last five years. So what was true in the past may not be the case today. Both HPS and LED lights have their advantages and drawbacks.
If you’re wondering which option is right for you, read on.
HPS Grow Lights
High Pressure Sodium lights have often been seen as the best grow light available for amateurs and professionals alike, and the key to their popularity is their incredible raw light output. HPS grow lights produce a massive amount of light, which is especially good for flowering; however, they also produce a great deal of heat in doing so and much of the actual light produced is of lower value for growth. Those who use HPS lights most often use Metal Halide for vegetative growth as well since its light spectrum is better suited for vegging. This means that many growers with HID light setups have separate veg and flowering lights or at least multiple bulbs, which adds to the expenses of maintaining an HID setup.
Pros Of HPS
HPS lights are more standardized among manufacturers, making it a bit easier to comparison shop.
HPS light setups have a cheaper initial start-up cost, but the price gap between comparable HPS and LED grow has become much smaller as LED grow light setups have become more and more affordable each year.
HPS bulbs provide an immense amount of raw light intensity so they can produce great yields, particularly when working with very large plants.
Cons Of HPS
HPS lights use much more electricity to generate light than comparable LED grow light setups and are thus much less efficient.
HPS lights also generate a lot of heat, which often requires additional ventilation equipment to maintain a proper grow room temperature. If not dealt with accordingly, the added heat can make growing very difficult. This is especially challenging if your grow area is already prone to heat issues (growing in a hot attic, for example).
HPS grow bulbs diminish in intensity significantly over time and must be replaced regularly every 12-18 months resulting in additional operation costs.
LED Grow Lights
LED, or Light-Emitting Diode, grow lights have increased in popularity over the years. Advancements in technology have changed the grow game. In the past, HPS lights were essentially the only option. But today you will find LED lights at some of the largest commercial medicinal plants grows. In comparison to HPS lights, full spectrum LED grow light are incredibly energy efficient. High quality LED grow lights can produce equivalent yields to HPS grow lights using significantly less energy. Therefore, many medicinal plants growers consider LED lights to be an environmentally friendlier option for indoor cultivation. They also happen to be cost-efficient. Although LED grow lights tend to have higher upfront costs than HPS lights, they offer long-term savings. The extended life span of LED lights means you will not be constantly shoveling your money into replacements.
Pros of LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights are more energy efficient. They produce the same amount of light as HPS lights but consume substantially less energy.
LED grow lights do not produce as much heat as HPS lights, avoiding the need for additional ventilation or airflow systems.
LED grow lights are smaller than HPS lights, maximizing grow space.
LED grow lights feature an impressive shelf life.
Cons of LED Grow Lights
LED grow lights require a higher upfront investment. However, they can reduce costs in the long run due to their extensive shelf life.
LED grow lights may not produce enough heat as HPS lights for colder climates
LED lights lack standardization, which makes comparing options more challenging. However, we’ve compiled a list of the top quality and best priced LED grow lights for you!
Now let's take a close look at one kind of Led grow light which is one of the most popular lights in the market.
Spider Farmer SF-4000 LED Grow Light
The Spider Farmer Sf 4000 LED Grow Light is the largest of the sf line of LED grow lights. The LED grow light is suitable for a 4×4 grow tent and can cover 4 to 6 medicinal plants effectively. The LED light comes with a very sturdy build made from light metal. The bright light comes in a quantum design board that looks very attractive.
Unlike many other LED grow lights, the Spider Farmer sf-4000W LED grow light comes with a fan less design. The reason why the lights do not need cooling fans is that they come with design that dissipates heat efficiently.
This however does not mean you cannot use space fans with the led grow light especially during the summer when the environment is too harsh. The Spider Farmer generates enough heat that helps to maintain warm temperatures in the grow tent.
One of the LED lights best characteristic is its uniform light coverage. The light coverage of the Spider Farmer grow light does not fade at any time and it covers all the crops evenly at all times.
- Provides full spectrum and uniform light coverage to the growing space and crops
- High-energy efficiency features with a consumption of only 450 watts of electricity
- Unique fan less design
- High quality Samsung and Meanwell Drivers components
- Large and bright lamp
- Provides high yields
- Long lasting as the lights can go for 50,000 hours which is equivalent to five years
Conclusion
Both LED grow lights and HPS grow lights are equally capable of producing great yields, and both have advantages over the other. If initial cost is not an issue, the answer to which one is better really comes down to other main factors contributing to your grow such as the growing method you plan to practice as well as the ambient conditions and size of the grow area.
