Beginner's Guide to LED Grow Lights

It's time to move into the future with your grow lights. LEDs are now a viable option for indoor growers, and they offer many benefits over other types of lighting.

But what makes them different? What are their uses? And how do you choose the right one for your needs?

This guide will answer all of those questions and provide some guidance on how to set up an LED grow light system using just a few components. If you're ready to start growing indoors like never before, read on!

What is an LED Grow Light?

LEDs are semiconductor diodes that emit light when activated. They come in many shapes and sizes, some of which can only fit a few small diodes on them, while others have several larger ones.

As you can probably guess by the name, an indoor LED grow light is used to nurture plants during all stages of their development. They can be used during germination and clone growth, as well as for vegetation and harvesting.

This means you won't have to purchase several different lights if your grow space requires all of these phases to take place. As long as the lamp you choose has the right features, it will last for all stages.

Difference Between LED Lights and LED Grow Lights

There is a distinction between LED lights and LED grow lights. While both use LEDs, the latter is designed for plants and includes features like:

• Full-spectrum light: This refers to the color range that each diode emits. These different wavelengths allow for photosynthesis in plants.
• Higher energy diodes: A full-spectrum diode can emit more infrared and ultraviolet light, stimulating growth for both seedlings and harvest-ready plants.
• Near UV diodes: These are used during flowering to encourage the formation of buds.
• Higher wattage diodes: Grow lights need to be bright enough to cover a large area, especially if you're growing in an open space. This is why it's essential to look for a light with high wattage diodes, which allow them to emit more energy and cover a larger grow area.
• Standard LED lights are only designed to light up a room or area and won't work well for your plants.

What Are The Benefits of an LED Grow Light?

There are many benefits to growing with LED lights, but here are the highlights:

• LEDs emit very little heat in comparison to other types of grow lights, which means they can be placed much closer to the canopy than any other system. This leads to faster growth rates and better yields!
• LED grow lights can be used for all stages of plant growth, so it's possible to start with one light and never need to upgrade. They also come in various wattages and configurations, so you can choose the exact type that best suits your needs.
• It might seem like LED grow lights are expensive, but it's important to remember that they can last up to 30 times longer than HID or fluorescent lighting systems. They only require about half the wattage of their predecessors, which significantly reduces energy costs.
• LED lights are incredibly energy efficient. On average, they use about 50-60% less electricity than traditional lighting systems! If you have enough grow space for multiple light setups, you can decrease your monthly bills by a significant amount.

These are just a few of the reasons LED grow lights are quickly becoming popular among indoor growers. They also come in different colors, which is accommodating for advanced gardening techniques.

What Are The Different Types of LED Grow Lights?

There are many types of LED grow lights on the market, but it's easiest to break them down into four main categories based on what you're looking for.

The first thing to consider is your budget. The higher quality lights will cost a bit more upfront, but they last longer and allow you to control light intensity better, leading to bigger harvests.

The lower-end models will be much cheaper, but they won't last as long, and their settings might not suit your growing environment.

As long as you understand how each type of LED works, this shouldn't be a problem.

Indoor Veg/Flowering Lights

These are the standard indoor growing lights that are used for vegetation and flowering stages. They emit red and blue diodes, which mimic natural sunlight, allowing your plants to grow faster and bigger.

LED Par Lights

Also known as "panel" LEDs, these lights are made up of several smaller diodes that are flat and surrounded by a heat sink. They're perfect for people who have small areas dedicated to growing which need just one light.

They're also good if you have multiple types of plants in the same room because you can turn them all on at the same time without worrying about light intensity.

Bridgelux/Epistar Chips

These are high-quality LEDs that contain several different diodes on a single chip. They're commonly used for large grow operations where many lights need to be hung from the ceiling at once.

The main reason for this is that many individual diodes can be controlled independently, allowing you to use different settings for each one and achieve maximum intensity and coverage.

All-in-One LED Grow Lights

These models contain all of the features we just talked about in a single unit! They're suitable for people who want to upgrade their indoor growing setup but don't have a lot of money or space available.

How To Choose an LED Grow Light?

Let's take a look at some of the things you should keep in mind when selecting an LED grow light:

Heat Output

Watch out for models that don't have built-in cooling systems. Without adequate ventilation, it can get sweltering inside the grow area, damaging your plants and significantly increasing your energy bill.

Intensity Control

LED lights can be turned up very high to boost the growing speed of your plants. Most indoor gardeners need just one light that's bright enough for all stages of growth, but this isn't always possible with older models.

All-in-one units have separate controls for each color, allowing them to be dimmed down when they're not needed.

Light Spectrum

Both plants and humans respond well to colors in the red and blue spectrum, but other colors can achieve specific effects. Look for a model with a full range of color options if you want to experiment with different light configurations.

Coverage Area

How big is your growing area?

LED grow lights typically emit light in a 90-degree cone. If you want the most intensity, position the light close to the plants (but not directly over them).

If you need even coverage throughout a large space, it's better to hang several smaller lights instead of one big one.

Energy Efficiency

LED grow lights are much more energy-efficient than the old high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights.

They also last much longer, which means you can save money on maintenance over time.

Taking all of these factors into account, make sure you do some research before you buy. Choose the right grow light for your needs, and you'll be well on your way to growing beautiful, healthy indoor plants that produce big harvests.

Ready to Buy LED Grow Lights?

Hopefully, this guide has helped you learn more about LED grow lights and how they work!

It is crucial to choose the right one for your plants and situation. That's why we've done all of the research, so you don't have to!

Now that you know how to decide which LED grow lights are for you, take a look at our selection and choose from our wide range of brands and models!