Calculate How Many Watts Per Square Foot For LED Grow Lights Of Grow Room

Wondering what size led grow light do you need?

Here How to Calculate how many watts per square foot for led grow lights your plants actually require to provide excellent growth.

Setting up your own grow space?

Perfect!

A great growing system is composed of the appropriate room size, soil, plant density, relative humidity, the right temperature, proper air circulation, and the perfect LED grow light.

But this where things can get tricky. You might have heard that wattage will dictate the light’s power.

While this is partly true, wattages do not exactly equate to power output. Although, wattage is one way to establish the light output needed for your plants.

What matters is the amount of usable light reaching per square foot of your growing area.

Generally, your goal with LED panels should be 32 watts per square foot of a grow space to get the best results. However, this would still depend on your growing conditions.

You have to determine the size of your grow room, consider PAR and PPFD levels, and identify plant density to secure the Correct LED Wattage for Your Grow Space.

Sounds like full of numbers and acronyms?

Don’t fret, we have simplified calculations in this post so you can easily convert the light intensity you need in watts per plant.

We’ve also included tables so you can see how many watts per square foot for led grow lights you actually need cross-referencing with the actual grow space size along with different growth stages.

By the end of this article, you will gain knowledge on how to select the right watts of LED grow lights per square foot of your grow space.

How to Calculate the Correct LED Wattage for Your Grow Room

To establish the correct amount of wattage, you must first identify the size of your grow room and multiply it to your desired PPFD level.The output should then be divided by the PPFD per watt of your LED grow light.

Note that wattage shouldn’t be the sole determiner of your coverage area nor should it dictate the effectiveness of a LED grow light.

Basically, wattage is used to identify the approximate correct fixture size for your grow space. It should only guide and determine how much power your LED grow light can give per square foot of your grow room.

In fact, Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density or PPFD (μmol/j/m2) and DLI (Daily Light Integral) are the appropriate metrics for measuring light intensity over a specific grow area.

Aside from the correct light spectrum for your marijuana type and growth stage, PPFD is another essential factor for growth.

Hence, product specifications showing LED wattage pertain to the maximum LED wattage and the number of LEDs.

• 300 x 3W diodes = 900W LED grow light

Yet, that product might only draw 500W at the wall.

Meanwhile, there are cases wherein your LED grow lights could have a high wattage, but a minimum light output.

This is where PPF and DLI come in.Photosynthetic Photon Flux or PPF measures the total amount of light emitted by a light source per second.It also tells how much PAR is created.

On the other hand, DLI (mol/m2/d) measures the total amount of light a plant receives on a daily basis. It measures the number of moles of photons per square meter a day.

For example:

• 2.5 μmol/j x light output of 500W = PPF of 1,250 μmol/s
• 2.0 μmol/j x light output of 600W = PPF of 1,140 μmol/s

As you can see, the second model has a bigger wattage, but is 100 μmol/s shorter.

So when you see a LED lighting fixture that states 600W or 1000W, this typically refers to the diode wattage, but not the definite power draw.

This is why it’s vital for you to only consider the stated wattage as a deciding factor in the light output needed per square foot of a marijuana grow space.

1. Determine the Size of Your Grow Space in Square Meters

Your actual grow room space is a critical aspect in determining the wattage needed per square foot.

First, you have to take the width of the area in meters and multiply it by the depth in meters.

Then, simply follow this formula: multiply the width by the depth in meters.

For instance:

• 4 foot x 4 foot x 1.2m x 1.2m = 1.44 square meters

Normally, 1 square foot of a marijuana grow room needs about 32 watts of actual wattage.

Here’s a table showing the usual wattage for different sizes of a grow space.

