1000 Watt HPS Grow Light vs LED Light
What Is Available On The Market
A good lamp that fits your needs is the main element of any successful indoor gardening project, so when it comes to lighting your grow space, no mistakes should be made. A large range of various lamps is now available but in my experience, nothing tops a 1000w grow light.
They are the most powerful you can get and will provide enough for every medium to big scale grow rooms, ensuring your plants a healthy development and allowing them to express their full potential.
To choose a light source is not easy, there are plenty of 1000 watt grow light kits to choose from and many aspects should be considered, such as:
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The initial price
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The light spectrum efficiency
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The operating cost and lifespan
The most well known and broadly used lamps we’re going to review belong to one of these two categories:
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HPS Lamps are very efficient and gradually imposed themselves over the years as the standard within the industry and a reference for experienced home gardeners.
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Led lights however, have drastically changed old habits during the past decade when affordable and more effective models entered the market, allowing you to light your plants in an alternative way for a smaller operating cost.
Let’s look at some of them and see what the differences are really about.
Best 1000 Watt Grow Lights Review 2019
Specs
The VIPARSPECTRA V1200 1200W LED Grow Light is a full-spectrum light for indoor plants,designed for vegetating and blooming growth. The unit is passes UL safety standards, and is UL Certified. The light output is rated at 1200W and replaces an 800W HPS/MH bulb. Actual power draw is approx. 520W at 120V.
PROS
- Switch from Vegetative to Bloom for optimal lighting for different plant stages. One switch for Vegetative, another for Bloom stages, and both switches turned on for Flowering stage.
- 240 LEDs with pre-focused optics for precise light spectrum composition.
- Has full coverage for a 3.5’ x 3.5’ flowering area.
- It has built-in cooling fans to dissipate the heat. LED light produces and transmits less heat to the plants.
- Sturdy fire-resistant iron housing. Unit is UL Certified and meets safety requirements.
CONS
- Comparable to an 800W HPS/MH light, not to a 1000W bulb.
Specs
The EyeHortilux 1000 watt HPS Grow Bulb is specially designed for growing plants. It is not a generic HPS bulb, as it has 25% more energy output in the violet, blue, and green spectrum.
PROS
- Super HPS and Metal Ace conversion lamp provides more violet, blue and green spectrum light which has a better spectral spread and produces great output for all stages of plant growth.
- Passed the EPA and TCLP test criteria for non-hazardous waste. EN rated bulb.
- Outshines comparable HPS and MH 1000W bulbs.
CONS
- Some instances of vendors delivering used or refurbished lamps.
- More expensive than most HPS bulbs.
Specs
The Gavita 906088 Pro is considered the best HPS light in the market at the moment. It comes with a classic designed hood, and a dimmable ballast, which capable of adjusting between 600W to 1000W.
PROS
- Uses universal voltage, 110v to 240v current.
- With the use of the dimmable ballast, output can be controlled from 50% to 115%.
- The unit can be daisy chained with other Gavita 906088 and connected to the controller. Up to 80 fixtures can be controlled by the Gavita Master controller. This saves the user the cost of timers and cables/contactors.
- With the use of the Gavita Master controller, up to 80 fixtures can be connected via daisy chain and controlled by one controller.
- The eSeries fixtures are plug and play and come with their own control cords.
CONS
- Requires ventilation, as it generates heat during operation.
- There are instances of bulb arriving broken due to mishandling during delivery.
Specs
The Apollo Horticulture 1000 watt HPS grow light is used specifically for the plant’s flowering cycle. It is compatible with the Apollo E39 Base 1000 watt electronic and magnetic ballast.
PROS
- Has a 2000K red-orange spectrum light designed for hydroponic cultivation.
- Expected lifetime of 24,000 hours.
- Designed for Flower stage of plant growth.
- Outputs up to 138,000 lumens.
CONS
- Available only for 110v power voltage.
- HPS startup time of 10 seconds, and 3 to 5 minutes before full output. Allow at least 5 minutes after shut down to start up again.
Specs
The iPower 1000 watt HPS Digital dimmable grow light system includes a wing reflector set, mechanical timer, 1000 watt dimmable ballast, ratchet clip holder and 1000W Super HPS bulb.
PROS
- Dimmable options of 50%, 75% and 100%. The ballast provides stable flicker free power output. Up to 30% more lumens for better yields.
- Super HPS bulb has an optimized output for flowering and healthy plant growth. Generates high PAR output.
- Ratchet clip hanger and rope can hold up to 150 lbs.
- Mechanical timer can be set for 24 hour operation, with settings of 15 minute increments.
- The wing reflector has a 4’ x 4’ coverage and a 95% reflective textured aluminum surface.
CONS
- The unit will generate too much heat in an enclosed environment. It will require an exhaust duct or an AC.
- No glass diffuser.
Specs
The Advanced Platinum Series P900 900w grow light has a 12-band LED for multi-stage plant growth. This works for vegetative, blooming and flowering stages in plant growth. It has optimal UV to IR spectral output.
PROS
- It has the highest PAR per lumen output per watt, generating up to twice or thrice the intensity of other lights.
- 12-band LED provides UV to IR light spectrum coverage.
- Selectable light settings of Vegetative or Flower growth.
- Built in high speed quiet fans, and improved aluminum heat sinks for better heat management and dissipation.
- Has comparable light output with a 1000w HPS at 18” high, with 6 ft x 4.5 ft coverage.
CONS
- Supposedly uses old LED technology.
- Inconsistent quality as some buyers experience LED burnout after a few months of operation.
Specs
The Kind K5 XL1000 LED grow light has an extra large footprint. It has a fully customization spectrum which allows for complete control over specific spectral needs of different plants. All functions run from a remote.
PROS
- Large footprint LED setup with wider spread of bulbs. It uses a secondary optical lens which focus the LED bulbs individually and intensifies the output for better PAR and canopy penetration.
- Fully remote control function, including the timer.
- Fully configurable bulbs allows the user to adjust the spectral spread for the best light for a particular plant and growth stage.
- Generates the same amount of light as an HID at half the power draw and even less heat generation.
- Universal voltage, runs at 110 to 240 volts.
CONS
- Smaller actual footprint spread, better suited to 3’ x 3’ instead of 4’ x 4’
- Programming the timer and light settings can be a problem for most users.
LED Grow Lights VS HPS
So what are the best lights for growing weed? Well, one might say it depends a lot on your budget and requirements. Marijuana growing equipment is in constant evolution so let’s sum up what we really know:
LED
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has a shorter light penetration ability but an increased lifespan
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produces virtually no heat, can be managed with smaller air extraction
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has reduced operational costs but a heavy initial price
HPS
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good light penetration but shorter lifespan
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reduced initial cost but higher power bills
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produce a lot of heat and needs a powerful air extractor
Next Step: Purchase Marijuana Seeds & Grow Tent
Now you have purchased your first grow light and the only thing missing is growing tent (choose the best grow tent) and marijuana seeds that you can buy from one of the weed seed banks.
If you are completely new to indoor growing visit our home page and read The Beginners Guide on How to Grow Weed at Home in 10 Easy Steps.
