Why we preferred grow lights that used full-spectrum LED grow lights? Because they were adjustable, relatively easy to install, offered plenty of power while being safe for long periods of use, and featured options for different timing and brightness modes. Therefore, grow lights for indoor plants is one of the top-rated lawn and garden essentials that you can always rely on.

Why Do You Need a LED Grow Light Now?

Blurple is Out, White is In
Older technology used blue and red LED chips, forming blurple light, because they produced the highest light output at the wavelengths used most by plants. It was efficient, but ugly to look at. With the new LED technology, lights can produce a pleasing white light that has a higher light output than most of the older blurple lights.

The new LED lights even combine cool white and warm white to give a good light spectra for plants.

Higher Light Output
A few years ago the low end lights were producing outputs of 100–200 PPFD in the center of the lights, dropping off quickly near the edges. That was better than an LED shop light, but not much better, especially given the small area that grow lights illuminated.

There is another aspect to high light output. You can hang the light higher above the plants. Due to a low light output shop lights need to be a couple of inches away from plants making it difficult to work under them. The more powerful grow lights can be hung well above the plants providing you with lots of work space. It is so much more convenient for you.

Better Light Distribution
Ever since LED grow lights hit the market I had one complaint. They are a small size and have their LED chips concentrated in a small area. That means they can’t cover a very large surface area, and we all know that us gardeners have many plants and want a larger area. That is where shop lights worked well. They were narrow and long, covering a good sized area for the price.

Improved Spectra
The big problem with shop lights is that you have no idea what kind of light you are getting because none of the manufacturers provide spectra data. Some of you will try to use the color temperature, like a 3700 Kelvin light, and some will try to use lux which measures light according to our eyes and not the light plants use.

Most LED grow light manufacturers now provide light spectra so you can see what you are getting. You want lots of blue and red light as well as green. A small amount of IR in the 730 nm range is also valuable for flowering.

ECO Farm ECO NET 680W Samsung 301B Chips LED Grow Light

Features:

This ECO Farm LED grow light has 2,400 individual LED’s covering the full-color spectrum 3000K 5000K 660nm, which is ideal for all growth stages. The VEG FOOTPRINT: 7 x 7 ft / And the FLOWERING FOOTPRINT: 6 x 6 ft. Plus, it works and supports all growth stages such as full bloom and high yield growth. The top-of-the-line components allow this grow light to stand behind this product for years longer than the competition, making it the best choice for LED Grow Lights. Many growers are switching from the heat-producing HPS lights to the ultra-high performance LED bar lights. Eco Farm LED grow lights utilize the latest technology on the market–from intensive research for optimum performance, to customized spectrums to achieve the highest yields possible.

FGI HT02 Uniformity Pro 640 LED Grow Light

Features:

This LED grow light is built in connectivity for use with optional FGI Dimming Controller. Daisychain up to 30 meters of lights with one controller. It has full spectrum output, which uses the top of the line Samsung LM 301B White Plus Osram Osolon 660nm Red 2.5 umols/j LED efficiency. 5% Larger Diode Surface Area. Heavy Duty Not Plastic Like the 1700e or Spydr Series. The LED diode combination creates an ideal growth spectrum for indoor plants. 3200 full-spectrum Samsung LM301B neutral white light diodes, 4000K CCT. The white diodes are paired with 48 Osram Osolon Hyper Red Square 660nm diodes from the OSRAM Horticulture Optimized LED Diode series.

LEX Grow 1800+ 640 Watt Commercial and Home LED Grow Light

Features:

The Lex Grow 1800+ produces a high intensity full spectrum light designed to efficiently replace any DE 1000w HPS on the market. Using only 640 watts, this light is perfect for growers looking to cover larger areas using less. The 1800+ covers a 5 ft x 5 ft flower footprint and a 7 ft x 7 ft veg footprint. This distinction means each unit is covered by a 7 year full manufacturer’s warranty, has a 100,000 hour life rating. Lex Grow 1800+ Full Spectrum provides the same sun-like qualities plants love without the negatives of high energy requirements and high heat. Using Lex Grow’s Full Spectrum you will see faster growth and most importantly increased production overall.

Grow Light For Indoor Plants FAQs

Are grow lights for indoor plants safe?
Most often, the answer is yes, but it’s always good to read the details to see what kind of safety features are included in the design of the grow light you purchase. Though incandescent and, to a lesser extent, fluorescent household lights can become extremely hot if left on for long periods, dedicated grow lights tend to use LED, which is not only more energy-efficient but remains much cooler over long periods of use. Many consumer grow lights also have other safety (and convenience) features like auto on/off modes, timers, and heat-dissipating designs and materials.

Can I use normal led lights to grow plants indoors?
While you could use any LED light to grow plants, they’re not guaranteed to do the job and help your plants grow healthily or quickly. Most high-quality, current LED grow lights are COB (chip on board) LED and Quantum Board LED- lights specially designed to emit full-spectrum light for optimal photosynthesis. So while you can use any household LED, if you are invested in the healthy, efficient growth of your indoor plants, buying a purpose-built grow light is a good idea.

How do you use grow lights on indoor plants?
Generally speaking, most flowering plants and vegetables require 12 to 16 hours of light exposure daily- and flowering plants (which indoor plants often are) need the most. That said, an important part of a plant’s growth cycle is darkness, so while you can technically leave your indoor plants exposed to your grow light 24/7, they won’t be getting the benefit of every aspect of their growth cycle. Most plants really need about 8 hours of darkness a day in order to make the most of their potential growth cycle. On top of that, leaving your lights on 24/7 isn’t energy efficient, so it’s best to follow the above guidelines if you want the healthiest plants possible.

Conclusion

Modern LED grow lights of today surpass the earlier models of years ago in the available spectrum, durability, and light strength.

Yields for indoor growers finishing plants under full-spectrum LED lighting average ½ gram per watt among growers in the United States. This is considering the true power draw watt, not the rated equivalent advertised.

The ballpark ½ gram per watt figure takes into account that your grow room will follow the proper space guidelines of the grow light and that the plants will be optimized for growth, e.g., soil, water, nutrients, and care.