LED vs HPS Grow light – Which is best for you? | ECO Farm
The question of LED vs HPS and which is “more ideal” has been around since the LED grow light hit the market place. While LED grow lights have absolutely come a remarkable way since, can they complete, watt for watt, with the HPS grow light? And where do other types of HID grow lights come into play?
If you search on any on-line grow discussion forum, you will regularly discover growers debating whether HPS or LED lighting is most efficient. It is interesting that if you were to check 4 or 5 years earlier, HPS would be the crystal-clear champion of the dispute. Nonetheless, LED grow lights technology has developed jumps and bounds over the last few years, and the debate these days is much less obvious.
HPS Grow Lights:
High-Pressure Sodium lights have often been seen as the best grow light available. HPS grow lights produce a massive amount of light, which is especially good for flowering. However, they also produce a great deal of heat.
Pros Of HPS
HPS lights are more standardized among manufacturers, making it a bit easier to comparison shop.
HPS bulbs provide an immense amount of raw light intensity so they can produce great yields, particularly when working with very large plants.
HPS Grow Light Bulbs Emit Unhealthy Light For Plants
All sodium lamps produce visible light in the yellow range. They also give off infra-red radiation which comes in the form of heat. We can't see this light, but we can certainly feel it (and so can plants).
High-pressure sodium lamps do produce some additional light that is outside of the yellow range, which is why they can be used to grow plants (low-pressure sodium lamps usually produce yellow light only, with no other colors).
The strong yellow light does little to fuel photosynthesis and the extreme heat can exert considerable stress on your plants. This is why growers have to hang HPS fixtures high above their plants—it keeps the lights from causing damage.
Understanding LED grow lights vs HPS requires information about LED as well. LED stands for light-emitting diodes that are cased with the heat sink & built-in fans.
HOW LED WORKS?
Unlike HPS light as mentioned above at the start of this LED vs HPS grow lights article, LED lights do not need any ballast. These can directly be plugged into standard electrical-socket. Customization of LED lights results in these lights emitting specific light wavelengths. Far-red, red & blue lights are known to have effects on plant growth, flowering, and root formation. LEDs are proved to have provided better photosynthesis due to active-radiation (PAR) that supports growth.
For LED grow lights, lm/W is generally considered less meaningful than the PAR output. This is due to the fact that red-blue systems generally have much lower overall lm/W ratio – as they only provide the most necessary bands for photosynthesis, therefore expenditure of “unnecessary” light energy can be avoided.
However, newer LED lights use multiple bands to create a more complex and full spectrum of light. This is thought to be beneficial to plant growth, and modern LEDS often incorporate white along with reds and purples of the visible spectrum. These new full spectrum LED grow light may or may not list lm/W rating. However, it is generally accepted that the most reputable vendors include both lm/W and the PAR output.
Choose HID Grow Lights:
Choose LED Grow Lights:
If you search on any on-line grow discussion forum, you will regularly discover growers debating whether HPS or LED lighting is most efficient. It is interesting that if you were to check 4 or 5 years earlier, HPS would be the crystal-clear champion of the dispute. Nonetheless, LED grow lights technology has developed jumps and bounds over the last few years, and the debate these days is much less obvious.
HPS Grow Lights:
High-Pressure Sodium lights have often been seen as the best grow light available. HPS grow lights produce a massive amount of light, which is especially good for flowering. However, they also produce a great deal of heat.
Pros Of HPS
HPS lights are more standardized among manufacturers, making it a bit easier to comparison shop.
HPS bulbs provide an immense amount of raw light intensity so they can produce great yields, particularly when working with very large plants.
HPS Grow Light Bulbs Emit Unhealthy Light For Plants
All sodium lamps produce visible light in the yellow range. They also give off infra-red radiation which comes in the form of heat. We can't see this light, but we can certainly feel it (and so can plants).
High-pressure sodium lamps do produce some additional light that is outside of the yellow range, which is why they can be used to grow plants (low-pressure sodium lamps usually produce yellow light only, with no other colors).
The strong yellow light does little to fuel photosynthesis and the extreme heat can exert considerable stress on your plants. This is why growers have to hang HPS fixtures high above their plants—it keeps the lights from causing damage.
Understanding LED grow lights vs HPS requires information about LED as well. LED stands for light-emitting diodes that are cased with the heat sink & built-in fans.
HOW LED WORKS?
Unlike HPS light as mentioned above at the start of this LED vs HPS grow lights article, LED lights do not need any ballast. These can directly be plugged into standard electrical-socket. Customization of LED lights results in these lights emitting specific light wavelengths. Far-red, red & blue lights are known to have effects on plant growth, flowering, and root formation. LEDs are proved to have provided better photosynthesis due to active-radiation (PAR) that supports growth.
For LED grow lights, lm/W is generally considered less meaningful than the PAR output. This is due to the fact that red-blue systems generally have much lower overall lm/W ratio – as they only provide the most necessary bands for photosynthesis, therefore expenditure of “unnecessary” light energy can be avoided.
However, newer LED lights use multiple bands to create a more complex and full spectrum of light. This is thought to be beneficial to plant growth, and modern LEDS often incorporate white along with reds and purples of the visible spectrum. These new full spectrum LED grow light may or may not list lm/W rating. However, it is generally accepted that the most reputable vendors include both lm/W and the PAR output.
Choose HID Grow Lights:
- The best possible light penetration for your plants.
- More reliable results.
- Simpler pruning process.
- Save money on your up-front investment.
- Changing bulbs annually is cool.
- The best light spectrum.
- Larger yields per light, maximize the yield for your space.
Choose LED Grow Lights:
- High up front cost, repaid over years.
- Minimize cooling needs
- Growing in a confined space
- Experienced with advanced pruning techniques
- Adjusting the lights height often to keep it 6 inches above the canopy is acceptable
Best Grow Lights for Sale 2020
If you are in search for a complete HPS grow light system, look no further than the ECO Farm 1000 Watt HPS Grow Light.
The entire system comes well-packaged and in working order. The two bulbs are functioning properly, but the timer is a little bit confusing.
The digital dimmable ballast is quiet and does not buzz. The only noise that comes from the ballast is the quiet small fan.
The digital dimmable ballast can be adjusted at 50, 75, and 100 percent for maximum efficiency. You get more lumens than you would with a magnetic ballast.
Harness the power of intense LED light using highly-efficient Samsung LM301B LEDs, some of the best LEDs on the market. The huge Spider Farmer SF-4000 LED grow light contains 1,212 evenly-spaced LEDs powered by a dimmable Meanwell driver. Sunlight spectrum (Blue, White, Red & IR). The aluminum board fixture stays cool without the need for fans which helps for power savings. Rubber coating reduces the risk of water damage. Suitable for the entire growing process from veg to flower. A high-quality, plug-and-play LED grow light for weed at an affordable price.
Comments
Post a Comment