ECO Farm 240W Full Spectrum LED Grow Light For Indoor Plants Veg And Flower Evaluation

November 03, 2020

1. We are now unpacking ECO FARM 240W LED Panel grow light

Here are the different sides of the main light, and I'll show you.

The following is the pictures of the accessories, including anti-glare sunglasses, rope, power cord, etc.

2. Let’s measure the spectrum of the ECO FARM 240W LED Panel planting light first

Now I hang up this light, put it straight and flat, and set up a coordinate system for spatial measurement of this light according to my previous practice of doing evaluation. As shown in the figure below: from the bottom of this light, which is the center point of the light bead face, vertically downward, is the z-axis.From the center of the bead face, the center line parallel to the long side of the rectangle is the X-axis, and the center line parallel to the short side of the rectangle is the Y-axis.

We take two measurements, and we put them on the Z axis, 24 inches above the light, and we measure them.

Here is the spectrum that we measured with this instrument, and we took it out of the instrument, and you can see that the spectrum is pretty good.

Here is the spectrogram of the plants growing light under the brand Fluence, which is very well known in the plants growing light industry.

As you could see, it was a full spectrum light , from blue light to red light, which completely meets all the spectrum we need to grow plants ,but it is a bit poor from 500 to 600. We best fill a low power HPS or CMH to make up for a moment and its yellow light is more saturated than that of fluence.

3. Let's test the coverage area of this light when planting plants

3.1. Let's start with measure the spatial distribution of the light quantum flux density of this light

We placed the measuring mesh cloth with the dimensions I had drawn before directly under the light, and then measured the quantum flux density of light at each point on the mesh cloth by setting the distance between the light bead and the mesh cloth as 12 inches, 18 inches and 24 inches respectively.

The whole process is quite complicated, that is, constantly changing the position and height. I have sorted out the specific measurement values for you and marked them directly on the measuring grid.As shown in the following three pictures.

Let's take the data from the above three measurements, and from the side view, we can make the following conical light distribution map.

A plants grow light can cover how much area of the simple calculation method is, to turn the light on a certain height to ensure that the center of photosynthetic photon flux density effectively (PPFD) value is 200 mu mol/m ^ 2 / s, and then find the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) effective value is 150 mu mol/m ^ 2 / s boundary distance of center distance, in the radius scope, can meet the demand of plants in seedling stage lighting.

In addition, the light is hung to a certain height to ensure that the quantum flux density (PPFD) value of the central point is 800 mol/m^2/s, and the distance from the boundary of the quantum flux density (PPFD) value is 600 mol/m^2 s to the central point is found. Within this radius, the illumination demand of plants growth and flowering period can be met.

Let's look at the effective exposure data of this light in this way.

3.2. How much light can this light cover with during the seedling cultivation?

We used a medium size pot with a square cut in the growing season. The pot size was 11 inches (27.94 cm). ECO Farm LED 240 beads can cover 16 square feet, or 16 plants, during the growing season.The appropriate light intensity for adult plants was 800±200 mol/m2s. Using ECO Farm LED 240 beads of plants growing lights in the growing area, the top of the plants leaf is about 54 inches (137.16 cm) from the lamp. As shown in the figure below.

According to the measurement data, using the ECO Farm 240W LED Panel planting light in the nursery area, the height of the plants seedling top from the light is about 36 inches (91.44 cm), at this time, the maximum coverage radius is measured to be 24 inches. As shown in the figure below.

If the ECO Farm 240W LED Panel lights are used in a large area of plant nursery, a light can cover an area of 4.50 feet times 4.50 feet is equal to 16 square feet.Because of the large area, the lights will stack up, and the edges will reach PPFD: 600 mol/m^2 s.As shown in the figure below.

3.3. How much area can this led light cover for the growing and blooming period of plants?

The appropriate light intensity for adult plants was: 800±200 mol/m^2/s, and we chose the commonly used medium pot with a square mouth during the growing period and a mouth size of 11 inches (27.94 cm).During the growing season, ECO FARM 240W LED Panel can cover an area of 4 square feet (0.37 square meters), which means it can cover 4 plants.

According to the datas, using ECO Farm 240W LED Panel led light in the growing area, the height of the plants seedling top from the light is about 18 inches (45.72 cm), at which time the maximum coverage radius is measured to be 12 inches. As shown in the picture below.

