Off-Grid & Energy-Efficient: Harnessing DC Power Directly
Every bit of energy you produce when you are living off the grid is precious and we need to find the best way to use what we have in the most efficient way!
If any of you have ever dreamed of being (or are) off the grid, you are probably familiar with using batteries to store some or all of your energy for nights and cloudy days. The solar panels you are most likely using produce DC energy which charges the batteries during the day.
The most efficient way to use the DC energy in the batteries is to power your lighting, appliances, and motors directly by the batteries. But because most of the devices that use power in conventional homes use Alternating Current (AC) we may often be forced to use what is commercially available at the best price.
The Impact of DC Power on Lighting Efficiency
For lighting in an Off Grid Home, it really does not make sense to use AC power. You can think of solar panels and LEDs as being opposites in the DC world. Solar panels take light and convert the sun’s energy into DC power which we store on our batteries. LED’s use the DC energy stored in the batteries and convert it back into light.
Unfortunately, our dependance on the AC grid has resulted in the creation of an inefficient method for powering our lighting. We buy lights that need to be plugged into an AC outlet. These lights have a power supply in them that converts the 120 VAC into a DC output to power the DC LEDs in the light. (Did you know that Red LEDs are 2 VDC devices and white and blue LEDs are 3 VDC devices.) These power supplies waste 10-15% of the energy going into them as heat.
If you combine the fact that an inverter connected to the batteries in your home loses 10-15% of the DC energy in your batteries to make AC power and with the losses in a power supply in an LED light source, you are losing a minimum of 20% and possibly as much as 30% of the precious energy stored in your batteries to power your lights.
Happy Leaf: The Only DC Power-Ready Grow Lights on the Market for Unparalleled Efficiency
Why not power your LED light directly from a DC power source? The Happy Leaf Procyon family of horticultural lighting are the only commercial grade lights designed to enable you to grow everything from arugula to tomatoes in your home all year long. They can be plugged directly into a 24 VDC power source without the need for AC inverters or power supplies with the potential of saving between 20 and 30% of the energy you have stored in your Off Grid Battery system.
Happy Leaf Grow Lights: Optimizing Off-Grid Food Production
If you are living Off the Grid, you are most likely interested in growing some or all of your food at home all year long. You will want to use the most efficient horticultural lighting available that has an optimized ratio of LED colors (RGB of 70/20/10). The energy levels required to grow everything from microgreens to tomatoes, and be powered directly by a DC power source.
Be free to grow how, what, and where you want when you grow with Happy Leaf LED
We continually hear from customers who started their indoor gardening journey with an “all-in-1” system such as an AeroGarden, and have come to appreciate the freedom they have to grow more economically and abundantly when they unplug the all-in-1 and plug in a Happy Leaf LED grow light using any one of the methods we teach that are based on passive hydroponics. If you want to jump right in, head on over to our YouTube Channel ( Happy Leaf LED Grow Lights – YouTube) and get growing! We also wrote a book on the topic of growing food indoors, Grow Lettuce In Your Living Room.
We don’t want to discourage you from using your automatic grow system if you love it. We are not those folks. If your AeroGarden got you started on a path, then it served you well. But, if you want to do more than the system allows, or you have found another reason to search for an alternative way to grow with more freedom, welcome to all things Happy Leaf LED.
Why AeroGardens Limit Your Indoor Garden Setup
The “all-in-1’s” are by definition limiting because the space is defined and usually pretty small. Some of these systems, like AeroGarden, also make it a requirement to use their own materials that you have to replenish with the company that sold the all-in-1. Some of these systems cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. We ask ourselves, why would someone spend that much money for so many limitations? Just in terms of physical space, you can grow 4-5 times as much lettuce and herbs with a Happy Leaf Procyon 2.0 33″ light on a single 4 ft wire shelf than could be grown in a typical all-in-1.
Economic and Abundant Growth with Happy Leaf LED
We understand that most people feel that if they spend $100 – $300 on a grow system, the light that is provided will probably do what they expect. They are trusting the manufacturer to give them a good grow light. It is difficult to truly know what a grow light can and should do, so we feel that is where these types of products can be a disappointment.
