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

Blue light (400–500 nm) and red light (600–700 nm) are the most effective wavelengths for plant photosynthesis. Therefore, any LED can be used as a grow light, but the key is to choose grow lights that provide the optimal wavelengths and appropriate light intensity.

Many indoor growers wonder whether any LED light can be a grow light, especially in rooms with limited sunlight. Some believe there's no difference between regular LEDs and LED grow lights since both emit visible light to the human eye.

Regular LED lights, including fluorescent and incandescent bulbs, primarily provide illumination but consist of narrow spectral wavelengths that typically lack the proper spectrum needed to support plant photosynthesis.

On the other hand, LED grow lights are specifically engineered to deliver the right light intensity and spectrum needed for plants to photosynthesize and flourish.

In this article, we’ll explore the differences between grow lights and regular lights, and whether any LED light can be used as a grow light, to help you make the most informed decisions.

Main Content:

• 1. Can Any LED Light Be Used as a Grow Light?
• 2. Grow Light vs Regular Light
• 3. Difference Between LEDs and Other Grow Lights
• 4. What LED Grow Light Should I Buy?
• 5. How to Use Grow Lights for Optimal Results?
• 6. Conclusion
• 7. FAQs About Grow Light vs Regular Light

Can Any LED Light Be Used as a Grow Light?

LED grow lights enhance photosynthesis efficiency, leading to faster growth, higher yields, and healthier plants. So, while any LED light can be used as a grow light, opting for a specialized LED grow light will yield superior results and better cater to your plant's needs.

"Blue (400–500 nm) and red light (600–700 nm) are the most effectively utilized wavelengths during plant photosynthesis," according to the BMC Plant Biology, a reputable, peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes research articles in the field of plant biology.

Regular LED lights generally produce less heat and can provide white light to help plants maintain basic growth and development, but they usually lack the specific spectrum (blue and red light) and light intensity that plants need, which can impact growth.

On the other hand, dedicated LED grow lights are designed with targeted spectrum combinations that optimize the light conditions for plants at various growth stages. LED grow lights enhance photosynthesis efficiency with a specific ratio of red and blue light, resulting in higher yields, and healthier plants.

Therefore, while any LED light can help plants grow, a specialized LED grow light will enable your plants to truly thrive by providing the specific light spectra and intensity they need. Below, we'll explore the 5 key variances between grow lights and regular lights.

Grow Light vs Regular Light

The main differences between LED grow lights and regular lights are light spectrum, light intensity, energy efficiency, heat dissipation and lifespan:

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 LED grow lights with several wavelength colors that plants need. They are: red and infrared, blue and ultraviolet, and green.

Red and Blue Light

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, LED grow lights 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.

Moreover, LED grow lights that combine blue and red light can better promote plant growth.

A study on the effects of red and blue light on leaves published in BMC Plant Biology found that under a combination of red and blue light, plants grow better.

Accoding to the BMC Plant Biology, "Under LED grow lights that combine red and blue wavelengths, plants experience a significant increase in leaf thickness and photosynthetic efficiency compared to white light from regular LEDs."

UV Light

Ultraviolet light includes UVA and UVB. UV-B (280–315 nm) can induce metabolic changes in plants, promoting the accumulation of specific metabolites like carotenoids and phenolics.

UVA exposure can enhance the efficiency of photosynthesis in plants. Some studies have indicated that moderate UVA exposure can increase the dry weight of cannabis by approximately 5% to 15%.

Some LED grow lights come equipped with UV light strips to achieve better growth. If you are interested in UV light, you might want to read the article "Do Plants Need UV Lights?" for more information.

Green Light

Although green light is absorbed less efficiently by plants compared to blue or red light, it contributes to increasing plant biomass.

This is because green light can penetrate deeper into the plant canopy, reaching the lower leaves and supporting photosynthesis.

A study published in Frontiers in Plant Science found that green light can significantly enhance biomass yield by 5% to 20%.

Full-spectrum grow lights typically include a certain proportion of green light, which gives them another advantage over standard grow lights.

IR Light

Some LED grow lights come with IR (infrared) light bars that emit far-red light (700–775 nm), which 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.

Research indicates that far-red light can increase the total biomass of plants, including cannabis, by around 10% to 30%.

It also promotes the growth of lateral branches, making the plant bushier. This can create more flowering sites, potentially increasing flower yield.

As we can see, the light spectrum emitted by LED grow lights is so comprehensive and well-balanced that it significantly benefits indoor plant growth.

In contrast, standard LED lamps, designed for human use, emit primarily the visible part of the light spectrum, such as white or warm light.

This spectrum is inadequate for supporting plant photosynthesis, particularly due to the lack of blue and red wavelengths.

The image below clearly shows why regular LED lights and LED grow lights emit different spectra: they use different types of light chips.

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

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 LED 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.

The PPFD map below clearly indicates the PPFD values of LED grow lights at different heights.

At the right height, LED grow lights can deliver a PPFD close to 1000 µmol/m²/s, effectively simulating sunlight for plants.

Therefore, LED grow lights can provide high light intensity needed for plant growth, while regular LED lights are more suitable for beginners and low-light plants that don’t require intense lighting.

Efficiency

Ordinary LED lights (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 LED 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 LED grow lights may consume more electricity, they deliver more useful energy to plants, promoting faster growth and better yields.

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

Heat Dissipation

Many regular LED lights produce much heat and should be hung no less than 24 inches to avoid burning the plant. They also require an indoor grow tent kit like 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.

Research indicates that modern LED grow lights can reduce heat output by up to 40-50% compared to regular LEDs or traditional lighting systems like HID lights.

