Best HPS Grow Lights (for Cannabis)

Are you planning to grow plants indoors with no help from the sun? It is doable with the help of high-performance high-pressure sodium (HPS) grow lights.

These unique grow lights are often compared to ordinary lights, but they are very different in design and performance.

HPS grow lights are the most efficient way of generating lumens for your indoor plants, especially when you need adequate lighting.

High-pressure sodium lamps outperform incandescent bulbs by a greater margin. Incandescent lights are only 7% efficient; so, they waste about 93% of your electricity.

When compared to other high performing grow lights, such as HID grow lights,  T5s,  and LED grow lights, HPS grow lights are 40% efficient. Here is our roundup of five top-performing, best high-pressure sodium bulbs in today’s market.

Some Popular HPS Grow Lights

iPower 400 Watt HPS MH Digital Dimmable Grow Light

If you are in search for a complete HPS grow light system, look no further than the iPower 400 Watt HPS Grow Light.

The entire system comes well-packaged and in working order. The two bulbs are functioning properly, but the timer is a little bit confusing.

The digital dimmable ballast is quiet and does not buzz. The only noise that comes from the ballast is the quiet small fan.

The digital dimmable ballast can be adjusted at 50, 75, and 100 percent for maximum efficiency. You get more lumens than you would with a magnetic ballast.

The bulb is rated at 400W with a color temperature of 2100K. The generated light spectrum is not only optimized but also delivers high photosynthetic active radiation for healthy plant growth.

This iPower HPS grow bulb comes with a wing reflector, which produces no refraction and has the best coverage for a grow room.

Moreover, you can customize your own setup. First, you can set up the HPS bulb, digital ballast, and reflector. Second, you can set up the high-pressure sodium and MH bulb, digital ballast, and reflector.

Things We Like:

• Bulb is UL listed and CE certified
• Digital ballast is quiet and dimmable
• Zero acoustic resonance and less power loss
• Flicker free lighting that will last longer
• Microchip programming allows for easy conversion between HPS grow lights and MH bulbs
• Design has no exposed wires

Things We Don’t Like:

• Wing reflector makes temperature control difficult
• MH bulb may fail to ignite

Sun System 150W HPS Grow Light

The Ultra Sun System 150W HPS Grow Light is a self-contained, high-intensity lighting system that is a suitable grow light for small spaces, such as closets and grow tents.

It provides a brilliant, warm spectrum, high-intensity light in a small package for the fruiting and flowering stage.

It delivers a very powerful wavelength that generates up to sixteen thousand lumens. It provides the ideal color spectrum, light spectrum and light temperature including red spectrum light.

The venting on the housing helps with heat dissipation, while the white powder coated finish is rust and element resistant.

It comes with a high performing air cooled reflector. The interior part of the reflector contains a highly reflective aluminum corner insert, which offers superb output and diffusion.

You can hang the reflector over the epicenter of your grow room at the suggested height. You should expect superior reflectivity and uniformity from this reflector.

Things We Like:

• Compact light fixture that’s easy to set up
• High intensity light gives superior lumen output
• Brilliant color spectrum, color light temperature, and PAR for successful growing
• Highly reflective aluminum corner inserts give excellent output and diffusion
• Vented housing helps with heat dissipation

Things We Don’t Like:

• Does not directly plug into a 115V rated wall outlet
• May receive defective HPS bulb

Hydroplanet Horticulture 1000W HPS MH Grow Light System

Do you have a hydroponic indoor gardening grow space that requires sufficient lighting? Look no further than the Hydroplanet Horticulture 1000W HPS MH Grow Light.

The light is rated at 1000 watts, but the power settings can be adjusted to 600 and 400 watts. The light converts automatically between HPS and MH bulbs.

Unlike standard HPS lamps, this model does support both 120 and 240 volts. Its lamp compatibility is remarkable, you can operate it with 1000 watt digital or magnetic ballast.

This grows light system comes with an integrated cooling fan that ensures optimal operating temperatures. The ballast will not overheat the system.

Wing reflector design offers exceptionally even, wide, bright light pattern. However, there is a significant light loss from the sides.

Things We Like:

• Converts automatically between HPS grow lights and MH lights
• Supports dual voltage, 240V or 120V
• CE certified and ETL listed
• Power settings can easily be adjusted to 600W or 400W HPS grow lights
• Built-in fan helps to regulate the operating temperature
• Lamp is compatible with both digital and magnetic ballasts

Things We Don’t Like:

• May receive defective bulbs that may fail to ignite

Vivosun Hydroponic 600W HPS MH Grow Light

If you are looking for a consistently high performing high-pressure sodium MH grow light kit, look no further than the Vivosun Hydroponic 600W HPS MH Grow Light.

This kit comes with two bulb options: the high-pressure sodium and the metal halide bulbs.

Everything you would need to set up this system is included in the reflector. All you have to do is unscrew and remove the glass cover from the side panel.

The package contains the following: HPS 600W bulb, MH 600W bulb, a pair of cotton gloves, a pair of metal and rope hangers, a timer, and an electronic ballast.

The blue protective plastic needs to be taken off for the reflective material to reflect properly. The German aluminum inside the reflector is over 90 percent reflective.

Installing either of the single ended bulbs inside the air-cooled reflector is remarkably easy. Just make sure you wear your cotton gloves because hand oil can damage the glass.

