What To Look For When Buying LED Grow Lights? 2021 Updated

The demand for Best LED Grow Lights is increasing, and they are very popular products available in the market for indoor plantation.  Also, in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, the demand for cannabis indoor cultivation is increasing, and for better cultivation of cannabis plants growers are using LED grow lights.  Using LED grow lights for indoor plantation of cannabis with a better environment can provide high-quality marijuana and you are sure to obtain a high yield.

The best LED grow lights are usually used for indoor gardening, horticulture, food production including aquatic plants and hydroponics, plant propagation, and cannabis cultivation.  The grow lights are also used mostly in the industries but they are also useful to grow nutrient plants at home.

LED stands for light-emitting diodes. LED grow lights have come down in price significantly and home growers everywhere are starting to make the switch to solely using them as their lighting option.

These lighting systems produce extremely low heat, come ready to plug-and-play, and can produce high yields with incredible energy efficiency

HIDs require a reflector and ballast, LED grow lights do not. They can last for decades, whereas HID bulbs will often need to be replaced every couple of years. But, one of the main reasons LED grow lights are regarded as the best is
due to the spectrum they produce.

Getting a plant to grow indoors is a full-time task. You are supposed to provide the best possible form of light with the highest possible intensity. LEDs, if compared to any other artificial light source, are the only form of light that one can rely on in terms of intensity.

Including all other benefits of LEDs, there are a variety of features these lights have that can make them the best choice for plant’s growth. No matter how much of these you use, the energy consumption of these lights will be far lower than any other source of light you will use to grow the plants. The plus point here is the average billing that comes without having you to compromise on the intensity of light at all.

LED lights usually last longer than any other light source and are usually priced reasonably. All of this combined with the fact that these LEDs can provide instant bright light to your plants makes them an event better plant growing source. Other features including the idea of these lights being environment friendly, incapable of producing harmful UVs, and their strong build are enough to regard these lights as the best choice to help your plants grow.

 PHOTOBIO PHOTOBIO•M 600 Watt LED Grow Light

 Pros

• Stainless steel hook


• 2 pieces of IR LED


• Increases canopy penetration

Cons

• Not waterproof


• Lightly covers the sides

ECO Farm ECOZ 1000W Samsung 301H LED Grow Light

 Pros

• Great working


• No noise production


• Longer life span

Cons

• Complicated initial set up


• Produce considerable heat energy


• Just one hanger makes it hard to rightly set these up

The best LED grow lights all have a few things in common – uniform spectrum, light intensity, efficiency, high-quality components, and safety and reliability.

The best LED grow lights have a uniform spectrum., So if you have 4 plants under your light, they all get the same spectrum.

We’ve already touched on the spectrum a bit, but it’s important to reiterate that the best spectrum consists of not just red and blue light, but also infrared (IR) and Ultraviolet (UV).

Full spectrum LEDs allow you to grow from seed to harvest with the same light, as opposed to having to replace bulbs or use different grow lights for veg and flower.

Is the spectrum constructed of single-wavelength ‘mono’ diodes, full-spectrum white diodes, COBs, or combinations of these? Do you prefer one over the other?

• Spectrums constructed of targeted single-wavelength diodes are becoming less common since they are not as energetically efficient, have lower PPFD, lack canopy penetration, and plants can appear purple underneath them. This is more common with budget lights.


• White light full-spectrums (white diodes or COBs) commonly range from 3000K to 4000K. 3000K is best for flower, 3500K is best for full-cycle, and 4000K is best for veg. Less common.


• Enhanced white light spectrums (base of white light enhanced with UV, blue, red, and/or far-red diodes) are a good option since they provide all of the useful wavelengths that plants absorb and utilize. 3500K with added 660nm red is a popular spectrum. Increasingly common and ideal.

Is the spectrum sufficient for your plant’s growth stage?

• Increased blue = ideal for veg (4000K white light spectrum)


• Increased red = ideal for flower (3000K or 3500K white light spectrum)


• Does the fixture offer spectrum tuning between the growth and flower stage? While not entirely necessary, this can help save energy while delivering an ideal spectrum during veg and flower.

The more light your LED actually gives off, the bigger your yields (for the most part). So, the best LED grow lights need to be incredibly powerful.

