Comparing LEDs

Our first comparison example is for the price-centric consumer who tends to believe that a product that costs less will often perform similar to a high priced model as long as it shares similar technology. These customers tend to believe that from one lens to the next, one LED to the next, or one spectrum to the next there is little to no difference in performance and therefore cannot justify spending the money on a quality light like the 336X (now 336X-PRO w/Power Control).

On a monthly basis Hydro Grow receives requests to compare our Extreme LED models to the Diamond Series lights from Advanced LED. The Diamond Series feature generic secondary lenses first released by Hydro Grow in the Extreme LED 126X-PRO Prototypes in April 2011, paired with 3W LEDs and an 11-band spectrum. The 300W Diamond Series was chosen for an independent side-by-side grow test and supplied by Advanced LED free of charge to the grower valued at $795. Hydro Grow then supplied the grower with an X1 336X LED Grow Light featuring 1W LEDs, our patent-pending 6-band spectrum and our patent-pending X-lens, valued at $1499. The results can be observed by watching this short 5 minute video:

 

In some instances the price-centric consumer opted to purchase the Advanced LED light after receiving a response from Hydro Grow, as they couldn't believe that the extra money was worth the extra investment. Based on independent testing these customers could now be experiencing 3X or lower yields on every harvest compared to if they had purchased a Hydro Grow light. This test also shows that these customers would need more than 3X the number of 300W Diamond Series lights to equal the yield of a single 336X, costing them more than $2300 in lighting and creating nearly 3X the heat and power bill. By investing in the 336X at $1499 these customers could have saved themselves hundreds up front and over 60% every month on their power bill compared to their Advanced LED lights. Based on real-life independent testing in the case of Advanced LED vs. Hydro Grow, Hydro Grow has the best price, best performance, and the consumer can be the judge on harvest quality. To learn why the Hydro Grow light performed multiple times better than the Advanced LED light visit Why the LED BIN is Important, Light Spectrum and Lensing.

Our second comparison is for the quality-centric consumer who associates a higher price tag with better quality and perhaps even better performance. Many times these consumers also believe that "Made in USA" automatically discerns better quality, however in many cases this is not necessarily true. While some share the opinion that Hydro Grow lights are high-priced, there are even higher priced options like the LumiGrow ES330which can lead quality-centric consumers to consider them over our 189X-PRO.

In June of 2012 two commercial greenhouse companies began asking Hydro Grow about the LumiGrow ES330 at $1499 and how it compares to the 189X-PRO at $1299. Because we had these inquiries it was decided we purchase our own ES330 which we then compared to the 189X-PRO and a 600W HPS in our light testing laboratory where all Hydro Grow PAR testing takes place. The lights were hung at various distances over a 3' x 3' grid with measurements taken every 3" to ensure accuracy. These results were then supplied to both greenhouse companies who made the decision to use Hydro Grow.

The 600W HPS was chosen as a control for this comparison as both the 189X-PRO and ES330 are rated by their manufacturer to replace it. Many customers who bought the LumiGrow ES330 thinking that their "SuperFlux 5W LEDs" and claim on the box of "More power per watt than any other horticultural lighting fixture" were fooled into believing that a higher dollar, higher wattage, American-made fixture meant they were getting a better product. Based on the data however these customers are experiencing 3X or less PAR output over the same 3' x 3' coverage area with far lower penetration compared to the 189X-PRO. Based on the real-life test data the Hydro Grow light has the best price and best performance, while quality is unable to be factored by this test. To learn why the LumiGrow ES330 has such low PAR output compared to the 189X-PRO, refer to Why 3W LEDs are Better than 5W LEDs and Light Spectrum.

The last comparison is for the in-between consumer who tries to balance price and performance while demanding good quality. These customers are often the most informed and do the most research before buying to ensure they are making the best decision. Balancing customers often realize that too low a price means the product is sacrificing somewhere on quality, while too high a price doesn't always guarantee high quality or performance, and therefore they compare all factors very carefully.

