The difference between LED and HPS! A "complete" starter guide
Growing with LED is incredibly versatile, because of the fast moving innovations in this industry you can quickly get confused by all the different information you see passing by. With this page we want to clarify all the extensive information that can be found.
But which techniques are there actually: LED vs HPS
You will always find a number of terms close to each other, you have probably heard of the term HPS (High Pressure Sodium) in your search for the ultimate LED. These techniques have been known for years as the way of growing indoors, but these techniques are lagging behind on the basis of results from the same wattage LEDs. The difference between LED and HPS has become immediately visible due to the information flow on the internet, which allows us to look directly at fellow hobbyists. The LED is winning , with LED continuously innovating, the HPS have been developed for more than 50 years and have been developed as good as further. In addition, the investment that must be made in advance of the LED cancels out the disadvantages of the HPS, with HPS it is sometimes even advised to replace your HPS bulb after each grow, which ensures that you can already start after your first grow out cheaper with your LED system than with comparable HPS systems.
LED (Light Emitting Diode):
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and is a kind of lighting technology. LED diodes produce light up to 90% more efficiently than previous incandescent techniques! They work by means of electronic voltage passing through a microchip, which causes the tiny light sources we call LEDs to create visible light. To ensure that the LEDs can always continue to work optimally, the heat is absorbed and distributed by the heat sink.
Because the light is created as efficiently as possible, this ensures that the LEDs can work indefinitely, they will not burn 'on' or the diodes will malfunction. Instead, the LEDs will lose Lumen over time causing the intensity of the light to slowly drop over time. On the other hand, the lifespan of the diodes is tested at 50,000 burning hours , which equates to 3 years of fully burning the LED every day 24/7.
The LEDs are so well incorporated into everyday life that we use them daily , so the TVs but also your phone are part of this LED industry and it is used daily to illuminate life. With their small size, these diodes allow for unique possibilities that are limited to our imagination! It's not for nothing that LED is the world's fastest growing market since 2000!
Because the Heat Sink absorbs the heat, you have the unique experience in a growing environment to grow in pleasant, continuous perfect conditions. Because the heat is absorbed, this ensures that LEDs do not overheat and can therefore last longer. This Thermal Management ensures that the biggest factor of success with LEDs is: the lifespan!
HPS (High Pressure Sodium):
HPS stands for High Pressure Sodium and is a kind of lighting technology that was developed in 1968 as an energy-efficient outdoor light for industrial purposes and was mainly used in street lighting. In an HPS, light is created by means of high pressure in a compact tube with the gases Mercury, Xenon and Sodium in combination with the arc reactor. The xenon gas is easily ionized which facilitates the arc reactor to create a spark when voltage is applied to the electrodes. The heat this generates causes the mercury and sodium to evaporate. The mercury vapor provides the increased pressure and keeps the voltage constant, and the sodium produces light when the pressure of the tube is high enough. HPS has about a white light percentage of 29% of the energy used.
So in short: there is gas in the glass bulb, this gas is converted into light by pressure, this light is what you see when you turn on the lamp.
The disadvantages of HPS:
An awful lot of heat . The heat emanating from an HPS is significantly greater than that from comparable LED lights. The chemical reaction that occurs in the lamp ensures that a lot of heat is generated. If you don't know much about cultivation, you will find that the temperatures will soon become too high and uncontrollable without additional ventilation. This ensures that you always need an extra product to cool it when purchasing your HPS.
3x as high power consumption compared to LED. The power consumption compared to the results is 3x as high as with LED, you will notice that a 600W HPS can be compared to the yields of a 200W LED , but it is often the case that when you grow with the same number of wattages of HPS or LED you get LED 3x higher yield compared to the HPS.
Requires a good understanding of LIGHT and ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. When you start with cultivaton you will notice that the HPS will be too difficult an option, the threshold is often a lot higher because you have to take a lot more into account.
When you drop it, there is acute danger! This goes without saying, the tube is filled with gas, when it breaks the gas escapes. This can have direct consequences for you, your hobby and your environment!
LED vs HPS
The judgement:
It has become clear with the information obtained that LED is winning, the disadvantages of the LED no longer outweigh the advantages of the HPS. The HPS is becoming the more expensive variant, where you have to replace your bulb every time, which is a lot cheaper compared to LED.
If you grow / grow / cultivate for your hobby, it is best to take LED light. The ease of use and the quality of LED + the cheap prices that we can set together with our brands ensures that LED has the future!