LED grow lights are a revolutionary innovation, helping plants thrive without natural sunlight. These lights create a favorable environment for plants. In addition to this, they reduce the requirements for chemical treatments on plants.
Since LED grow lights have several advantages for plants, their popularity has increased. A survey reveals that the global LED grow light market would reach $12.32 billion by 2030.
However, to get the most out of LED grow lights, you must choose the correct LED grow light.
There are various factors to consider when choosing LED grow lights for plants. Some crucial things include the type of plant you are planning to grow, their planting cycle, and the size of growing space. Also, determine the wavelength output, Photosynthetic Active Radiation, and Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density.
Additionally, do not forget to check the overall quality LED grow lights you want to buy. Let us discuss the above points in detail below.
Consider Plants You Have to Grow
Like regular LED lights, LED grow lights do not brighten up the space or improve ambiance. They provide the light that helps plants photosynthesize. It is a process that enables plants to convert CO2, light, and water into oxygen and food.
So before you choose an LED grow light, get to know what plants you will grow. You can research what kind of conditions they grow in. It will help you learn about your plants’ requirements and choose appropriate lights.
LED grow lights come with various features that affect a plant’s life. Different plants react distinctly to those features. You can set appropriate lighting conditions for your plants when you know their needs.
Learn Your Growing Space Size
A single LED grow light can work fine for several plants placed together. However, if you have a larger area, for instance, a greenhouse, you would need several LED grow lights.
Remember, if your plants do not get adequate light they might struggle for the photosynthesizing process. So consider your surface area and buy lights accordingly.
Generally, you need about 32 watts of light for 1sq ft of growing space. Therefore, determine the number of grow lights you want and what is the power of each.
Supplement
Besides LED grow lights, you also need to ensure that your plants get an appropriate temperature, moisture, and ventilation. Additionally, lighting power supply system conditions should be ideal for plant growth.
Consider The Planting Cycle
Every plant type has its planting cycle. It consists of seed, germination, seedlings, adult plant, and pollination. During these different phases of a plant growth cycle, you will have to adjust the height of your LED grow lights. So choose LED grow lights that are flexible and easy to adjust.
Determine Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) Values
Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density or PPFD is another crucial factor to keep in mind when selecting an LED grow Light. It measures the number of photons within the PAR range that reaches a plant per second.
In layman’s terms, it is the amount of light your plant receives from the LED grow light. You measure it as umol/m2 per second.
There could be various factors affecting the PPFD, such as how high you install your grow lights, the distribution of the light produced, and so on.
A Photosynthetically Active Radiation light meter can assist you in determining the PPFD. The meter captures and determines the photons emitted by a light source.
According to specialists, growers should give their indoor canopy a PPFD level of 700-900 µmol per second. It will ensure the proper size of buds.
Moreover, there should be no spot on the top of the canopy which receives less than 500 PPFD µmol.
So people planning to buy LED grow lights must keep PPFD range into knowledge along with PPF.
The PAR value might vary based on the manufacturer and size of light. Look for grow lights that can distribute PAR evenly, and your plants can get only the recommended amount.
Understand the Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density
Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density or PPFD is another crucial factor you have to keep in mind when selecting an LED grow Light. It measures the number of photons within the PAR range reaching to plant per second. In layman’s terms, it is the amount of light your plant receives from the LED grow light. You measure it as umol/m2 per second.
There could be various factors affecting the PPFD such as how high you install your grow lights, the distribution of the light produced, and so on. PAR light meter can assist you in determining the PPFD. The meter captures and determines the photons emitted by a light source.
According to experts, to ensure the proper size of buds, growers must provide their indoor canopy with a PPFD level of 700-900 µmol per second. There should be no spot on the top of the canopy which receives less than 500 PPFD µmol.
So people planning to buy LED grow lights must keep PPFD range into knowledge along with PPF.
Get to Know About Wavelength Output
You learned about the PAR range in the above section. You must know that only a specific wavelength in the PAR range supports plant growth, vegetation, and flowering.
Scientific experiments conclude that Red and Blue light wavelengths are crucial for plant growth.
The blue light boosts the chlorophyll production in the plant, while red light helps the plant produce flowers and fruit. Whenever you buy LED grow lights, make sure they provide a full spectrum of light, having blue and red frequencies.
Check The Quality of LED Grow Lights
When it comes to built quality, not all LED grow lights on the market are equal. Choose branded LED grow lights so that you can use them for a long time and get the best possible results.
Check the construction quality of your LED grow lights. Make sure they do not flicker and overheat. Overheating not only harms other LEDs in the unit but also kills your plants.
Also, check the quality of chips in LED grow lights. Ensure each diode is producing accurate wavelengths. The diodes in LED grow lights are made out of various semiconductor compounds. These compounds together emit a distinct wavelength of color.
Avoid manufacturers who use low-quality chips to reduce the quality of their LEDs.
Efficient Cooling System
Using LED grow lights for several hours of the day may cause overheating. As I mentioned above, excessive heat could be harmful to your plants. As a result, you need to ensure that your LED grow lights have a proper cooling system.
Depending on the type of LED grow lights you invest in, the cooling system could be a heat sink or water cooling system. Darkless LED lighting supplier uses a thick real heatsink that is 25% cooler than regular heat sinks.
LED grow lights produce heat at their back. Consequently, manufacturers install a heat sink in that area. The heat sink is a component that flows the heat away from the LED grow lights.
Another common way for reducing the amount of heat produced by LED grow lights is to employ water cooling. It cools down the heat exhaust from LED grow light hoods. Water transfers the heat from diodes to the place where it is cooled.
Check The Quality of Lenses in LED Grow Lights
Several buyers overlook it, but LED lenses might affect the quality of light your LED Grow light emits. An LED lens is a translucent plastic covering that encases your LED.
Some LED light lenses focus the light beneath the LED chip, while others utilize diffusers or reflectors to spread it over a larger area. No doubt, with such LED lights, you get better coverage, but the intensity of the light will be low.
On the other hand, LED lights with lenses that create light below the LED chip will have a higher intensity.
Always find LED grow lights having a lens providing a better combination of efficiency and beam control.
Go for LED Grow Lights Offering Programmability
LED grow lights are available in various variants. You will find a slight difference in their features. Determine what features are beneficial for you. For instance, you can benefit from a programmable LED grow light. What makes such lights better is, you can adjust their light intensity and spectrum. With such grow lights, you can grow a wide range of plants.
Warranty of LED Grow Lights
Warranty is another crucial factor you should consider when buying LED plant lights. Make sure your potential manufacturer gives a warranty for a certain period. At Darkless, you get 5 years of warranty.
You should be able to get a free repair or replacement for the damaged part during this time. Check with the rules and regulations of the warranty and find out what parts it covers. Also, consider choosing a certified LED grow Lights supplier. Darkless provides you with quality certifications and test reports for CE, UL, and so on.
Final Words
Whether you are a hobbyist plant grower or run a large plant production farm, LED grow light is an ideal investment. Using them, you can give a controlled environment to your plants and expect good growth.
However, to avail best results, always buy branded LED grow lights. At DarklessLED, you can get high-quality LED grow lights that meet all industry standards. Their LED grows lights come with a warranty against manufacturing defects. You can visit darklessled.com to learn more about their products.
