Now you’ve got everything ready for your indoor hydroponic farm or greenhouse growing. But these questions pop into your head. How many watts do LED grow lights use? How many watts of LED grow lights do I need for each plant? How should I choose what wattage of LED grow lights?
In this blog, we’ll learn how to determine the wattage of your grow lights and how many LED watts per square foot of growing space you need to meet the growing needs of your plants.
So, let’s get started.
What Does Wattage Mean in LED Grow Lights?
Are you looking to pick your indoor LED grow light based on wattage? But do you understand what is the meaning of the wattage of plant lights?
Let’s first understand what is wattage.
Wattage is not used as a measure of output,
but rather as a simple measure of the energy consumed by the plant lighting,
i.e. how much energy a light needs to light up.
While wattage has become the standard for
the amount of light expected from a lamp, it is actually the unit of
measurement for energy use. For a standard plant light, more energy always
means more light.
LED technology allows us to eliminate heat. Eliminating heat is a significant factor in allowing LED lighting to operate at a fraction of the energy required for conventional lighting.
Learning how to garden without heat is changing the framework of today’s LED gardener. Wattage can only be used as an easy way to estimate the correct fixture size for your planting.
Are Higher Watt LED Grow Lights Better?
As mentioned above, for standard plant lights, more energy always means more light. Do you also have this doubt: are higher watt LED grow lights better?
Different plants grow with different light intensity requirements. The same type of plant also has different light intensity requirements at different growth periods.
The light intensity is related to the power of the plant light, and the higher the wattage of the plant light means the higher the light intensity, which also means the higher the power.
As we know, plants cannot grow without photosynthesis, which is affected by various conditions such as temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and light intensity.
When all other conditions are met, the light intensity is not up to the standard, affecting photosynthesis. And if all other conditions are not satisfied, then when the light intensity is increased to a certain level, photosynthesis will not be enhanced again, even if the light intensity is increased again.
The higher the wattage of the plant light means more power consumption. When choosing LED grow lights, it is not better to have a higher wattage but to choose a plant light that matches the light intensity of photosynthesis of the plant.
Also, pay attention to other conditions needed for photosynthesis to take place when supplementing light. This will not only save energy but also meet the photosynthesis to ensure the healthy growth of plants.
What Wattage Should I Use For Indoor Plants?
Variables for Indoor Growing
It is essential to understand that the actual wattage you need to grow will depend on
Plant Type (high light or low light)
Highlight plants, including tomatoes, peppers, etc.
Low-light plants, including herbs, basil, lettuce Collard greens, etc.
Growth Stages
Seedling, nutritional stage, flowering, and fruiting all require different amounts of light
Total Area
The size of the growing space will determine the number of watts required.
Smaller growing spaces will require less power.
Larger growing spaces or tents will require more power
How Many LED Watts Are Required Per Square Foot of Grow Space?
Generally, the average power of LED grow lights is about 32 watts for covering a 1 square foot blooming area.
By contrast, HID lights deliver 40 watts per square foot (assuming an area of 5′ x 5′, or a coverage area of 25 square feet).
Using HID lights on a 4’x4′ area would result in 62.5 watts per square foot of power coverage.
By using LED grow lights instead of HID lights, growers can save approximately 38% in energy.
These energy savings only take into account the savings that growers gain when using LED plant lights. It does not take into understanding other environmental factors where the grower can save energy. For example, less ventilation and air conditioning may be used, or forgone altogether, depending on the size of the setup and ambient temperature.
In some cases, the total savings may exceed 50%.
How Many Plants Can You Grow With A 300W LED Light?
300W can cover an area of about 2×3ft. Generally speaking, you need at least 1sqft of space for each cannabis plant you grow. In this way, at 300W, you can grow 1-6 seedlings.
As time grows and the plants grow, a 300W LED
plant light may only hold 1-2 plants. It may not be enough to cover a larger
space for growing multiple plants.
How Many Plants Can I Grow Under A 600 Watt LED Light?