LED light Wattage	Grow Space size
~32	1×1 (1 sq ft)
~60	2×1 (2 sq ft)
~120	2×2 (4 sq ft)
~200	2×2 (4 sq ft)
~200	2×3 (6 sq ft)
~300	3×3 (9 sq ft)
~400	3×4 (12 sq ft)
~500	4×4 (16 sq ft)
~640	4×5 (20 sq ft)
~800	5×5 (25 sq ft)
~960	5×6 (30 sq ft)
~1150	6×6 (36 sq ft)
~1280	6×7 (40 sq ft)

2. Decide on Your Light Level in PAR Intensity

Urban gardening has been made more effective by the most accurate measurement for plants, which is the Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR).

PAR is the light spectrum that marijuana plants need for photosynthesis.It is a measure of the energy discharged from a light source that is used by plants for photosynthesis and growth.

Therefore, the higher the PAR output of your LED grow light, the more edible light your plants get.

Usually, the PPF is above 1100 µmol/m²/sec or so, which can cover a 5×5 grow tent area. Nonetheless, the optimal PAR output should still depend on the growth stage of your plants. With this square footage, there are some very good LED grow lights for plants to choose from.

There are various rates of growth connected with different levels of power.

Growth Stage	Optimal PAR Output
Seedling	200-400 (µmol/m2/sec)
Vegetative	400-600 (µmol/m2/sec)
Flowering	600-1000 (µmol/m2/sec)

Moreover, PAR is the range of light, including red, blue, and green wavelengths.These wavelengths are typically in the ranges of 400nm to 700 nm.

Plant growth rate surges up to PAR levels of 1,500 µmol/m²/sec at atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and optimum temperature.

However, the high level of power for good growth rate and a bountiful yield is 750 micromoles per meter square per second. Increasing the PAR output beyond this level won’t equate to a boost in growth rate.

When measuring in PAR, all light wavelengths or colors are considered to photosynthesize at the same rate.

3. Select the PPFD Per Watt of Your LED Grow Light System

As I’ve explained earlier, PPFD measures the light that reaches a plant each second. It is measured in micromoles per square meter per second or μmol/m2/s.

Similarly, PPFD is one of the most crucial numbers for a LED grow light system.

Here’s a table showing some of the major marijuana light systems and their associated efficiencies or PPFD per watt.

• 0.9 – 1.2 PPFD per watt: Budget Red/Blue
• 1.3 – 1.5 PPFD per watt: High Spec Red/Blue
• 1.2 – 1.5 PPFD per watt: Full Spectrum LED

So, going back to step 1.We found that if your grow room in square meters is 1.44, we must multiply it to the desired PPFD level of 750 μmol/s.

• 1.44 x 750 = 1,080 PPFD

The PPFD output should then be divided by the PPFD per watt of your LED grow light.For this scenario, we’ll put it at 1.4 PPFD per watt.

• 1,080 / 1.4 = 770 watts

However, note there are still other factors to consider such as your plant density and lighting accessories.

How Many LED Grow Light Watts Are Needed Per Square Foot of your Grow Space? 

Read on to discover how these may impact the watts needed per square foot of your grow room.

Consider The Number Of Plants You Are Growing

It could be specific numbers like 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50.Yet, indoor cannabis growing has styles you can use.

Generally, experienced cannabis growers use this table:

Technique	Plants per square meter	Why
Sea of Green (SOG)	4 to 16 plants per square meter	This method is fast and high yielding because it covers the available floor space with growing plants.
Screen of Green (SCROG)	1 plant per square meter	This is done by weaving cannabis shoots through a screen to utilize grow space.
Topping and Fimming (Pruning)	1 plant per square meter	Pruning is a yield-boosting technique by allowing plants to bush out.
Low-Stress Training (LST)	4 plants per square meter	Since this is a beginner-friendly technique, a user is allowed to manipulate a plant to grow like a bush.

As you can see, the watts would still depend on how densely plants are placed, as well as how high the LED grow lights are placed at 1 plant per square foot. Usually, a 300W LED grow light should be able to serve 8 plants.

Typically, each weed plant needs at least 1 square foot of space. Most LED grow lights can cover about 1-6 plants.

If you want to have more plants, I suggest placing multiple lights side by side. As a result, you get to cover the canopy, guaranteeing each plant is receiving sufficient light.

