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The Daily Insight

Are LEDs as good as HPS?

Author

Rachel Newton

Updated on February 28, 2026

HPS lights use much more electricity to generate light than comparable LED grow light setups and are thus much less efficient. HPS lights also generate a lot of heat, which often requires additional ventilation equipment to maintain a proper grow room temperature.

Similarly one may ask, what's better HPS or LED grow lights?

LED grow lights are more energy efficient. They produce the same amount of light as HPS lights but consume substantially less energy. LED grow lights do not produce as much heat as HPS lights, avoiding the need for additional ventilation or airflow systems.

Beside above, why LED grow lights are better? HID light indeed produces a lot of light in the infrared spectrum while HPS lights produce powerful yellow light. The advantage of LED grow light is that it provides a higher fraction of light in the all so important peak areas of the spectrum of chlorophyll absorption.

Consequently, what LED light is equivalent to 600w HPS?

For example, the US-made Platinum P450 274W LED grow light (which is listed as equivalent to a 600W HPS) offers 11 bands ranging from ultraviolet to infrared.

Can you use LED and HPS together?

Hybrid lighting systems, consisting of High Pressure Sodium (HPS) and full spectrum Light Emitting Diode (LED) grow lights, can be used together to grow and flower plants – outperforming HPS-only lighting systems. LEDs last for over 50 grow cycles, reducing costs in replacement lamps (bulbs).

Related Question Answers

What lights do professional growers use?

Today, the most widely used lights for professional use are HIDs and fluorescents. Indoor flower and vegetable growers typically use high-pressure sodium (HPS/SON) and metal halide (MH) HID lights, but fluorescents and LEDs are replacing metal halides due to their efficiency and economy.

How much does it cost to run 600w HPS?

Grow Light Operating Cost
1000 watt Sodium 600 watt Sodium
Ballast Wattage 1100 665
Cost per Month $52.80 $31.92
Initial Lumens 130000 89000
Mean Lumens 126000 81000

How many plants can you put under a 1000 Watt HPS?

Everybody has their own way and in the end it comes to what works best for you, but I have read that most of the people use 6-9 plants per 1000W, while in the other hand other people like to have more smaller plants, hence the sog and scrog method.

How much does a 1000 watt LED grow light cost to run?

Grow Light Operating Cost
1000 watt Sodium 600 watt Sodium
Ballast Wattage 1100 665
Cost per Month $52.80 $31.92
Initial Lumens 130000 89000
Mean Lumens 126000 81000

How many lumens does a 1000 Watt HPS produce?

140000 lumens

How much area does a 600w HPS cover?

The wattage of the light will determine how much area you can light up. If we assume that the plants will get no sunlight, a 1000 watt light will cover about 7x7 feet of growing area. A 600 watt will cover 6x6 feet, a 400 will cover 4x4 feet, a 250 will cover 3x3 feet and a 150 will cover 2x2 feet.

What is the best light for vegetative growth?

Blue Light Blue lights with a Kelvin color temperature from 5000K to 6500K or wavelength in the 400-500 nanometer range are best for the vegetative stage of the grow cycle and for starting seeds indoors.

Why is HPS better for flowering?

Effective at Fast Growth & Big Yields working! HPS grow lights produce fast growth, fat dense buds and consistently big yields. They efficiently turn electricity into light, and they give off a type/color of light that promotes better flowering.

How much electricity does a 600w LED grow light use?

Multiply $0.0195374 by the number of hours you plan to run the lights (14 hours). The cost to run the lights per day is $0.2735236 or $8.20 per month. If I have an HID (high intensity discharge) light with a 600 watt bulb in it, using the same method of calculation, it would cost me $30.90 per month.

How much power does a 2000w LED light use?

Also like all lights, the diodes are under-driven. It total, the power usage is around 300 watts. The light is about equivalent in output to a 400 watt HPS bulb and has a 3 by 3 foot coverage area.

How many watts does a 600w HPS use?

1000 watts=1 kilowatt..my eletric costs 11.81p per kilowattso lets just say its 12p per kilowatt to make it easyer to understand 1x 600 watt hps at 5 hrs=3000 watts 3000 watts=3 kilowatt.

How much electricity does 1000 watt LED use?

Comparison Between LED, CFL and Incandescent Light Bulbs:
LED Incandescent
Lifespan in hours 10,000 1,000
Watts (equivalent 60 watts) 10 60
Cost per bulb $2.50 $1.25
Daily cost* $0.005 $0.03

What grow lights use the least electricity?

With Samsung LM301B diodes, you won't only be able to easily create a grow setup with a maximized light intensity and therefore yield, but you'll also do it with the least amount of electricity used, making these LED diodes not only the best objectively in terms of light intensity, but also the best-value-for-money LED

How much power does a 400 watt HPS use?

about 458 watts

How much electricity does a grow tent use?

The total electricity usage is based on a 14-week cannabis grow, consisting of 5 weeks of 18:6 and 9 weeks of 12:12. One plant under a 400W light in a 4×4 growing tent.