If you want to dive into the particulars of how to evaluate a grow light, we wrote a great article on the subject, What You Really Need to Know About Grow Lights. Overall, we can’t say we have seen an all-in-1 system that offers a grow light that matches our 33″ 2.0, let alone our 33″ PRO light in terms of optimal production and efficiency – with a 5 year warranty from a USA manufacturer.
Efficient, Effective & Versatile
Efficiency is also an issue with all-in-1’s, not just with the efficiency of the lighting, but also with the power draw from running the hydroponic tank that comes with the all-in-1’s we have looked at. (Note, there is a running pump sound with the AeroGarden.)
We all have “bottom lines”. For some it’s cost, for others it’s flexibility, efficiency or effectiveness. We at Happy Leaf want you to know that no matter what your “bottom line” is, Happy Leaf LED grow lights will satisfy your needs and expectations in ways that no all-in-1 systems can. Guaranteed!
As you may or may not be aware, we at Happy Leaf are very much dialed into the passive hydroponic method of growing indoors (aka the Kratky Method) – combining this method with our best-in-class LED grow lights, is an entry into limitless indoor gardening opportunities. You can learn all about this magical method of growing from videos on our Youtube channel or by reading the book we co-authored – Grow Lettuce in Your Living Room.
Here is what some of our satisfied Happy Leaf LED customers are saying,
I am very pleased with how these lights have improved my spring planting success. The plants are on a much higher level of health and vitality. They look stronger and are growing faster than any plants I have ever grown….”
“These lights are amazing! I just ordered my 2nd one. I started out using a Spider Farmer SF2000 light that I found on Amazon. The Spider Farmer light was using 200 watts but the growth was slow and my tomato plants leaves were turning dark and shriveling. I bought the Procyon Pro and within 4 days my plants completely rebounded. They grew considerably and the leaves filled out and turned bright green. I now see several flowers… I also love how lightweight the light is. The 33″ fits perfectly in a window and I’ve attached it to the bottom of my blinds to make it easier to raise and lower the light. I’m recommending this light to everyone I know.”
“Excellent American made quality. Beautiful lights that look like daylight. Great warranty and service. My plants are very happy. I called ahead for pickup and was warmly greeted and had a very knowledgeable salesperson. I plan on buying more lights.”
Maximizing Plant Growth: South Facing Windows vs. Grow Lights
Are you really giving your plants the best possible environment with a south facing window? We sometimes hear gardeners talk about the success they have starting plants in a south facing window, or how they can keep some plants happy in the winter just using a south facing window. What comes to mind for us, as a grow light manufacturer, is that we hope you will consider that even the loveliest south facing window is not giving your plants the best possible environment for growth and survival. Even if the window is not covered in a coating that blocks sunlight, winter days are still much too short to provide the ideal amount of daily light most plants need.
The Limitations of South Facing Windows
If you happen to have an ideal-sized window that faces true south, then you’re pretty lucky because it is possible to have some level of success with keeping plants alive or starting seeds. While some folks are happy with the results they get from a south facing window, anyone who has decided to take a leap and try a really great grow light, will tell you there is definitely a real bonus for your plants if you pick the right grow light.
Understanding Daily Light Integral (DLI)
We all know plants need sufficient amounts of light to grow robustly. The word “sufficient” is very important here. I am going to mention one technical term and I promise this will be the only one. Plants need their daily dose of light and the technical term for this is Daily Light Integral or DLI. It is the average intensity of the light multiplied by the total number of hours of light that the plants are getting. For example, lettuce, herbs, and microgreens need a DLI of 3 to 5 per day whereas tomatoes and peppers may need a DLI of 10 to 15 per day.
By the way, the units for DLI are moles of photons per square meter per day for those of you who are curious. That is all we will say about DLI but I think you get the point that what really counts is the amount of light our plants get each day.
Challenges of Winter Sunlight
The challenge for those of us living in the northern half of the US is that the days get pretty short in the winter (i.e. 6 to 8 hours of reasonable sunshine) and that many of the days in the winter are cloudy or overcast. So we may only be getting on average 4 to 6 hours of sunlight per day.
On top of that, the windows we all have in our homes have special coatings on them to improve their ability to insulate from the cold and to reduce the amount of light entering our homes in the summer to reduce our air conditioning cost. These coatings are called low emissivity or Low E coatings. These coatings block about 75% of the light from the sun.
