For the past few years, horticultural LED has been the solution for many commercial growers wanting to expand and develop their business. LED grow light systems bring several benefits including a high degree of controllability, increased product quality, energy savings and a dynamic spectrum enabling production optimization and upscaling. However, to utilize the total efficiency of LED grow light, it is important to install an LED set-up that matches your greenhouse and the specific cultures and demands of your crop.
In this guide, you get an overview of which LED fixtures to choose for different horticultural circumstances – so you can find the optimal LED fixture for your production.
FL300 and FL100 from DGT by Senmatic
FL300 and FL100 are the LED fixtures from DGT by Senmatic and are available in more types.
FL300 is an efficient top light fixture with 254 diodes. With 100-550 watt, it is useful as a strong replacement for traditional SON’T light. The strong fixture is exceptional as top light for plants with high light demands. This would for example be lettuce with a demand of 150 micromoles.
FL100 is a smaller 150 watt fixture – suitable as a top light for cultures with lower light demands. This would typically be potted plants with a low demand of 40-60 micromoles. Besides FL100’s abilities as a smaller top light fixture, it is very efficient for growing in layers in vertical farming. Less light and heat is produced because of the smaller fixture, and therefore it is possible to place plants closer to the fixture to create space for more than one layer.
Both fixtures are produced in three different types:
- Grow
- Grow white
- Sunlight
Here you can download a leaflet describing the difference between the fixtures - and you can also read more about the types below.
Grow
FL300 Grow and FL100 Grow both contain a spectral distribution with a primary intensity of red and blue light, and a very low intensity of white light. This makes them especially suitable for commercial greenhouses, where natural sunlight is also present.
When adjusting the light on this fixture, you adjust the concentration of blue light. A culture like herbs demands a high intensity and controllability of blue light in order to affect the oil content and taste, which makes the Grow fixture very suitable.
Grow White
FL300 Grow White and FL100 Grow White also contain a spectral distribution with a primary intensity of red and blue light, but they have a higher intensity of white light compared to the Grow fixture. The Grow White is thus more efficient in greenhouses and production areas with special light requirements, where natural sunlight is limited due to long winters. A culture like cannabis has a higher demand for white light, making the Grow White fixture a suitable match.
The choice of installing a Grow or Grow White fixture is thus dependent on the type of culture, and the amount of natural sunlight in your greenhouse.
Sunlight
FL300 Sunlight and FL100 Sunlight resemble natural sunlight with a higher concentration of white light, which makes the fixtures suitable for climate chambers with no natural lighting. The FL100 Sunlight can also be suitable for lower layers in a vertical farming set-up, where the amount of natural light is low.
When adjusting the Sunlight fixtures, the intensity of the light is controlled, but not the spectral distribution. Therefore, the Sunlight fixtures are relevant for indoor growing of all cultures, where no natural lighting is available. Because the spectral distribution cannot be controlled, the Sunlight fixtures need to be used as supplement to other LED fixtures, if the high degree of control is still demanded. Thus, the main purpose of the Sunlight fixtures is to provide a resemblance of natural sunlight in climate chambers or other indoor growing setups without natural sunlight.
Control your LED grow lights with an LED Light Controller
With an LED Light Controller, you are able to maintain the full control of your LED installation through easy setting of light intensity and spectral distribution. The LED Light Controller thus enables monitoring, optimization and energy savings due to a precise match between the LED settings and the demands of your specific cultures.
Light sensors are placed between plants in all levels, which signals the optimal light intensity to the LED Light Controller. Dependent on the different levels of natural light entering a greenhouse throughout the day, the sensors ensure that the LED Light Controller regulates light intensity optimally to match the demands of the specific crop and to use as little energy as possible.
The external device further enables you to easily cultivate several cultures over the year with the same lights using the flexible setting for each individual cultures’ lighting requirements – all for the purpose of optimizing your crop yield.
The LED Light Controller can easily be combined with your current climate control, and otherwise it is possible to purchase a full setup customized for your crop.
Reach out to DGT by Senmatic’s experts today
At DGT by Senmatic, we are experts and first-movers in LED fixtures tailored to the needs of each specific crop. We can advise you on the optimal setup for you and your production, as a combination of different fixtures may be the best solution for your needs – contact us today and learn more!
