How much does it cost to run a grow light? 2020 Updated
You might be considering buying a grow light to compensate for the lack of sunlight and boost the growth of your indoor herbs. However, you are worried about how much it might cost to run the grow light itself, as the electricity required for it is not free. Hence, after a bit of research here all you need to know.
How much does it cost to run a grow light? The cost to run a grow light is obtained by the cost of a kilowatt-hour (expressed in $/kWh or £/kWh) times the number of hours (h) the lamp is ON times the power withdraw by the lamp in kilowatt (kW). This can vary significantly from $20 to $1000+ a year depending on the wattage and electricity tariff.
The initial price is more expensive, but the costs to operate a LED light compared to other lights is much less. In the end, it’s actually cheaper to run a LED light electricity wise. Another factor that needs to be taken into account is that LED lights put off so much less heat than other lights. I know for me, especially during hot summer months, I would use so many fans to mitigate the heat that came off the HPS and MH lights. Those are costs that need to be considered.
Another cost is bulbs. With an LED light, you have the benefit of using the same bulbs for a long time. A hid grow light needs to be changed often, and are very expensive if you use quality ones. Below is a chart that I came across that shows how much more it costs to operate other lights compared to LED lights. Over the course of a year, especially considering fan and bulb prices in addition to operating costs, an LED light is actually cheaper in the long run.
Maxibright Daylight 660W LED is a super efficient full spectrum LED lighting using Osram and Lumileds. Sleek in design and solid in construction Maxibright Daylight LED 660W consists of 8 LED dimmable bars, which can be tilted up to 30° to optimise light in the growing area. When plants are developed the Maxibright LED light can be placed as close as 50cm from the plants canopy.
Suitable for all stages of plant development with super efficient LEDs at 2.8 umol per watt — this light is perfect to cover 1.2m x 1.2m up to 1.5m x 1.5m grow space, and is perfect for replacing HPS lighting systems which will reduce both heat and power consumption — with no yield sacrifice!
VIPARSPECTRA spectrum has been developed by indoor growers over many years of careful experimentation and testing. With this light, you will see an increase in quality by growing bigger flowers that are dense and completely coated in resin.
Dimmbale feature allows precise spectral control and suitable for each growing phase.
With excellent heat dissipation system, the light stays cool and very quiet, runs 70% cooler than HID lights.
Choosing the full spectrum LED grow light that’s best for you really depends on what you need it for. A small bulb with low-wattage LEDs can be plenty for your little herb garden, but if you have a huge crop of cannabis, you might need something more powerful. LED grow light will save your money.
The VIPAR SPECTRA offers a good balance of power and light to help indoor plants grow. It may not have enough red in it to help with flowering, but it is a good grow light to get smaller plants started. You can’t beat its three-year warranty, which helps protect your purchase in case of any defects. Plus, it’s an affordable option if you need to grow, well, anything, even in the winter.