What is the PPF of the fixture? Is this a sufficient amount of light considering the wattage draw and efficacy?

~1700-2400 umol/s per 5’x5’+ area

~1300-1700 umol/s per 4’x4’ to 5’x5’ area

~600-1300 umol/s per 3’x3’ to 4’x4’ area

~300-600 umol/s per 2’x2’ to 3’x3’ area

Is there a PAR map available of the fixture? Are the PPFD readings sufficient for your stage of growing? How uniform are the readings across the footprint (spotlight vs even footprint)?

• Can you calculate the average PPFD using the PAR chart? Average PPFD = Sum of PPFD readings/number of PPFD readings.


• Is the average PPFD sufficient for your plant’s stages of growth? Veg: 300-600 umol/m2/s, Flower: 600-1000 umol/m2/s or more.

In general, LED grow lights are very efficient. But, the best LED grow lights will maximize your efficiency. Most importantly, they operate at a high level, produce higher power, and maintain a low cost to run.

How many watts does the fixture draw from the wall? To determine this, view the fixture specifications. Be aware that the number in the title or name of the light likely doesn’t represent actual wattage. It may be a model number, total LED wattage, or an HPS wattage equivalent.

Consider about 35 watts per square foot of growing space for planning purposes. 30 watts to 44 watts is a common range. More efficient fixtures may use fewer watts per square foot. Higher intensities per square foot are possible with more efficient fixtures and a higher overall wattage draw. Wattage does not equate to light output so do not use the wattage draw to determine how ‘powerful’ a fixture might be.

What is the receptacle voltage for your light? Most home circuits in the USA are 120V. Some growers use 240V. Commercial growers typically use 240V or higher. Many other areas in the world (inc. Europe, UK, AU) use 240V. Ensure the light you select is rated for your voltage application. Most LED grow lights have a flexible driver rated from 110V-277V.

What is the efficacy of the fixture in umol/j? This is the amount of light the fixture exudes per watt. If it is not reported, you can estimate using this equation: PPF/wattage draw. Does efficacy matter to you? If so, look for fixtures above ~2.4 umol/j (Fixtures are up to 2.8 to 2.9 umol/J in 2020). If not, at least know how much light (PPF or average PPFD) you are getting for the wattage being drawn from the wall by the fixture. Less expensive, budget lights, are typically very inefficient since they use inferior parts. Knowing the cost per photon ($/PPF) can help you decide which is the best light for your budget. Everyone wants the most light for their dollar, but it is not always attainable.

Given the cost of LED grow lights, they need to be seen as an investment. Obviously, your investment needs to last you a long time for it to show a return.

Therefore, the best LED grow lights are reliable and durable, standing the test of time.

All of the lights we will be listing are from the most reputable brands and include some sort of warranty. This will give you peace of mind when you purchase, knowing you are protected.

What brand of diodes does the fixture use? Higher quality diodes last longer and are more efficient (more light/watt). CREE, Samsung, Osram, Lumiled, and Bridgelux are brands that commonly used high-quality chips. Epistar and Epiled are mid to low-quality chips, in comparison.

What brand of driver or drivers power the LEDs? Mean Well and Inventronics make high-quality drivers but there are other good ones too. Low-quality drivers in most budget lights fail quickly.

Do you require any particular certifications or markings (UL/ETL/CSA/CE, etc)? Most home growers do not need to consider these special certifications. However, commercial growers in the USA must use lights that are UL listed or ETL certified if they are to be in compliance with their state’s electrical regulations. If you are in the European Union or Canada, you might require a fixture with a CE mark and a CSA mark, respectively.

How long is the warranty? LED grow light warranties can range from 1 year to a ‘lifetime’. Most companies offer a 3-year warranty. however, 5-year warranties are also very common. Fixtures with longer warranties are generally more expensive. Know the manufacturer’s warranty policy beforehand in case something happens to your fixture.

From the post, it is clear that the importance of an LED grow light for indoor plants cannot be exhausted. It has conveniently contributed to the high and quality yield of plants such as cannabis, flowers, etc.  This has made it equally possible for growers/gardeners to over the challenge of growing plants indoor convincingly.

Seasonal growers have employed this technology to take horticulture to the next level. However, some factors are critical to employing the use of LED grow lights since there are different types available in the market.