There has been much recent controversy amongst cannabis growers about LED (Light Emitting Diode) grow lights. Just a couple of years ago the thought of growing weed under LED lighting would have been laughable. However, recent advances in LED technology have led to more and more growers claiming success and LED lighting sources are fast growing in popularity. We are here to tell you that growing with LEDs really does work with the best models offering results better than HIDs.
What are LED grow lights?
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. Light is produced by passing a current through a semi-conductor. There is no filament to burn out and this means that, compared to other light sources, LEDs have an extremely long lifetime with many on the market being rated for 50,000 to 60,000 hours. Compare that to the average HPS grow light bulb lifespan of around 2,400 hours and you can see why LEDs are a better bet long term.
No heat problems
Another happy result of having no filament is that LEDs are much more efficient than other light sources. In a traditional HID up to 95% of energy is wasted as heat radiation, whereas LEDs run relatively cool. With LEDs it is possible to place the light source very close to the plants, usually around 12-18 inches, helping prevent ‘stretch’ and directing the light exactly where it’s needed.
The heat generated in a traditional grow room requires the grower to waste time, space and energy trying to keep it cool and unusual heat signatures have often been cited as the reason why some growing operations are discovered by the authorities. So, with a good LED grow light system you can remove the cost, hassle and noise associated with ventilation systems. Add to this, of course, the fact that inefficient lighting costs money and you can understand why people are migrating to LEDs.
Well manufactured LEDs emit a fraction of the heat when compared to an equivalent HPS lamp. Let’s compare one of the top manufacturers’ LED grow lights versus a 1,000 Watt HPS. Note that ‘BTU’ is a unit of energy and the 1,000W HPS creates approximately 5.4 times more heat than the Super Grow LED – which is simply wasted energy and creates many more problems.
- 8 X Super Grow LEDs (offer the same light as one 1,000 HPS)
- Total Watts 184 (23 Watts each)
- Total ~650 BTU’s of heat
- 1 X 1000W HPS
- Total Watts 1,000
- Total ~3,500 BTU’s of heat
Save electricity, save space
Good broad spectrum LED grow lights run at around 15% to 20% of the electricity cost when compared to an equivalent HID grow light system. Using the example above it is clear to see that running 8 X Super Grow LED units at a total of 184 Watts is a far cheaper solution than running the equivalent light supply from a 1,000 Watt HPS + 150 Watt ballast. Reducing energy costs and consumption is not only greener but saves growers money. In addition to this, growers save space with LEDs as they can hold the light far closer, at around 12-18 inches, to the plants and remove ballasts, fans and ventilation systems from the room, too.
Broad spectrum, 3 band, 5 band, 11 wavelengths etc
So LED systems are cheaper and cooler to run, but do they provide the right kind of light?
The light spectrum is measured in nanometres (nm) as shown in the image above from infrared through the visible light spectrum to ultraviolet light.
Cannabis requires the blue spectrum for vegetative growth and the yellows, ambers, reds and far-red spectrum for pre-flowering and flowering. Growing marijuana will use the light from approximately 420 through to 730 nanometres (nm) and everything in between. Lights that offer this range will cover both the ‘chlorophyll A’ and ‘chlorophyll B’ absorption frequencies, as well as additional photosynthesis production stages which is known as the Photosynthetically Active Range, or PAR for short.
For the marijuana grower one of the beauties of LED lighting is that good models operate right across the spectrum so you can use the same light from seed germination through to flowering. Look for LED grow lights that operate across a broad frequency from at least 420 nm through to 730 nm and everything in between. LED grow light manufacturers have to specifically mix the colors within their product and some often miss portions of the required spectrum.
There are many commercially available LED units that have spectra specifically balanced LEDs for the grow room. This is generally achieved by using a mix of red and blue lights, but several suppliers are now including LEDs that provide light in the green, amber and far-red ranges.
LED grow lights are often marketed as 3 band, 5 band, 11 wavelengths etc, these are not usually broad spectrum products. These products operate in some but not all of the spectrums required for a successful, fast, big yield crop. Quite often LED light companies are reselling someone else’s product configuration and they simply don’t know what they are selling.
