Maybe you’re just starting out on your first indoor gardening adventure or maybe you’re a seasoned veteran looking to change or improve your growing system. Lights will be one of the most important investments you make. Let’s talk about some key factors that might influence your purchasing decision and then we’ll show you our review of the best full spectrum LED grow lights for 2020. What Are Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights?First things first, if you’re new to indoor gardening, you’ll want to know exactly what you’re looking for. Full spectrum LED (light-emitting diode) lighting aims to mimic natural sunlight, producing, as the name implies, the full spectrum of light plants require for optimal growth. This full spectrum is produced in two ways. One is by coating blue LEDs with a mixture of different colored phosphors. Phosphors convert the blue light’s wavelength into a wider range of wavelengths that ultimately look like white light (like sunlight does). The second is to combine red, green and blue diodes in such a ratio and pattern that the light appears white to the human eye. Full spectrum LED grow lights are a relatively new technology. High intensity discharge (HID) and compact fluorescent (CFL) lighting have been the standard for indoor growing but none of these lighting systems replicate daylight in the way LEDs can. As LED technology improves, they’re more and more becoming a viable option for growing and maintaining healthy plants. Pros of Using Full Spectrum LED Grow LightsSpectrum Perhaps the biggest advantage to using full spectrum LED grow lights is right there in the name. Since they consistently put out the entire spectrum of light that plants need throughout their growing cycle, you won’t have to change the lights. Return on Investment While LED lights cost more than other lights, they last longer. The average lifespan for an LED light is about 50,000 hours, miles ahead of HID lights, which last an average of 24,000 hours and CFL, which last about 8000 hours. You’ll pay more up front but you’ll ultimately get more light and need to replace your bulbs less with an LED system. Energy Efficiency There’s no real comparison between LED lights and other types of grow lights. LEDs use about 75% less energy than other kinds of lights, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. If conserving energy or saving money on utilities is high up on your priority list, LED is really the way to go. Heat Heat is much easier to control in your growing space with full spectrum LED lights. They generate much less heat than other kinds of bulbs, which can make them ideal if you’re growing in a small location or in a region with warmer outdoor temperatures. Quantum boards LED grow light run much cooler than other LED panels, so the fixture doesn't even need fans. Passive cooling is all you need. Not only does that mean silent operation, it also means a longer lifespan. Size LED lighting systems are generally less bulky than other kinds of systems. HID lighting requires separate ballasts and reflectors, not to mention vents to manage excess heat. In smaller spaces, LEDs let growers maximize the room they have by allowing them to place plants closer to the lights themselves. Cons of Using Full Spectrum LED Grow LightsCost LED grow lights are more expensive than other kinds of lights like fluorescents or HID. The initial cost for setting up an LED system can be prohibitive. Power HID lights are much more powerful than LEDs. They’re able to generate a light intensity that encourages plant growth in a way LEDs can’t match. If you’re growing a high number of large plants, HIDs might still be the way to go because their light can penetrate foliage further than LEDs can. Blue Light Exposure Prolonged exposure to blue light, while necessary for plants to grow, is harmful to humans. It can damage your retinas, so working in your growing space will require you to be careful and to wear grow room glasses. You only have one set of eyes! Best Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights ReviewWith the market exploding with numerous manufacturers creating LED based grow lights, it's no wonder people have a hard time sifting through the thousands of options. We have picked our best LED grow light for sale by home growers and commercial growers alike. SPIDER FARMER LED QUANTUM BOARDSpider farmer LED Grow Lights utilize the latest in high yielding LEDs technology today-Samsung LM301B diodes, high Energy Efficiency with 2.7 umol/J, create the better canopy light penetration. SF1000 only consumes 100w, running 50% less power than the other 1500 QB lights(SMD LEDs) or Blurple lamps or HPS, and still was 50% more harvest. Veg footprint is 3 x 3 ft, Flowering footprint is 2 x 2 ft. Upgraded SF series growing lights have a dimming knob and light switch. A single light can be adjusted the light intensity at liberty. Multi-light Connection with unified dimming especially beneficial for large area of indoor growing and commercial planting. IDEAL FOR ALL GROWTH STAGES: Excellent full spectrum- white, blue, red and IR (3000K, 5000K, 660nm and IR 760nm). 3000K diodes providing more reddish light and the 5000K providing more blueish. The 660nm red and IR light is especially useful during bloom, where it speeds up flowering time and boost yields. Turn your seeds into your own supply. And the light looks fairly natural , so it's good for accurately monitoring plant health. VIPARSPECTRA LED Grow LightThis is a 1200W LED grow light from the Viparspectra company, and you can also get it in other variants including 450W, 600W, and 900W. What really stands out about this grow light is that there is a lot of focus on customer safety. This is a UL certified product meaning there’s no fire or shock hazard associated with it! Another great thing about the Viparspectra grow light is that it offers you a full spectrum (like all the other grow lights on our list) and it will ensure that you don’t need to change the light while your plants grow from a seedling all the way to their harvest phase! There’s a double VEG and BLOOM channel and the lighting can be easily adjusted as per the needs of the growers. This grow light offers a lifespan of about 100,000 hours which is sufficient for almost all growers as that’s a really long time. There are 240 LED bulbs in this, each of 5W. This grow light can easily replace an 800W HPS or Metal Halide light and consumes only about 520W of power from the main socket (possible variance of about 3 to 5%). Roleadro LED Grow LightRoleadro might not be a name as prominent as some other brands on this list, but the company sure does know how to create impactful products which are great for growing weed indoors. A 600W light is great for small-scale growers who are just growing a few plants. These are inexpensive as well as help ensure that all the basic lighting needs are properly met. One of the first things that strikes you about this LED grow light is that it offers a very simple and minimalist design. It is a very neat looking grow light which is easy to use and great for beginners. This is a full spectrum light which comes with a color temperature of 3500K, which makes it the perfect fit for all phases of growth ranging from vegetative growth all the way to flowering. There’s also a 1200W variant of this grow light for those growers who might have slightly larger needs. There are two fans located on the back of the grow light panel which make sure that the heat is properly dissipated. Full-spectrum LEDs are technologically complicated, but shopping for them doesn’t have to be. Look for products like the Spider Farmer LED Quantum Board, as it’s a great all-around lamp at a good price.
Otherwise, take into account what kind of space you’re dealing with and the cost you’re willing to spend and take a look through the options here. We hope you can find something useful. Happy Growing!
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