LED lights in general have become very popular in all kinds of applications. They offer so many advantages over incandescent lights which makes them a great investment. Conventional grow lights still work well but new LED technology is making a splash in the hydroponic growing community.
Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without soil. Instead of using soil, you use mineral nutrient solutions in water. Most hydroponics take place indoors because there is more control over light and all of the elements the outdoors can bring. When growing indoors, some form of artificial lighting needs to be supplied in order for your crop to photosynthesize. This is where LED grow lights can help you turn out some very productive crops.
LED lights are different from conventional incandescent or fluorescent because they have no filament. LED stands for lights emitting diode and is a semiconductor diode that produces light when current is passed through its circuit. Since there is no filament to burn out like in a conventional grow light, LED grow lights last a very long time. A typical LED light can last up to 25,000-30,000 hours of use compared to the usual 2000-4000 hour rating on a conventional light bulb. This makes them an excellent investment since you will not have to continuously change light bulbs and will save you time considering there is not as much maintenance involved.
Another advantage of LED lights is they put off a lot less heat than conventional lighting. Most incandescent bulbs get very hot which can have a negative impact on your growing if not under control. Being able to reduce the amount of heat will drastically improve the conditions of your growing area and further allow you to have more control. LED grow lights put off about 90% less heat than incandescent plant grow lights. You can add room heat to your growing area as necessary.
Another advantage of using LED lights is that they are very efficient at transforming electricity into light. LED’s can use up to 80% of the energy being drawn to create light. Incandescent lights have an efficiency of about 5%. The higher efficiency of LED lights means there is less heat and a better watt to lumen ratio. Less heat also means that LED lights are less likely to burn leaves.
Since LED lights are so efficient at creating light they will be a lot easier on your electric bill. LED lights consume about 80% less energy than conventional lighting. This is not only great for the environment but its also great for your pocket book.
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