Intro to Lighting Systems for Cannabis

Will Ikeda

Cannabis EngineerWill Ikeda

Experience10+ years of cultivation experience6+ years working in the power andenergy sectorCannabis consulting for commercialand independent operations

EducationMasters of Energy Engineering, University of Illinois at ChicagoBachelors of Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago

www.cannaengineer.net

Why grow indoors?• Greater control of grow: regulate photo period

-Pest & environment control

• Indoor supports Mother Rooms, cloning and veg state

• Possible to breed for desired traits

• Hydroponics

Grow Lights• Emit photons which plants absorb and use in

photosynthesis• Many different types

• High Intensity Discharge- Metal Halide and High Pressure sodium lights that utilize a ballast

• Compact Fluorescent- Typical office and house hold lights utilizing charged gas to emit light

• Light Emitting Diode- Efficient, expensive new tech• Certain lights have pro/con, depending on

application

How Plants Use Light• Absorb photons which plants use in photosynthesis• Photo period can be manipulated to induce flowering• Require a minimum “ brightness” to prevent stretching• Mostly absorb, Red, Blue

• This is why LED lightsare RED/BLUE

Light Spectrum and Plant Growth

Need to match appropriate light with the stage of the plant

Distance to Canopy• Too little light and the plants will stretch and grow lanky

• Will use energy to “find” light• Too close and the light will burn the plants• Rule of thumb:

• If the back of your hand is too hot, its too hot for the plant

• Design for a min 7500 Lumens Flower/ 2000 Lumens Veg• Good design parameter is 50W/SQ FT for Flower

BUT- this does not take into consideration height of light or lumens

Light Distance ProblemsLight Burn ( too close) Stretch ( too far)

The closer the light to plants, the more PAR watts the plant receives.

Inverse Square Law

• If you double the distance from the grow light, you will have ¼ of the lumens

Intensity= Lumens/Distance^2

1000 HPS emitting 140,000 lumens placed 2’ away from canopy=140,000/(2^2)=35,000 lumens

Types of Lights• High Pressure Sodium

Long life, high lumen output, used in Flower stage, High Heat/KW• Metal Halide

Long life, high lumen output, used in Vegetative stage, High Heat/KW• LED

Long life, efficient, expensive, but getting better. Med heat output, high efficiency, med power consumption,

• FluorescentMostly used for Vegetative stage. Low power consumption and heat

output. Medium/Low Lumen output.

MH VS HPS VS LED• Metal Halide

Used mainly for vegetative state due to high blue spectrum. Long life, high lumen output, high heat output.Promotes great vegetative state with good inter nodal spacing( reducing stretch)

• High Pressure SodiumUsed in Flowering due to high RED/ORANGE spectrum. Long Life, high lumen output and high heat.

• Light Emitting DiodeEmit Red and Blue spectrum, but no remaining spectrums. Long life, good lumen output and high heat. Expensive up front cost.

MH VS HPS

Example10’ by 20’ canopy housing clones which require roughly 2000 Lumens

Using 32 watt 4’ T8 lights which emit 3000 lumens

Intensity=Lumens/Distance^2

2000=3000/x^2X= √(3000/2000)=1.23’Lights can be 1.23’ away to prevent stretch

1.23’x4’= 5 FT SQEach light, mounted at 1.23’ will provide 5 square feet of coverage

Can use Digital Lumen Meter to verify Lumens

Number of lights required = (10’ x 20) /5=40.

Heat Management• All the energy of the light will be turned to heat

• Convert the KW to BTU and that is approximately how much cooling you will need

• Heat Rises- position exhaust ducts as high as possible

• Utilize Cool Tubes to expel hottest air

• Use reflectors to direct light to desired area

Questions?• www.cannaengineer.net

• 312-380-1198

• will.canna@outlook.com