5 Things to Look for in Your LED Grow Lights
When shopping for LED grow lights in Canada, the US, or anywhere else in the world, there are a few things you need to look for.
26/08/2020
If you want your indoor plants to have
the best, you should definitely consider setting
up an LED light system. Like all light types,
there are both pros and cons to using LEDs, but
the good outweighs the bad every day of the
week.
LEDs don’t give off a lot of heat
like high-intensity HPS bulbs and they emit
higher light quality than cheap fluorescent T5
grow lights. On top of that, LED lights are
extremely efficient, which makes up for the high
initial cost of this light system since you’ll
save money with lower electricity bills over
time.
Before you stop reading and order
LED grow lights in Canada, the US, or anywhere
else in the world, there are a few things you
need to look for.
Quality Durable Materials
Another big perk of opting for an LED grow room
is the long lifespan of this light system. While
a quality high-pressure sodium (HPS) bulb can
last as long as 24K hours, the best LEDs can
shine for as long as 50,000 hours.
But
not all LED lights follow this 50K-hour rule.
The longest-lasting lights are built with
quality materials, especially when it comes to
their panels. Obviously you want to choose a
system with high-quality bulbs, but don’t forget
about the panel - it should be built with sturdy
aluminum or steel that won’t easily wear and
tear over time.
Output/Wattage
No matter
which light type you choose, you should always
pay close attention to the light output. Every
light fixture comes with a specific wattage, and
the higher the wattage the more area it can
cover.
LEDs can range anywhere from 50W to
1000+, so consider the size of your grow room
and the overall layout to choose the right
output for your plants.
Unless you’re
only growing 1 or 2 plants, try not to go below
300 watts. Any wattage below that won’t be
powerful enough to produce the healthy plants
you’re hoping for. The first thing to take into
a count is the size of the grow space.
A
good general rule of thumb to follow is that
every square foot should be covered by at least
32 watts. But for the best results, aim for
between 50 and 80 watts per square foot. Here’s
a quick guide to the very minimum wattage for
your LED grow room:
● 1 x 1 – 32 watts
● 2 x 2 (4 square feet) – 128 watts
● 3 x 3 (9 square feet) – 288 watts
● 4 x 4 (16 square feet) – 512 watts
● 6 x 6 (36 square feet) – 1152 watts
Color Spectrum
To the human eye,
visible light appears to be
white, but light is actually made up of many
different colors. Plants crave a certain light
color depending on the phase of their
development. In the early stages, the blue
colors of the light spectrum are best, but later
on, plants crave red, yellow, and orange light.
The good news about LED light is that
most fixtures give off the full range of the
color spectrum. Some fixtures even come with a
switch that lets you change from mostly blue
light to mostly red so that your plants will
always stay happy, no matter the stage of their
development.
Cooling Features
Part of the reason that LEDs last so long is
their low heat output. HPS and CMH bulbs give
off a lot more heat, and this shortens their
life by tens of thousands of hours. But
remember, all types of light give off some level
of heat, and LEDs are no exception.
Cooling features that have been incorporated
into a fixture will not only help to lengthen
the LED’s life, but also keep plants happy and
healthy. Indoor grow rooms have their lights
running for as long as 15 hours at a time, so to
prevent the room (and the light) from
overheating, the fixture needs to have an
internal fan system.
Another thing to
look for to keep things cool is a thick aluminum
heat sink. This will be attached to the back
area of the fixture, and its sole purpose is to
dissipate heat away from the light chips to keep
them cool and protected.
Price & Warranty
The higher upfront cost is probably the main
thing that deters people from purchasing LEDs.
But just try to keep in mind that the high price
tag will quickly be offset by the energy
savings. You might even end up saving money
within the first month of your indoor grow op.
That said, try to only choose a fixture
that comes with a warranty policy, ideally
between 5 and 10 years. This shows that the
manufacturer is confident in its product, and
you can be, too.