Add these factors together and it turns out that we are lucky if we can get enough light through our windows to keep our plants alive and maybe grow some microgreens. If we were hoping to grow plentiful amounts of greens, herbs, or possibly some cucumbers or tomatoes, we will most likely be disappointed.
Optimal Growth Solutions with Happy Leaf LEDs
High quality grow lights that use very efficient LEDs will enable you to grow pretty much any plants you would like quickly and efficiently for just pennies a day. They use the proper ratio of red to blue to green light as well as the right intensity for growing everything from arugula to tomatoes. Turn on your light that can be in your basement, closet, or kitchen for 14 to 18 hours per day and you will be amazed at your winter bounty.
And that brings us to flexibility. With Happy Leaf LEDs, you won’t have to locate ALL OF YOUR PLANTS IN ONE WINDOW…. or, only in south facing windows…. or, in any windows at all. You can grow herbs on a shelf in your kitchen, lettuce in your living room and tomatoes in your basement! No windows (north, south, east or west) required.
A 33 inch Procyon 2.0 Happy Leaf light can grow an area of up to 2 x 4 feet for your greens, herbs, and microgreens. You will be eating your harvest within 4 weeks of your planting date.
We encourage you to give it a try and we guarantee you will become as addicted as we are to winter indoor gardening.
Are you shopping for grow lights? Here’s what you really need to know about grow lights.
Are your eyeballs circling in their sockets from all of the technical details presented by manufacturers? How on earth can you compare apples to apples with so many different specifications? Are you overwhelmed by the different choices of grow lights out there?
We’ve got some simple answers for you as well as more technical answers, so let’s get started.
Yes, this is about to get a bit technical, so before we do that, if you are just looking for the quickest answer possible, we will tell you the secret to selecting a grow light is PAR energy. Look for a PAR (photosynthetic active radiation) number, and you’ll be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as which light has the highest PAR number.
Ultimately, you want to find the right combination of PAR value and low energy use at an affordable price. This article is focused on the science of a good grow light. We address the amazing payback equation of our Happy Leaf LED lights in this blog post.
Watts have been the easiest way for people to talk about how powerful a grow light is, but with the increasing presence of LEDs, the question needs to pivot to how much PAR energy does the light deliver. A good quality LED light that draws less than 50 watts can perform as well a 300 watt ceramic metal halide light.
If you finish this article and want to learn more, we highly recommend Christopher Sloper’s Second Edition Book, The LED Grow Book.
Here We Go…Science Class Revisited and Some New Stuff
The Sun is a Good Place to Start…
The sun makes plants grow because it provides the energy that plants need for photosynthesis. You may or may not remember from science class that photosynthesis is the process that converts carbon dioxide and water into sugars. Figure 1 shows the basic photosynthesis process steps.
Figure 1: Basic photosynthesis process steps.
Our eyes and plants absorb energy within a relatively narrow range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Humans and plants both “see” light with wavelengths between 400 nm (violet) and 700 nm (red). For us this range of wavelengths is called the visible light spectrum and the unit of measure for the light we see is lumens. For plants, this region of light is called photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and the unit of measure is micromoles of photons per second. (A mole is 6.022 x 10 ˆ23).
It is important for us to understand that lumens are a measure of how we (humans) perceive light and are not related to how plants absorb light, whereas PAR energy is not particularly important to us (humans) with respect to how we see light.
For this reason, we should not determine which lights we use for growing plants based on either lumens, lux, ft-candles, or watts. These are all units of measure for how we perceive light and how much power the light source consumes to make the light we see.
Here are answers to some FAQs and definitions we get.
Grow Light Lumens Chart – Lumens are a measure of visible light intensity to the human eye. It is a measure of the total amount of visible light coming out of a light fixture intended for use to light a room or space. Just because a fixture has a high measure of lumens does not mean it has the right amount of light nor the right spectrum of light for good plant growth.
How much PAR for seedlings? – For seedlings and microgreens, you want a reading of 50 to 150 on the PAR meter.
How much PAR for flowering? – For vegetative growth, you want 150 up to 400. And for flowering and fruiting you want 300 up to 1000.