For large growing areas where plants is growing and flowering, the LED lights require one light for every 4 square feet. Because a large area is uniformly arranged with multiple lights, the lights will be superimposed so that the edges will also reach PPFD: 600 mol/m^2 s.As shown in the figure below.

From the above data, it can be seen that this kind of light has strong light gathering ability, so its effective coverage area is relatively small. If the planting area is large, a lot of lights need to be arranged closely.

I suggest you can match HPS or CMH to do a mixed light scheme, so that can be a good solution to this problem.As for how to prepare and arrange such a hybrid light source, you can contact Mary, director of product sales at ECO FARM GREEN INC., whose engineers will help you design a hybrid light source solution for plants cultivation for free.

4. Let's check the quality of this light

Let's take a look at the light beads, which are made by the Germanny brand Osram.This kind of light bead is the main application in the plant light industry at present. It has a high photosynthetic quantum number efficiency and is a light bead that saves electricity.

Let's take a look at the heat dissipation of this light, the LED light aluminum substrate for the shell of this light. Aluminum substrate is very thick, the heat capacity is relatively large, cooling aluminum profile surface area design is also large enough, can send out the light bead heat quickly.

Judge from a few details above, this light, true quality is good.Mary, director of product sales at ECO FARM GREEN INC., told me they offer a three-year warranty on the light, with free warranty and replacement service for three years.I think the quality of this light will not be any problem after three years.

5. Saving electricity bill

Finally, we will be the light for a period of time, to see the actual power consumption, we use an electric power testing instrument to actually look at this light is really save electricity, first of all, we look at its instantaneous power, the display is 233.8 w with instructions for the 240 w is similar, instantaneous power near the average power fluctuation is a normal phenomenon.

As can be seen from the picture, we have lit this light for 211 minutes in total, and the actual electricity consumption is only 0.75kwh, while that for 24 hours is 1440min. Thus, the electricity consumption for 24 hours in a day is about 0.75*1440/211=5.12kwh

At $0.125 a kilowatt-hour, you could cover 20.25 square feet of plants growing space for $0.640 a day.1 square foot (sq.ft)=0.092903 square meters (sq.m), which is the area that can cover 1.88 square meters.

If you cover growing and flowering areas, you can cover 4.00 square feet.1 square foot (sq.ft)=0.092903 SQM (SQM), which is the area that can cover 0.37 SQM.

If your room is 5 meters wide and 6 meters long and 30 square meters (323sq.ft), remove the non-growing area in the space, and the growing area is about 20 square meters, then 43 of these lights will be enough. The lighting time for plants growth is usually only 16 hours per day, so the real daily electricity cost should be 18.35USD.

6. The following is my evaluation of the advantages of this planting light after the actual measurement

(1) the spectrum is very good, very close to the spectrum of the authoritative plants cultivation light of Fluence brand.

(2) the illumination area is relatively large. In the 940-watt planting light, it can be regarded as illuminating a relatively large area.

(3) the quality is really excellent, the main core components are the brand products produced by big factories, the application of three years should not be bad.

The disadvantages of this lamp are as follows:

(1) this lamp is only coated with waterproof paint, and the electric fan is used for heat dissipation, so it is basically not waterproof.
If you use spray irrigation, you can't use this lamp.
(2) this lamp USES a fan to dissipate heat, so it is also not insect-proof. If you plant in a closed space, there are all kinds of mosquitoes and moths, it is easy to be sucked into the lamp, which will affect the heat dissipation for a long time.
(3) this lamp has strong light gathering ability, so the effective coverage area is relatively small. If you are planting a large area, it is better to cooperate with a HPS high-pressure sodium lamp or CMH gold halide lamp, so as to make up for this defect.

All above all, we have completed the evaluation of this light. If you are interested in this light or other products, you can contact Mary, product sales director of ECO FARM GREEN INC., LTD.Her contact information is: her email address is business@ecofarm.ca, WhatsApp is +1 206 581 5521, or directly through the sales link of the following products

https://www.ecofarm.ca/collections/eco-farm-grow-lights/products/eco-farm-206w-full-spectrum-led-grow-light-for-indoor-plants-veg-and-flower