1W, 2W, 3W and 5W LEDs
LEDs are produced en-mass and then samples are tested to see what current they can cope with. Some of the 1 Watt LEDs can tolerate twice or three times the current and so they are marketed as 2W or 3W LEDs. These are the same LEDs as the 1W but with more current being pushed through them. There is a cost to this, these LEDs may fail quicker and produce more heat, requiring cooling methods such as fans and heat pipes to be incorporated. Well constructed 1W versions with no fans are the best bet for a successful, heat free long term operation. However, if you must purchase a unit with fans in it, make sure the fans are rated for a lifetime that exceeds that of the LEDs.
LED grow light lens
There are many types of lenses and reflectors available to harness the LED’s output and direct it where it will do the grower the most good. A simple, well-designed reflector is usually suitable to do the job, but Total Internal Reflective (TIR) lenses more fully and accurately collect and guide the light.
Make sure you choose a reflector or lens product with an output that meets your needs. An LED’s light output is usually a cone with a 160 degree angle. Some LED grow lights have no lenses and obviously, these are a waste of valuable light, and your money. Some products have 120 degree lenses and any lens is better than no lens. However, too wide a lens spreads the luminous intensity over too great an area, either providing too little power to your plants, too wide a coverage area (and wasted light that doesn’t fall on your plants), or both.
Narrowing the lens or reflector increases the power delivered to your plants significantly, up to 400-500%, but narrows the effective coverage area. A good trade-off for both problems is to use a medium output angle, from 60-90 degrees. The grow light manufacturer should provide effective coverage charts for their products and some will even perform photometry evaluations for your specific grow area, telling you exactly where to place your light(s) for maximum effect.
The Future
The commercial sector is really leading the way with LED lighting, making available a huge selection of lighting units. Although this is to be welcomed, the down side of it is that there are also many substandard products available that are not up to scratch and that will not produce the plentiful yields growers have become accustomed to with HIDs.
If you do decide to invest in some LED grow lights it is important that you buy from a reputable source and be sure it’s somewhere that you can ask questions about the spectrum and light intensity of the unit. We can highly recommend working with Super Grow LED, they offer the best broad spectrum LED grow lights on the market. They are not just resellers, they are the manufacturers, they don’t sell junk, and they designed their products with the benefit of decades of LED lighting experience.
Big yields are obtainable using good LED grow lights which is noted by some of the leading Dutch growers moving to purely LED based systems. One thing is for sure though, the technology is here right now and in a world where energy efficiency, heat reduction, space saving and sustainability is vital, LED grow light systems have a bright future for indoor marijuana cultivation.
Latest forum topics
- Grow lights
Hydroponic Store's & LED panels
Noticed a store not far from my place that i didnt even know existed, so i go in and have a look see at prices and such. I asked the one guy if they…
Need advice for lighting!
Hi,
So I havent started growing yet, still putting together a plan to make sure I cover everything. One of the main parts I’m struggling with is…
how manny led ufo lights will i need iso help plz
ok i have 2 spots i need light these are the dimentions
1st box
100 cm high
38 cm wide
86 cm long
2nd tent
1.2 m/1.2m/2m hight
LED's where to buy?
Hello, first time poster here and very novice grower. Ive been doing some research and it seems that LED’s is the way to go for overall cost and…
Cfl vs led
Is a CFL light eg. 200w light cheaper to run then running a LED panel? Or the other way around?
I am thinking of getting this LED panel
…
Hello have a room that is 117 cm wide long about 2 meters high, has 20 plants and 1600 w LED 3w how big the room should I have from the plants? hr one exrta lamp, will the necklace if I put it in with?
