There is an incredible amount of advice available on the internet surrounding the types of light bulbs, the best systems, and what kind of grow lights you should purchase for the best support of your vegetation. It doesn’t take long to become overwhelmed with attempting to make a choice for an all-inclusive system, or sticking with more tried and true bulbs specific to certain light spectrums.
If you are new to, or an old hand at, indoor plant grows, and are looking to support your vegetation in the best way possible- it never hurts to keep up with the products that are on the current market. High-Pressure Sodium Lights, or HPS, are a tried and true bulb that has been used for well over 100 years to help support and promote reproductive stages of plant growth. Some of the best HPS grow lights reviews surrounding current market products can be found below.
What is a HPS light
HPS, which stands for High-Pressure Sodium, is a type of light that contains a narrow arc tube held by the wire frame.This light contains high-pressure solid sodium, xenon gas, and mercury inside of it. When the power is turned on, an external ballast creates a high-power pulse that stirs the filled gas. Xenon is ignited first, and a strong flow of electrons is generated. The arc then heats up and has a faint bluish light from xenon gas. Heats from the arc subsequently vapor the liquid mercury into gas, generating more bluish color. Sodium is the last gas to be vapored at approximately 240oC. Heats from mercury and the arc turn sodium into a more yellow-color spectrum.The final quality colors aimed at indoor growing as we see are the blend of the three components above.
WHY CHOOSE AN HPS GROW LIGHT?
HPS bulbs create a more red light when ignited, and so is a popular choice for influencing bloom and supporting plants through productive growth phases. This allows you to provide the exact wavelengths needed for these stages- and when used in conjunction with both a ballast and reflector, you can control the intensity through dimmer switches. Plus, you can keep your light concentrated in the area you want it in, rather than losing light and energy through dissipation into the surrounding space.
HPS bulbs produce a very intense light, which is extremely beneficial to the bloom stages of your plants. If you are dependent upon the production of your plants for harvest reasons, these are bulbs worth considering to maximize your overall crop yield.
HPS Spectrum Wavelengths
Because the way the bulbs are created and the gases inside them, the color spectrum wavelengths of HPS mainly consist of:
Yellow: 570-590 nm
Orange: 590-6630 nm
Red: 630-750 nm
HPS has mostly red or orange light spectrum and so are ideal for the flowering phase of the plant’s lifecycle. Of course, you can use HPS for all of your plants grow phases. Many have done that and still enjoyed some fair results. But for better results, growers often supplement it with other grow lights. Of them, the most commonly used are Metal Halide Lights. These MH lamps generate more white-blue colors and hence make a more balanced output of light spectrum for your plants.
HPS grow lights are energy efficient. They have a higher PAR efficiency than fluorescent lights
The cost per output wattage is averagely less than other types of grow lights.
HPS bulbs are more affordable than LED lights.
Their color wavelengths are ideal for the flowering and budding stage of plants.
Disadvantages
HPS grow lights lack the blue color spectrum which is important for the plants’ vegetative stages.
The light can produce damaging heat which can burn plants. So an appropriate distance and cooling methods are needed.
The bulbs contain mercury and need to be disposed of appropriately. You can’t throw them in the trash can
HPS bulbs require a ballast to get powered and a reflector to improve focus.
How powerful light do you need for your garden/grow tent/ grow room?
As a newbie gardener (applicable for some professionals too), it’s quite tough to decide how many lights you may need or how much wattage’s light you may need. That’s why, here I’m giving you some advices according to your place’s size.
A smart grower will invest after considering the plant’s condition and area.
Recommended coverage and distance by HPS bulb wattage Wattage Coverage Distance from plants 150W 2"×2" 7" 250W 2"×2"- 2.5"×2.5" 12" 400W 3"×3"-3.5"×3.5" 12" 600W 3.5"×3.5"- 4"×4" 16" 1000W 4"×4"-5"×5"
21"
I hope this chart will help you a lot while choosing best HPS grow light for you.
Some important facts for you
Most of the 150W and 250W lights comes with a ballast.
More wattage, bigger in size, hotter while using!
From 400W, all the lights are very industrious and hot too.
It’s better to use two 600W lights than a 1000W lights because the 1kW isn’t that productive and also consume more electricity.
Things you should know after deciding to get one HPS grow light
The ballasts
Your HPS grow light will never work without being powered by a ballast. So make sure you choose the right one.
Digital ballast is the common ballast choice. It is compatible with most bulbs, runs cooler, uses less electricity and produces a higher light intensity
Some important criteria of a good digital ballast include a great range of dimming ability, bulb protection, radio frequency shielding. And finally, flexibility is also very important because you can run different wattages or use MH later. Which one do I recommend?
I’ll recommend you a digital ballast because, it can be used with almost any bulb, runs quite cooler, use lower electricity but it produces higher light power. How can you find a best grow light for you?