How much PPFD do plants need? – PPFD stands for Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density. It is simply the intensity of the light hitting the plant and it is measured with a PAR meter. When we talk about PAR, we are really talking about the PPFD at the plant.
umol/j meaning – Micromoles per Joule is a measure of how efficient a light is. It is a measure of how many micromoles of photons you get out of a grow light fixture per Joule of energy. A good number is typically between 2 and 3.
Luminous flux is measure in lumens (lm) and is the total quantity of visible light as perceived by humans emitted by a source.
Lux is the number of lumens per square meter of surface area. A foot-candle is 10.764 Lux.
Some units for how plants perceive light are:
PAR is the energy between 400 and 700 nanometers that plants use for photosynthesis to convert CO2 and water into sugars. The measure of PAR energy is called the photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) and the units are in micromoles of photos per second. Like total luminous flux, PPF output from a grow light can be measured in an integrating sphere similar to the one shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Integrating sphere used to measure total light output.
Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) is a measure of PAR energy that is striking a surface. The units often used for PPFD are micromoles of photos per square meter per second (umoles/ m2 second). In the horticultural industry, PPFD is measured using a PAR meter similar to the one shown in Figure 3.
Although professional grade meters such as this one can be very expensive, i.e., $1,000+, hobby meters (Figure 4) can be purchased for just over $100. Although they may not be quite as accurate in measuring PAR energy, we have found that they are often within 10% of the same reading of the more expensive meters.
Figure 3: Industrial and research PAR Meter Figure 4: Consumer PAR Meter
A second measurement for PPFD is the daily light integral (DLI). This is simply the total amount of PAR energy that strikes a surface (i.e., plant leaves) over a day. This is calculated by adding together all of the PAR energy over the entire day. The units for DLI are moles of photons per square meter per day.
This is done by multiplying the average PPFD as measured by a PAR meter by 3,600 seconds per hour then multiplying the value by the number of hours the light (sun or artificial light) is on and then dividing by 1,000,000 to convert micromoles into moles.
Example:
DLI = (300 umoles/square meter-second) x (3,600 seconds/hour) x (16 hours/day) x (1 mole/1,000,000 micromoles) = 17.28 moles/square meter-day.
Watts are a measure of the amount of energy a light source consumes. Watts are not a measure of either luminous flux (lumens) or PAR energy. Watts measure what we are paying for to create the light and what our electric bill says we use (KWhr) per month. In effect, we want the watts we use to be as low as possible and the PAR we create with our lights to be as high as possible.
PAR efficacy is the amount of PAR energy created by a light source divided by the power it takes to create that PAR energy. As an example, if a light source has an output of 100 micromoles per second and it consumes 50 watts (joule/second) of power, its PAR efficacy would be 2 micromoles/J.
Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) charts are the graphs published by the suppliers of light sources which define the intensity of the light at various wavelengths. Because plants absorb energy between 400 and 700 nm wavelengths, we want as much of the energy from the grow light sources to be between these two wavelengths.
As we will see from the SPD charts in the next few pages, LEDs, due to their relatively narrow region of transmission, have much higher efficacies (micromoles/Joule) than any other type of grow light within the PAR region.
Target efficiency is a measurement that provides the relative amount of light that is hitting your plants relative to the total amount of PAR energy that the fixture emits. Even though a 1,000-watt HPS fixture may be generating 1,500 micromoles per second of photosynthetically active radiation, if that light is not efficiently directed at your plants, much of the PAR energy would be wasted light, but the HPS may be doing a great job of lighting the walls, floor, or ceiling.
Round-shaped HPS lights use relatively inefficient reflectors (80-90%). Because the HPS needs to be placed two to four feet above the plants due to their very high local intensity, their target efficiency could be as low as 60%.
With LED light sources where the light can be evenly distributed above the canopy and the distance above the canopy can be as little as 6 inches without burning the plants, target efficiencies can be above 85%. This is a very important factor to consider when selecting the appropriate grow lights for your application.
The saturation curve shown in Figure 5 provides some insights into what the limiting factors to photosynthesis include. Up to a specific level of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), the limitation is the level of lighting that the plants receive. Beyond the PPFD saturation point, the level of CO2 in the environment becomes the limiting factor as shown in the same graph. For the plant to continue to grow faster, additional CO2 may need to be added.