I missed and 170 width on one side
Check out our forum http://forum.howtogrowmarijuana.com
It’s a great place to ask questions from other growers and join our community
I am a firm believer in LEDs. First off Im a Legal med user/grower in WA State which also just made it legal for EVERYONE over 21 for recreational… anyways heres my set up:
I have an 8x6x8 well insulated room. I use 6 x 90w UFO lights that I bought on ebay about 1 year ago. they were about $120.00 a piece. Im growing 12 plants in hydroponic 2 gallon ebb and flo systen. using advanced hydroponics nutrients. I keep my nutrients at : 1580 ppm, 6.2 ph 50-60 degree solution. Room Temp stays steady at 85 F, 40-60% humidity, I use 2 bags of CO2 mushrooms, 1 wall mount fan comes on/off at random cycles throught 24 hours, on 8 x 15 minute feed/flood cycles per day. I grow afghan kush ryder which is auto flowering, mazar kush and white indica which are both photo sensitive. 3 plants of afghan from seed crack to harvest 85 days. Plants grew to 3 feet tall and I topped them 2 times to make them bush up a bit. total yield 5.8 oz. REALLY NICE DENSE BUDS! Now I know some people are heavily invested in their hps/mh equipment, and people can say what they want about lower yields and less quality, but Im true believer!
something I didnt mention… careful pruning is important to get good light penetration, I remove large fan leaves 3 times during life of plant. Plus it makes triming wicked easy. and while Im sure the argument that the plant needs those leaves can be made, I have found for my set up, I get the best yield, and most importantly to me QUALITY throughout the plant.
The Super Grow LED grow lights are well-suited to odd and smaller grow areas. The basic formula is 1 gram per watt used, assuming SOG or SCROG grow methods, but I know of several people that are accomplishing a bit more. Of course, you’ll need to use good nutes and adhere to a strict lighting schedule. Temps and water quality are always a factor, as well. So, to answer your question, I would use 2x SGL units and expect 50 grams of dried product, using 50 Watts of power. Add units (and plants) to increase yield. They also suggest pruning your crop to 16 flowering sites per plant for best performance. Good luck!
Due to having a second lousy summer on the trot, I have decided to try to cultivate a sea of green indoors.
I have a grow area ready with a floor space of 1.2m x 90cm and need to buy a suitable led lamp to cover this area.
Could you advise me which lamp would be suited to the task?
Check out rhinogrow.com or supergrowled.com Good led brands made in the USA.
i’ve heard that u can possibly use christmas lights for growing if u have anough of them. Is this true?
ED: You might need to ask Santa that one. We would guess that they would not have the right light spectrum.
just wondering if a 15w 225 leds (165pcs red LEDs + 60pcs blue LEDs)would grow one plant?
Hello,
of course.
15W LED grow light can cover a small area,
because the light light intensity is low,
15W LED grow light is made of 0.05W LEDs,
There are 1W, 2W, 3W , 5W LED chips on the market now.
The 3W LEDs is popular now.
If you want know more information, you can contact me.
Henry810991@gmail.com
HEY THERE GOOD LUCK BRO–YOU NEED 50 WATTS OF LEDS PER SQUARE FOOT. THEY HAVE THEM IN 90% WHICH I JUST BOUGHT-I AM ALSO PUTTING ANOTHER ONE ON THE SIDE OF PLANTS TO HELP=I PAID 140 DOLLARS FOR RED-BLUE LEDS SET UP BUT THERES ALOT CHEAPER OUT THERE-STAY WITH 90 AND NOT 12O DEGREES
Hi everyone
I’ve always found the tech side of LEDs a bit confusing. And I’m sure that there are a few scoundrels around who exploit this by selling shit quality LED systems to growers who don’t know any better.
Well, I’ve just found out that this site now has a resident cannabis LED expert who can answer all your LED questions. Check it out by following the link.
Hope this helps guys.
hey guys i’m wondering how muck light i’ll need for a 32x32x60 grow box, pref lights that wont rape my wallet..lol
Well my Budmaster led light is kicking ass with my Northern Lights clones at the moment.
2 weeks left until harvest and its looking better than usual.
I really rate led grow lights and have been growing with them for a year now, I had a dorm grow light last year and it was pretty good on my indicas, but they dont compare to these x lens lights for penetration.
Thanks
SuperGrow Leds when used with an HPS make a brilliant hybrid system .. I’m using 4 LED with 600W gives me effectively 1000W.
