Grow Light vs Regular Light: Can Any LED Light be Used as a Grow Light?

Many indoor growers wonder if they can use any old LED light as a grow light. They thought these two types of LED lights had no difference as they could both emit human visible light.

However, we cannot use a regular LED light as a grow light, because they are not created equally.

Regular lights only provide illumination; that is to say, they are engineered as an artificial light source to lighten your dark spaces. They are comprised of narrow spectral wavelengths and usually do not have the proper spectrum of light to support photosynthesis.

On the other hand, grow lights are specifically designed to generate the right amount of light so plants can photosynthesize. In this article, we will explain the difference between grow light vs regular light to help you make informed purchasing decisions.

Main Content:

• 1. Grow Light Vs Regular Light
• 2. What LED Grow Light Should I Buy?
• 3. Conclusion
• 4. FAQs About Grow Light vs Regular Light

Grow Light Vs Regular Light

We've listed several areas where you can differentiate normal bulbs from grow lights:

Spectrum

Many LED grow light manufacturers perform numerous experiments and study thousands of scientific reports about the specific light color wavelengths so that they can produce perfect grow lights with several wavelength colors that plants need. They are: red and infrared, blue and ultraviolet, and green.

Among these colors, blue and red wavelengths are the most important to plants. Blue is responsible for leafy growth and red for flowering and budding.

To start the seeds, grow lights should produce a lot of blue light which is the most important factor during the early growth stages. When it's time to bloom, LED grow lights begin to emit a red spectrum to promote plant growth.

Ultraviolet light guides the plants to flower and it helps sterilization. Green is less liked by plants, so grow lights have less of a green element, but it could improve the rate of leaf expansion and stem elongation, which in turn results in higher biomass accumulation (yield).

Infrared is not visible to the eyes. It is less effective than red and blue, but it will penetrate deeper and through the leaf, which increases cell expansion so you will get numbers of leaves and increase branch sizes in the end.

In contrast, ordinary lamps, which are usually designed for human activities, provide mainly the visible part of the light spectrum, i.e., the white or warm color spectrum.

The spectrum of these regular bulbs is insufficient to meet the demands of plant photosynthesis, especially in terms of the supply of blue and red spectrums.

In summary, grow lights optimize the growth rate and health of plants for indoor growing and greenhouse environments, whereas regular lights are typically used to light up your room.

Light Intensity

Light intensity refers to the energy density or photon density of light, i.e., the number of photons per second that pass through a unit area.

Light intensity is usually measured in terms of photon flux density (PPFD) in micromoles per square meter per second (µmol/m²/s).

For plants, the higher the light intensity, the more efficiently they can photosynthesize, thus promoting growth and development.

The regular lights' light density (PPFD)  is typically below a few tens of micromoles per square meter per second (µmol/m²/s). Such light intensities are far from sufficient to support plant photosynthesis and growth.

Comparatively, LED grow lights typically provide a light intensity (PPFD) of 200 to 1000 (µmol/m²/s), effectively supporting plants' photosynthetic needs, and promoting growth and flowering.

Efficiency

Ordinary lamps (in this case incandescent lamps) usually provide a soft light, consuming less power but are relatively energy inefficient. Their lighting efficiencies range from 0.7-2.6%, which means that 98% of the energy is wasted.

For grow lights designed for plants, the focus is on photosynthetic flux density (PPFD), measured in micromoles per second per square meter (µmol/s/m²).

This metric indicates how much photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is emitted by the light source and is more closely related to plant growth than the traditional lumens per watt efficiency.

Even though plant grow lights may consume more electric energy, they provide more useful energy to the plant.

Therefore, a direct comparison between the energy efficiency of a regular luminaire/regular LED bulb and a plant grow light is not appropriate. Regular lamps are better for lighting your room, while LED grow lights are better for plant growth.

Heat Dissipation

Many regular lights produce much heat and should be hung no closer than 24 inches to avoid burning the plant. They also require a ventilation system to remove the heat from the room.

On the other hand, modern LED grow lights, especially Medicgrow LED lights, are now engineered to passively give off heat by using a heat sink or diodes.

Thus grow lights stay much cooler and can be placed about four inches above plants for maximum effectiveness. You can also configure a grow light controller to control the light duration and intensity to avoid burning plants.

Life Expectancy

There is a significant difference in the lifespan of LED grow lights and regular light bulbs.

LED grow lights, especially the Medicgrow Spectrum Y, are typically designed to have a long lifespan, often in excess of 50,000 hours. This makes them a durable and economical choice, especially in plant growing environments that require prolonged illumination.

In comparison, ordinary incandescent bulbs typically last only 750 to 2,000 hours. The lifespan of regular lights is even shorter when there are small children in the home who like to turn the lights on and off frequently to play.

What LED Grow Light Should I Buy?

Although LED grow lights perform better than traditional lights, you should buy a grow light equipped with a perfect wavelength combination for your plants.

As discussed earlier, wavelengths facilitate various phases of plant growth, such as germination, vegetation, or flowering. For example, LEDs that are perfect for growing tomatoes may not be as effective with cannabis.

Many LED grow light manufacturers bring out an adjustable full spectrum LED grow light which produces different wavelengths to stimulate plants at different stages.

So if the LEDs are needed to take care of your indoor plant at different stages, there is a good option of purchasing a full spectrum LED grow light or an adjustable one.

why choose Medic Grow LED grow lights?

It's important to note that Medigrow's plant grow lights are all full spectrum LED grow lights.

Medicgrow specializes in manufacturing plant grow lights, and not only can we offer the best commercial grow light prices, but also provide comprehensive after-sales service to our customers.

If you want to buy LED plant grow lights or grow tent kits, go to Medicgrow!

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are significant differences between regular LED lights and grow LED lights in terms of spectrum, light intensity, efficiency, heat dissipation, and longevity. While regular lights are used for nighttime illumination, grow lights are designed to support plant growth.

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FAQs About Grow Light vs Regular Light

1. Can Any LED Light Be Used as a Grow Light?

Not all LED lights can be used as grow lights. Regular LED lights are designed for illumination, but they don't offer the right intensity or spectrum needed for plant growth. In contrast, grow lights are specifically engineered to emit the appropriate wavelengths, like blue and red light.

2. Can You Use LED Lights to Grow Plants?

Yes, you can use LED lights to grow plants, but it's important to use LED grow lights specifically designed for this purpose. Regular LED lights lack the necessary spectrum and intensity for optimal plant growth.

LED grow lights provide the right wavelengths, such as blue and red light to support photosynthesis, healthy growth, and flowering. Using dedicated LED grow lights ensures your plants to thrive indoors.

3. How to Use a Grow Light?

To use a grow light effectively, position it at the appropriate distance above your plants, usually 12-24 inches, depending on the light's intensity and the plant's needs.

Ensure the light provides the right spectrum for the plant's growth stage: blue light for vegetative growth and red light for flowering.

Set a timer to mimic natural daylight cycles, typically 16-18 hours of light for vegetative stages and 12 hours for flowering. Adjust the height and duration as plants grow to ensure they receive optimal light exposure.

4. Are Grow Lights Better Than Normal Lights?

Standard fluorescent lights are twice as efficient as normal bulbs, while LED grow lights are about five times more efficient than similar regular bulbs. Many regular lights produced much heat and should be hung no closer than 24 inches to avoid burning the plant.