Everything You Need to Know About the LEC Grow Light
WHAT IS A LIGHT EMITTING CERAMIC SYSTEM?
LEC systems give better light quality and stability and offer more control over the lamp’s color and light transitioning. An LEC system is better at approximating the actions of natural sunlight than HID lamps, making this system an advanced addition to your indoor gardening. The mimicry applies both to temperatures and light wavelengths. Vegetation uses light to receive energy, and it receives this boost from the energy provided along the color spectrum of a wavelength.
Shorter wavelengths are blue, violet, and ultra violet, and provide more energy. Longer wavelengths are orange, red, and “far” red in color, and produce less energy. All of these wavelengths are important to your plant at various times of year.
What is a CMH Grow Light?
A Ceramic Metal Halide grow light (or CMH grow light) is just another term for the LEC grow light. The technology is largely the same, but the terminology varies based on the manufacturer. Similarly, Ceramic Discharge Metal Halide grow lights (CDM grow lights, for short) fall in this category as well, merely being another name for the same concept.
In many cases, CMH is considered the general term for the kind of light involved. However, all of these grow light systems rely on specialized ceramic tubes that can sustain higher temperatures. This allows the CMH light bulbs to have higher outputs than a typical HID grow light. Additionally, they typically produce better spectral color or color rendering index (CRI), making the light closer to actual sunlight than some other artificial light options.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The spectrum offered by LECs is also another advantage it can offer. LEC grow lights are able to give off and produce UVB rays. According to many experienced growers, this spectrum of light is effective in improving the trichome production of cannabis. The LEC spectrum is a combination of the blue MH spectrum and red HPS spectrum, this results in a light produced that is extremely similar to sunlight.
Bulbs only need to be replaced about once every 2 years, instead of every year.
LEC ballasts use a more efficient square wave frequency (for those interested in physics) that allows for a much smoother, more efficient firing rate.
Unfortunately, LEC grow lights don’t quite get the same yields as HPS grow lights of similar wattage when used as the primary light in the flowering stage. However, they do get significantly higher yields than a similar wattage Metal Halide bulb would get in the flowering stage!
Price — LEC grow lights have a pretty high initial cost, starting around $380 for the smallest size. However, the bulbs last far longer than a typical HPS bulb so you won’t need to buy anything else for several grows.
COULD LEC BE A GAME-CHANGER?
The benefits of LEC appear to outweigh most of the negatives. Improved yields with fewer watts combined with UV-B rays and reduced running costs, the only real contender to LEC is LED. While LEDs offer similar benefits without the addition of excess heat, they cannot currently match the improved yields LECs offer. If you plan to grow cannabis well into the future, you will see a return on investment with LEC fixtures. Should your HPS or MH setup give up the ghost, now may be the perfect time to invest in newer, more efficient technology.
LEC grow lights VS other types
If you work with HPS grow lights, when the temperatures outdoors get warmer in the summer you absolutely need an air conditioning or cooling unit to keep your grow room cool, as well as free of any excess humidity. If you’re using a LED system, during the summer you won’t have any issues; during the winter you will need a heating system so that your plants don’t whither in the cold.
Both of these methods mean that you’ll be spending a bit extra money to have optimal parameters. If you use a LEC system, the temperature inside your grow room will be much more stable and easier to control without needing heaters or coolers — if you live somewhere extremely hot, you might need a small cooling system to deal with that, depending on how hot it is.
Best CMH Grow Lights for Sale 2020
Yield Lab 630w CMH Open Wing Complete Grow Light Kit
The open wing design of the reflector also helps dissipate heat toward the top of the light instead of down toward the canopy of your plants. As well, its dimmable ballast allows you to decide whether you want 50%, 75%, or 100% of this CMH’s light, so if you’re looking for a powerful light that can still keep things relatively cool, the Yield Lab Professional Series 120/220v 630w Dual Bulb CMH Open Wing Complete Grow Light Kit is the kit you’re looking for.
Eco Farm CMH 315W Grow Light Fixture Reflector Open Kit
Eco Farm 315W Ceramic Metal Halide is one of the most popular CMH lights in the market. It features highly efficient low frequency ballast with a hammer tone aluminium reflector. The light has a wide spectrum and a good cri that resembles natural light from the sun.
The lighting system is much better than that from many other lamps in the market. The PAR/Watt efficiency of the light is also of a much better quality, which gives the crops optimal lighting. The light comes with a two-year warranty and fully housed ballast housing.
VIVOSUN 315W CMH Grow Light Fixture
VIVOSUN is a professional indoor growing and hydroponic manufacturer that provides growers with the most quality products. The above 315W CMH light is one of their best in the market and one of their first CMH lamps. The unit covers an area of 3×3, which ensures that you get a good yield out of your harvest from healthy looking crops.
It is ideal for both the vegetative and flowering stages and uses advanced low frequency square wave technology. The light comes with protection against overheating, short-circuiting, end of bulb and ignition failure. It uses a highly reflective Vega aluminium hood, which allows the plants to get optimal light coverage. It also comes with adjustable ballast features and a three-year warranty.