How a LED diode produces light
A LED is a semiconductor light source without the use of a filament for the current to pass through. Instead, as the current flows from anode to cathode, the electrons recombine with holes within the device to release energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence and the color emitted is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor. An LED is usually small in area (less than 1 mm2), and integrated optical components are used to shape its radiation pattern and assist in reflection. LEDs present many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size, faster switching, and greater durability/reliability. Typical lifetimes quoted are 50,000 to 100,000 hours, but heat and current settings can extend or shorten this time significantly.
LED vs HID
LED Grow Lights are the newest and most efficient way to grow plants indoors! This revolutionary form of light is different from other traditional lights, such as High Pressure Sodium (HPS) or Metal Halide (MH). LED Grow Lights are comprised of multiple low-watt light sources, working together on a single board. HID lighting is extremely inefficient; it generates a lot of heat while only producing 30% photosynthetic light. Unlike HIDs, 1W LED emit very little heat because all the power is efficiently converted into targeted light wavelengths for plants. For this reason, additional fans, ducting and AC are rarely if ever necessary. Additionally, LEDs will last 50,000 before they've lost even 30% of their initial output, not to mention they're still 100% functional! So there is no need for yearly or bi-yearly bulb changes, as 50,000 hours is 6 solid years, and after that you can still continue using the light! Lastly, LED grow lights use 65-70% less energy than traditional HID lighting, while producing the same or better results. With no additional cooling costs, bulb costs, and decreased electrical costs every month, imagine what you can do with the extra money!
Power Draw
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When it comes to LED grow lights and power draw, there are two distinctions to be made - actual number of LEDs (chips) used and it's actual power draw. Our 126W Penetrator has 126 1W LEDs, but its actual power draw is only 115W. This is because the power draw of each red LED is about 0.8W (optimal rating), which makes up approximately 85% of our spectral output. However, there are some companies that claim to have a 1200W LED grow light with an actual power draw that's less than 600W. The laws of physics dictate that it is impossible to drive 1200 1W diodes at their optimal power rating, while drawing less than half the wattage. Instead, this is achieved by using two 1W diodes (under one lens) that are being driven far below their normal operating current. This is the same thing as using two dim light bulbs (run at half power) to achieve a brighter stream of light. The result is more heat with intensity that barely matches a single bulb being run at its optimal rating. For those searching the market for a LED grow panel, always focus on real power consumed, as it is the only calculation that tells you how much energy is truly being converted into light, whereas the number of LED's will often mislead you.