Figure 5: Saturation curve that provides insights on the limits to how much light and CO2 plants can use.
The respiration rate shown in Figure 5 is the rate at which plants consume glucose and oxygen and give off carbon dioxide and water. This occurs at night or when they are not being exposed to light. During this period, the plants are losing mass but respiration is critical to their survival.
The light compensation point shown in Figure 5 is the level of light at which the plant is neither gaining mass nor losing mass but is staying steady. For many plants, this level of PPFD is roughly 100 micromoles per square meter per second.
In effect, this is the level of light needed to start growing a plant, but you cannot grow most plants to maturity with PPFD levels of 100 umoles/square meter per second or less. It is important to note that this is why most fluorescent lights and low-quality LED light sources do not provide satisfactory results in growing plants to full maturity.
What is the Sun’s Output of Photosynthetically Active Radiation?
By the time the sun’s energy reaches the surface of the earth, about 43% of its total energy is within the visible or PAR region, while 52% is in the infrared (IR) or heat region and 5% is in the ultraviolet (UV) region Although plants may be both negatively and positively affected by energy in the IR or UV wavelengths, they do not directly use light in these wavelengths for photosynthesis. In effect, we can say that the sun is 43% efficient at producing PAR energy. Figure 6 shows the sun’s electromagnetic spectrum with the UV, visible PAR region, and IR regions.
Figure 6: The sun’s electromagnetic spectrum.
Let’s Mix in Some History…
Until roughly 2010, the only practical alternatives that were available for indoor growing were incandescent, fluorescent, metal halide, and HPS (high pressure sodium) lights. All of these were originally designed as light sources to light our homes, businesses, and streets. They were not intended to be grow lights, but they were the only available options.
After the blue LED was invented by Dr. Shuji Nakamura in Japan in 1991, the great potential of LEDs was born. The blue LED enabled us to create light that was not only blue but also allowed us to create white (full spectrum) light using a method by which a yellow phosphor is placed onto the blue LED to create all of the wavelengths of visible light between 400 and 700 nm.
Until then, the red LEDs that were available since the 1960’s could not be used to create full spectrum light due to their longer wavelength.
In 1997, Dr. Cary Mitchell of Purdue University began his research for NASA to find a better way to grow food in outer space. His research concluded that a mix of blue and red LEDs could be used to reduce the amount of electrical power per growing area by 90% and by 50% over full spectrum (white) LEDs.
His comment regarding the results of his research was:
“Everything on earth is ultimately driven by sunlight and photosynthesis. The question is how we can replicate that in space. If you have to generate your own light with limited energy resources, targeted LED lighting is your best option. We’re no longer stuck in the era of high-power lighting and large, hot, fragile lamps.”
Figure 7: Depicts the human eye’s & plant’s sensitivity to specific wavelengths of light.
We Want to Use More Graphs!
To better understand why LEDs are able to so significantly reduce the energy requirements for photosynthesis, we need to review the spectral power distribution (SPD) of the lights that we have used in the past and compare them to the SPD of LEDs tuned to the plants’ response to light.
In Figure 8, the LED output curve is very close to that of a plant’s sensitivity to light. This is the basis of the LED’s efficacy in promoting photosynthesis. A good quality LED light source has a PAR efficacy of at least 2 um/per J. And the best ones are 2.5 um/per J.
Figure 8
As seen in Figure 9, a 3,000 K incandescent bulb has only a very small portion of energy in the visible or PAR region. Roughly 95% of the bulb’s energy is in the IR or heat region. An incandescent bulb is not a very good source of PAR energy and can be very damaging to plants because of its very high temperatures.
Figure 9
The SPD of a typical T5 shows that the bulk of the lamp’s energy is in the yellow/green region, whereas photosynthesis occurs most efficiently with light in the blue and red regions. See Figure 10. T5 lamps are successfully used for seed and seedling starting but if they are to be used for full plant growth, they would need to be placed very close to the plant and would consume between 3 to 5 times more energy to achieve equivalent plant production to high quality LED lighting. Typical PAR efficacy of a T5 would be 1 um/J.
