Living a more sustainable lifestyle does not have to begin and end with the monitoring of your energy usage. If you’re seeking alternative ways to live more efficiently, investing in LED grow lights for your plants and vegetation is one of the greatest ways to take advantage of alternative lighting solutions. If you are thinking of using energy efficient grow lights, familiarizing yourself with how you can put them to use is key. Optimizing your lighting setup can help you to reduce your LED light energy consumption while simultaneously increasing the speed of each of your yields.

LED Lights Reduce Energy Consumption

Even on their own, most energy efficient LED grow lights consume up to 40% less energy altogether. This is not an insignificant amount of energy, especially when you are tending to numerous crops or indoor gardens. A published report on LEDs for Energy Efficient Greenhouse Lighting discovered that LED lights have the potential of being much more energy-efficient than traditional lighting solutions used in the past.

Reduced Heat Generation and Output

Using a traditional lighting system may be tempting if you are unfamiliar with LED grow lights energy efficient solutions. However, traditional hydroponic lighting systems generate much more heat output than modernized LED light systems. Because LED lighting systems produce a miniature amount of heat when compared to traditional hydroponic lights, it is also possible to place the LED lights much closer to plants (depending on the plant being cultivated).

Improved Light Spectrum

Using LED lights is a way to hone in on specific plants and greenery you are trying to grow. Most LED lights are designed to shine directly onto plants. It’s also possible to place the LED lights closer to the plants in proximity due to the minimal heat produced by the LED lighting technology.

Choose the Location of Your Grow Room Carefully

If you’re concerned about the energy efficiency of your grow room, it’s important to choose the location of the space wisely. Some tips for choosing a location include:

• Select a room with natural lighting: A grow room that receives natural daylight will require less energy from your LED lights.
• Choose your location based on plant type: Some plants may require more light than others, while various plants also require indirect sunlight. Choose the location of your grow room based on your intention for the area.

Place Your LED Lights Close to Your Plants

Keep in mind that LED lights also provide a unique spectrum of lighting that is unavailable with classic hydropic setups. This offers a rare opportunity to test the growth of various plants using a different spectrum and with lights placed much closer to the plants themselves.

Placing your LED lights close to the plants you are attempting to grow will allow them to work as energy-efficiently as possible. Avoid placing any LED grow light more than 18″-24″ away from the plant, as the light will not work effectively.

Position Your LED Lights Correctly

In addition to ensuring your LED lights are no more than 18″ away from your plants at all times, it’s also important to position your LEDs lighting setup correctly. Placing your plants directly below any mounted LED light you have installed is essential. This will ensure the plant receives as much light as possible from the LED source in place.

Eliminate the Use of Ballasts

Basic hydropic lighting systems take advantage of the use of ballast. This allows the electric current from any socket being used to be transferred directly into the installed lightbulbs. However, with LED lights, this process is no longer needed and is therefore eliminated altogether. The process of transferring electricity uses more energy than is necessary. With LED lights, you will only need to plug the LED light into a classic electrical source. You will not need to use ballast in the process, which saves on energy and, ultimately, your electricity bills.

Take Advantage of Reflective Surfaces

Along with placing your LED lights close to your plants, you can also take advantage of the reflective surfaces you have available nearby. Investing in either aluminum foil or mylar is one of the most affordable and quickest ways to create a reflective surface inside a grow room, regardless of its size. Insulating the interior of a grow room space with foil or mylar will make it much more reflective, allowing the plant to absorb as much light as possible from your LED setup.

Implement Thermal Insulation

If you’re looking for a permanent solution when it comes to insulating your grow room, consider installing thermal insulation. Thermal insulation is designed to reduce the amount of energy necessary to heat or cool a room. Proper insulation will prevent cool air from entering the grow room during the winter while keeping hot air out during the hot summer months of the year.

Maintain Light Covers Regularly

If you are using light covers inside your grow room, it is important to clean them regularly. Over time, light covers may accumulate dust, pollen, dirt, and other surrounding debris, depending on the type of plants you are cultivating. When a growth light cover or reflector becomes dimmed and dirty, it will not be as energy efficient when it’s in use.

Allowing a dirty or dimmed light cover or reflector to remain dirty can reduce the overall efficiency of your setup by up to 30%. Inspect your reflectors and light covers at least once a week, depending on the size of your grow room and the type of plants you are growing.

Install a Programmable Timer

Investing in a programmable timer is highly advisable for anyone concerned about the energy efficiency of their grow room. Timers provide the ability to monitor and limit energy consumption, especially if your plants do not require a 24/7 LED light cycle. Before setting your LED light timer, be sure to research the individual plants or vegetation you intend to grow. Although some plants require extended periods of light, others, such as herbs, require less light over time.

Use a Light Dimmer

Along with the use of a programmable timer, it’s also advisable to utilize light dimmers whenever possible. This will provide total control over the intensity of your LED lights while they are in use. Reduced intensity when appropriate will increase the overall energy efficiency of the grow room.

Learning how to reduce LED grow lights energy consumption can be extremely valuable in business or even in your very own home. When you are familiar with popular energy efficient grow lights and how to optimize them while in use, you can significantly reduce energy waste and electric bills on any property you own.