What it is
A grow lamp made of many tiny LEDS. "Full spectrum" means it gives light of every color, white, similar to sunlight, usually with extra red, which pushes flowering the most.
Why it's used
It turns more electricity into useful light for the plant than old sodium lamps (HPS): for the same power bill, more light on the leaves. It also lasts for years, can be dimmed and throws less direct heat on the canopy. In exchange, it costs more to buy.
How light is measured
What matters isn't how bright it looks, but how much useful light reaches the leaves: the PPFD, measured with a par meter. In veg you aim for roughly 400 to 600, and in flowering 700 to 1.000.
Common mistakes
- Putting it too close: the highest tips bleach (light burn) even if you can't feel heat. You raise the lamp or dim it. And buying a cheap lamp that promises a lot: what counts is the useful light it gives, not the watts on the box.
▲ Pros
- +10 % grams at harvest
- Works on its own: nothing to do
- Same heat as the basic one
▼ Cons
- Expensive
- Uses power every hour it's on (and adds to the debt ceiling)
- Adds nothing while the power is cut
🎮 Practice it in UnderGrow
It's an optional add-on (shop › add-ons) for the indoor spots. It gives +10 % grams to the plants that flower under it and works on its own. In the game the basic lamp is free and the LED does use power every hour it's on (and counts toward the debt ceiling); it gives the same heat as the basic one. The prices and power for each spot are in rules › add-ons.
▶ Play free