Many growers who are still uncertain about LED Grow Lights, but can justify a $300 loss if they don't work to their expectations often purchase small spot lights to use for testing. Hydro Grow receives inquiries from these customers on how our21X-PRO compares to the H150 from Kessil, as both lights can be purchased for nearly the same amount of money and has the same wattage. Due to the number of these requests we purchased a Kessil H150 Purple to test against the 21X-PRO in our light testing laboratory where all Hydro Grow PAR testing takes place. The lights were hung at various distances over a 2' x 2' grid with measurements taken every 3" to ensure accuracy.

The Kessil light uses a dens-matrix LED system comprised of 21 chips with a 60 degree conical reflector and frosted lens. The Kessil chip uses 5 different wavelengths of LEDs and consumes 36W of power with a small cooling fan while operating at just over 155°F. Peak output from the H150 was measured at 344 µmol at 12" from the fixture. The 21X-PRO by comparison uses 21pcs 3W LED of 6 different wavelengths with our patent-pending X-lens. The 21X-PRO consumes 36W of power with a small cooling fan while operating at just over 100°F. Peak output from the 21X-PRO was measured at 1221 µmol at 12" from the fixture.

Consumers who were lured by Kessil's promises of sophisticated technology and a penetrating dense-matrix LED that emits far more light than the competition are now experiencing what 3.5X less intensity is like with the Kessil H150. The data shows that despite both lights costing about $249, drawing 36W of power and using 21 LED chips, the sophisticated X-Lens and spread out design of the Hydro Grow light engine create 3.5X the output over the same sized area as the Kessil H150. The 21X-PRO also comes with a 3-year warranty and an upgradeable modular design, while Kessil owners receive only a 1 year warranty. Based on the real-life test data the Hydro Grow light has the best price and best performance since you would need 3.5 of the H150 light to equal the output of a single 21X-PRO. Based on operating temperature alone it can be concluded the 21X-PRO also has better overall build quality. To learn why the Kessil H150 has such low PAR output compared to the 21X-PRO refer to Why the LED BIN is Important, Light Spectrum and Lensing.

The three comparison examples provided on this page are typical of results you will find when comparing Hydro Grow LED Grow Lights to nearly the entire LED Grow Light industry. Regardless of whether you're a customer who wants to make sure you're getting the best priced light or the best performing lights, Hydro Grow delivers both in one package with the best quality in the industry. When you compare products costing half to our own its quickly realized that 3X fewer yield means the product you thought cost less actually wound up costing you more. If budget is still a concern, rather than ending up with 3X less yields with a competing product it's often smarter to purchase a smaller Hydro Grow light and achieve similar or better yields at a lower cost.

It is true that every LED Grow Light company you find on Google will claim to have the "best" LED Grow Lights, but when you begin comparing one to another it is evident that there is truly no comparison when a Hydro Grow light is in the equation. In fact you will likely notice that Hydro Grow posts more technical data on our competitor's products than they have on their own site, as we believe that when you know your competition better than they know themselves it gives you a leg up on the rest of the industry.

The next time you find yourself comparing LED Grow Lights ask yourself these 3 questions: 1) Does this manufacturer list real PAR output specifications on their lights? 2) Does this manufacturer have any proof to back the bold claims being made about their product? 3) Does the manufacturer have a section on their site discussing the advancements they have contributed to LED technology? If the answer is no or you cannot locate the information it's evidence that you should begin looking at other options as you're relying solely on the company's word that their products do what they say.

Customers who believed the claims of companies like Advanced LED, LumiGrow and Kessil have already learned the hard way that despite truth in advertising laws they were blatantly lied to and ended up with 3X lower output or yields compared to buying a Hydro Grow product. Learn from the mistakes of these poor customers and use only the best LED Grow Lights in your garden. To experience incomparable results backed with a 90-day return policy and 3 year warranty, purchase your very own X2 LED Grow Lights today.