Things We Like:

• Compatible with the brand’s electronic ballast
• Adjustable timer controls ventilation and lighting
• Violet and blue spectrums of MH lamp promote intense vegetative stage growth
• Orange and red spectrum of HPS lamp stimulates fruiting during flowering stage
• Air cooled reflector ensures almost all the light reaches your plants

Things We Don’t Like:

• MH bulb may burn out

Hydro Crunch DE01 1000-Watt High-Pressure Sodium Pro Series Grow Light System

Extend your indoor growing season and increase your yields with the Hydro Crunch DE01 1000-Watt HPS Pro Series Grow Light.

This is an enclosed style grow light system that comes fully equipped with an adjustable light ratchet, reflector, and electronic ballast.

The electronic ballast is highly versatile. At 1000 watts, the ballast can operate HPS DE lamps rated at 1150, 1000, 750, and 600 watts.

The ballast runs 20 percent cooler, thanks to its superior airflow characteristics. Apart from being cool-running, the ballast is also energy efficient compared to magnetic ballasts.

This system comes with an open hood double-ended reflector with a pre-installed double-ended socket that can only hold one DE HPS lamp.

The Hydro Crunch reflector will reflect up to 96 percent of uniform, useful full spectrum light to your indoor plants.

Things We Like:

• Adjustable light ratchet hanger allows for quick installation
• Digital ballast can run 1150, 1000, 750, and 600-watt high-pressure sodium DE lamp
• Open style reflector design runs 20 percent cooler
• Highly reflective reflector surface concentrates all the light on your plants
• It uses both 120-volt and 240-volt inputs

Things We Don’t Like:

• Open hood reflector may leak light
• Doesn’t come with the DE HPS bulb

How to Choose HPS grow light for growing Weed indoors

How do HPS grow lights work? Well, all the action takes place inside the arc tube (the milky white cylinder at the middle of the lamp).

The arc tube is made from a super tough polycrystalline alumina. It is basically a pressurized vessel filled with a dense, colorless gas in a precise mixture of mercury and sodium.

HPS grow lamps come under the general category of high intensity discharge (HID) lights. These lamps use a serious amount of voltage to generate the desired illumination.

You have a basic understanding of these lights. Now let’s go ahead and learn the various things you have to consider before buying.

Wattage

The light spectrum and brilliance of HPS lamps can help you replicate growth responses induced in indoor plants by natural sunlight.

The most popular wattage ratings you would find in the market are 150, 250, 175, 430, 400, 600, 1000, as well as 1100.

The power ratings that we can recommend for you include 250, 1000, 600, and 400 watts. Ratings below 250 degrees may not be suitable for indoor grow spaces.

The 1000+ watt light bulbs run very hot. If you are new to HPS grow lights and you aren’t sure about the wattage, we strongly advise you to stick to 400 or 600 watt HPS lamps.

In fact, that’s what we recommend for most indoor growers, and 600 watt is the most efficient. A 600 watt HPS grow lamp will be sufficient for a grow space that accommodates 9 to 12 plants.

On the other hand, a 400 watt model is ideal for a growing area that can accommodate 6 to 9 plants. A 250 watt lamp is suitable for a small grow area that can accommodate 3 to 5 plants.

Single versus Double Ended HPS Bulbs

The next important consideration you have to make is choosing between single and double ended high pressure sodium grow lights.

Single-ended HPS grow lights have been in the industry for decades. These lights use the normal Edison screw thread, which is easy to install.

Double ended high-pressure sodium lamps are considered to be more efficient. Basically, twenty-five to thirty percent more resourceful, providing you with a higher PAR.

Double ended grow lights are known to be long-lasting, and they will still have roughly 90% of their output after repeated and long-term use.

The major drawback of these lamps is that they cost more, and you need to specify double ended reflectors that are pricier than single ended reflectors.

Regardless of how efficient double ended designs are, our recommendation is to buy single ended HPS grow lights, which is cost-effective and easier to maintain.

Reflectors Styles

All reflectors, whether air cooled, wing, umbrella or air cooled hood, will reflect light towards your plants. However, not all of them are capable of preventing light loss.

Also, each reflector design is suitable for a specific growing area. For example, the umbrella design is the perfect match for a large growing area.

The idea here is to find a reflector style that is best suited for your grow kit.

The first style you can consider is the air cooled reflector. This one has vents on either side and runs air straight to the reflector, resulting in less heat in the growing area.

The second reflector style that is very popular in the market is the wing reflector, which allows for superior ventilation. This is a very convenient choice for indoor growers.

A wing reflector gives you a pretty reliable coverage and it offers you powerful illumination as well as penetration. But this model tends to waste light from the sides.

Then we have the umbrella reflector that offers you a large coverage area and an even light distribution, making this reflector ideal for large grow spaces.

Another less common type of reflector that you can consider is the air-cooled tube design. This cool tube reflector style is good for budget indoor growers in a small grow space.

Magnetic versus Digital Ballasts

Magnetic ballasts are available in three primary types: cathode cut-out, high-efficiency core and coil, and standard core and coil.

Electronic or digital ballasts are superior to magnetic ballasts because they’re basically thirty percent more energy efficient.

Digital ballasts generate greater lumens, are lightweight, silent, and emit less waste heat. In fact, modern designs have dimmable digital ballasts.

The dimmable digital ballast may have several settings. For example, three separate settings, such as 50, 75, or 100 percent for maximum lighting control.

Final Words

HPS grow lights may appear simple in design, but they punch a lot of lumens that will certainly transform the status of your grow room.

However, you must choose good quality HPS grow lights in order to get that consistent light supply that will help your indoor plants thrive.

Some of the things that we insist you should consider include superior wattage, single ended design, and digital ballast. This combination will give you a superior high-pressure sodium bulb, comparable for LED lights.

If you have been wondering, high-pressure sodium grow bulbs can be used in a greenhouse, large/small/medium grow rooms, and of course, in grow tents.