Things You Must Know Before Buying a Commercial LED Grow Light

If you start off with a wrong grow light, it will ruin all your efforts and wreak havoc on your plants as well. That’s why you should make a wise purchase. Following is a detailed list of the essential factors that should be looked for when choosing a commercial LED grow light.

Output

One of the first factors you should consider is the output delivered. Therefore, make sure to read the product description for the total output to find out how many units a certain light claims to have.

It can range from 300W to more than 1000W. But if you need a grow light for commercial purposes, we recommend that you search for at least 400W.

Keep in mind that you cannot always get 100 percent power from your LEDs, so you’re very likely to end up with somewhat less output. Also, chips are going to burn out after a while regardless of the quality. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to go for a bit higher wattage than recommended. That’ll help you compensate wattage loss.

Heat

Heat and light always go hand in hand. The temperature of a grow space plays a vital role when it comes to indoor growing. That said, the grow lights are deemed to be the biggest contributor to rising temperatures in grow rooms or tents.

While this problem can be addressed with the help of a ventilation system, you are advised to choose full spectrum LED and avoid this issue altogether.

Spectrum

The next factor you need to take into consideration is the light spectrum. Both infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) count when growing plants indoors.

Even though plants are capable of growing under different types of light, you need to choose an ideal PAR value that allows for efficient photosynthesis. A full-spectrum LED light is a safe bet. It lets you cater to the specific needs of your plants throughout each stage of growth.

As a rule of thumb, the best option is blues which have a range anywhere from 440nm to 470nm as well as rends somewhere between 640nm and 660nm. So, you want to stick to that spectrum for the optimal results.

Wavelength

By emitting different wavelengths, LED's stimulate herb plants during different stages of the life cycle. A specific wavelength affects the particular aspect of plant growth, be it seedling, vegetation, or flowering.

If you want the LED grow light to cater to your plants at different stages, then you should go for a full spectrum or an adjustable LED light.

Just like the sun, full spectrum consist of an extensive range of wavelengths. That makes them beneficial at all growth stages and for all sorts of plants. On the other hand, adjustable LEDs allow you to vary the light output so that you can adjust the wavelength according to any given stage.

Electricity Consumption

Your grow lights are gonna work for about 12 hours every single day and thus increase your electricity bill considerably. Therefore, it pays to buy the more expensive high-end lights that feature less electricity consumption. They reduce the bills and save money in the long run.

Growing Space & Footprint Coverage 

Your growing space is another important factor when buying a lighting system. That’s because it determines the size, wattage, and amount of LED lights.

It’s recommended to measure the dimensions of your grow room first. Then you can start searching for the lamps with adequate footprint coverage. That will give you a better idea of how many grow lights you need. Look for the coverage area in both blooming and vegetative stage.

Materials & Quality Build

Last but not least, check for materials and build of the lights. As with any device for growing plant indoors, durability always matters. If a LED grow light is made from high-quality materials, chances are it will last for up to ten years. During this period of time, you will not have to make any change to your setup.

Look for the best LED grow light models on the market that are made in the USA, as they typically abide by the strict criteria and high industry standards, using the top-notch components along with the best production methods. Pay close attention to panels. These need to be sturdy and made of steel, aluminum, or materials that don’t break easily.

Budget

Budget is another important factor to take into account when browsing through commercial LED grow models. There’re a lot of premia LEDs available with more capabilities and features than other grow lights. On the other hand, there are also many budget-friendly options on the market that can still do a good job.

So, be sure to consider your budget and choose a light within your price range which come with the features that work best for you.

Commercial LED Grow Lighting FAQs

Are LED's Effective? 

LED grow models have been proven to run cooler than conventional grow lights. Aside from this, they are more energy efficient as well. On the downside, they are more expensive than other models. The question is, are LED grow models worth the extra money? Are they really worth the investment?

It’s important to note that there’s a significant variation of efficiency within different LED models. Although some manufacturers claim that their lights are nearly 100% efficient, the truth is slightly different. A good commercial LED grow light converts approximately 80% of the electricity into light. The remaining 20 percent is converted into heat.

