We know you’re here because you’re wondering, are LED strip lights safe?
First, it’s important to state that LED lights are available in different brightness and colors and are generally easy to install.
And what’s surprising is that LED strip lights are safer than all the other light sources, especially when installing them safely.
More specifically, unlike fluorescent, halogen, and traditional lights, we consider LED lights green without harmful infrared, UV, lead, or mercury emissions.
Moreover, these lights are more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient than all the other options.
However, like most electrical light sources, LED strip lights will present danger if you ignore proper installation.
Keep reading to understand LED strip light safety and the precautions you must employ. Let’s get rolling.
What Are LED Grow Lights?
As the name suggests, these are light-emitting diode lights implemented to support indoor plant growth and gardening.
Therefore, the LEDs emit light that undergoes optimization to support photosynthesis.
Generally, these lights have several benefits, including the ability to emit targeted light spectrum, long-lasting, and lower power consumption.
You’ll find LED strip lights in greenhouses and indoor grow rooms where plants can’t access direct sunlight.
Are LED Grow Lights Bad for Your Skin?
(An LED strip)
There is no denying that LED grow lights emit some ultraviolet radiation.
However, such emissions are in very low amounts to majorly affect your skin unless you have prolonged exposure.
LED grow lights also emit infrared radiations that could damage your skin with prolonged use and nearby.
That is why we recommend putting on protective gear and avoiding prolonged exposure, especially under proximity.
Are LED Grow Lights Bad for Your Eyes?
(Colorful LED lights)
As highlighted above, LED grow lights produce some small amounts of ultraviolet radiation that might cause harm to your eyes, especially after long-term exposure.
Also, they emit high amounts of blue light, which might result in headaches, vision challenges, and eye strain.
Fortunately, most LED growth lights emit targeted light spectrum optimized to support plants and with little harm to humans.
Moreover, to limit the effects of grow lights, abide by the manufacturer guidelines and avoid prolonged closer proximity.
Furthermore, we have many protective eyewear and glasses that eliminate the effect of LED grow lights.
Measuring LED Grow Light Intensity
Measuring the LED growth light intensity not only helps with limiting harmful UV radiation emission but almost helps promote plant growth.
And we measure this important element using a photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) meter or lux/light meter.
While the lux meter measures the visible light, the PAR meter measures the photosynthetically active radiation from the grow light.
When measuring the LED growth light intensity, consider factors like the light wavelength, light angle, and distance from the source.
But generally, you can follow the steps below to measure the growth light intensity:
- First, turn on the LED grow light and let it warm for 10-15 minutes.
- Secondly, place your light meter under the light source. Next, take the reading on your PAR or lux meter.
- Record the first reading and then move the meter to a different location. This will give you an average grow light reading.
- Next, adjust the distance between the plant and the light source until you achieve the expected intensity. You can also repeat the measurement periodically to ensure the light intensity is consistent.
LED Grow Light Safety Precautions
(Cucumber growing under LED grow light)
Although we can confidently say that growth light is safe for indoor plants, we can’t completely ignore the minor harm it could cause humans and plants.
Therefore, you must take the following measures to prevent such harm.
- Nobody understands LED grow lights more than the manufacturer who designed them. Therefore, use the LED grow lights strictly per the manufacturer’s guidelines without modifying anything.
- LED grow lights emit small amounts of ultraviolet and infrared radiation that might affect your eyes. Therefore, if you think you’ll be near grow lights for extended periods, wear protective eyewear.
- Install the LED grow lights securely and firmly to prevent them from falling.
- Never touch exposed wires or LED chips when it’s in use.
- Ensure there are no flammable materials closer to the LED grow light.
- When using LED grow light for prolonged periods, take breaks exposing them to animals, humans, and plants.
- Finally, you can employ automatic shut-off and timers to switch off LED grow lights to prevent use for extended periods.
Considerations When Choosing LED Grow Lights
(Growing ginseng using LED light)
Below are must-consider factors when selecting LED grow lights for indoor gardening.
Plant type: You should meet such standards since plants have specific light spectrum and intensity requirements.
And the best approach would be contacting a plant specialist to guide you on the best LED grow light for your plant.
Coverage area: LED grow lights are designed with specific wattage that supports lighting specified coverage areas.
Therefore, evaluate the area you need to cover and buy an LED grow light that meets that demand.
Wattage: Generally, the LED grow light wattage determines its coverage area, spectrum, and light intensity.
Also, it determines energy consumption, thus affecting power costs.
Therefore, go for the wattage that supports the right light intensity but cost-effectively.
Energy-efficient: It’s obvious that LED grow lights are more efficient than traditional or fluorescent bulbs.
However, even within the LED strip lights, there are options that consume more power than others.
Therefore, we recommend high-efficiency LED lights to save on energy consumption.
Durability: Besides selecting LED strip lights built to last, the warranty should also be a top priority.
The bottom line is buying a product that provides reliable light for a long time.
Heat emission: Too much heat from an LED strip light can harm your plants.
So buy products that have cooling systems or dissipate heat efficiently.
Price: Finally, after considering all the above factors, the focus should shift to the budget.
As much as we would like you to buy affordable LED strip lights, at no point should you compromise quality for the price.
FAQs
Are LED Strip Lights Safe: Does LED grow lights have mercury?
No! LED grow lights don’t have any mercury since they produce light based on semiconductor technology.
Don’t confuse LED grow light with fluorescent light that requires mercury to function.
Therefore, the lack of mercury makes them safe for humans, plants, and the environment.
Are LED Strip Lights Safe: Do LED lights cause headaches?
You’ll hear some people complaining about headaches due to exposure to LED lights, although this isn’t a widespread problem.
Generally, LED lights have higher flickers than traditional lights, thus causing headaches and strains in people sensitive to such lights.
However, modern LEDs are designed to limit flickers.
And we recommend LED lights with warmer color temperatures since they create a natural light effect.
Are LED Strip Lights Safe: Do LED grow lights emit UV rays?
Generally, LED grow lights don’t emit large amounts of ultraviolet rays.
Therefore, we don’t expect them to affect humans and plants significantly.
However, it would help to maintain safety precautions to avoid any harmful UV effects.
Final Remarks
We are in a new era, and very few solutions can compete with LED strip lights to support indoor plants.
However, there have been major concerns about these lights’ safety, especially regarding UV and infrared radiation.
However, we can confidently confirm that the lights have minimal radiation, thus posing no threat to humans and plants unless under prolonged exposure and proximity.