HPS Grow Lights: Which Brands Are Best? — 2021 Guide for Beginners
If you are looking to start your indoor grow with HIDs, you are probably wondering what the best HPS grow lights of 2021 are!
Many new growers choose this lighting technology because it’s cheap, simple, and produces huge, dense blooms.
But, there are so many options out there, and they all more or less look the same. This can make the shopping process somewhat frustrating.
Don’t sweat it, because today we are going to share with you our picks for the best HPS grow lights of 2021.
And for those who plan on using an MH bulb during veg, we will share a bulb you can use with each of these, so you can give your plants full spectrum of lighting when they need each!
Let’s start by talking about HPS technology in general, and lay out our criteria we followed when making this list of top contenders.
How HPS Light Works
HPS light works by using ballast, which creates a pulse that stirs the gas in the bulbs or lamps. The ballast first ignites the xenon gas, which in turn generates a flow of electrons. The electrons heat up the arc producing a pale blue light. After this, the arc vapors mercury into gas generating a deeper blue color. Finally, the sodium gas vapors turn the arc into a yellow color spectrum.
These are all the colours that provide lighting effects that influence the growth of the crops. All the colours have different wavelengths depending on the gases inside them. Majority of the HPS bulbs are ideal for the FLOWERING phases of the crops because of their orange and red lights.
Though you can use the lights for other stages, it is better to supplement HPS grow lights with other lights during the other growing stages for even better yields. Before we look at the advantages and disadvantages of HPS grow light, we did a roundup of the best HPS grow lights in the market and came up with the following six products that you cannot afford not to try if you want the best out of your cannabis.
How We Chose Best HPS Grow Lights?
It’s necessary that you know our criteria for choosing the best HPS grow lights. So here it is. We have chosen the best products for you with ample research and testing. These are some of the key points we take into consideration while choosing a product :
- Working capability.
- Performance.
- Budget and
- User ratings.
Now that all things are cleared out, let’s review the best HPS grow lights one by one in details below :
Nanolux OG DE 1000W Summit Series Fixture w/ Bulb 120V-240V
The Nanolux Summit series modular lighting system allows growers to invest in lighting systems that can be utilized in many different applications. The backbone of the Summit system is the Summit ballast. The Summit ballast is the first ballast that operates a range of lamp styles and wattages with the correct lamp voltage, operation frequency and strike voltage. The ballast will correctly operate all HPS, MH and CMH lamp configurations between 600W and 1000W. Simply select the correct lamp style and wattage and the ballast will now properly operate that way within the proper operational parameters.
The Summit series modular system also allows different lamp arm configurations and a variety of reflectors for different growing styles. Nanolux has also developed a new operational warranty chip which allows faster processing times on warranties and replacements. The Summit series ballast also operates between 208–277 volts allowing for the ballast to be any commercial voltage application.
Output Power: 1000W
Input Voltage: 120–240
Input Current: 8.9/4.5A
Bulb: DE MH or HPS
Dimming Settings: 600W-660W-750W-825W, 1000W-1200W(Super Lux)
PF: >0.99
THDI: <10%
CF: <1.7
Weight: 11.7lbs
Size: 17.9″ x 13.2″ x 5.4″
Input Frequency: 50/60
ECO Farm 1000W Double Ended HPS HID Grow Light Enclosed Kit
This light kit is designed by iPower, one of the leading manufacturers in the field. The company supplies lighting systems internationally to expert cultivators and first-time gardeners alike. This kit is suitable if you wish to enhance your grow box’s potential without having to invest in a new model.
ECO Farm 1000 Watt HPS Grow Light Kit: Features and Benefits
- Powerful Design — this system includes a 1000Wballast, which is dimmable and supports a 120–240V input. You will be able to pick among three different settings (50%, 75%, 100%).
- Compact Design — this ECO Farm grow light kit is perfect for fitting in small grow boxes and reduced spaces.
- Reduced Light Refraction — there is no refraction of the light on the glass. This prevents a standard percentage of 6% to 9% of the light from getting lost.
Who is ECO Farm 1000 Watt HPS Grow Light Kit for?
Whether you are a beginner just getting started with your plant growing project or an expert grower looking at enhancing your grow box’s efficiency, this ECO Farm kit will be the perfect addition. While extremely affordable, this light system can help you improve the yield you see from your crop.
Pros
- It includes one of the most effective types of reflectors.
- It can be extremely suitable if you need to fit it in a small space.
- The ECO Farm includes all you need to get started.
- It is extremely energy efficient.
- It prevents light dissipation and enhances reflection.
Cons
It can generate too much heat if deployed in a system that does not benefit from a steady ventilation system.
Emperor Lighting DE 1000W Grow Light Kit
The complete fixture integration of ballast and reflector results in a compact fixture resulting in low EMI. The Emperor Lighting DE reflectors are made from the absolute highest quality Alanod German Miro 4 anodized aluminum. The aluminum is >95% reflective and diffuses the light to penetrate deeper into the plant canopy. Customize the direction of light to suit your needs by using the 3 way adjustable reflector!
These lamps are made in the USA and offer the highest PAR light available at 2,100 µmols and a long life span with slow depreciation curve. After 10,000 burning hours our lamps are still at a whopping 97% output rating saving you money on re-lamping. No other Double Ended HPS lamp on the market has gone through the rigorous design and life testing standards like the EYE HORTILUX DE.
Thousands of hours of testing this lamp ensures you are receiving a quality and reliable lamp which will operate with consistent performance on any electronic ballasts. The Emperor Lighting DE comes with the VS K12x30s high temperature lamp holders. Manufactured by Vossloh-Schwabe in Germany these are the safest in the market.
User Reviews
The internet offers us incredible insight that wasn’t always possible. It’s given us the ability to read other user’s ratings quickly before making a purchase. This insight is incredibly beneficial, even after doing countless hours of research.
It’s vital that you read as many reviews as possible on a given HPS bulb. Even if the website of an HPS manufacturer looks stunning, it won’t matter if the bulb doesn’t work according to the advertisements.
Besides our review on the best HPS grow lights available, there are many avenues where you can view what growers around the world think about a certain product. You’ll be surprised as to what you can find out about various HPS grow lights once you dive into the many reviews available online.