Cannabis light is indispensable for the growth of cannabis. If you want to grow a lot of cannabis, you have to solve a problem – how to choose the right cannabis light. To solve this problem, we must understand the influence of the environment and light on the growth of cannabis, as well as the characteristics of different cannabis lights. Only by understanding these, can we choose the most suitable cannabis light according to the actual situation.
To learn how to choose the best cannabis light, I have been buying new cannabis lights to experiment with the growth of cannabis. I buy different cannabis lights from different companies. Through real money investment and different experimental comparisons, I have accumulated a certain experience on what to consider when choosing a cannabis light. I will share it below in the hope that readers can get something from it. Through this article, readers will know how to choose the right cannabis light and can avoid some pitfalls.
Points to note when choosing LED cannabis light
At present, the cannabis lights used in the market mainly include high-pressure sodium lights, metal halide lights, and LED grow lights. In my experience, LED grow lights are the best cannabis lights among the three types of lights. LED grow lights are advantageous for high luminous efficiency, low heat generation, and long lifespan, which other cannabis lights do not have. Let me share with you some points to note when buying LED grow lights:
LED lamp beads
The lamp beads of LED cannabis lights are preferably high-power, not less than 3w. The light intensity of lamp beads less than 3w is not enough to support the rapid growth of cannabis. This means that the power of each lamp bead is at least 3w instead of three 1w LEDs. High-powered lamp beads can better provide the light that cannabis wants. Even if the light is not single enough, and the power is high enough, cannabis will get more of the light it wants.
Lens of cannabis light
A good optical lens has a very low refractive index so that less light is reflected, and more light will shine on the cannabis. A good optical lens must have a suitable curvature, just like a convex lens, which can gather light, increase the amount of light available, and increase the utilization rate of energy.
Materials and production process
The quality of the housing of the LED grow light can reflect the quality of the light. Generally, the lifespan of LED growth lights is 5-10 years. LED grow lights don’t have such a long lifespan if their housings are poor quality. The housing of the high-quality grow light has more texture than the inferior housing. The most important indicator of the quality of the housing is to see whether the housing is made of flame-retardant materials. When buying LED grow lights, you must buy flame-retardant materials.
The workmanship of the high-quality LED grow light is definitely excellent, and there will be no cracks or looseness. The design of high-quality LED grow lights will be better, and the installation and disassembly are more convenient. The gap between the same level of high-quality LED grow light products will not be too big. Take a few more products to compare the size and shape. If there is a significant difference, it is produced by a low-quality manufacturer.
Watts of cannabis light
When buying a cannabis light, it is better to have higher power than the cannabis needs. Power is an important parameter of the cannabis light, and the watt level is related to whether the cannabis can receive sufficient light. If the light required for cannabis growth is 300w, then the LED grow light purchased should be greater than 300w. LED manufacturers claim that their grow lights can be 300w, 400w, or even greater, but the reality may be less. And when growing cannabis on a large scale, some lights are often broken and need to be replaced. At this time, additional lights are needed to supplement.
Spectrum of cannabis light
Cannabis does not absorb all colors well. Cannabis has a better photosynthetic reaction with blue and red. The efficiency of photosynthesis of other colors is relatively not so high. When industrial hemp is grown, the proper spectrum of hemp lights will allow hemp to grow better, have higher quality, and save energy. Blue and red light are not both suitable for the growth of cannabis. Blue light with a wavelength between 440-470nm and red light with a wavelength between 640-660 can best promote the growth of cannabis.
Heat generation of cannabis light
Cannabis is very fragile, and an overheated environment can easily lead to cannabis injury. If the heat of the cannabis light is very high, it is not conducive to the growth of cannabis, and the cost of heat dissipation will increase. In addition, if the cannabis light heats up too fast, it means that the conversion of light energy is not high, and a large amount of energy is converted into internal energy and wasted. Therefore, heat generation is an important indicator of LED lights.
Heat dissipation
Cannabis has a high demand for strong light. The light exposure time of mature cannabis is 12-16 hours a day. Long-term LED work will generate a lot of heat. A good LED will have a heat dissipation system, which dispels a lot of heat out.
The operating temperature of LED lights is lower than that of other grow lights. And it will accumulate some heat after working for a long time, which is not only harmful to the growth of hemp but also easy to burn out the lamp beads. The lamp beads of excellent LED grow lights have heat sinks, and this kind of aluminum sheet will take the heat away from the lamp beads in time.
Anti-electromagnetic interference
When purchasing LEDs, pay attention to whether there is an electromagnetic interference-related audit certification on the LED packaging. It is best to buy certified LED grow lights. Although electromagnetic interference has limited influence on the LED grow light, if the LED grow light does not have enough anti-electromagnetic interference ability, external electromagnetic interference may cause bulb instability or even flicker. If the flickering problem is severe, it may cause the LED light to burn out. Of course, most cannabis is grown indoors where there is not much electromagnetic interference, so here is just a suggestion.
Warranty period
As mentioned earlier, looking for lights with a warranty of more than one year. LEDs have a lifespan of up to 10 years, so I am a little skeptical of manufacturers who only provide a one-year warranty. This indicates that the manufacturing cost of the housing or cable system is low. I usually expect a 3-year warranty on the parts.
A parts warranty would be better anyway, since the bulb will continue to work no matter which part needs to be replaced. The working time of the bulb will be much longer than that of other parts. You can replace these parts at the right time to make your grow lights work better.
Summary
Cannabis is a fragile plant. Compared to other plants, it is more difficult to keep a good growth. With cannabis cultivation gradually shifting to indoors, the selection of grow lights is crucial to determine whether hemp can grow well or not. The decision-making not only depends on various details, but also on the choice of the brand. A reliable brand or supplier will solve many problems and make us more worry-free. MOKOLight specializes in manufacturing LED grow lights. If you don’t want to find high-quality LED grow lights in the vast ocean of LED brands, you can try MOKOLight’s LED grow lights.
