ECO Farm FLD 320W Full Spectrum Dimmable LED Grow Lights Bar VS Atreum Lighting HYDRA-3200 320W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
The right plant grow lights are one of the most important pieces of equipment you can purchase for your hydroponics system or for your indoor garden. Without it, you risk stunted growth and less quality produce. However, with so many different plant grow lights options to choose from, how do you make a decision?
This blog post discusses the pros and cons of LED grow lights. We’ll also look at what factors are important when choosing a grow light to ensure you select the best grow lights for your specific needs!
Advantages and Disadvantages of using a LED Grow Light
But what are the pros and cons of using LED Grow Light in plant cultivation? Are there only advantages to using this product or are there also disadvantages?
Indeed, as stated in the lines above, there are many advantages in using LED Grow Lights for plant growth, but there are also some disadvantages.
Advantages of using LED Grow Light for plant growth
Greater light spread and Uniformity ( a higher spread generated photons result in better uniformity over the canopies).
Full spectrum lighting (LED Grow Lights can produce full spectrum, which benefits greatly in increasing plant growth efficiency).
Customizable spectrum (the LED Grow Light spectrum can be manipulated regarding the crop you are growing).
Long service life (while LED Grow Lights have an average lifetime of 50.000 hours or more, HID lamps have an estimated lifetime of between 10.000 and 18.000 hours).
Low heat waste (LED lamps work at much cooler temperatures than HID lamps).
Closer to canopy (Since LED work cooler than HID can be positioned more closer to canopies leading to less light loss).
Efficiency (Less energy power needed to convert electricity into useful photons).
Less power consumption (as they need less power to generate the almost same number of photons regarding HID, the electricity bill will be effectively lowered).
Size(LEDs are extremely adaptable to various lighting applications as they can be of different sizes, some of them really small).
Less carbon footprint (more energy savings means less electricity consumption).
100% recyclable (Led grow lights don’t contain any toxic substances like mercury. This means all quality LEDs are certified by RoHS).
Disadvantages of using LED Grow Light for plant growth
But there are also some disadvantages of using LEDs Grow Lights in plant growth, namely:
Higher initial investment (LED lights imply an initial investment of greater scale than, for example, HID lights. However, in the medium/long term this higher initial investment will be profitable and this will mean cost savings).
Blue light exposure hazard (Prolonged exposure to shorter wavelengths and blue light can damage your eyes and skin). LED lights emit a blue coloured light that is dangerous to humans).
Overheating (ineffective heat sinks will reduce the lamp life since the diodes are sensitive to high temperatures).
Aging effect (cheaper chips can change colour over the lifetime, meaning that the light quality can be changed as well).
ECO Farm FLD 320W Full Spectrum Dimmable LED Grow Lights Bar
Features:
ECO Farm LED grow light with upgraded SMD 3030 chip 6 passive-cooled led bars, higher light intensity, less light decay, better lumens and PAR values than ordinary LED chips. FLD 320W uses 1200 LED chips that consume only 320W, perfect coverage for 3x3ft, helps you achieve maximum quality and quantity. The intensity of light can be adjusted according to the needs of plants. It can be freely adjusted lighting intensity as plants need growth at different stages with dimming options ranging from 0 to 10 levels. SMD leds spectrum is white 3000K leds, white 5000K leds, 660nm red leds and 740nm IR leds. This professional-grade led grow light is designed for maximum results in all stages of growth.
Atreum Lighting HYDRA-3200 320W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light
Features:
The Atreum Lighting grow light is a very energy efficient full spectrum light for horticultural applications. It is the perfect light source for horticultural growth from seed to harvest. With a proprietary algorithmic spacing of LEDs, the HYDRA-3200 provides even light coverage at edges and corners. Their unique algorithmically spaced LED design reduces hot spots and creates an extremely uniform light distribution across the canopy. The continuous spectral output of PAR 400–700nm provides excellent energy efficiency and quality light for human work environments. Resistance to liquid spray ensures a long service life in any environment. Light output is precisely adjusted using the built-in digital control box.
What factors are most important when deciding if I want a full spectrum light?
There are several factors to take into account when you buy a grow light. You can’t guarantee that every “full-spectrum” light is created equal, so you need to evaluate other aspects of the light too.
First and foremost, consider the cost. LED grow lights are pricey, and much pricier than standard lights with lower intensity bulbs. You will need to pay more to put the system together than you would if you used a different kind of bulb.
But with that said, LEDs are significantly more energy-efficient. If you can weather the cost of setup in the first place, then you’ll pay significantly less as time goes on. You won’t need to replace the LED bulbs for thousands upon thousands of hours. In addition, they will run with a fraction of the electricity of traditional lighting.
When you buy one of these LED lights, you can expect it to last for at least a decade before needing replacement. Many last 15 to 20 years. So as long as you’re able to afford the pricier setup, you’ll get rewards in the long term.
Another factor is the size. Traditional setups tend to be relatively bulky. If you have an entire room or building dedicated to a greenhouse, this might not be a problem. But it can be an issue for people who don’t have a lot of extra space for a complicated lighting rig.
An LED rig tends to be less cumbersome. You also don’t need any reflectors or ballasts for your plants to get the most out of your setup. As such, LEDs are a better choice for those who want to save space in a cramped area.
You’ll also need to take heat into account. Traditional bulbs emit heat while they emit light. If they’re on for long periods of time, they can raise the temperature of your grow room significantly. If your grow tent or room isn’t properly ventilated, your plants could overheat and die.
But LEDs don’t emit heat. Or at least, they don’t emit enough heat to affect the temperature of a room. Some longtime gardeners have found that after switching to LEDs, they had to invest in winter heating that they’d never needed to use before.
This makes LEDs a favourable option for people who are trying to grow in a warm indoor area.
Conclusion
Grow lights are often used in hydroponic systems to help plants grow indoors, even in the off-season. There are many lighting options to choose from, but the ideal always depends on your planting area. Before buying any grow lights, consider what you’ll be using them for, where they’ll go into your garden, and how much you want to spend on the lights.