A good rule of thumb when growing cannabis is to use at least 50 watt of light per square foot of growing space.
We want to give the plants full exposure to light so they have enough energy to produce strong buds. Therefore, we need to calculate the square footage (length x width) of the growing space. We then multiply this number by 50w to get the rough light power we need.
Like, I have a growing space that is 4 feet long and 3 feet wide. This gives me 12 square feet (4 feet x 3 feet) of growing space. I then multiply this number by 50w to get 600w. So, in this example, I need a minimum of 600 watts of LED grow light.
Do you want to know how many plants can I grow under aa 700 watt LED grow light, 800 watt LED grow light? Or are you still not sure how many watts of plant light you really need? It really depends on the size of your growing space.
The following pictures are for your reference.
Do LED Grow Lights Use A Lot Of Electricity?
You already know something about the wattage aspect of plant lights, but have you ever thought about this issue of its power consumption?
Let’s continue to explore the energy consumption of plant grow lights.
How Much Electricity Do LED Grow Lights Use?
The amount of power used by a plant light depends on the wattage of the plant light you are using and the number of hours the light runs per day.
Suppose you have a 600w grow light and it operates 16 hours per day. Then the average daily energy consumption of a 600 watt LED grow light = 0.6 kWh x 16 = 9.6 kWh.
The average price of electricity in the US in 2022 is 13.75 cents per kWh, which is equivalent to $0.1375 per kWh.
This gives a daily cost of 9.6 x 0.1375 = 1.32 dollars per day for plant lighting in the US.
The average price of electricity in the UK in 2022 is 28 pence per kWh, equivalent to £0.28 per kWh.
And for UK residents, it’s 9.6 x 0.28 = 2.688 pounds per day.
Typically, a plant needs 14-16 hours of light per day. Therefore, the wattage of your grow lights purely determines the amount of electricity you use. A higher wattage will lead to greater power consumption.
Are LED Lights Cheaper To Run?
LEDs not only consume less energy, but they use it more efficiently, which helps you save a lot of money on running costs.
The Indiana University of Pennsylvania found that LED lights convert 80-90% of their energy into light, while incandescent bulbs convert only about 10-20% of their energy into light. According to the Department of Energy, LED lights use 80 percent less energy and last 25 times longer than conventional lights.
In the long run, switching to LEDs can save a lot of money on your electricity bill, leaving you with more money to spend on investing in other things.
What Are Some Recommended LED grow lights?
80W LED Grow Light
If you are planning to grow succulents, dragon fruit and strawberries. You can have a look at Auxgrow 80w LED grow light HL03.
This LED plant growth light bulb is made of high-quality aluminum with a fin heat dissipation structure. It is beneficial to improve the heat dissipation efficiency and prolong the service life of the lamp.
It adopts an integrated design. The lampshade has a large heat dissipation area, and the light transmission rate can reach over 91.5%, fully releasing photosynthetic photons. The wide range of irradiation can promote photosynthesis and prevent the overgrowth of plants.
80w LED grow light can be used for outdoor growing and greenhouse growing. Suitable for growing dragon fruit, grapes, cherries, nectarines, peaches, dates, rose cut flowers, summer pumpkins, leafy vegetables, herbaceous roots, stems, leaves, and other plants to replenish light.
100 Watt LED Grow Light
Maybe you can also take the best 100 watt LED grow light into account.
It is an efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly light source specifically designed for indoor plants. Auxgrow VG22A01D is perfect for growers who want to cultivate their favorite plants at home.
As a full-spectrum indoor grow light, it covers a wide spectrum of reds, oranges and purples that plants need. It also comes with a built-in flicker reduction system and output matching technology that maximizes its performance without any flicker or buzz.
There will also be voices wondering if full-spectrum plant lights are good. Yes, it is.
This LED grow light panel features the latest LED plant light technology, including Samsung’s dedicated diodes. It offers a true high-efficiency rating of up to 2.9μmol/J. It is designed to replace the traditional 200W HPS/MH plant grow light.