Figure 10
The SPD of the high pressure sodium light is the closest of the conventional light sources to providing much of its energy within the PAR region as can be seen in Figure 11. HPS lamps have a very distinct yellow-orange look to them and do not contain much energy in the blue region, unlike another form of HID lights called metal halide. HPS are often used during the flowering stages of plant growth. The typical efficacy of a good quality HPS lamp is between 1.3 an 1.7 um/per J
Figure 11
In Figure 12, the SPD for metal halide lights is shifted toward the blue region which is why they are more commonly used for the early stages of plant growth when plants are not blooming.
Figure 12
You’ve Stuck With It This Far…
Here are some additional factors that are important to understand: Photoperiod and how different light wavelengths affect the growth of plants at their various stages.
A photoperiod is defined as the interval within a 24-hour period during which a plant is exposed to light. The reason photoperiods are so important is that many types of plants are affected by a photoperiod and will thrive if given the correct period and will struggle if given an incorrect amount of daily light.
Some plants are considered short-day plants and will only form flowers which bloom when the days are short or nights are long. Examples of short-night plants are those that bloom in the Spring or Fall when the days are shorter. Several examples include rice, coffee, tobacco, cannabis, soybeans, okra, sweet potatoes, hops, rosemary and lima beans.
Some plants are considered long-day plants and will only bloom when the days are long or nights are short. Examples of long-day plants are potatoes, lettuce, spinach, basil, sugar beets, radish, and swiss chard.
Although we may define these plants as long-day plants, this does not mean that we always want them to flower. For example, we typically want to harvest our lettuces, spinach, and herbs like basil well before they bolt/form flowers. In effect, we may actually want to grow them in shorter photoperiods so they do not bolt.
Another group of plants are considered day-neutral. Examples of day-neutral plants include tomatoes, sunflowers, beans, peas, corn, and peppers. In their case, the flowering response is not dependent on the length of the day or night.
Another factor that affects the size, shape and appearance, and rate of growth is the spectral power distribution (SPD) of your lights. We discussed how the SPD of each of the grow light options varies earlier in this article, but we did not discuss how it affects the appearance of your plants.
With most of the light sources we discussed, the SPD for the light source is fixed and it is not possible to significantly modify it. But for LEDs, this is not the case. Because LED light sources are made up of multiple small light emitters, it is possible to tune the light in a way that optimizes the growth rate, size, taste, and appearance of the plants.
Although the ratio of desirable wavelengths for ideal growth conditions may vary based on the plants being grown, a ratio of red, blue, and green light can be selected to provide the necessary light for your plants to give you great results. The exact ratios for optimal growth will be the subject of an upcoming blog, and will be based on findings from Dr. Krishna Nemali of Purdue University.
Another interesting article on how grow lights actually work, can be found at LED Lighting Supply
The short answer is, as little as necessary, right? We are with you. Hop on Amazon and you’ll see plenty of grow lights that cost less than $100. They mention red and blue spectrums or they say “full spectrum light” and some are even LED’s, so that seems like you will get a pretty good deal. The bad news is that the under $100 grow light options we found are not nearly the grow light that you get with a Happy Leaf LED grow light. Let us tell you more, so we don’t sound like we’re just pitching our product.
Here are the key factors we want to discuss: Will the light actually meet your objective, how much does it cost to operate, warranty/lifespan, and is it USA Made? We will finish the article with a description of the factors we face as a small business and where our pricing fits in the overall picture of grow light options. (Hint – what role does the middle-man play in the pricing?)
Will These Lights Work for Your Needs?
The first question we ask anyone who is considering our lights is, “What do you want to do?” More specifically, do you want to start seeds? Do you want to keep houseplants healthy? Do you want to grow food at home? Are you planning to grow a specialized crop? We can’t emphasize enough that all grow lights are not created equally, and you need to understand if the light will really do a good job for its intended purpose. Check out this article for a true deep dive into understanding how a grow light works, which can be very useful when shopping“We reference this only if you want to spend more time studying the topic. Otherwise, keep on reading here and we’ll cover the basics you need to know.
