A GUIDE TO UNDER CANOPY LIGHTING IN COMMERCIAL CROP PRODUCTION

Should cultivators add under canopy lighting to their commercial crop production facility?

SUMMARY FINDINGS:

From the research we have done, and the trials conducted by our customers, it seems many indoor cultivators could benefit from adding under canopy lighting to their Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) or greenhouse facilities.

WHAT ARE THE ISSUES UNDER CANOPY LIGHTS COME TO SOLVE?

Indoor growers have extremely high expenses such as rent, electricity, labor, and the costs associated with creating the perfect growing environment indoors, from scratch. That means adding humidity, CO2, irrigation, drainage, sterilization, dehumidifiers, HVAC, and other heavy equipment. All this equipment and other associated operational costs lead to high overhead expenses and the need to maximize production output and quality to produce profits. To do this many growers are packing more plants into a smaller footprint than greenhouse and outdoor grown crops.

When density increases, light levels on the crop decrease. Plants with dense canopies pack together and shade each over from the light above. Light levels inside the canopy and around the sides of the canopy can be significantly reduced from optimum levels and many cultivators struggle to put the correct micromole on the crop.

Since light intensity is one of the most important variables for yield, it comes out that production can be significantly impacted when growing indoors, especially with low ceilings and potentially medium or low-quality fixtures that have degraded over time.

WHAT MAKES UNDER CANOPY LIGHTS THE ANSWER?

We are not here to claim under canopy lights are the answer for every farm. If you don’t need more light on your crop or yield increases will not occur, we would prefer our customers to deploy capital elsewhere. That said, there are many instances where it is easy to understand the benefits of under canopy lighting.

When growing in a low ceiling environment and light levels are intense and concentrated but not evenly dispersed across the canopy there will inevitably be plants that are not receiving optimal light levels. Adding under canopy lighting is an easy way to spread photons across crops that cannot receive the desired levels from above. If a farm is making do with old lamps in their HPS fixtures or have early model LED grow lights with lower than ideal output, it may be cost prohibitive to make large investments in infrastructure. Under canopy lights are much less expensive and supplement ceiling mounted lights to reach target levels.

Increased crop density and plants with thick canopies cannot always get optimal light levels from fixed position indoor lights. Even if the output is sufficient for some plants, it is common to find areas of lower light levels or dead zones.

Adding under canopy lights raises uniformity and consistency across the production floor and throughout the canopy of the crop. In nature we find that trees, vines, and bushes produce more volume and larger produce on the portion of the plant that is closest to the sun and therefore receives optimal light levels. Therefore, it is common to find more produce on top of trees and plants as opposed to the bottom branches and shoots. When under canopy lighting is added we have found increased production levels on the branches and shoots toward the bottom or underside of the crop. What would have been small and infrequent produce is now medium sized and more abundant.

ARE UNDER CANOPY LIGHTS WORTH THE INVESTMENT?

Here are some things to consider:

1. What are the light levels your crop is currently receiving and are they sufficient?
2. What is the electricity cost for operating under canopy lights? Remember to check operating voltage at your facility.
3. What is the yield and quality enhancement that can be expected in your garden/farm? This depends on what you are already achieving.
4. How dense is your crop spacing on rolling benches?
5. Do you quality for incentives and rebates on LED? Many states and counties offer money for LED lighting and in some instances, lights are completely paid through incentives/rebates alone. Contact us to see if you quality.

WHAT MAKES OUR UNDER-CANOPY LIGHTING OPTIONS DIFFERENT?

The products we recommend are not standard lighting options rolling off the line at some generic production facility. Rather, our lights were trialed and tested by real growers and custom designed to meet the following spec:

1. We wanted an aluminum housing to quickly dissipate heat away from the control board and LED diodes. This ensures longer duration of use without failure.
2. Our fixture comes with a glass cover rather than plastic. This prevents scratching during cleaning, cloudiness in the lens, and undistorted spectral output.
3. Fixtures can click together to reduce the need for power cords. Daisy-chain cords are only needed when multiple rows are connected to a single power cord.
4. Osram and Samsung Diodes and updated color spectrum with deep and far red.
5. We balanced spectrum, intensity, and coverage. By placing our fixtures on the tray, rather than mounting them in the canopy, we reach better light levels and more consistent results than other brands.
6. Our products are backed by scientific principles that have been carefully fine-tuned to optimize quality and quantity of harvest.
7. Energy efficient design and quality sourced components to ensure maximum output and minimal power consumption.
8. LED lights require durability to withstand the demands of a commercial crop production facility.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC SPECIFICATIONS FOR OUR UNDER-CANOPY LIGHTS?

Voltage: 120V/240V/277V

Dimming: Yes

Daisy-Chain Compatible: Yes

Quantity for daisy-chain:

120V = 8 pieces

208V = 13 pieces

240V = 15 pieces

277V = 18 pieces

Amp Draw:

120V – 1 amp

208V – 0.57 amp

240V – 0.50 amp

277V – 0.43 amp

Diode: Osram & Samsung

Efficacy: 2.8

PPFD: 336UMOL/S

Housing: Aluminum

Color: Deep & Far Red

Color spectrum: 6500K

Warranty: 5 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty

Cover: Glass

LED Layout: Dual light strip

Dimensions: 44.09-Inch x 1.15-Inch x 1.46-Inch (112cm x 2.9cm x 3.7cm)

Weight: 2.07 Pound (0.95kg)

Diode Lifespan @ 90%: >54,000 Hours

Beam Angle: 120-Degree

Rating: IP66 Waterproof, ETL, DLC

Click here to find out more information about our commercial-grade under canopy grow lights