June 13, 2025
When you’re in the market for new lights, there are some things you need to watch out for to ensure you’re getting the light you want. Below are some of the most common things we see that can trip up cultivators and leave them with a light that doesn’t perform as well as they expected.
Watchout #1: Specs that Don’t Match the Light You Get
Companies sometimes ship lights that perform much worse than what they had certified at DLC (Design Lighting Consortium). Or, sometimes they get the lights tested by an overseas testing lab that doesn’t have the same standards as a top US lab. Other times they claim a number in marketing materials that doesn’t match what’s listed on DLC.
Before making a large purchase, it may be worth testing a company’s light in a sphere with a US lab to ensure that you’re getting the efficacy (PPE) and output that you think you are getting.
With JumpLights, our goal is to have your lights match our specs so you can feel confident you’re getting what you think you’re getting.
Watchout #2: Very High Red % Driving High PPF and PPE Numbers
One “trick” lighting companies sometimes use is to develop a light with a very high red spectrum percentage – sometimes as high as 95% or more – so the light can deliver very high PPF and PPE. They then say “up to” very high PPE/PPF numbers on their spec sheets. Very high red lights, however, usually aren’t the best ones for your plants.
Red photons are the most efficient to generate, so they make efficiency numbers look good. But a high red spectrum – especially for indoor cannabis and under canopy lighting – can be harmful to plants by causing photobleaching. High red percentage lights can also be hard for employees to work around.
So when you see a company citing very high PPF or PPE numbers, make sure to check the spectrum to see if they’re doing it by pumping up the red % in their spectrum. You’ll be glad you did.
At JumpLights, we focus on broad spectrum efficiency, because that’s what’s best for plants. We offer a range of spectrums and we avoid very high red.
Watchout #3: High Efficacy (PPE)…but quoted in DC, not AC
DC and AC efficacy are two different things and AC efficacy is lower. If you’re going to run the light on AC power, then you need to make sure you’re looking at the AC specs or modifying the DC specs down to AC. Otherwise, you won’t get the PPE you think you are getting. If companies are sharing a DC efficacy number, it should be labeled as such. If you are confused, it never hurts to ask.
JumpLights is clear and transparent about whether the quoted PPE is DC or AC. We have lights that are listed on DLC in with both DC and AC PPEs.
Watchout #4: PPE Cited at Half Power
Sometimes lighting companies (including JumpLights for some models) cite PPE at half power, not full power. If you plan on running the lights at half power, then this is fine.
If you plan on running at full power, though, then you won’t see the high PPEs cited on the sheets. Make sure you know whether the high PPE you are seeing is at 100% power, 50% power, or something else. That way, you’ll be able to accurately estimate how your lights will perform.
At JumpLights, we’ll always be clear about the power level for PPE numbers.
Watchout #5: Companies That Seem American…But Actually Make All of Their Lights Overseas
Some companies are headquartered in the US and in their marketing may make it seem like their lights are made here, but in reality their lights are drop-shipped directly from Chinese or other overseas vendors or trans-shipped through other countries to make them appear to not be Chinese. This may be ok with you – there’s nothing wrong with buying lights from overseas if that’s what you want – but if you’re looking to avoid low-quality overseas lights and the reliability problems often associated with them, make sure you ask your vendor where their lights are made. In many cases, you’ll find that they’re not made here – and that the US company you bought from isn’t actually making the lights.
JumpLights fixtures are all designed, assembled, and quality tested in Germantown, Maryland. If you’d like to visit our production facility, or speak with our manufacturing team on the phone, you’re always welcome. Reach out to us at [email protected] to schedule your visit.