Advantages ..
During first 2 weeks of Veg, the 4 LED’s will give more than enough for 4 plants in 40cm pots.
After this, 400W or 600W HPS can be cut back by several hours (on 18hr, run for middle 10 .. on 12hr, start with 400W for middle 8-10 then 600W after 3 weeks ) The LED is on for the whole photo-period.
NO low light areas .. because of the design of the Supergrow leds, you can mount 4 (just as they show on their site)and play with the angles until they give complete balanced light.
You can tilt the LED and place it closer to the plant to give semi side light and greater penetration.
Over a complete grow, you can get the results of 1000W for less than the running costs of 600W .. and more even quality of bud over a larger area. I’m averaging 4-6 oz per plant with this set-up over BlueBerry — and 3-4 oz per plant under just 600W HPS (identical strain, identical process, nutes and conditions)
(However, I do grow my clones for 12 weeks under a single LED in small (12cm) pots in a DWC , tie down the laterals and trim heavily to shape them to give me a scrog .. result is 3 weeks only after transplanting before switching to bloom and a shorter bloom cycle)
In other words, for the way I grow, the SuperGrow LED’s have worked for me with a number of benefits. They may not give the same results for others who do things differently.
Can u use led lights for the entire prccess?
Ghaige, you’re right. Hydroponics is just about the water/feed system. Light is light is light. LEDs will work equally well with soil as they do with hydro.
Just a quick question, I’ve been doing alot of research on this and I was wondering if LED grow lights were strictly for use for hydroponic setups. I don’t see how it should matter growing in soil vs. water, light is light after all, but any information would be appreciated.
If you read it again you’ll find the data for your math count…
“8 X Super Grow LEDs (offer the same light as one 1,000 HPS)
Total Watts 184 (23 Watts each)
Total ~650 BTU’s of heat”
So if you have a 400w HPS it’s needed 40% of 184 in LEDS = 73W… But I recommend you get 100W anymways.
Craig you don’t need a ballast. That link to the LED grow light shows a 7 band light. Looks like it has gaps in the spectrum, i.e. it isn’t a broad spectrum LED grow light.
the supergrowled, advertising are half-truths. It only takes nominal 3w LEDs and a aluminum sheet plate or rail plus a pc power supply ballast makes.
They -supergrowled- ,use a 24v power leds warm white 14 blue 8 and red 6. This is an average spectrum for flowering. But mature.
Not suitable for growth. It needs more blue. Change warm white LEDs for cold blue.
I use dimmers for the red channel, and blue, and add more red blue and UV LEDs very expensive, less white. So I control better the spectra. You can add interruptors alone or comibned with the dimmers to turn on led groups.
i am a first timer at this and need to know wat kind of lights i should use 4 my hydroponic system
Hey guy. I have been reading on here alot of questions about LED grow lights.
I have been growing 10 plants with 2 180 watts jumbo illuminator for you that do not know abut this this is a patented product made by a company called prosource worldwide. I bought 1 light to start to first see if I received the product and to see if I liked the results. I was doing some searching and I found that this company do commercial grow sites for medical marijuana in the US and uses a triband systems which consists of 1 watt led and 3 watt led The results that I have received from my plants using these have been great.
I started off growing a cheese strain we have in Spain I have to say never have cheese like it ! I must say it did take slightly longer to grow that your standard hps set up but the bills where cheaper ! I’m talking 100 s of euros in my case. Also I found the quality throught all the plants I have grown have been to a high standard in yield producing between 700-1000 gm on the critical I have grown for 2 cycles the resin on them is beastly ! If u can resist not smoking and save it all in a jar. Roll that in a blunt ! And take yourselves on our own pineapple express!
Haha all joking aside I would strong recommend anyone looking in to LED grow lights to look in to this product ! Beware you will find other UFO lighting systems none compare to this the lighting and and the set up is only unique to this supplier. U won’t be disappointed .
Also check them on on the web very good reviews as they offer 90 days money back and 3 year warranty. So ur always covered. If u need any help feel free reply here and I’ll help as much as I can. Peace !
