LED Vs Fluorescent Lights

Lighting is one of the main parts of any hydroponic grow room. Furthermore, it is often the most expensive investment one makes in their grow room. It is on the grounds that growers use lighting for about 12 or more hours and the huge cost involved in running it. 

But trying to figure out the best light setup for your grow room can be a bit tricky, especially if you are new to indoor growing. 

So, in this article will be talking about two of the most famous lighting systems available today: LED versus Fluorescent Grow Lights. 

We will start with a short prologue to each kind of grow lighting, then, at that point, go through the advantages and disadvantages of each sort, trailed by a comparison between the two kinds. 

What Are LED Grow Lights? 

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. A type of strong state lighting, a LED uses a semiconductor chip known as a LED die. A LED die converts an electrical current into photons through a process called electroluminescence. 

A LED might be configured either as a single-die emitter mounted on a circuit board or a variety of dies mounted directly on a circuit board, known as a Chip-On-Board (COB) module. A LED light is comprised of a LED mounted to a heat sink alongside directional lenses and a power supply.

Modern-day LED grows lights are intended to emit frequencies of light that generate the natural daylight spectrum, or they can be unequivocally changed in accordance with put out ideal frequencies for the shifting requirements of growing plants. They include extra cooling systems to build their proficiency.

What Is The Major Upside To LED Lights? 

Light-Emitting Emitting Diodes have long life expectancies when compared with most kinds of lighting technologies. Other LED Grow Lights can keep going for as much as 50,000 hours or more. In correlation, a Fluorescent grow light may, on average last 10,000 hours. 

LED grow lights are very effective and a great commercial lighting technology there is in the market as of now. They waste a little energy in infrared radiation, and they emit light that heads in a particular direction. 

LED grow lights also usually comprise fewer components when compared to fluorescent lights. They also give high-quality light, notwithstanding having basic designs.

What Are The Different Benefits of Using LED Lights? 

Besides being highly effective, these lights additionally have some basic advantages that you must consider. They include: 

LEDs require few accessory lamp aspects. 

All the more, in this way, these lights are intended to create the whole spectrum of apparent light colours without requiring the traditional colour filters. 

LEDs are naturally directional and will create light covers 180 degrees.

What Is The Downside to LED Lights? 

With this load of exceptional benefits, one would think LED lights are an easy choice. Regardless of whether this is progressively the situation, there are not many compromises you need to consider. They include: 

To be specific, LED grow lights are pretty expensive. The expense related to such a lighting project is by and large higher than most choices. It is perhaps the biggest downside of using LED grow lights. All things considered, their costs have been decreasing steadily over the long run, as they become progressively well known.

Where is LED Commonly Used? 

The typical application of LED grow lights are in-circuit boards for computers. They have become well known in different parts throughout the long term, including lighted signs, traffic signals, indoor lighting, and that is just the beginning. Like fluorescent lights, LED grow lights are also great for applications like gyms, schools, warehouses and buildings. All the more, thus, they are also easy to adjust for huge public areas, for example, street lights, parking areas, and the sky is the limit from there.

What Is a Fluorescent Grow Light or a CFL? 

These are a sort of gas discharging light, also usually referred to as HID or Arc Lights. CFL is an abbreviation for Compact Fluorescent Light. The standard fluorescent lights are available in tubes that are usually between 48 to 84 inches long. Also, the Compact Fluorescent Lights are rather cheaper, and the tubes infer to the term “compact.” 

All the more, in this way, the CFL grow lights were invented to swap the typical applications for incandescent bulbs and are also very long-lasting. In addition, the fluorescent lights produce light by directing ultraviolet radiations, all credits due to the fluorescent covering. 

UV radiation is generated by an electrical charge which goes through a latent mercury glass in the bulb. Then, at that point, electricity triggers the gas, and this produces bright radiation as an incidental effect. Fluorescent lights require an ignition which is created by a voltage pulse or a terminal.

Regardless of whether the starting is simple with sleek tubes, they require higher voltages. Earlier, the fluorescent lights used to have a “warm-up” period, which was to help with evaporating the inner gas into plasma. All things considered, many close momentary beginning advances function admirably with fluorescent lights. 

Additionally, it would be best if you took note that fluorescent lights become less powerful over the long run, as they require more voltage to create a similar light lumen level.

What is the Upside to Fluorescent Lights? 

Used for well over 100 years, fluorescent lights are high-efficiency lighting fixtures that you can use to light an enormous region. The lights are highly effective and can last for more than incandescent bulbs. All things considered, they bomb the two classes when compared with LED lights. 

What are the Major Drawbacks of Fluorescent Lights? 

A couple of the basic cons of fluorescent light include: 

These lights have very toxic mercury and phosphor, which are perilous during waste removal. 

Fluorescent lights age altogether, particularly when sewed on and off regularly. The burning life increases altogether when the lights are on for long terms. 

Fluorescent lights are omnidirectional and will emit light at 360 degrees. Be that as it may, this is a highly wasteful plan when compared with the LEDs.

Where are Fluorescent Grow Lights Commonly Used? 

The typical application of fluorescent lights include schools, warehouses and a lot of commercial buildings. Moreover, they are also regularly used as substitution lights and for residential projects.

What is the basic difference between a fluorescent and LED grow light? 

These are two different technologies and techniques for a lighting system. The fluorescent grow lights have inert gas with the glass packaging, while LEDs have strong state technology. All the more, thus, the fluorescent lights produce Ultra Violet Rays and afterwards changes it over to apparent light by using a phosphor covering in the bulb. Also, the LED grow lights produce electromagnetic radiation through a small portion of the apparent light spectrum. The benefit of this sort of light is that it will not create squander energy.

For what reason would LEDs be able to put fluorescent grow lights out of business?

In the course of recent years, the effectiveness of LED lights has been exceptional than fluorescent lights. Also, the numerous efficiency upgrades are increasing over the long run. Additionally, the fluorescent lights need to use a stabilizer to help with settling the flow of the inner current. In the event that the ballast has slight damage or something, the light will create a humming sound when being used.

Can fluorescent lights prompt retrofit issues because of their elongated shapes? 

Fluorescent lights are also connected with garbage removal issues because of the mercury present in them.

Fluorescent lights are non-directional, which means that they emit light through a 360-degree shape. As you would expect, a lot of this light goes to waste.

A grow room requires the best conditions to make sure the ideal growth of plants and the best yield. All things considered, pivotal conditions, for example, grow lights, need careful consideration. 

This article has probably recognised the best LED grow lights versus fluorescent grow light factors you need to consider. In the race for the top position, the LED grow lights certainly have it, and furthermore offer way preferred life span over the fluorescent bulbs. All the more along these lines, regardless of whether the fluorescent lights are reasonable, they are not even close in execution when compared with the LED grow lights. Accordingly, the best light for a grow room would be LED grow lights, which are solid and will not prompt the misuse of light.