When it comes to indoor growing, LED grow lights are highly efficient and give your plants optimum intensity. As such, they make a great option for growing a wide range of plants, whether you're using a grow tent or grow room.

With LED lights, you get a broad spectrum that includes UV light. This is great for increasing the scents and flavors of your plants, but it also helps with root growth and photosynthesis. A lot of LED grow lights also include infrared light, which is great for stem and leaf growth, as well as blooming.

The benefits of LED grow lights make them perfect for any grow room. You might think you're ready to make the jump to LEDs, and we're behind you all the way.

The advantages and disadvantages of using LED lights

While LEDs sure sound amazing at first, this does not necessarily mean that they are the right light choice for you and your indoor plant grow setup. Let's go over some of the major pros and cons that come with using LED lights.

Advantages

First and foremost, the energy savings are enormous. If you compare using an LED light for the same purposes as you would an HID light, using the LED light will save you about 40% of the energy consumption. They also last a lot longer. You can expect between 50,000 and 60,000 hours of working use of an LED light, compared to between 2,000 and 3,000 hours with an HID light. This is because LED lights don't have a filament to burn.

LED grow lights take up less space, emit light faster, and are more durable and shock-resistant than HID lights. They also have a much lower heat output, therefore lowering the need to keep your grow room cool. This reduces the risk of fire significantly. HID lights will become very hot, but the best LED grow lights feel cool when you touch them, even after running for several hours.

LED lights focus using the lenses, which means there is less of a need for reflectors like HID lights, which disperse the light without focusing and, therefore, need an external means of focusing. HID lights need approximately 100 to 150 Watts of more power than LED lights since there is power management built into the LED lights. HID lamps require external ballasts and, therefore, add extra watts of consumption.

LED lights turn instantly on and off, unlike HID lamps, which need to warm up before being fully lit. LED lights can even be dimmed quite easily. Classified as a "Class 1 LED product," LEDs are considered a safer lighting option. This is because they don't have mercury like some other lights, such as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).

The efficiency of LEDs is particularly noticeable when compared to CFLs. You can expect to save about 50% of your energy bill when you choose an LED over a CFL.

Disadvantages

When using LED lights, precise power (current) management is necessary. Additionally, LED lights have higher upfront costs. That being said, they are less expensive over longer periods of time. LED lights particularly need more specific current and heat management than do HID lights, when they are powerful lights to be used to light entire large areas.

FloraGear FLORA X6 660w Full-Spectrum LED Grow Light

Features:
The full-spectrum LED light system for the serious grower, the FLORA LED grow light features OSRAM LEDS and is ideal for flowering and bloom spaces up to 4'x4' or up to 5'x5' vegetation. The grow light is engineered for years of trouble-free operation, its full-spectrum light is strong and true and it can be part of up to a 100 light system controlled by the FLORAGEAR™ LED Controller via an RJ14 hardwired network. In addition, it is made to operate in damp spaces: a clear lens shield protects from moisture. It also has a 3-year warranty for you.

GrowBright Command Series 660W LED Grow Light

Features:
GrowBright LED grow lights are engineered to provide uniform coverage and flexibility for applications with varying light requirements. The system design features 8 bars, each equipped with 240 enhanced-red full-spectrum chips. A spanning frame and cool operating temperature allow Command Series lights to be placed close to the garden canopy for increased efficiency, while bars can be adjusted laterally to customize the lighting footprint. Built-in programming capabilities enable easy lighting adjustments to growth phase lighting needs. Simply use the included control unit or convenient remote control to adjust light output or cycle timing.
Differences in price and quality
To start with, it's a given fact that almost every LED grow light that you will find in stores, even ones with American designs will be produced in China. At a minimum, most or all of the different components will come from China. There is a difference in quality between the low, middle, and high prices LED lights, we'll explain those differences to help you choose the best lights for your grow room setup and budget.
Low price
Generally speaking, LED lights in the low price range have a poor spectrum and are low in quality. They are generally UFO LEDs found online, often misrepresented as "full-spectrum" LEDs that can easily be recognized by what they actually are due to the fact that they are clearly large blue and red LED lights in a cheaply made plastic shell.
Because these are lower in quality and spectrum, they will hurt the growth and yield of your plants. Simply put, these LED lights are not recommended over HPS or MH system lights, making it not worth the money at all.
Middle price
These LED lights will be more reasonable in their quality. They will have a better shell, come with a built-in fan, and will come from higher-quality brand names that should be familiar although they still will not have the full spectrum that their more expensive counterparts will. More likely is that they are models with either 6, 8, 11, or 12 bands. The primary function of these bands is that they will cover the entire PAR range, but not thoroughly; there will be some gaps missing throughout. This means that, although they are better than the lower quality version, they are not as close to the sun's spectrum as you can get with LED lights.
High price
These are the types of LED lights that are going to get you the best results in terms of plant yield. They don't need a fan to stay cool, they are built with the best materials, and they incorporate the entire spectrum, getting as close to the PAR (and, therefore, are the most sun-like) as possible. These models should cover a range from 420 to 750 nanometers. Sometimes they will appear dim or dead to people because of the far-red part of the spectrum, which is 710 to 850 nanometers and is hard to see with many people's eyes.
Common problems with LEDs and how to avoid them
If you're looking for a day, "standard" type of grow light, then LEDs may not be for you. They require a certain amount of research and patience, and they achieve different results than other types of grow lights. In order to avoid some of the common problems that occur with new LED growers, let's look at some important facts and common problems with LED lights.
They change the appearance of your plants
Many growers who are newly using LED lights begin to panic when they see that their plants apparently have nutrient deficiencies because of some strange discoloration taking place. Before you start testing the pH levels and loading your soil with extra nutrients, however, consider the fact that it might simply be from using LED lights - and it is not necessarily a bad thing.
It is most common to see such discoloration during your plants' flowering stage, particularly when they are reaching the end of it. The leaves will start appearing discolored, but as long as the lights are far enough away, the leaves aren't actually falling off of the plant, and the buds are still healthy as ever, there is nothing wrong with your plant at all.
Distances can vary
Because LED lights are not as standardized as other types of lights, it is crucial that you check the manufacturer's instructions for how far away from your plants your new lights should be. This distance varies according to the bulb size as well as the type of lens, so don't start using it until you feel confident that you fully understand what should be done with your specific LED lights.
Generally speaking, smaller LEDs that have 1W chips should be a minimum of one foot away. The majority of LED lights with chips that are 3W or larger, however, should be at least 1.5 feet away. Otherwise, you could give your plants light burn. Remember that you can always ask the manufacturer for recommendations yourself. If your plants are starting to appear burnt on just their top part, you should probably try moving your LEDs further away.
HPS lights get a higher yield
While this statement is probably true, that does not necessarily mean that you will get a better yield with HPS lighting. LED lights may achieve a lower yield than HPS lights, but it is well known that buds given light from LEDs will be stickier, stronger, and have a more intense aroma. Remember, more is not always better, especially when you are growing something that will be consumed or smoked later.
Conclusion
If you're looking to start an indoor garden or upgrade the lighting in your current grow room, you should definitely consider LED grow lights.
LEDs are the most intense and efficient option compared to other types of lights out there including HIDs and T5s. LED grow lights are super versatile, too, so they'll be able to suit any type of garden you want to grow. Whether you're looking to get a grow started or you want to upgrade your current grow room and take it to the next level.