Kathy.
There is a great table on this page about LED grow lighting and grow room set up that will answer your questions.
http://supergrowled.com/grow_room_setup.html
I have twelve new plants. How much LED lighting do I need?
There are all kinds of LEDs that cover either the vegging stage of the plant, blue light mainly and others that do well in the flowering, yellows, amber, red and further. Quite a bit here on led lights
I am trying to get my manufacture to make led lights specially for the growing of Cannabis so that I may import these lights,
I would like to get more info from growers out there about the LED lights that they use and see how there production went.
I do know that the LED light should be around 60 deg to 70deg and that the wider they are the less light the plant gets, this is specially after the transplant.
I know that two much red from the light will make the stalk grow thicker and lose it on the leaves, I also know that the blue concentration is on the leaves to grow.
what I do not know is what color concentration of lighting do you need to be compatible for the plant to grow at its best???
I have read that a 90watt LED will be great to cover 2 square foot in growing which I considered this seems small,
I am at a loss what to try to have made, my manufacture has informed me that they will make any thing I want, so the more info on specifications people tell me the more I can pass on.
some people might say that this could not happen with manufactures bending over backwards to help, I will ease your mind and say this, this particular manufacture will do as i ask and has a proven track record with me for two years and also considers I am a good customer as my orders are normally by the container load.
a 100 watt led light is = to a 400 watt
Actually, that is a myth. A LED can indeed burn a plant if too close. However, to also answer what LED system to buy, I finally settled on the one from http://www.357magled.com and that is after doing over 6 months of researching and paying close attention to their reviews.
There are many LED companies out there that claim their product is the best, but after compiling my own database on my computer the one that actually took the lead in the most positive reviews was actually designed by a medical marijuana grower that spent over 5 years of testing their LEDs and seeing what combination yields the best results.
The only drawback that I could see was because this company is located outside of the United States some banks like to make this company look like they’re charging you a second time for roughly $23 to 36.00 on your account, when its actually your bank charging you for sending money outside of the US for the transaction. Most banks won’t refund the additional charge.
My plants seem to love the LED system much better than the old school system that can leave quite the heat signature.
You can find out loads more about autoflowering strains was on this page I think. .
for new growers… when you have reached the germination process its time for you to start with your lighting periods, since there are many different periods i will not go into detail for i am not kidding myself or you on the fact that i dont know exactly what is best suited to you as different strains and genetics applie,
however i know due to vigourus experiance that when dealing with lighting your living situation fully determains what lights and growth sytems are better for you, for first tiome growers i would advise you to stay away form indica and sativa strains and only try a autoflower to ensure that you can keep your shit on the down low, ensure smell and heat under controll before you jump into 10+ plants.
autoflowering plans are “ruderalis” many strains now have sativa and indica run through the genetics which gives the best of both worlds, take into consideration that autoflowering plands only grow to approximatly 2-3ft at maximum (however strain type applies). always ensure that indoor growers use a carbon filter and ENSURE that your inflow of air is weaker that your extracing of air, this allows all of the air inside of your grow room to pass through the filter instead of being pushed out of the gaps! essential to urban farmers such as myself. peace to all of you and FREE THE WEED
I have limited space to grow so I am looking into LED’s for my plants light source because i know they can be very close to the plants without harming them due to their low heat. I am wondering if i need a ballast or just simply the LED panels. I am looking this model from http://www.htgsupply.com/Product-7-Band-240w-LED-Grow-Light.asp
check it out
so id love to hear from someone whos knows about LED’s
THANKS !
hello there! i am new to this and hoping someone could help guide me to step by step instruction?
cuz i have no idea wat kind of light stuff i need nd shyt.
nd also i need to know what kind of soil i need nd where i can go out nd buy it?
also where i can buy a dome container at?
i have many questions and i would truly appreciate any help!
thnx
um, im kinda new to the whole planting business, so i really need some help, i just put my seed in a wet toilet paper stip and placed it in the dark, when i come to plant it in a vase INDOORS how long does the light need to reflect on it, and how many times a day should i water it, also how long will it take before i can bud it and smoke the buds?
when you went to buy the lights what exactly did you ask for? thanks
i want to start from seeds i got how do i do this
What LCD light would you use to increase the thc cbe and cbd in your plants?
