LED Grow Lights Coverage Area
Coverage Area and LED Placement
Light intensity (high light or low light) needs of a plant and total area of grow space determine how many LED watts (W) are needed. It is important to know because some LEDs do not operate at full capacity. It is recommended that for high light plants in a 1 square foot grow space to use 25 W and 16 W for low light plants. If a grower increases the square feet of a grow space, watts needed will increase as well. Placement of an LED refers to its distance from the plant canopy as well as the spacing between individual light units. Placement of an LED is based on the following:
- Plant type (e.g. high light or low light)
- Device type (e.g. toplights, inter-lights, TLEDs and flowering lamps)
- Coverage area
- Environmental conditions (e.g. natural lighting)
- Manufacturer recommendation
A rule of thumb to consider when placing LEDs is that the light from one device should overlap with the light from another, creating an even spread of light over the growth space to ensure proper plant growth.