There is a huge selection of lights to choose from and you’ll get 12 different recommendations for every 5 people you ask, so what can you do? Read on, we’ll make this simple.
We will eliminate high-intensity lighting (HID) given that these lights are not good for a beginner for a number of reasons. Fluorescent lighting is not sufficient for the entire growing cycle either. So, we’ve already narrowed it down to LED lighting.
Choosing your first LED grow light comes down a few simple factors:
- Cost (how much can you afford)
- Amperage (how much your circuit can afford)
- Footprint (how much space you intend to illuminate)
- Brightness (is the light bright enough for cannabis)
Cost: Get the light you can afford on your current budget. Don’t feel intimidated by the guy who insists that you should spend a ton of money on it. The fact is, you will eventually buy a different light for some reason, which is a good thing. You can then use your first light for a backup. Believe me, the only thing worse than having a light fail on you, is having a light fail and not having a backup. Don’t sweat that for now though, just decide what you can spend.
Amperage: How much amperage do you have available on the circuit you intend to use? Inventory that circuit! As long as you have 5A or more, you should be in business. If a light manufacturer doesn’t clearly indicate the max wattage and amperage consumption for the unit, pass! Also, keep in mind that you’ll at least need a couple fans (circulation and ventilation) and they’ll need some power as well. Plan for it, and don’t skip this step!
Footprint: A manufacturer should also clearly display the area of illumination for a given light, often called a light’s footprint. Pretty common sense here, just measure your space and find a light that matches it. A light with a footprint bigger than your space is ok too. You can find 2’x4′, 2’x3′, 3’x3′, 4’x4′ and more. If you are lucky enough to have a lot of space, a 4’x4′ footprint is ideal for flowering your limit of 6 plants. Do know that a thorough manufacturer may show a footprint for “Veg” that is larger than the flowering footprint. In these cases, focus on the smallest footprint advertised and compare that to your space. As before, if the manufacturer doesn’t make this information available, pass!
Brightness: This can be quite confusing, but I’ll render it down simply; in order to grow from seed to finished flower you’ll be looking for a light that produces 600+ PPFD. Anything over 1000 PPFD may be too much for the plants unless you take steps to help them utilize that intensity of light, but is usually something easy to work around as long as your ceiling is tall enough. I’ll say it again; if you can’t find a specifications sheet with this information, puff-puff-pass on that light!
Finally, I do recommend making friends with folks at your local garden supply store. They can help you immensely and a really good store may have lender-lights if you need a repair done to yours, or may even swap you out on the spot. Sure, you’ll pay a little extra, but I’m ok with that as long as I receive solid, personalized service. Besides, I like to support my local merchants.
Happy Harvests!
–The Lit Farmer–