Better chance of finding help? Take your questions to the forum.
I want to replace 2 1k light and LED what do you suggest? Also have you seen the kessil led light 350??
I’m trying to grow 2 indoor plants. & was wondering how many LED lights I would need, what wattage, && what color?? any help?
hi I am considering doing 4 plants in a grow tent any1 know which led light make, model would be best suited??
Bridgelux, Cree or Osram are reputable
You need 180 x 1watt leds….white 5%, blue 10%, red 85% (including orange 615nm to infrared 735nm)
90W with colour ratios: 5% white, 10% blue, 85% red
Hi
If is good LED light 300W replace 1KW HID,
Lot of chip Led light out om the market.
Some is die 2 year or less.Many saler can.t find 3 month later.
Or have to shipped back the light to China cost 120$ or more.
I but my light from Growlightpro.com Is high end light USA designed.
Have USA based shop for parts and repair.Like the new 7 band 300 watt
have all the spectrum need my plant .Hope help you .
Tibor
Hi all.Just setting up my first grow. Have just bought three seeds but intend to just grow the one plant to begin with. Am looking to set up indoors, have a suitable dark-room, am on a budget so have been scouring ebay for lights. Would the following be any good or am i wasting my time?
45w Blue Spectrum 6400k CFL grow light lamp bulb
65w Red Spectrum 2700k CFL grow light lamp bulb
What brands of leds should i use?
Have you looked at the Kessil H350 in Magentia and red? THese should work for 4 plants.
If im looking to grow 10 plants what wattage should i be looking for and what color bulbs should i use.
Me and my room mate have the capability to grow 20 plants but we know nothing about growing. We have a few friends who do but none know nothing about led grow lights. Where is a reliable source for buyng these lights and how many would be recommended?
working in a 4x8x8 tent approx 6 plants what would you recomend for led lights needed for this project and is there a brand that is better than others I have been told Penetrator was a quality brand good warranty ? I also wondering the divverence of the smaller ufo type less $$ ? please help thx any tips would be great rickmotors@hotmail.com
in my opinion, LED or HPS is more better than CFL, MH.but HPS is not energy and money saving. so LED is the best choice for grow lighting. If someone know about more info about LED grow light, please send my E-mail: ct2@changtian.net
About LED grow light. you know, it is green product with energy saving, long lifespan.As far as i know, 90W or 120W led grow light can replace 150w HPS lamp, 150W LED can replace 400W HPS, 300W can replace 600W HPS, 600W LED can replace 1000W~1200W etc.
really confused about what kinds of lights to use. I have been told that I cant get good YEILDS if I dont use HID’s. Pease help! Thanks
This is pretty much true. You need a lot of intense (lumens) light. LED’s are getting there though. There is a lot of information in the marijuana lighting guide.
i have a couple of seeds and im trying to make them count my room is a little big and now im trying to find the right things to get i really dont know where to start its a red diesel seed heavy sativa and it grows medium height what do i do?
okay i just found a plant growing outside of my apt so i brought iut inside and its in potting soil and i watered it…..now what do i do about lights????? please help
oh they have 225 bulbs per panel and i have a chance of getting six
Hi. I have been looking at setting a grow room up for about 4 plants. i have an opportunity to get some 15 watt led panels. Would these work o.k?
90w ufo led would do 1 plant very well, just make sure its at least triband and contains 660nm red.
I want to grow one plant indoors. What wattage should I be looking for and what color bulbs should I be looking for
Hi a 150 led would cover the 400hps
I think led is the way to go. Great yeald
THX that’s a great aswner!
What wattage of LED does one need to replace X wattage of HPS or MH. ie I have a 400 watt HPS I want to replace with LED, what wattage of LED do I need to buy to be equivilent?
LED lights work well on my set up