What are LEDs?
LEDs are a type of semiconductor called "Light Emitting Diodes." LEDs are semiconductor light sources that combine a P-type semiconductor (a more significant hole concentration) with an N-type semiconductor (larger electron concentration). Applying forward voltage to the LED will cause the electrons and holes to recombine at the P-N junction, releasing energy in light.
How are LED grow lights different?
LED grow lights are made with semiconductors just like regular LED lights, except they encourage plant growth. LED grow lights have blue and red-light spectrums (not just the warm -1,000K to cool -10,000K white light like a regular LED light). The blue range helps plants in the vegetative growth stage, and the red spectrum promotes flowering.
Do LED lights give off heat?
Conventional light sources, like incandescent bulbs, convert electrical energy into heat and then into light. These light sources use a lot of electricity to make light; thus, they produce heat and are not energy efficient. LEDs convert electrical energy directly into light. Because LEDs convert electrical energy directly into light, they waste very little electricity and give off only a nominal amount of heat, making them cool to the touch.
Are there differences between LED lights and LED grow lights compared to other light sources?
Both LED lights and LED grow lights outlast traditional lighting. LEDs save energy at a rate of up to 90 percent when compared to incandescent bulbs. LED lighting is directional, unlike fluorescent or incandescent bulbs, where the lighting goes in every direction, which results in wasted energy.
Are there differences in light color between led lights and led grow lights?
LED lights come in various colors, from soft yellows to bright whites (some tend to look bluish). Warm LED light tends toward a yellowish tint, and cool LED light appears blue or greenish. The light seems crisp and white between warm white (1,000K) and cool white (6,000K).
LED grow lights come in a variety of red and blue lights. The best LED grow lights utilize a full spectrum of colors. A general recommendation is a full spectrum grow light with a color temperature in the blue range (5,000 - 7,000K) to promote vegetative growth and a color temperature in the red range (3,500 - 4,500K) to promote fruiting and flowering. The full spectrum of color in LED grow lights closely resembles the sun's light.
Can you use a non-full spectrum LED light for plants?
LED lights only emit one color of white (color varies depending on warm white to cool white which one you use). This "white" LED light does not meet all the health needs of your plants; therefore, your plant will not thrive over time. All plants need sunlight to grow. Full-spectrum LED grow lights copy the sun's light to provide your plants with the light it needs for all stages of growth.