Total output comes into play, too. The higher the output, the more light per watt. This results in less electrical usage and such a light is more cost effective. Weighing all these factors, LED grow models are no doubt worth the investment.

How Many LED Watts for 4×4 Grow Tent Do I Need?

It is of high importance to pick the right LED wattage for a particular grow space. Keep in mind that the number of actual watts may vary widely depending on the growth phase, plant type, and total area of your grow.

As a rule of thumb, you’ll need around 32 watts of actual LED wattage per 1 square foot of your grow space. If you have a 4×4 grow tent, for example, you will want 512 LED watts per coverage area. However, your best bet is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations because not all LED light units are created equal.

Do LED Grow Lights Require a ballast?

Unlike HID lighting, grow lights LED do not require a ballast at all. HID grow light models need a ballast so as to produce higher voltage, thereby initiating the electric arc in the bulb. LED fixtures operate completely differently and they need direct current to work.

Best Commercial LED Grow Lights 2020 Review

Before you make a choice of light, be sure to carefully evaluate your budget and your needs for your indoor garden. Make sure that the light you choose will be big enough to cover the area you are growing, and reliable enough to last you for quite a while.

Our best grow light models reviews will help you narrow down your options and make the right choice. These LED grow light models are all excellent options that will give your indoor garden the ingredients it needs to thrive.

You truly can’t go wrong with any of them, although the more expensive ones have added features that the others just can’t offer. And once your LED grow light arrives, you aren’t 

The Best Commercial Grow Lights 2020 are PhytoMAX LEDs

Black Dog LED Growers Lights understand what professional growers want from their operations: to maximize yield and quality while minimizing cost. The PhytoMAX commercial grow lights series offer the only one-to-one LED replacement for any pre-existing lighting- including 1150W / 1240W DE HPS bulbs- that will increase harvested weight, potency and quality while decreasing expenses. With ROI as short as a single flower cycle, you are wasting money every single harvest if you use anything else!

Black Dog LED Growth Lights don't only evaluate their professional grade LED grow lights based on light meters and theories, they judge them by actual harvest results- because that's what really matters to their customers and hence can be considered best commercial led grow lights manufacturer. They have a full third-party case study of PhytoMAX LED grow light commercial results available to examine for yourself.

PhytoMAX high quality full spectrum LED grow lights are ETL-certified to UL safety standards, so they are pre-approved for all commercial growing operations in the US and Canada. Many jurisdictions require all equipment used in growing operations to have ETL or UL certification.

Yield: Get More From Your Grow

Every grow needs to maximize yield to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive market. Every additional pound you can coax from your operation is additional revenue for your business.

• The PhytoMAX 800:
• Is 60%+ more efficient than a standard single-ended (SE) 1000W HPS and 25%+ more efficient than double-ended (DE) HPS in grams per watt.
• Increases total yield 25% over 1000W SE HPS.
• Out-yielded 1000W double-ended (DE) HPS in our study by 15%.
• The PhytoMAX 1000:
• Increases yield by more than 50% compared to a 1000W single-ended (SE) HPS
• Out-yields 1000W double-ended (DE) HPS by 20% or more.
• Demonstrated increased revenue of over $1,200 per light per flower cycle when replacing 1000W HPS.when replacing 1000W HPS.
• Increase Profitability!

We're not just talking about grams per watt here, but pure gross yield. PhytoMAX consistently outperforms HPS by more than 60% higher grams per watt.

If you're looking to maximize yield, PhytoMAX provides results no other light can touch!

Quality: Command More for Your Harvest

Increasing yield is critical, but PhytoMAX also increases quality with Black Dog LED's Phyto-Genesis Spectrum®:

• Increased terpene production for better smell and taste
• Increased trichome production: if you're creating concentrates, plants grown with PhytoMAX will provide higher extract yields than those grown with any traditional lighting option
• Creates tighter, denser buds
• Eliminates symptoms of heat stress: PhytoMAX LEDs significantly reduce forward-radiated heat
• Increase Profitability!

