Don’t Use Greenhouse Lights Indoor or 1:1 HPS Replacement

Welcome to our ongoing blog series, initially shared on Instagram, where we share valuable insights about indoor cultivation. Today, we want to educate our friends, facility owners, and grow shop enthusiasts. Our message is clear: Do NOT purchase Top Light/Greenhouse lights for indoor cultivation if you aim to maximize your yields. ⁣ ⁣

In the industry, these lights are often marketed as 1:1 replacements for HPS lights. However, they are frequently sold to under-educated buyers. While our Greenhouse Light is also part of our product range, we would never recommend it to an indoor grower. ⁣ ⁣

The Reason Why: These lights are specifically designed to be hung up high to provide supplemental light to the canopy in a greenhouse setting, not as primary lighting for indoor cultivation. If positioned too close to the canopy indoors, they create a long, narrow hotspot of light intensity, leaving insufficient illumination on the sides, even for growing lettuce. ⁣ ⁣

The Problem: Most LED lights experience a loss of approximately 25% of light intensity for every 12 inches of distance. Therefore, if you hang these greenhouse lights high above your indoor plants, you may achieve good spread but lose canopy light intensity, resulting in reduced yield. Unfortunately, many companies do not provide PAR maps for these lights. 😞 ⁣ ⁣

The Solution: When selecting lighting for indoor cultivation, opt for a multi-bar LED and keep it positioned close to the canopy. This approach maximizes light intensity, uniformity, and ultimately, your yield. 💥 ⁣ ⁣

Remember: Your goal is to replicate a sunny day in nature, not a cloudy one. Light intensity and yield have a strong correlation, with an R-squared value of approximately 80%, regardless of the spectrum. For every 10% increase in canopy light intensity, you can expect a 8% boost in yield. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Studies consistently demonstrate a linear increase in yield up to at least 1800 PPFD (only stopping because the lights couldn't reach higher levels). Some of our customers even push their PPFD values beyond 2000 with no issues, experiencing a linear increase in yield. However, it's crucial to fine-tune your environment when operating at these levels - environmental control is paramount. ⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ #mammothlighting #indoorcultivation #LEDlighting #growlights #yieldmaximization #PARmap