Horticultural Lighting Group HLG 550 V2 LED Review, Unboxing, PAR Testing, and Features

High Point: Horticulture Lighting Group released the HLG 550 V2 in May 2018. The HLG 550 V2 is an upgrade from the HLG 550 V1. The main differences between the two versions that you guys need to know is that the V2 contains Samsung LM301B diodes, while the V1 uses Samsung LM561C diodes. Overall, the V2 draws around 30 fewer watts and exudes more light, bringing the V1 fixture from 2.3 umol/j to a whopping 2.5 umol/j with the V2 fixture. 

Build

The HLG 550 V2 is Horticulture Lighting Group’s flagship LED grow light. It is designed to be used in grows to require high-intensity lighting. The fixture measures 26” x 20” x 3” and weighs 18 lbs. A Mean Well HLG-480H-C2100A driver sits on top of the light and powers the Quantum Boards on the bottom of the fixture. The rest of the unit is a thick aluminum heatsink. The power cord and plug is available in 120V and 240V US. Plugs are also available for 220V UK, European, or Australian outlets.

The HLG 550 V2 is designed to replace a 1000W Single-Ended MH/HPS grow light.

Besides the change from less efficient LM561C to highly efficient LM301B diodes, the other difference between the V1 and V2 fixture is the lower power draw. The V2 draws around 480W at the wall, as opposed to the V1 which drew about 510 watts at the wall. That's about 6% fewer watts, with about 2% higher light output. Or another way to look at this is that there is about a 9% increase in PAR efficacy.

Diodes

There are 1152 Samsung LM301B diodes across the entire fixture. The Quantum boards are made by Samsung and each board contains 288 diodes. The diodes are the top flux bin and top voltage bin available.

The PAR efficacy of the unit is a staggering 2.5 μmol/J. Anything over 2.0 umol/j is considered efficient and is almost standard for LED grow lights these days. So, 2.5 umol/j is pushing the upper limits of white diode technology at this point in time.

The PPF output of the lamp was measured by a 3rd party laboratory to be 1,178 umol/s. And although plants do not care about lumens, we will state it anyways: lumen output for the HLG 550 V2 is 80,833 lumens.

View the 3rd party testing data here

Wattage

The Horticulture Lighting Group HLG 550 V2 is rated for 110 to 240VAC. It draws about 480 watts at the wall and 4.1 A at 120V, and around 2.A at 240V. When the potentiometer is turned all the way down on the driver, the HLG 550 V2 draws 190 watts and 1.6A.

Spectrum

The Horticulture Lighting Group HLG 550 V2 is full-spectrum white, with 3000K and 4000K options. 2700k and 5000K versions may be available on demand. 3000K is the most popular option and is ideal for seedling to harvest growth. 4000K is best for veg, but can be used for seed to harvest growth, as well. 3000K is best for larger yields, while 4000K is best for increasing quality. 

The white light spectrum allows a working environment where you’re able to see the plant’s natural colors. The spectrum contains a medium amount of blue (peaking at 455 nm), but also has a large bump in orange/red (peaking at 605nm). The blue in the spectrum helps keep plants compact in the vegetative stage. There is a lot of green in the spectrum to help increase photosynthesis and canopy penetration. There is also some far-red light, which, when combined with deep red light, can help increase photosynthesis via the Emerson effect. There is no UV in the spectrum.

Coverage Area And Hanging Height

The vegetative footprint for this light is a 6’ x 6’ area. The flower footprint is recommended for up to a 4.5’ x 4.5’ area. We would say this fixture does a solid 4’ x 4’, but may be used in up to a 5’ x 5’ space.

The hanging distance for veg is about 36”. Or you might consider hanging it closer and dimming down the light to 50% intensity. The flower hanging height is recommended at around 24”. This is the best distance for the highest intensity while maximizing uniformity.

PAR

We tested the PPFD of this fixture in a 4'x4' Gorilla Grow Tent. As always, keep in mind that the reflective nature of the tent could increase PAR readings everywhere - especially in the corners and edges. Lets see those readings now.

TESTING COMING SOON

Warranty and Certifications

In the rare case that you have a problem with your fixture, the Horticulture Lighting Group HLG 550 V2 fixture comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty. The fixture is assembled in the United States.

Price

The MSRP on the Horticulture Lighting Group HLG 550 V2 is $1049 with FREE shipping in the lower 48 states and no tax. You can purchase the HLG 550 V2 at LED Grow Lights Depot for $944.10. 

Summary

The HLG 550 V2 checks all the boxes for a great LED grow light. We have come across many LED grow lights over the past 4 years and must say that this is one of the best we have ever seen in terms of light output and efficiency. We have also grown with the V1 version and had excellent results.

If you have any question about this light contact us here. If you would like to view the product page view this link.

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Happy grows!