Are LED Grow Lights for Cannabis a good option? (2024)

A:LED grow lights are now powerful enough and full spectrum enough to be considered the ideal choice for cannabis grow lights. With the correct umols and PAR value, an LED grow light will deliver larger and thicker results than an HID or High pressure sodium light.

Why LED Grow Lights are the Obvious Way to Go when growing Marijuana , Hemp, Cannabis and more

Light is essential in the growth of a plant. For photosynthesis to occur in plants, light must be present. The advancement of technology has provided alternative options to sunlight to aid in the growth of crops. If you intend to grow indoor plants or you live in an area where sunlight is not sufficient, you can use grow lights.

Purchasing LED Grow Lights

LED grow lights have proved to be the best option for indoor plant growing. Since they are the go-to option for many gardeners, several options have been availed in the market. Care should be taken when you are purchasing LED grow lights.

When setting up an indoor garden, you need to ensure that your plants will be healthy and productive. One way you can ensure that this happens is by purchasing the right LED grow lights. This can be a daunting task especially if you have never bought LED grow lights in the past.

It is important to be careful when purchasing grow lights. Buying LED grow lights will be a high initial investment. Although the initial cost may be high, they will offer you efficiency and longevity which in the long run offsets the high cost. Cheap and expensive LED grow bulbs are not the same. Cheap LED grow bulbs are less efficient. Cheap grow bulbs will produce more heat output than high-quality bulbs. The heat produced by cheaper LED bulbs risks heat damage for your crops.

You will also note that the true wattage of cheap LED grow bulbs will differ from the advertised wattage. LEDs don't run at full wattage as this helps prevent diodes from burning out. However, some manufacturers advertise the theoretical wattage that the LEDs are designed to operate on but not the actual wattage that they use. It is important to research and find out the true wattage before purchasing LED lights.

How much power do i need?

If you were previously using HID grow lights, you will need new fixtures for LED grow lights. With HID, all bulbs worked about the same. With LED that is not the case because LEDs can be engineered to be certain colors, outputs and more. They are highly specialized and if done correctly that can mean better growth.

to replace a 1000w-1500w High Pressure sodium -look for a 480watt LED with about 60,000 lumens. See our vela series

to replace a 400w use a 200w with abouut 26,000 lumens. See our Hiron series for these

for new tent lighting - try a Virid 360watt with blue red specialty.

Are LED Grow Lights for Cannabis a good option? (1)

What is innerlight or interlighting mean?

Most grow lights are top down. This is fine for most, but thicker plants will struggle without getting light to the lower leaves. The concept of innerlight is to add lights that go below the top leaves to add light on the inner side and thus the name inner or inter lighting. More and more commercial growing centers are adding these in.

LED light bulbs vs Led Light Fixtures

.There are a number of grow light bulbs on the market, but do not be fooled, they are just LED light bulbs. Dont over pay for those, just buy a good corn light bulb its the same thing The reality is that good high powered LEDs require a large heat sink and thus a fixture is the only way to go. You will get growth with any light source, just better, thicker growth with an LED Light fixture.

Colored LED Glow Lights

Light sources contain a spectrum of colors. While some lights contain all colors, others only have some of the colors. Sunlight contains the entire color spectrum. Within the color spectrum, plants utilize specific colors for photosynthesis and plant growth.

When purchasing LED cannabis grow lights, it is important to ensure that the bulb contains all the necessary colors. Red and blue light is the most important for plants. Red light is needed for photosynthesis and plant development. Red light signals that there are no plants above it and this ensures uninhibited growth. Blue light, on the other hand, is essential in the vegetative state of the plant. It is essential in leaf growth and stimulates the production of secondary pigments in leaves. Sunlight which contains all colors appears to be color-free. For artificial light sources, white light will contain the entire color spectrum. White light is beneficial in grow lights as it will provide plants with all the information they need for growth and development. With the full spectrum, you won’t have to worry about switching your lights at different stages of plant development. Full-spectrum white LED grow lights are almost similar to sunlight.

Suitable LED Grow Light Brands

When purchasing LED grow lights, you will find that you have many brands available to select from. With the increase in popularity of in-house gardening, the demand for grow lights has increased. This has been met by more manufacturers offering grow lights. However, it is important to purchase your grow lights from an established manufacturer. With a well-known brand, you will not be disappointed.

It is essential to be careful since there are fake products in the market. Some branded grow lights may not be what they are made out to be. To ensure you are purchasing authentic grow lights, ensure that you purchase from a reliable seller.

Only Good Quality Grow Light Fixtures Will Work

Retrofitting LED grow lights may not be an option. It is important to be careful when purchasing LED grow light fixtures as you are with the grow lights. You need to ensure that your fixtures are built with the right LEDs and LED drivers to last. The most trusted manufacturers in the LED industry include CREE, Samsung, and Lumileds. With these lights, you need to ensure that you purchase the right fixtures for them.

When purchasing LED grow light fixtures, you may find it hard to tell the genuine and inauthentic products apart. The benefit of purchasing from a well-known manufacturer is that you can ensure that the product you are purchasing is genuine. Call the manufacturer to ensure that you are purchasing a genuine product.

For more information on the LED grow light fixture you are looking to buy, you can visit the company’s website. A reputable manufacturer will have a website where you can find their contact information and the range of products that they sell. You can contact the manufacturer to ensure that the product you are looking to purchase is genuine. Although the manufacturer may not sell the product directly to you, they will offer you information to ensure you purchase an authentic fixture.

Some new LED fixture manufacturers come and quickly go out of business. If a company doesn’t exist, you can’t claim a warranty. Choose a good brand and distributor.

Guide for Purchasing LED Grow Lights

It is important to have all the relevant information when you are purchasing LED grow lights. With all the necessary information, you will ensure that you are making a worthwhile investment. Since you will be using your grow lights for plants, you need to ensure that the lights are suitable for the kind of plants you are growing. If you are growing your plants over an extensive area, you need to ensure that each plant is getting adequate light. The surface area of your garden will help you determine the number of lights you require.

Durable LED Grow Lights

The phrase cheap is expensive applies to LED grow lights. Purchasing cheaper grow lights will have you back to the shop only after a short time. You should ensure you are getting value for your money by purchasing high-quality lights. Your grow lights should also not flicker or produce too much heat. Your plants will thrive if your lights don’t keep going on and off. Purchasing quality LED grow lights will ensure that your plants are in the conditions needed for them to thrive.

Are LED Grow Lights for Cannabis a good option? (2)

About the Author:Dara Greaneyis founder and CEO of LED Light Expert with deep expertise in LED fixtures and Light design.LinkedIn,WikipediaorTwitter. Editing byDavid Peguero.

About us: See ourAbout uspage for more aboutLED Light Expert.

References

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/grow-lights-and-stands/grow-light-fixtures-bulbs/

https://www.happyhydro.com/blogs/news/are-led-grow-lights-worth-it

Are LED Grow Lights for Cannabis a good option? (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5650

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.