How many plants and how big LED’s?

Here’s the catch – LED grow lights have specific wattages.For example, a certain model could have 3W, but this will easily burn out when you run the unit at 3W electric power.

You might be enticed by a certain model that brags about 600W. Yes, that’s impressive.

However, it could probably only draw about 240 to 260 watts of electricity to obtain the same effect as a 600W HPS or HID grow light.

Thus, it is best to operate LED grow lights on 60% power. This is also applicable when you follow the 4 square foot per plant rule.

But looking at this table, you’ll see that the power of a LED lighting system increases depending on the size of your grow room and plant density.

Number of Plants	1 sq ft for each plant	2 sq ft for each plant	4 sq ft for each plant
1	30-40 watts	60-80 watts	120-140 watts
2	60-80 watts	120-140 watts	240-300 watts
4	120-140 watts	240-300 watts	500-650 watts
6	180-200 watts	360-400 watts	700-860 watts
8	240-300 watts	500-650 watts	900-1100 watts
10	300-340 watts	600-800 watts	1100-1400 watts
12	340-380 watts	700-900 watts	1300-1700 watts

How Many Plants Can I Grow?

Going back to our introduction, we shared that LED panels should be 32 watts per square foot of grow space to achieve the best yields.

For example, you have 5 plants in a 6 square feet space.

5 x 6 = total footage of 30 square feet

Following this rule of thumb:

30 square feet x 32 watts = 960W LED grow lights

Another situation: you have 2 plants in a 4 square feet space

2 x 4 = total footage of 8 square feet

8 square feet x 32 watts = 256W LED grow lights

Here are other samples if you have different plant numbers and area size:

Coverage Area	LED Units
2 x 2 feet	(1) 120-140W unit
2 x 3 feet	(1) 180-240W unit
2 x 4 feet	(1) 240-280W unit or (2) 120-140W units
3 x 3 feet	(1) 270W-310W unit or (2) 140W units
4 x 4 feet	(1) 420-480W unit or (2) 180-240W units
4 x 6 feet	(1) 720-1000W unit or (6) 120-140W units
5 x 5 feet	(1) 750-1000W unit or (4) 180-240W units

The good thing about LEDs is that 95% of the energy goes into the light while only 5% is used on the heat emission.

This means that even if you have a bigger grow space, you ensure the wattage is powerful enough to cover your marijuana canopy.

Would the Height of a LED Grow Light Impact the Watts?

Absolutely.However, be aware that the distance between the lights and the canopy has an impact on light intensity.

Likewise, using powerful LED grow lights and keeping them in the right distance are some of the ways to achieve bigger yields.

Remember not to keep your LED lights too close to your plants to avoid bleaching, nutrient deficiencies, sunburn, and appearance of yellow leaves.

In reality, there’s no standard distance required to place each LED grow light, but there are recommended grow light height from plants on each growth stage.

Sometimes, the distance may also depend on the model and the brand. Here’s a quick reference you could follow:

LED Grow Light Wattage	Distance from the Canopy
240W-400W	16 to 30 inches away
450W-550W	20 to 30 inches away
600W-850W	24 to 26 inches away
900W+	26 to 42 inches away

Should I Use Light Reflectors to Enhance the Watts?

If you have the extra money to do so, why not?

Using light reflectors is actually a cost-saving method because it focuses on the light coming from a bulb by preventing light from scattering around.

Yet, not acquiring a good reflector is a waste of money.

There are five sizes of light reflectors: compact, large, rectangular, parabolic, and square.

In addition, there are four types of reflectors that can enhance the wattage output of your LED grow lights:

Hood – A hood reflector delivers the best intensity for marijuana plants by directing the light from a bulb down to the canopy. They are appropriate for urban gardening because it intensifies light, which ensures good canopy penetration.

Wing – This is the most popular type of reflector because they can effectively provide a focused yet wide spread of light over your marijuana plants. A wing reflector also has a decent focus despite being cheap.