Best 100 watt LED grow light provides the powerful light output and uniform canopy penetration, which produces maximum higher yields and makes it more efficient than traditional HID lights and other plant lights on the market.
150W LED Grow light
To pick a 150w LED grow light in Auxgrow, DP01A02D can help you.
Auxgrow DP01A02D uses the latest high-yield SMD LED technology, with energy efficiency of up to 2.9μmol/J and a scientifically designed reflector that allows over 90% of the light to be absorbed by the plant.
A highly reflective aluminum heat sink provides passive heat dissipation, saving energy loss from aisles and walls and ensuring gentle coverage of the entire plant canopy and growing space. They designed waterproof LED panels and cable protectors for indoor growing.
480 Watt LED Grow Light
VG22A04D and FC09A06D are the hot selling 480 watt LED grow light in Auxgrow.
Designed for greenhouse and indoor plant growing.
Samsung LM301B full-spectrum chip is used to grow indoor plants and vegetables.
This is a very good manufacturing of high-quality LED grow light which is used for growing seedlings and transplanting.
Design this disassembled model of it can replace the flat panel quantum board on the market. Its light will shine out more evenly than the quantum version. The packaging reduces the overall volume by 60%.
The unique design of efficient heat dissipation performance and thickened 6063 pure aluminum material enable the LED grow light to maintain a low temperature even after long working hours, meeting the strict requirements of commercial planting projects for lamps.
600W LED Grow Light
The best 600 watt LED grow light panel will support all your indoor and outdoor growing requirements.
Auxgrow VG01A06D will support all your indoor and outdoor growing requirements. It is dimmable, allowing you to adjust the light and heat intensity as needed. With a single knob on the back of the grow light fixture, you can control the intensity of the panel and control the power output of seedlings, flowers and vegetables.
The best 600 watt LED grow light is equivalent to 1000W of HID power. LEDs are highly efficient and increase the absorption of chlorophyll molecules.
With LED grow lights, you can save about 80% to 90% of energy consumption. Diodes generate less heat, so you don’t have to worry about plant damage. In addition, with less energy consumption, you can save electricity.
VG01A06D Specifications:
- PPF: 1740μmol/s
- PPE: 2.9μmol/J
- Samsung LM301b LEDs
- Full spectrum 3000K, 5000K, 660nm and IR 760nm
- Quantum board design, silver color
- Meanwell LED driver
- Input Voltage: 100V~277V AC, PF>0.98
800W LED Grow Light
When you want to replace all your HPS fixtures, but don’t know which LED light to use, look to our 800w LED grow light GT05. It can meet your needs.
This is a LED grow light 1:1 replacement HPS fixture that you can install directly in place of the original HPS or CMS light hanging position.
LED grow light 1:1 replacement HPS fixture that you can install directly in place of the original HPS or CMS light hanging position. Easy to install, you can install it yourself at no extra cost, reducing labor costs.
The compact design fits directly into a standard HPS setup, making the process of upgrading and converting your lighting to LED technology easier than ever.
Features
It specifically designed to be a direct replacement for HPS luminaires.
- It is a compact, low profile and extremely bright fixtures for light-loving plants.
- Produces 800W of booming power at 2.45μmol per watt.
- Proven energy efficiency of up to 25% compared to HPS.
- Easier to handle, reposition and operate than strip LEDs.
- Built to high standards with quality components for the most demanding environments.
- Cannabis grow light GT05 comes with a wide optical system ensures uniform light coverage and crop uniformity.
- More spectral optimization of the crop, less radiant heat than HPS lamps.
Conclusion
Continuing to use 1000 watt HPS lights to grow weeds will only cost you huge energy bills and increasing costs for cooling and plant nutrients.
It’s time to get with the times and switch to LED grow lights. A deeper understanding of how to choose a grow light can help you better understand which one is better for your development.
While older HID lamp replacements such as HPS and CMH technology are a lower initial investment, they require frequent replacement.
Are you still using older fixtures? If you need LED grow lights, you can contact us. We will be happy to provide you with a plant lighting solution.
