Some years back, buying LED grow lights was as simple as ABC. You just needed to know the wattage and the brand. However, nowadays, things are different, you have hundreds of options in the market today and therefore choosing a suitable light can be a challenge.
This article gives you some guidelines that will help you make the right choice when buying LED Grow Lights.
Check the efficiency of the light
The recognized standard of measure of efficiency for a LED Grow light is micromole per joule. That means a joule of electrical energy can produce a given number of micromoles. As a grower, you are looking for high efficiency and therefore, you need an LED Grow Light that will give you a balance between the light intensity and efficiency. Again, you need to check out for wall plug efficiency; this is the ratio between the amount of light you get and the energy consumption. Choose lighting for greenhouse that will give you the best output with minimal energy used. If you don’t choose your lights well, you could find yourself going at a loss due to high power charges.
The light intensity
Also, to grow light spectrum, research has shown that light intensity is equally important. The best measure of intensity which is a measure of electricity is wattage. A good manufacturer will give you the wall plug wattage and others will just give you the maximum wattage rating. LED light wattage may not give you the exact efficiency of the light; it’s just a manufacturer’s way of representing figures that do not reflect the amount of light and heat produced. Therefore when looking for the light bulbs, don’t pay too much attention to the wattage rating, be keen on the actual power draw. Besides, you must consider the photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of the LED light which measures the amount of light produced in a second. The light, in this case, is in terms of micromoles of photons. Besides the PPF, there is the PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) which tells you the light intensity per square meter measured in terms of micromoles of photons per second.
The LED grow light spectrum
When choosing an LED light that will give you the right spectrum, you need to consider the following factors; Photosynthesis- you need a light that will ensure that the process of photosynthesis in your plants is optimal. This will mean that your plants give you high yields. Photomorphogenesis- This is a concept that is pegged on the ability of light to produce the desired result. More than changing the plant growth pattern, light can be used to delay growth, quicken or delay flowering and much more. Therefore when introducing a light type, you have to be clear on your intended spectrum.
Warranty
It can be so frustrating if you invested your hard-earned money on LED growth lights and they end up failing on arrival or after a while. That is why you must buy from a reliable manufacturer who will give you a product guarantee of years. That would mean if the system doesn’t work as promised, the manufacturer can replace it at their cost.
When looking for LED Grow Lights, do not choose a type just because it seems affordable, consider the above factors and get a specialist to guide you in buying the best that will guarantee you high indoor plant productivity.
