Consider your options when choosing LEDs

Ron James, division manager of PARsource Greenhouse Lighting, recommends growers should take these factors into account when switching to LEDs: 

• Return on investment (ROI): Growing with supplemental lighting two to four (darker) months a year would yield greater ROI than using the light year-round.

• Maintenance and installation costs – Although LEDs require lower maintenance, there may be higher installation costs.

• Can a grower get energy rebates for LEDs?

• What changes to cultural practices will need to be made (water, fertility, CO2) to accommodate new lights?

• Find a company that sells many types of lights so customers can find the proper system that fits their specific needs.

• Look for companies that are always improving and progressing, as technologies are constantly changing.

• Use a reputable company that has experienced sales and technical staff.

• Choose a company that can provide professional lighting designs and work with the grower to meet their specific needs.

• A reputable lighting manufacturer will utilize only the world’s leading LED component suppliers who provide high-quality, top performing products. They will also always adhere to extensive quality control procedures and independent third-party testing on key product performance data, to ensure LED products perform as expected.

• LED light output and useful life are strongly affected by operating temperature. Good quality LED light fixtures will be thermally engineered to dissipate heat—minimizing the LED junction temperature and maximizing the LED light output, lifetime and reliability.

• You will also want to look closely at the manufacturer’s warranty, which should cover the LED light engine, driver and all fixture components.

• Always look toward the leading manufacturers of greenhouse lighting to see what they are doing. There are many manufacturers entering the LED market to make a quick buck, but do not understand plants. Use reputable greenhouse lighting companies when deciding if LEDs are right for your application. 

• The grower should get a light plan showing the total output of the fixtures in Micromoles to the intended surface. They should also look at the uniformity of the layout. Beware of some sales people using reflection to increase the numbers. It is best to get these numbers without reflection being used to know if you have the correct uniformity and light levels, should walls get dirty or your reflection changes. 

• Once they have this data they should also ask what the lack of the other spectrums may do to the crop especially if indoors. Without some extra spectrums plants sometimes will not express all the Phenotypes that they could.