I’ll recommend you to find these qualities in a perfect ballast:
Dimming ability in big range
Not over-priced and affordable too.
Radio frequency shield.
Protection of your bulb.
Always find these three things before picking one. Or you can also read our guide on Digital Ballast.
The reflectors
The use of a reflector not only helps you can improve the focus of your HPS light, but it also saves your bulb life in the long run.
Commonly, there are two types of reflectors to choose. Each has different characteristics which are suitable for the different types of setups.
Open: These open reflectors are built to make sure your plants get as much as light as possible. They also have the adjustable feature, which helps you place the light far or near your plants.
Air cooled: This type captures hot air and keeps it away from the plants. They can also hook to an air duct exhaust. This type of reflector is ideal grow tent and enclosed spaces.
Single-ended vs. Double-ended HPS bulbs
Single-ended (SE) HPS bulbs look just like the standard incandescent bulbs invented by Thomas Edison that you commonly saw in your homes years ago. However, they use a larger socket, which is called a Mogul base. Inside this glass tube, there is a part, called the arc tube, whose main function is to manufacture light. It gets the energy from the base of the bulb connected by a metal "frame wire" at one end.
Double-ended (DE) HPS are more like the fluorescent tube bulbs. Just like the name sound, DE lamps have two wires at both ends of the glass bulb, which can be safely put and fastened into the sockets on a fixture
DE HPS have grown more popular among hobbyists in past years even though they have been used in commercial production for ten years or so.
The question is whether DE HPS are more worthy than SE HPS?
Without hesitation, I can say that it's worth for several reasons.
It's spontaneously thinner than SE bulbs.
The DE bulbs create a more even and smoother emission of light than SE bulbs because of its lack of the wire frame and its thinner shape.
DE lamps are filled with nitrogen gas instead of vacuum like SE bulbs. The gas helps the bulbs generate lights more efficiently with a higher temperature.
DE bulbs are known for higher durability. They degrade much slower than SE counterparts.
However, you have to face one truth is that DE HPS bulbs are still not as popular as single HPS bulbs. Probably, it is due to their high price. Even though they produce higher PAR output than traditional ones, there is a leap in their price. And the fact that you still have to replace your lamps after several grows makes you consider before purchasing DE bulbs.
And most users have been accustomed to the traditional HPS for so long. So SE bulb will continue the top used for a long time.
HIGH LUMEN OUTPUT: Great lumen output for high PAR values. Lumens: 151,000. Color Temp: 2300K. Quality quartz glass jacket
MORE ENERGY PROVIDER: High red and blue spectral ratios for good photosynthesis efficiency, Provides 35% more available energy than the high standard pressure sodium lamp
GOOD FOR PLANT BOOSTING: Optimized spectrum encourages flowering growth. DIMMABLE (50% to SUPER)
SPECIAL DESIGN: The absence of frame wire eliminates any shadows in the beam. Specifically designed for high frequency electronic ballasts.
NOTICE: For horizontal burning only and do not handle with bare hands. 1 year manufacturer warranty
iPower 1000W Double Ended Enhanced Performance HPS Lamp. High red and blue spectral ratios for good photosynthesis efficiency, Provides 35% more available energy than the high standard pressure sodium lamp. Great lumen output for high PAR values. Lumens: 150, 000. Color Temp: 2000K Specifically designed for high frequency electronic ballasts.
High red and blue spectral ratios for good photosynthesis efficiency, Provides 35% more available energy than the high standard pressure sodium lamp
Great lumen output for high PAR values. Lumens: 150, 000. Color Temp: 2300K
Optimized spectrum encourages flowering growth. DIMMABLE (50% to SUPER)
Specifically designed for high frequency electronic ballasts
TOPHORT DE HPS grow light bulbs can produce a very balanced and efficient spectrum for plant growth. TOPHORT HPS lamps have higher luminous efficiency than ordinary bulbs, and they have stronger penetrating power and long service life.
It emits a red and orange spectrum that is among the most energy-efficient sources of indoor lighting and extends the growing season. It can be used through the vegetative, flowering and fruiting stages, and the yellow spectral output makes them optimal for flowering.
Double -ended hps grow light bulb, high lumen output: Great lumen output for high PAR values. Lumens: 145,000. Color Temp: 2100K. 24000 Lifespan, quality quartz glass jacket
More Energy Provider: Double Ended Light 1000W high red and blue spectral ratios for good photosynthesis efficiency, Provides 35% more available energy than the high standard pressure sodium lamp
The high-pressure growth lamp 1000W is specially designed for the professional hydroponics plant cultivation, the high-quality dual end system is uniform, provides the highest quality light without obstacles, the duration is almost twice as long as the single end lamp
Suitable for plant ascension: optimized spectrum can promote flowering and growth. Adjustable light (50% to super)
Enhanced spectral energy distribution allows for growing a wider variety of plants
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