Everything You Need to Know About Grow Lights: LED vs. HID

This post is sponsored by Supercloset.

Using a light source that consumes less electricity and puts out less heat can mean a lot for someone growing indoors in small places. High intensity discharge lights work great, but they come with a hidden price. Find out why many growers are switching over to LED in their gardens.

LED technology has advanced considerably in recent times. While they were once just little lights on electronics, they’re now found in streetlights, flashlights and even in lamps growing vegetable in space. A couple years ago research indicated that LED and HID had similar efficiencies, but times have even changed since then. Light-emitting diode lamps for growing plants are more efficient then ever and will save you tons on electricity and heating.

LED lighting is also a greener option than HID’s, in particular metal halides that contain mercury. Don’t pollute the environment with toxic lamps! Go green and save the earth, use LED’s.

Cannabis thrives under LED lighting, there’s no doubt about it these days. Not only that, but setting up indoor grow spaces with LED’s comes much simpler than with high intensity discharge lamps. You won’t have to worry as much about putting the lights too close to the tops of the plants, a major concern for the hot light under HID bulbs.

Targeted delivery of photons to the plants allows you to get the most out of just one small LED setup. With the precision delivery of light, these lamps are highly adaptable to advanced, space-saving, yield-increasing techniques like Screen of Green.

HID gardens require additional ventilation for the lights themselves, in addition to the whole garden. Ventilation and air conditioning combined are a close second to lighting in the total electricity footprint of an indoor garden. Most LED light on the market have internal ventilation, no need for extra fans directly on it, all you need are fans for circulation.

Interested in getting some LED over your plants? For hobbyists, check out the L600, a great option for that small closet you’ve always wanted to set up The L600 gives the same amount of light as a 600 W HPS, but only consumes 320 W. The pro’s should grab an XL1000. As you probably guessed, this one replaces a traditional 1000 W HPS—but only consumes 650 Watts! What? Watts!

Head on over to Supercloset.com to take a look at the latest technology in indoor growing and lighting. Supercloset is putting together an LED alliance and has revolutionized the industry of green growing since their inception in 2002. Don’t miss out on the LED revolution, start growing green!

from
http://hightimes.com/grow/everything-you-need-to-know-about-grow-lights-led-vs-hid/