LED lights are popularly used in the growing of cannabis indoors. This is because they are cost-effective and provide the greatest convenience to growers. Even LED bulbs in the best affordable LED grow lights can serve you for over 10 years without needing to be replaced, and this ends up saving you a lot of money. Other grow lights such as CFL’s need to be adjusted almost every day.
LED grow lights can be used for different wavelengths or colors. Marijuana plants require different wavelengths at every stage of growth and being able to adjust the color of the light emitted gives you greater convenience. Generally, L.E.D. lights run cooler and have higher lumen per watt compared to many other growing options.
What to Consider when Shopping for the Best Affordable LED Grow Lights
When purchasing L.E.D. lights for small amounts of cannabis, you can narrow down your search by answering the next questions.
• How Much Space do you need to Cover?
If you are only growing small amounts of cannabis, you will probably not need wide coverage of light. Knowing what amount of coverage you need is key to eliminating a lot of products, which will make your shopping easier.
The angle of dispersion also determines the area that can be covered by the L.E.D. lights. Those with greater angles of dispersion are capable of covering larger growing areas.
• PAR and Efficiency
L.E.D. lights generally have very high lumen output per watt. However, different L.E.D. light brands can have higher or lower lumen output per watt. Unlike other sources of light, wattage is not the indicator of growing power in L.E.D. lights since PAR (Photosynthetic Active Radiation) is used instead. This measures the efficiency of energy. L.E.D. bulbs with higher lumen per watt have greater energy efficiency.
The Best Affordable L.E.D. Grow Lights
1. Advanced Platinum Series P300 300W
Advanced Platinum is among the biggest and most reliable brands in the L.E.D. grow light industry. The intensity of the lumen output doubles or triples that of competitor brands. Being a full-spectrum L.E.D. light, Advanced Platinum has got you covered from newly sprouted cannabis seeds all throughout the the flowering stage. The light produced is almost the same as natural sunlight. This L.E.D. grow light will set you back around 369 USD, and comes with a 5-year warranty. It has a 100,000-hour lifespan, which translates to roughly 11+ years.
Pros:
• Full spectrum LED light, perfect for the growth of cannabis at all stages
• Has a long lifespan
• Very energy efficient
• Comes with a 5-year warranty
Cons:
• Can scorch your cannabis plants if not appropriately positioned
• The coverage isn’t optimal
2. Galaxyhydro Dimmable LED Grow Light 300W
This grow light is one of the lower priced ones. When comparing its price tag with a rating of almost all five star reviews across the board, you’ll quickly understand why it had to make our list of the best affordable LED grow lights.
The 300W dimmable grow light by Galaxyhydro provides the full spectrum required for both the vegetative and flowering stages of cannabis growth. It produces UV and IR lights, both of which are important for the proper growth of cannabis. UV light is necessary for the killing of bacteria and other microorganisms around the plants and the IR helps to stimulate cell division. These properties lead to the healthy development of your marijuana plants. To make the light cooler, the light comes with two fans. It also has aluminum cooling heat sinks for the same purpose. Ideally, this L.E.D. light should be used in a 2 by 2 feet growing area. It comes with a 3-year warranty.
Pros:
• Produces very intense light
• Comes with a cooling system to reduce the chances of overheating
• Is backed by a 30-day money back guarantee and a 3-year warranty
• Also a full spectrum LED light
Cons:
• It is a challenge to accommodate the distance requirements of this L.E.D. light, especially for those growing small amounts of cannabis
3. MarsHydro Reflector96 L.E.D. Grow Light
This L.E.D. grow light is designed for a small growing space. It is very compact and has very high PAR. In addition, it has a full spectrum, which includes red, blue, and white lights for all stages of cannabis growth. Like other products in this line of MarsHydro growing lights, the ‘96’ figure in the name represents the number of L.E.D.s. The only problem you might experience is the low intensity of the lights. Since it does not match the intensity of competitor products, you will be forced to have the L.E.D. lights much closer to the cannabis plants. The result of this will be a lower coverage area, which will only be suitable if you have a very small growing space. It costs $189.99 on Amazon and is backed by a 2-year warranty.
Pros:
• Is very compact
• Has the full spectrum
• Is backed by a 2-year warranty
Cons:
• Does not emit highly intense light. So, you should only go for it if you have a very small growing area.
4. King Plus 1200w Double Chips Grow Lights
This grow light includes the full spectrum. IR and UV lights are part of the light emitted, and these ensure optimal growth of your cannabis plants. For better dissipation of light, the L.E.D. board and glass are made with some holes in them. It also features three fans to help cool the light emitted. Many users of this product have actually noted that the light produced is very bright, but the heat released is still considerably low. This is important since excess heat can burn your cannabis plants. The King Plus 1200 Watt Double Chips Grow Light costs 169 USD on Amazon. It is backed by a 3-year warranty.
Pros:
• Includes the full spectrum
• Has holes on the L.E.D. board and glass for better light dissipation
• Comes with fans to cool the light emitted
• Is backed by a 3-year warranty
Cons:
• The cooling fans can get noisy
Conclusion
We hope you now have a better idea of what to consider when shopping for the best L.E.D. grow light. So, you need to find a product with full spectrum coverage, high efficiency and one that can cover your entire growing area. The products reviewed here can help start you off.
