Recently, when people choose LED grow lights, they have an increasing preference to buy multi-bar style lights. Multi-bar style LED grow lights have uniform PPFD distribution, supreme heat dissipation, and can be applied to any kind of growing scenario. As a result, it has apparently become the new grow trend.

With so many LED Grow Light strips on the market, it can be challenging to find the right one. With so many models out there and vague technical specifications, a simple search turns into hours of research.

On top of all that, many multi-bar LED grow lights you find online are not telling the whole truth about their product. Many retailers are dishonest about what their LED grow lights are actually capable of.

Luckily, there are reliable and efficient multi-bar LED grow lights on the market, but you need to know how to find them. That's why we're going to show you how.

Continue reading below to find out useful tips for choosing the best multi-bar style LED grow light that will give you your best crop yet.

How many watts do you need?

Most home growers in the US are only able to grow 4 to 6 plants for personal use so for this article, we'll only look at LED lights that make sense for this kind of setup. These lights have to be fairly inexpensive since you're not growing for profit, but still powerful enough to give you a decent yield. The LED lights that you get should also be capable of generating the right color temperature during the grow and bloom phases.

Wattage and PAR ratings

Wattage is a confusing topic when it comes to LED grow lights. Before LEDs became popular, lights were rated in watts which indicates the amount of power a bulb uses. Back in the days, bulbs, specifically HIDs, that used more power were typically brighter, but this is no longer the case with LEDs. When choosing LEDs for growing, it is better to choose based on light intensity which is measured in PAR levels expressed in µmols/m2/sec. Ideally, your plants should be getting a PAR level of 300 to 400 µmols/m2/sec during the vegetative phase and 750 µmols/m2/sec during the flowering phase.

However, consumers can't seem to stop using wattage rating as the basis of a grow light's performance which is why manufacturers and sellers still highlight wattage rating as a selling point even for modern LEDs. But for most LED products nowadays, the wattage rating indicates the equivalent light intensity in an HID bulb and while this will give you a good idea of how powerful a LED light is, you should still check its PPFD/PAR level rating.

iSpirix iCann1700X LED Grow Light

Features:
Providing 4 x 4 foot bloom area and 5 x 5 foot vegetative area, the iSprix iCann1700X grow light for indoor plants supports all phases of your plants lifecycle, whether used in a tent for personal growers or chained together in a large commercial operation. The iSprix iCann1700X has the popular design of 6 lighting bars focused on distributing more light as evenly as possible across the plant canopy. Plus, this LED grow light offers a fully programmable spectrum to adapt to each phase of the plant cycle. A high efficacy of 2.4 µmol/j and up to 630 wattage power consumption contribute to high efficiency growing operation. The PPFD for this light is also quite impressive. It's enough to boost your plants' yield according to a 20–40 mole of light per day requirement. Besides that, it is dimmable from 0 to 100% so you may easily adjust the intensity of the light for the veg and flowering phases.

Spider Farmer SE7000 Commercial LED Grow Light

Features:
The Spider Farmer grow light has unique designed 6-LED bars provide more even canopy coverage, especially to the outer edges cultivation areas. With 3330pcs SAMSUNG LM301 diodes, SE7000 Led grow lights draw 650 watts with 1780.45umol/s, achieving an impressive PPE of 2.75 umol/J, coverage for 5'x5' of high-yielding full-cycle growth. Full spectrum (2800–3000K,4800–5000k, 650–665nm) is perfect for veg to bloom, to adapt to each phase of the plant cycle. The dimming knob is ideal for growers to adjust the light intensity according to different growing stages. Bar light design and aluminium material on the back contribute to better airflow and great heat dissipation. SE7000 plant growing light comes with a detachable driver and long power cord, thereby reducing ambient heat in your growing space for extended lifespan. With the waterproof circuit board, worry free of the moist environment. Easy installation.

Things To Consider Before Buying LED Grow Lights

But, hold your horses, before buying your LED grow lights, you need to be certain that they're appropriate for your plants. These devices aren't made equally, so you have to be aware of their features. This won't only help you assess each product carefully, but it will also ensure excellent value for your money. Here are some of the things you need to consider when buying LED grow lights:

1. LED grow lights wattage

The wattage is one of the most essential features you need to look at when buying LED grow lights. This pertains to the amount of energy that the LED light uses when emitting actual light. It's not always practical to choose those with higher watts as they can harm your plants. Make sure you get the right amount of light for your indoor plants.

2. Full spectrum

Full spectrum LED grow lights are designed to mimic natural light with a balanced spectrum of red, blue and green. These colours provide different benefits to the plants allowing them to grow healthy even indoors. Full spectrum LED grow lights tend to be more expensive, but they are highly recommended for indoor planting.

3. Coverage area

If you plan to grow a lot of indoor plants, you should purchase LED grow lights with more coverage. This will allow light to be distributed to all the plants giving them the equal nutrients they need to grow.

Conclusion

When shopping for LED grow lights, while they are very nice to have, it doesn't make sense for every grower to buy one. As a home grower, you don't want to spend more on equipment than what you'll get to harvest, that would be splurging rather than investing. While these LED lights may not be adequate for commercial or craft plants growers, they are certainly an excellent option for the casual home grower.