What is the best growth lighting ,HPS, CMH, or LED?

Which grow lighting is best for cannabis businesses: HPS, LED, or CMH? It’s a common question among growers and it can be confusing and complicated to answer.

High pressure sodium vapor (HPS) lights, similar to LPS lights, are a specific type of gas- discharge light (also known as a high intensity discharge, HID or arc light). … As indicated by the name, “high” pressure sodium vapor lights operate at a higher internal pressure.

Advantages of HPS Lights

• Have been used as grow lights for decades, allowing for plenty of experimentation and standardization among manufacturers.
• Cost 60-80% less at startup than comparable LED grow light systems.
• Produce a lot of strong, powerful light that’s ideal for penetrating thick foliage.
• Though heat often is a negative, there are applications where it’s beneficial, such as in cooler growing environments with substantial headspace.

Advantages of HPS Lights

• Have been used as grow lights for decades, allowing for plenty of experimentation and standardization among manufacturers.
• Cost 60-80% less at startup than comparable LED grow light systems.
• Produce a lot of strong, powerful light that’s ideal for penetrating thick foliage.
• Though heat often is a negative, there are applications where it’s beneficial, such as in cooler growing environments with substantial headspace.

LED grow light technology has gotten a lot better since 2015.LED Grow lights are preferred because they consume less electricity than HPS lights. According to market research, LED lights consume 90 percent less power than HPS grow lights. You have less load on your amperage and electric breakers at home because LED grow lights enhance the energy efficiency of your indoor garden.

Advantages of LED Lights

• Use nearly half the wattage to produce the same power as HPS lights.
• Last 50,000-100,000 hours before needing to be changed compared to 2,500-5,000 hours for HPS lights.
• Radiate virtually zero heat, which reduces both ambient temperatures and the risk of burning your crops.
• Come as plug-and-play boards that simply need to be plugged into your standard 120V outlet.
• Available in a wide array of spectrums for any plant in any growth phase (or all growth phases).
• Are both waterproof and dustproof.

Disadvantages of LED Lights

• Cost 3-5x more upfront to experience the long-term cost-saving benefits.
• Because they’re a relatively new option for growing, there’s little standardization across the industry.
• Many manufacturers advertise full-spectrum light when that isn’t the case.
• While low heat production generally is good, you may need to supplement your setup with heat-producing lights if you’re growing in colder conditions.

CMH , Ceramic Metal Halide grow lights are basically a variation of MH grow lights with a little of HPS added into the mixture. A CMH uses a ceramic arc tube similar to those used in HPS grow lights instead of the quartz used in traditional metal halide grow lights The most common model of LEC fixture is the 315W with a “4200K” color bulb.

Pros of CMH Grow Lights

• CMH last on average twice as long as MH or HPS bulbs.
• CMH, because of the ceramic element, burn much hotter than MH, producing a light closer to that of natural sunlight. Due to their insulating value though, they also have a lower heat output, which means there is less likelihood of burning plant leaves as compared to MH or HPS bulbs.
• CMH can produce light spectrum sufficient to support both the vegetative stage of plant growth as well as its flowering stage.

Cons of CMH Grow Lights

• Only magnetic ballasts can be used for LEC bulbs and they cannot be placed on an angle; only straight up and down or horizontal.
• Cost. Being a newer technology, these are still fairly pricey.
• There is a danger to growers due to the amount of UV light produced by LECs. Growers are advised to wear long-sleeved shirts and sunglasses if they are going to be working under any LEC lighting.

A Final Word on Grow Lights

Not all grow lights are created equally. There is no “perfect” grow light. In order to select the most appropriate grow light system, know what you want out of your plants, understand what they need, and attempt to create a system that does as much of both of these as your budget and set-up will allow.