LED grow lights may be more efficient and longer-lasting than traditional grow lights, but they are not immune to technical issues and failures. Regardless of the technology, brand, or model, you'll probably need to diagnose an issue with an LED light fixture at some point in your professional life.
Whether you happen to be in the middle of a diagnosis or researching more suitable systems for a future facility, you'll want to review the most common causes of LED light failures, including overheating, power surges, and faulty wiring. Beyond outlining the potential issues, we also offer a simple solution for preventing future LED light failures: going driverless.
The Most Common Causes of LED Grow Light Failures
Surprisingly, the cause behind most LED light failures isn't the diodes. Most commercial LED fixtures rely on L90-rated diodes, which maintain at least 90 percent of their initial light output after 50,000 hours.
No, the issue rarely involves the diodes; it's actually usually related to the driver, which just so happens to be the most sensitive part of the fixture.
Driver Overheating
If your LED light fixtures have an attached driver, overheating is your number one concern. Of course, LEDs are better for the grow room because they produce substantially less heat than their HID counterparts. However, that doesn't completely eliminate the risk of excessive temperatures. LEDs still produce some heat, especially with an attached power source, not to mention the rest of the equipment running in what could be a small, poorly ventilated space.
The diodes may be individually rated for tens of thousands of hours, but the driver could have a much lower lifespan due to the conditions to which its electrolytic capacitors are subject. Electrolytic capacitors are temperature-rated, which may be much lower than the usual temperatures maintained in a flourishing grow room.
As one study found, for every 10°C increase in ambient temperature, you can expect to halve the life expectancy of the electrolytic capacitors and, therefore, the driver. Drivers are sensitive pieces of tech, so overheating is one of the biggest causes of fixture failure for LEDs with an attached driver.
Power Surges and Harmonic Distortion
Power quality and surges are critical issues that also lead to light failure. Power surges, caused by everything from generator power, lightning strikes, electrical load changes, and grid instability, can lead to abrupt voltage spikes that damage sensitive LED drivers.
What's more, harmonic distortion (power quality) is rampant in large facilities with hundreds if not thousands of independent electrical components. Harmonic distortion happens when the smooth, regular wave of electricity becomes bumpy and irregular because extra waves are added. These extra waves are called harmonics, multiples of the main wave's frequency, which distort the overall wave.
The more individual components in the system, the more irregular the power demands. This results in significant disruptions in the electrical current. This distortion can cause overheating, equipment malfunction, and reduced lifespan, ultimately increasing operational, maintenance, and replacement costs.
Improper Installation
Finally, simple installation and wiring issues can lead to failure, which can happen with both driver and driverless fixtures. Within this context, any number of things can go wrong, from faulty wiring to poor connections to mounting issues. Of course, this impacts light function and lifespan but could also increase the risk of fire. Proper installation is crucial for ensuring the lighting system's efficiency, reliability, and safety.
Driverless Grow Lights: Solving Common LED Fixture Failures
Improper installation aside, the number one reason lights fail is an issue with the local driver. Considering how fragile these onboard computers are and how harsh the grow room environment is, doesn't it make sense to protect the driver from these conditions?
This idea is part of the reason why the industry is beginning to separate the driver from the lighting fixture altogether. Instead of drivers attached to every fixture, heating up the grow space, these remote power sources are centralized in a separate room.
Instead of fixtures with attached drivers, these remote power sources are centralized in a separate room. By separating lighting from power, a centralized control hub is created for all growing operations, ensuring the safe and efficient operation of these sensitive power banks in a central location.
TSRgrow's Remote Power Servers offer several advantages for optimizing grow lights:
- Enhanced Power Management: By centralizing power distribution, these servers reduce harmonic distortion and stabilize the internal power system, leading to more consistent energy delivery to fixtures.
- Improved Fixture Longevity: Separating drivers from the grow lights protect them from heat and environmental stress within the grow room, significantly extending their lifespan.
- Energy Efficiency: Centralized power reduces the energy waste associated with individual drivers, lowering overall energy consumption and operational costs.
- Reduced Maintenance: With fewer components prone to failure, maintenance requirements and grow downtime are minimized.
- Control: Full control and monitoring of all power and lighting with unlimited zone control without any dimming wires or relays, saving 50% in installation costs.
When nearly all LED light failures can be traced back to a driver, doesn't it make sense to seek advanced fixture technologies that do more to protect it? Whether its overheating, power surges, or harmonic distortion, TSRgrow's Remote Power technology significantly enhances the reliability and efficiency of your lighting system, to protect your equipment and investment.
If you're eager to enhance your lighting with the latest in lighting technology, reach out to us today for expert guidance and support. Discover the remarkable advantages TSRgrow LED lighting solutions bring to modern growers.