Total Cost for a 14-Week Grow (5 Weeks Vegetation, 9 Weeks Flowering)

Cost of kWh Cost of a 14-Week Grow (Total Electricity Usage)
$0.10 $148.50

Do LED grow lights use less power?

While LED grow lights require less electricity to operate than fluorescent and HPS lights, they allow growers to save money in other ways as well. LED lights generate little to no heat, which reduces the need for cooling systems.

How much do LED lights cost to run UK?

So each hour the 10 lights consume 0.6kWh. Based on a typical unit price of 12.2p per kWh, the 10 lights will cost 7.3p per hour to run. The daily cost is therefore 73p if on for 10 hours. This is equivalent to £5.11 a week, £21.90 a month or £266.45 a year.

How much does a 600w LED light cost to run?

The average price in the USA is 12.83 cents per kilowatt-hour ($0.1283/kWh). This is the daily cost to operate the G8LED 600W Veg/Flower grow light. Multiply by 30 to get the monthly operating cost.

How many plants can go under 600w LED?

2 month plants should give about 40g per plant, so with about 9 you'll be able to easily fill a square meter and get up to 400g per 600w light. 3 month autoflowering plants grow much bigger, however, so you should only plant 4 per 600w light.

Which grow lights are best?

Our Top Picks
  • Best Overall: Roleadro LED Full Spectrum Grow Light at Amazon.
  • Best Budget: CF Grow Desk LED Grow Light at Amazon.
  • Runner-Up, Best Budget: Aceple LED Grow Light at Amazon.
  • Best Hanging: Feit Electric Full Spectrum LED Light Fixture at Amazon.
  • Best LED Bulb: Haus Bright 100W LED Grow Light Bulb at Amazon.

What yields more HPS or LEDs?

Higher yields A 600w HPS light can produce up to 150 to 300 grams in optimal grow environments, which is 0.5 grams per watt or less. LEDs, however, can produce as high as 1 to 1.5 grams per watt. All the while, LEDs use less energy to produce the equivalent HPS wattage.

Are LED lights good for growing?

LED grow lights are great because they are energy-efficient, durable, and have 'tuned' light spectrums to best meet the plant's needs. However, there are still many excellent fluorescent grow lights that are much cheaper and still contribute to wonderful plant growth.

Can LEDs grow plants?

Light-emitting diode lights show promise as grow lights for indoor plants. The small size of LEDs, their efficient use of energy and lack of heat make them particularly useful in small or enclosed areas. Most plants need broad-spectrum light for optimal growth.

Can I replace a high pressure sodium bulb with LED?

High pressure sodium bulbs ("lamps") are an old standby for lighting that's still used today in spite of so much talk of LED lights. LEDs, however, are better able to control their light, which is why a lower-watt LED can replace a higher-watt high pressure sodium bulb.

Why is HPS better than LED?

HPS lights use much more electricity to generate light than comparable LED grow light setups and are thus much less efficient. HPS lights also generate a lot of heat, which often requires additional ventilation equipment to maintain a proper grow room temperature.

What's better led or HPS?

LED grow lights are more energy efficient. They produce the same amount of light as HPS lights but consume substantially less energy. LED grow lights do not produce as much heat as HPS lights, avoiding the need for additional ventilation or airflow systems.

How far should my 600w HPS light be from my plants?

Metal Halide & HPS Grow Lights
Grow Light Closest Furthest
150W 8″ (20cm) 12″ (30cm)
250W 10″ (25cm) 14″ (35cm)
400W 12″ (30cm) 19″ (48cm)
600W 14″ (35cm) 25″ (64cm)

Do LED lights take longer to flower?

You may have heard that one big drawback of LED grow lights is flowering time. They simply take longer to flower. While that used to be true, it no longer is. The reason HPS bulbs flower so well is a light spectrum that is heavy in red.

Are LEDs better than HPS?

LED grow lights run much cooler than HPS resulting in an obvious set of benefits for the indoor grower. LED grow light units typically come as all-in-one fixtures, which are easier to work with in tight spaces. They can also be placed closer to plants in confined areas with very little risk of heat damage.

WHAT LED is equivalent to a 1000w HPS?

The GL700 is a good replacement for a 1000W HPS. Actual Watts Consumed: 660W @ 110 VAC, Amps: 6A @ 110 VAC, Voltage Available: 110 or 220 VAC and 8 array 80W LEDs. This light have a built in high grade internal reflector for maximum performance.

Are LED lights as good as HPS?

Today's best LED grow lights can rival the production of HPS lights that use nearly twice the wattage, which adds up to great savings on the power bill. LED grow lights run much cooler than HPS resulting in an obvious set of benefits for the indoor grower.

How far apart should grow lights be?

When you first introduce plants to your grow space, if using a 600W light, you need to keep them at least 3 - 4 feet away from your plants to begin with, just while your plants climatise to the heat.

What light spectrum is best for flowering?

The most important wavelengths in the red spectrum are from 640 to 680 nm. These wavelengths encourage stem growth, flowering and fruit production, and chlorophyll production. The red wavelengths are known as warm light, and they are naturally more prevalent in sunlight during the shorter days of fall and winter.