We can tell you that the easiest job for any grow light is to start seeds and provide supplemental light to most house plants. Yes, many people are able to start seeds or provide supplemental light on a window sill if they have south-facing exposure (east and west exposure only are severely limited in length of daylight). But even this relatively simple task can be improved quite dramatically with a high-quality grow light. The biggest issue with window sill lighting is that you still are contending with shortened daylight time periods and cloudy days for all but a few months of the year. However, you’re also short-changing how much good quality light your indoor plant or seedlings could be getting, to make their stems very strong and robust, and basically give them the equivalent of a strong immune system. A side benefit is that a good quality grow light will be your secret weapon if you get a late start because you can catch up with faster growth!
When we look at any grow light, we are looking for any data we can find about PAR performance, because this is the only measurement that scientifically quantifies the “output” for plant growth. So, if a grow light you are considering doesn’t give you any PAR measurements, you are very likely looking at a light that will perform at the most basic level – meaning it might do a decent job of starting your seeds or keeping your houseplant alive – but the chances that it will help you grow tomatoes indoors is unlikely.
How Much Do LED Grow Lights Cost to Run?
To get some idea of how much it will cost to operate the light, look at how much power the light draws – how many hours a day it runs, how much power it draws, and what is your cost per kilowatt hour. For example, a 33″ Happy Leaf grow light uses 45 watts of power, for 16 hours a day, at 10 cents per kilowatt hour, which would cost you 7.2 cents per day to operate. (To find out how much you pay for a kilowatt-hour, refer to your monthly electric bill.) The Happy Leaf lights produce 5 times more useable energy for your plants for the same cost as it would to run a fluorescent light while maximizing energy efficiency. (The HL light can provide light for a 2′ x 3′ area for your plants.) So, this is the “footprint” which is also important to know. For an annual cost of running a Happy Leaf light every day for 16 hours a day, would be $26 a year.
Yep, you read that right. $26 a year!
Warranty and Lifespan
The grow lights have a 5-year warranty. If at any point within five years of purchasing your lights, there is any issue at all, just contact us and we will make sure you get back up and running in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. (That’s fast!)
Are These Grow Lights Actually Made in the USA?
Any random review of grow light offerings is dominated by companies that build their lights outside the U.S., primarily in China. There are LED grow light companies based in the U.S. but it is clear most are sourcing their lights outside the U.S. A recent search of “USA Made LED Grow lights” brought forth a few listings, but in each case, when we looked for the actual physical location where the lights are made, that info was nowhere to be found. Hmm. We source our aluminum extrusions in the U.S., the circuit boards are made in the U.S., and we put together the lights ourselves at our warehouse in Oregon, Illinois. We are currently using LED’s from OSRAM, made in Germany, and we do have to source our external power supplies outside of the U.S.
Supporting Small Business
We are a true small business – self-funded – no investors. This allows us to operate with old-fashioned values, which means you won’t talk to a robot or an outsourced customer service rep when you call our company. We don’t fund our website or social media channels with annoying advertising and we don’t bombard your email every week with promotions. The primary business model is “direct to consumer” because we want to bring great quality grow lights to people in their homes, for education or for business. The performance of our lights is on par with much more expensive lights that are primarily sold through distributors, and many of these distributors are looking for a 50% markup. We have a select few partners that also sell our lights and they receive a wholesale price so they can make a reasonable percentage of profit for handling our lights.
Bottom line, we are happy with the glacial growth of our company. Virtually every customer feels like a new friend. Many people say we’ve brought them awareness of how to grow some of their own food at home. We receive hand-written notes of thanks from happy customers and are pleased to say that many people who purchase their first Happy Leaf light decide to purchase more lights because of the success they are having. Indoor gardening is a fantastic hobby and also a very viable small business for the ambitious grower.
Happy Leaf LED Is a passion project more than it is a business. At this time, one person earns a salary from Happy Leaf and the founders (Vic and Polly) take no compensation for their continued efforts. Anyone who has tried to start a new business or labored in small business knows that the hurdles are never-ending. We are heartened to talk to every single customer – the people who are excited about their indoor growing successes make all of our efforts very satisfying. Whenever there are moments of doubt or frustration, we need only look as far as one of our favorite promo taglines and the purpose of what we are doing comes into clear focus!
