Hemp growers or cannabis cultivators are likely to be familiar with LED grow lights. They are alternatives to sunlight and are used to provide light to the plants just as well, if not better.

The market hosts options such as conventional HPS lights (high-pressure sodium lights) and CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps). In addition to the aforementioned traditional choices, there is the LED grow light. LED is believed to be a better option than the other two and for good reasons.

For about a decade, NASA experimented with LED technology in stimulating plant growth. Photosynthesis utilizes light of wavelength 400–700 nanometers, similar to the visible light spectrum.

The lamps that are traditionally used for indoor agriculture emit radiation in the form of heat and do not fall in this spectrum. LEDs can produce light within the required spectrum by simply choosing the appropriate material for manufacturing the LED.

Which light to choose?

HPS lights have been around since the 20th century and helping farmers for growing plants and cultivars of their choice using more electric power. However, the technology is outdated and better options have become available for today's farmers. Due to being versatile in their functionality and design, LEDs are rapidly replacing conventional HPS lights. The reasons why a farmer should opt for LEDs rather than traditional light sources are listed below, which may help the reader understand how superior modern LED technology is superseding conventional light sources.

Spectrum - LEDs are made to emit wavelengths of any desired color from the visible light spectrum, while HPS lights have limitations in this regard. LEDs specified for cultivation emit light that is helpful through all developmental stages of plants.

Cycling - LEDs are pretty useful if their application requires constant turning on and off, with no warm-up time required. HPS lights may not be helpful in this regard as they may fail or riffle in such applications.

Dimming - LEDs can be easily dimmed according to the requirement of the plants. HPS lights may prematurely fail if subjected to continuous dimming, as magnetic or electric ballasts are required for the job.

Directionality - LEDs typically emit light for 180 degrees while HPS bulbs emit light for 360 degrees by design. For targeted areas and high efficiency, LEDs prove advantageous.

Efficiency - LEDs are very efficient and usually exhibit above 50% input-output efficiency. Being omnidirectional, losses associated with HPS bulbs are high that need more electricity consumption.

Heat Emission - LEDs emit virtually no heat or if they produce remains often affordable for plants' growth while roughly 15% of the power in HPS is lost due to heat emission.

Failure and Replacement - LEDs come in the form of a panel, and even if one or two LEDs fail, the rest of the device works properly. HPS lamps display an end-of-life phenomenon whereby the whole bulb fails and needs replacement. The LED replacement has virtually little cost associated with replacements.

Lifespan - The lifespan of LEDs is longer than any other commercially available light source. Typically, LEDs last for 5–7 years, while HPS bulbs have a lifespan of 1–4 years.

Lifetime Costs - LEDs have a relatively high installation cost, but viewed through a wider lens, the overall cost of LEDs comes out to be lesser than that of HPS, as LEDs require very low maintenance costs and are extremely energy efficient.

ECO Farm ECOZ PRO 700W Samsung 301H Chips LED Grow Light

Features:
The ECO Farm LED grow light with unique designed extended 8 bars LED grow light provides more even and full canopy coverage, especially to the outer edges cultivation areas. With 2784pcs SAMSUNG LM301H& Os-ram Chip, This Led grow lights draw 700 watts with 1960 umol/s, achieving an impressive PPE of 2.85 umol/J, coverage for 4'x4' of high-yielding full-cycle growth. Full-spectrum is perfect for veg to bloom, to adapt to each phase of the plant cycle. The dimming knob is ideal for growers to adjust the light intensity according to different growing stages. Bar grow light design and aluminum heat sink on the back contribute to better airflow and great heat dissipation. This plant-growing light comes with a detachable driver and long power cord, by reducing ambient heat in your growing space for an extended lifespan. With the waterproof coating on the LED diodes, worry-free of the moist environment.

HEO 1700Pro 700 Watt LED Grow Light

Features:
The Heo 1700Pro grow light provides a 4 x 4-foot bloom area and a 5 x 5-foot vegetative area, for indoor plants supports all phases of plants' growing lifecycle, whether used in a tent for personal growers or chained together in a large commercial operation. This grow light has the popular design of 8 lighting bars focused on distributing more light as even as possible across the plant canopy. Plus, this LED grow light offers a fully programmable spectrum to adapt to each phase of the plant cycle. High efficacy of 2.4 µmol/j and up to 630–700 wattage power consumption contribute to high efficiency growing operation. The PPFD for this light is also quite impressive. That's enough to boost your plants' yield according to a 20–40 mole of light per day requirement. Besides that, it is dimmable from 0 to 100% so you may easily adjust the intensity of the light for the veg and flowering phases.

Before you Buy…

LED grow lights have become popular for several reasons including the fact that they are energy and cost-efficient. You can select the best LED grow lights of different intensities to cater to plants at different growth stages within a considerable budget. Below is some useful information to remember as you shop:

Spectrum
Plants need different color frequencies to move through different growth stages. You can choose to buy LED grow lights with specific color frequencies, or select full spectrum LEDs. Full-spectrum LEDs are convenient because they serve the plants at all growth stages.

If you are looking for a specific color frequency, it is good to note that blue is suitable for new plants as it is easily absorbed for photosynthesis. Red light is for the budding stage while purple light is for the vegetative state.

Some models offer a combination of red and blue light frequencies for seedlings and flowering plants. The adjustable lights are dimmable; therefore, you will be able to control the intensity.

Power output
Lumens are how manufacturers measure the brightness produced by LED grow lights. The higher the lumen count, the more brightness is produced. Seedlings require a lot of energy to grow, and that is why they require as much as 10,000 lumens to thrive compared to flowering plants with about 2000 lumens.
Photosynthetic photon flux is another method in measuring LED light intensity, and it is calculated in μmol/second. The higher the number of photons of light emitted per second, the more powerful the light is.

You can also consider the wattage of the LED lights because the more power is available, the more intense the lights can be. Although wattage is not the most accurate method, it is an excellent way to knowing what to expect.

Cooling
Heat is a concern when dealing with plants particularly when using powerful LED lights. Even though LED lights produce considerably less heat, having them running 24/7 without proper ventilation will cause an accumulation of heat.

Installation
Whether it is a freestanding or mounted model, you don't want to spend hours just setting it up. In fact, the faster the set-up, the better because there is no time wasted. Luckily, the majority of the LED grow lights are easy to install as they have good instructions in tow. Manufacturers ensure that proper mounting and assembly tools are provided if need be.

Price
The plants you want to grow and your budget will help you narrow down your choices. If you don't have $50 to spend, there is no need of stressing yourself. You can find powerful full-spectrum LED lights at an affordable price. Consider all the deals on the table before settling for a durable and well-functioning option.

Warranty
LEDs grow lights are generally low maintenance and durable. However, it is important to get a warranty just in case something goes wrong when the product is delivered. LED lights for indoor plants usually have a warranty for more than a year. Some brands even offer a full refund within a certain number of days, if you find the product unsatisfactory.

Conclusion

Growing your horticultural plant using LED lighting can be an enjoyable journey and experience. You have the right to choose between multiple lights or a single higher watt grow light option.

Whether you are a beginner or veteran gardener, these recommendations will guarantee you save much of your time researching. It is advisable to invest in multiple LED grow lights as they allow more flexibility, optimal harvest, and power-saving advantage. Another great benefit of multiple lights is that you can always turn off some lights to reduce the growing area.