Whether you’re an experienced grower or just starting out, chances are you are growing with fluorescent grow lights. Maybe you’ve heard some hype about LED grow lights, and you decided to investigate. You’ve come to the right place, in this article we’ll be discussing the benefits of LED grow lights, how they compare to fluorescent, and whether or not you should make the switch.

Energy efficiency

LED bulbs are more energy efficient than fluorescent, but how much exactly? Let’s take a look at an example. If we assume the cost of a Kilowatt per Hour is 10 cents and you keep the light on 16 hours per day, here’s how to calculate the cost for the whole year:

Light Wattage/1000 x Kilowatt per hour cost x hours per month x 12 months

Fluorescent light: 80 watts/1000 x $0.1 x 480 hours x 12 months = $46.08

LED light: 9 watts/1000 x $0.1 x 480 hours x 12 months = $5.18

Almost $40 of difference. This is just an example, but you can expect to have similar savings with your setup. LED grow lights can save you 90% in costs.

Pros and cons of LED grow lights

Other benefits of LED grow lights include durability and low heat output. You can expect to use them from 50,000 to 100,000 hours. You can place them as close to your plants as you want without burning them, and you will require a simpler cooling system (a fan will be more than enough). The downside of LED is that if one bulb stops working, it’s not very easy to fix, other than replacing the entire light. Also, they are more expensive than fluorescent grow lights, but the energy savings will make up for that.

Fluorescent vs LED

In 2007 an experiment took place to compare the effects of fluorescent and LED grow lights over plant growth. Those plants grown with a fluorescent bulb turned out stronger, healthier and natural-looking. The other set of plants, grown with an LED bar light, resulted weaker and unnatural. While fluorescent proved superior in this case, it’s noteworthy to mention that since the experiment happened there have been significantly better LED grow lights manufactured.

LED grow lights are a growing technology

The mentioned experiment is a strong argument against the use of LED grow lights. Although, it should be considered that this is a developing technology. There isn’t much information available on the proper use of LED grow lights. If you want to get the best results, you should be willing to tweak and experiment with your settings. Things like light cycles or your plant’s specific requirements are to be considered. You’ll usually find that packs of seeds include instructions for indoor growing, but these are directed for people who use HID lighting.

Changing from fluorescent grow lights to LED isn’t just about changing the light. First of all, you have to research and read about people’s experience with LED grow lights, and locate the right product. If you decide that you want to buy LED grow lights, avoid cheap LED panels and make the effort to invest in a good light. This way it will be worth your time, and you’ll reap the best rewards that LED grow lights have to offer. Fluorescent grow lights have worked for many years now, and many people use them, so if you choose to stick with them it’s also good.