Umbrella – This type of reflector is ideal when you are covering a large area, but won’t offer lots of canopy penetration. Due to its circular shape, it may not deliver lots of focused light, but it permits the bulb to shine in an open environment.

Air-Cooled – This reflector is another favorite because of its ability to lower the heat coming from the bulbs. However, this type is not preferable when covering a huge area.

How to Pick the Right Luminaires?

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Pairing a light reflector with the right luminaire is another booster to your wattage per square foot, and eventually, marijuana yields.

Owning good luminaires help you acquire more efficiency even from the same old LED grow lights you own.

Typically, there are three sorts of luminaires used:

Tube LED grow light – Produces low intensity, mostly for small grow spaces, vertical farming, and tissue culture.It is often used as a substitute for T8 fluorescent tubes.

Bar LED grow light – Produces varying intensity, but can cover a wide area of cannabis plants.They can be placed high on multi-tier cultivations and medium grow spaces.

Box LED grow light – Produces ultra-high intensity lighting.They are normally used to cover large numbers of plants in greenhouses.

You can choose among the three once you’ve determined the precise amount of light your marijuana plants need.

The application of these luminaires ranges from 10-100 µmol/m2/s to 2000 µmol/m2/s.

Should I Consider the Chip Size?

Yes, the chip size is also a contributing aspect to the wattage per square foot. LED grow lights come in various chip sizes, with the usual ones ranging from 0.25 watts to 10 watts.

Larger chip sizes are now available for a LED lighting system.Yet, a 3-watt chip remains the favored size by urban marijuana growers.

A 3-watt chip balances heat dissipation and light penetration into the cannabis canopy. It is large enough to penetrate 5 to 6 feet into the canopy.

For marijuana growth purposes, I highly recommend using a 3-watt chip to provide good penetration at an affordable price.

The downside is that the bigger the chip size, the larger the amount of heat becomes present.

Let’s Recap quick facts

• A LED grow light is efficient because most of the energy it converts become usable light.
• Wattage doesn’t automatically guarantee a broader coverage area.
• Watts is a measure of electricity, not the amount of light a LED can produce.
• An average LED lighting system draws about 32 watts to serve 1 square foot of grow space.
• The wattage in a grow room could be amplified up to a maximum of 50 watts per square foot. Going beyond that amount would create a too strong indoor plant light intensity, which could stunt the growth of your plants.
• Some LED grow light manufacturers may not identify their PPFD or PPF outputs.
• Regardless of the wattage per square foot, LEDs are customarily kept on for about 14 to 18 hours a day.
• Consider the number of your plants or plant density per square foot.
• The number of LED grow lights could be decreased or increased depending on the specifics of your growth plan.
• Don’t forget to calculate the size of your grow space.
• Always remember to consider the PPFD, PPF, and DLI outputs.
• When you properly calculate the wattage you need, you can lengthen the lifespan of your LED lighting system for up to 75,000 hours or 8 years, depending on the model and your usage.
• Considering the wattage of your LED grow lights per square foot, the ideal temperature range for your grow space should be between 25 to 30 degree Celsius.
• Once you utilize less power by properly using LEDs, you will be able to save up to 80% on power bills.

Final Reminders

Growing cannabis indoors may need a lot of energy and power consumption. Plants need a light and energy source that can emit the rays similar to the sun.

Planning a good LED lighting system is essential for a healthy marijuana development.

Remember that wattage alone won’t ensure the light output of your LED grow lights. Wattage should give you an idea about how powerful your LED lighting system could be.

It is important you are able to determine the size of your grow place, as well as how many plants you intend to grow per square foot.

The wattage should then help you identify the DLI, PAR, and PPFD levels. In this way, you are able to precisely calculate the light output necessary for your growing requirements.

You can boost this by using light reflectors and luminaires.

Once you secure how to optimize your LED grow light system, take out your favorite pair of trimming scissors as you watch how you earn a bountiful harvest.