In general, never use a knock-off or cheap LED product and be skeptical of any product that doesn’t divulge which brand of LED is being used – Always use name brand LEDs with a constant current source with proven reliability. One of the reasons for using LEDs is longevity, but not all LEDs are created equal and there are LED products with poor reliability and lifetime issues. So, don’t go half way and buy a cheap samsung led grow light that is likely to break – buy a name brand LED product that will last.
The two full spectrum led grow light required are 450nm-470nm (Royal-Blue to Blue) and 630nm-660nm (Red to Deep-Red). For the best results we recommend as many different spectrum’s as possible, but it is not required. Remember we are trying to replicate the spectrum from the sun, however the main two spectrums from the sun that the plant abosrbs are the Royal-Blue and Red spectrum.
To preserve the led grow lights samsung and to guarantee they emit the most amount of light, a good heatsink is absolutely necessary. LEDs do create a manageable amount of heat, but if overlooked, excessive heat will burn holes in the LED and cause the lumen output to drop below adequate levels. LEDs have made extraordinary improvements over the past few years. Forward voltages have gone down, maximum drive currents have gone up, lumen output has gone up, and maximum running temperatures have gone up, but still optimizing the environment with heatsinks is mandatory.
Your lighting schedule should be 18-hours on and 6-hours off during veg and 12-hours on and 12-hours off during flower. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that during “off” times there is ABSOLUTELY no light leaks. Also, keep in mind depending on your plant genetics that the length of your plant will likely double or more in height after you switch to flowering.
Situate the commerical led grow light strips source as close as possible to the plants while still spreading the light over the entire growing area. As a benchmark, often this distance ends up being around 6 to 12inches.
Here is an example of a LED grow lights with excellent characteristics for growing. It uses the popular Cree XP-E2 style LEDs, reliable constant current drivers and the heatsink is perfect for removing unwanted heat. It is also a solderless and scalable kit, meaning it can be built in 6inch increments, up to a total length of 4-feet. The kit comes with a full spectrum of LEDs, drivers, fans, power-supplies and wiring schematic; basically, everything necessary for a turn-key grow light, but without the extra cost associated with “finished” grow light products.