Different Types of Greenhouse Lights Available in the Market Today

 

There are a number of different types of greenhouse lights available to gardeners. The first two greenhouse gens have been in use for many years. Metal halide and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) are the two most popular greenhouse lights available. Both of these types of light provide a nice level of natural lighting and are low energy producing, but both can be expensive to run. The difference between the two types of lights is in the type of electron transfer function that each produces. HPS lamps put transverse light into the greenhouse where it is used for photosynthesis while HPS does not.

Metal halide and High Pressure Sodium (HPS) both use electrons from the plants in the greenhouse as power for photosynthesis. Because both types of light provide the necessary electron transfer, they both run efficiently but can be expensive to operate. HPS is more efficient because it runs at a lower amperage than HPS lamps but it has a higher pulse width which means less energy is wasted. Metal halide also runs a bit cooler than HPS making it more energy efficient but again it runs at a higher pulse width which means less energy is wasted. It has been suggested that if you use both types of lighting, the pulse width will have to be varied in order to get the best amount of color for your photosynthesis. This is because blue and red wavelengths need different amounts of blue and red light to activate photosynthesis respectively.ecoledbio.com

Greenhouse lights can be further divided into two groups: those that use diodes or LEDs, and those that use glazing. If you use LEDs, the most popular form of green house lighting is the glass greenhouse with LED lights fitted inside. However, as they are becoming more popular, and especially because of the growing popularity of solar energy, many gardeners are now opting for metal halide lamps which run at a lower amperage but still give off a good amount of light for the greenhouse. Because they use a semiconductor to convert the light instead of a fluorescent lamp, LEDs can produce light at a higher luminosity but their operation is slower and their power consumption higher.

Glass Greenhouse Lights: Glass greenhouse lights consist of a glass casing that contains a thin sheet of metal, often tungsten carbide (Tungsten Carbide, TM) that reflects the light back into the greenhouse. This reduces the energy needed to keep the plants alive. Glazing consists of several layers made of materials that are deposited on the inside of the glass to form a tight seal, thereby creating an insulating barrier that allows heat to be trapped between the layers. Greenhouse gasses are then exchanged through vents that are positioned at the bottom of the glazing, thus eliminating any evaporation of moisture from the plant roots.

HPS Grow Lights: Also known as High Pressure Sodium, or HDPS, these lamps are generally made of plastic and use one long tube to emit positive ions (Ca++), which in turn light up the plant. A metal negative ion provider, such as sodium hypochlorite, is also used to convert light to negatively charged ions for faster photosynthesis. Compared to other forms of lighting available in the market, HDPS have a higher heat output, thereby making them more efficient and cheaper compared to fluorescent bulbs. They also have longer wavelengths, thus allowing a wider range of wavelengths of blue light, which is ideal for plants growing in alkaline soils. However, since HDPS emit a large amount of heat, they are unsuitable for plants growing in extremely hot or cold weather conditions.

Compact Fluorescent Lights: Compared to LED, Halogen and HPS, Compact Fluorescent Lights is very efficient and is used for a wide variety of growing plants. These are also inexpensive compared to other popular types of lights available in the market today. In fact, due to their very high efficiency and low cost, Compact Fluorescent Lights is currently the cheapest source of energy available for indoor gardening. Due to their efficacy, they are used for indoor growing plants in areas where fluorescent lights are not allowed due to safety issues. In areas where fluorescent lights are allowed, Compact Fluorescent Lights account for a major part of the energy supply. This makes them good choices for people who wish to save money while growing their crops.