Yes, they do! It all depends on the quality of the led grow light. The quality, in or opinion, depends on a number of factors, including the type of individual led used, type of led light cooling, lumen output, wattage, and footprint size.
Let's begin by looking at deciding factors:
Type of Individual LED Used
The type of individual LED in the led grow light is extremely important to the strength and endurance of the total unit (unless you want to be constantly soldering and replacing led's) Light Emitting Diodes are made in different wattage, anywhere from 1 watt to 5 watt+ The lowest quality grow lights have the 1 watt LED's, and the best are now 3 or 5 watt LED's.
The brand of LED is also indicative of quality. CREE is widely known as the highest quality provider of LED's. Generally the low watt no-name brands from China are the ones to be careful of.
Type of LED Cooling/Ventilation/Structure
This generally refers to the thermal management/build quality of the unit, and the amount of care and engineering that went into the overall product. For example, the number one reason of LED lights failing is a lack of proper heat control. Heat control depends on the size and quality of heatsink, number and quality of fans, and organization of those items within the device. A good indicator of a grow light with a good cooling and ventilation is a long warranty. If the manufacturer is using parts that burn out, they can't offer a warranty without losing profit over time.
Power of the LED - Lumens, Par Value, and Footprint
Not only the actual wattage power, but the power of the light in lumens and what they refer to in the industry as Par Value. Par stands for "photosynthetically active radiation" and is measured in micromoles. LED grow light companies strive to develop lights that emit targeted wavelengths within the PAR spectra to trigger increased plant growth response with decreased waste of energy. Light manufacturers are now adding more Red and Blue spectrum Par output for increased performance. Footprint or coverage refers to the area that the light will cover with sufficient output.
Best LED Grow Light Manufacturers & Reviews
Click the names of the companies below to go to the led grow light page, where we have all the best lights and the grow light reviews from Amazon and other reputable review websites.
Common wattage sizes of the above manufacturers include 300 Watt LED, 600 Watt LED, and 1000 Watt LED +
LED Grow Lights vs HPS
LED grow lights have a few important advantages over HPS grow lights. Let's start with cost. Although the HPS are a lower initial cost investment, over time you will save more money using LED's, due to the lower wattage and electricity usage. You may also save electricity by reducing Air Conditioning or Fan units in your grow room due to the lower temperature of LED lights. HPS lights run significantly hotter than LEDs, and with HID you will also have to replace the bulb after 3 or 4 seasons.