With this heat reduction, LED grow lights can typically be placed closer to plants (12-18 inches), allowing them to receive more light, which in turn promotes faster growth and enhances the quality of blooms.

Additionally, you can use a grow light controller to adjust the duration and intensity of the LED grow lights, tailoring the settings to better meet the specific needs of your plants.

Life Expectancy

There is a significant difference in the lifespan of LED grow lights and regular LEDs. LED grow lights, especially the Medicgrow Fold 800-watt grow light, are typically designed to have a long lifespan, often more than 50,000 hours.

The extended lifespan is attributed to the high-quality diodes and advanced heat dissipation technology used in LED grow lights, which significantly reduce stress on the components.

This makes them a durable and economical choice, especially in plant-growing environments that require prolonged illumination.

By comparison, ordinary LEDs typically last only 15,000 to 50,000 hours. They require frequent replacement and repair, greatly affecting the growth of houseplants.

In summary, LED grow lights provide plants with a more appropriate spectrum and intensity of light to support plant growth compared to regular lights. They are also more efficient and have a longer lifespan.

Difference Between LEDs and Other Grow Lights

Nowadays, when compared to other types of grow lights, LED grow lights are more energy-efficient, smarter, and more convenient. They offer higher light intensity and a suitable light spectrum that is specifically designed for plants to grow.

They differ from other types of grow lights, such as High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) and Metal Halide (MH) lights, in several key ways.

LEDs are energy-efficient, consuming less electricity while producing less heat, which reduces the risk of heat stress on plants and saves your electric bills.

LED grow lights also have a longer lifespan, requiring less frequent replacement.

Additionally, LEDs can be customized to emit specific light spectrums tailored to different growth stages, offering greater control over plant development.

In contrast, HPS and MH lights consume more energy, generate more heat, and typically offer a less targeted spectrum.

Therefore, LED grow lights are increasingly popular due to their superior efficiency, intensity, and convenience compared to other types of grow lights.

What LED Grow Light Should I Buy?

LED grow lights outperform traditional lights, but it's important to purchase a grow light with the right combination of wavelengths for your plants. Additionally, LED grow lights with switchable light spectrum and adjustable light intensity are preferable.

As previously discussed, different light wavelengths support various phases of plant growth—blue light aids in germination and vegetative growth, while red light promotes flowering.

Consequently, LED spectrums optimized for growing tomatoes may not be as effective for cannabis cultivation.

This is the reason why grow lights with adjustable spectrums are crucial. Certain LED grow light manufacturers provide adjustable full-spectrum LED grow lights, such as the Medicgrow NEO 1000W LED grow light.

These lights emit various switchable wavelengths to accommodate different types of plants at different growth stages. This promotes the growth of various plants and provides better results at different stages.

If you need LEDs to support your indoor plants through different growth stages, a full-spectrum LED grow light is a great choice.

An adjustable LED grow light is even better, as it allows you to tailor the light spectrum and intensity to meet your plants' evolving needs.

When you've made your final decision on which light to use, it's also time to discover how you can use grow lights to maximize your yields!

How to Use Grow Lights for Optimal Results?

To get the most out of your grow lights, it's important to consider a few key factors. First, select the right spectrum. Grow lights that offer a full spectrum of light will cater to all stages of plant growth, from seedling to harvest. More blue light is essential for vegetative growth, while more red light is key during flowering and fruiting phases.

Proper placement of the lights is another key aspect. The distance between the grow lights and your plants should be carefully managed; too close can cause leaf burn, while too far can lead to weak, stretched plants. Generally, LED grow lights should be positioned 12-24 inches above the plant canopy.

Light duration also plays a significant role in plant development. Adjust the light schedule according to the growth stage—seedlings often require 16-18 hours of light per day, while flowering plants need a balanced 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.

In addition to light, monitor the temperature and humidity in your grow space, as grow lights can impact these factors. Make sure to maintain an optimal environment with proper ventilation and, if necessary, use grow fans or air conditioning.

Lastly, rotating and trimming your plants regularly can help ensure they all receive even light exposure, preventing uneven growth. By following these practices, you'll create a healthier environment for your plants and achieve better results with your handpicked grow lights.

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 LED lights can help plants grow, it's important to use grow lights with a specially designed spectrum that is intended to support plant growth.

Related Posts:

HPS vs LED Grow Light

Best Grow Lights for Marijuana 2024

What Type of Light Is Best for Growing Plants Indoors?

Do Grow Lights Work?

FAQs About Grow Light vs Regular Light

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

Not all LEDs are ideal for supporting plant growth. Plants require a full light spectrum that mimics sunlight and sufficient light intensity to grow best. Therefore, selecting the appropriate LED lighting tailored for plant growth is important for achieving the best outcomes.

2. Can Any LED Light 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. Specialized LED grow lights provide the necessary red and blue wavelengths and often feature dimmable intensity, ensuring optimal conditions for plant growth.

3. What Is the Difference Between LED Lights and Grow Lights?

Grow lights and regular LEDs are utilized for disparate purposes. Regular LEDs are designed for general illumination while LED grow lights are engineered for plant growth. They mimic sunlight by providing high PAR levels and essential light spectrum to ensure optimal plant growth.

4. Are Grow Lights Better Than Normal Lights?

Regular lights can provide some light for plants but don't provide the necessary intensity or spectrum for optimal plant growth. On the other hand, grow lights are designed to emit specific wavelengths, such as blue and red light, which are essential for the healthy development of plants.

5. Can an LED Light Be Used as a Grow Light?

For beginners, LED lights are often the best choice because they don't emit too much heat, have a long lifespan, and are energy-efficient. Optimized LED lights can also emit a range of wavelengths, including red and blue light, which are crucial for photosynthesis and plant development.