Higher quality, higher potency harvests can command a higher premium in the wholesale and retail markets, putting even more money in your pocket.

Savings: Get More for Less

PhytoMAX LEDs provide significant operational savings:

• Decrease lighting electrical costs:
• PhytoMAX 800 lights use 22-30% less electricity than a 1000W HPS (depending on ballast)
• PhytoMAX 1000 lights decrease electric use by 1-8% compared to 1000W HPS fixtures, or 15-19% compared to 1150W DE HPS (depending on ballast)
• Decreased cooling electricity costs:
• Less electricity being used means less heat is being created in your grow
• The increased photosynthetic efficiency of PhytoMAX lighting means you can run your growing area warmer, cutting cooling costs by over 50%
• Decreased infrastructure costs:
• Less electricity being used by the lights require less circuits to be run, reducing electrical installation costs
• Less heat to remove and a higher setting on the thermostat means less cooling equipment expense and lower installation costs
• Add more growing capacity to your existing facility without investing in costly equipment or electrical service upgrades
• No bulb or reflector changes are required; save on:
• The cost of replacement bulbs and reflectors
• Labor costs associated with bulb and reflector changes
• Hazardous material handling fees: PhytoMAX contains no toxic mercury
• Fixture expected lifetime is 5+ years
• Eliminate labor costs
• Increase Profitability!

Typical ROI periods for PhytoMAX LED grow lights range from 10 months down to a single flowering cycle!

PhytoMAX is Simple: Get More, Save More

Increase yield and quality, decrease costs- no matter the size or type of operation, we have a solution for you. Integration is simple- our lights offer a 1-to-1 replacement of existing fixtures and require no extra equipment, wiring or installation expertise; with the ability to be flush-mounted, they're even ideal for vertical grows.

PhytoMax offers a faster path to profitability and an additional edge in an increasingly competitive market:

• Harvest more, so you can sell more
• Higher quality and higher potency flowers, so you can charge more
• Reduce electrical and infrastructure costs for lighting and cooling to save more
• Fast ROI- down to a single flowering period

We don't just claim these things, we have third-party case study proof of how our LED grow lights benefit commercial growing operations with increased profitabilty and a very fast ROI.

PhytoMax combines expert knowledge of herb cultivation with advanced engineering to deliver larger, higher-quality harvests from our proprietary full-cycle Phyto-Genesis Light Spectrum® with significant energy savings.

Higher yields, increased quality and operational savings. How can you afford not to be growing with PhytoMAX?

SolarSystem Commercial Grow Lights

The Solar System Lights series from California Lightworks includes the most advanced LED grow lights on the market. While these lamps feature a user-friendly design accessible to serious home growers, they are engineered to meet the needs of competitive commercial growers needs. With total spectrum control and power levels ranging from 200-800 watts, the SolarSystem series delivers stellar light quality for exceptional results. We construct these lights in the United States using only top-shelf Oshram LEDS—the most efficient LEDs in the market. Our SolarSystem luminaires provide an energy savings of up 50% over traditional HID bulbs.

The SolarSystem series from California Lightworks is a high-power light output range of LED grow lights for direct replacement of traditional HID bulb technology - at up to 50% less energy and heat and never a bulb to change. Power levels are available from 200 to 800 watts – all featuring programmable digital spectrum control for the highest quality and yields at the least possible energy usage. We use top shelf Osram LEDs with the highest efficiency in the market.

Switch from HPS to LED Grow Lighting

All lights in the SolarSystem series are designed for easy installation. They are chainable, easy to install, and serve as a direct replacement for HID grow lights. All units pair with the SolarSystem controller, allowing growers to program light spectrum down to the minute for up to 365 days. These lamps boast durable housing and a rated life of more than 50,000 hours.

Variable Spectrum LED Grow Lighting

Leading commercial growers depend on the SolarSystem series to help them meet and exceed the high standards of their industry. But thanks to intuitive functionality and a wide range of sizes, our most advanced LED grow lights serve almost any light spectrum. SolarSystem grow lights work well in grow rooms, tents, and greenhouses, as well as large indoor facilities and commercial operations.