1000w DE Yield Lab Pro Series Grow Lights - The Full Review

For you newbies, you might be wondering, "What's a double ended grow light?" Don't worry, when we first heard about them we thought the exact same thing. Double Ended (DE) grow lights were initially used for commercial applications back in 2005. Philips launched their green-powered grow lamps for greenhouse use. Today, many hydroponic/indoor gardening stores as well as GrowAce.com carry DE reflectors and grow light kits for commercial and home use.

More Power, Longer Life

Double-ended grow lights are over a decade old, but because of their power, they were only used in commercial grows. They've been redesigned for small-scale use and now they're available for personal grows. Compared to standard single-ended grow light bulbs, double ended grow lights will give you ~19,000 more lumen output compared to single-ended grow lights. What makes them crazy popular is the efficiency of the light used under the same wattage as standard HID grow lights.

For example, a DE grow light typically offer 90% lumen maintenance at 10,000 hours of use. Standard single-ended (or mogul) lamps offer 85-90% lumen maintenance after just 4,000 hours (Source: Everest Fernandez "What Exactly Are Double-Ended DE HPS Grow Lamps?" 2014)

What this means is that over a longer period of time, the light degrades less vs standard HID grow lights. They are becoming the new standard for professional gardens and serious hobbyist growers. They utilize the already amazing digital ballasts (no magnetic ballast compatibility!) because of their higher frequency operations. How do they run more efficiently? They run more efficient thanks to the elimination of the frame wire, which improves the outer glass purity. Fun Fact: They are filled with nitrogen instead of xenon or argon for improved thermal conductivity.

Pro Series Double Ended Grow Light Design

Taking a quick glance, Yield Lab double ended pro series grow lights offer a very familiar design like other double-ended grow light fixtures in the market, like the ever-popular Gavita light. However, if you look a little closer you'll notice a few key features that set Yield Lab apart from other double-ended lights out there:

• The fear of rust or degrading equipment is non-existent with the Yield Lab- Powder coating allows the fixture to be resistant to any extreme humidity and temperature in a grow room or garden.
• Each reflector is made of high quality polished "hammer-style" MIRO aluminum- These reflectors provide a strong angular light reflection for canopy penetration (96% efficiency). Essentially, "Hammer-Style" texture has the best light reflection. Take a look at the small dimples in the reflector: they actually help provide added light refraction and give your light a suitable environment for even distribution. That's why professional grow tents and reflective hoods are often covered with this texture.

Pro Series Double Ended Grow Light Features

• Adjustable dimming ballast (600w, 750, 1000w, 1150w)

One of the most powerful features of these grow lights is their adjustable driver (aka its dimming feature). You can adjust your ballast to emit 600, 750, 1000, or 1150 watts. You can adjust the double ended grow light's intensity depending on your gardening preference or condition. This feature is great for temporary usage but I wouldn't recommend compromising the bulb like this all the time. You get varied spectrum output that's not rated for the bulb and over longer usage at a lower wattage, you can prematurely end the bulb's life. The dimming feature is great but I recommend to use it sparingly.

• 120v/240v compatible

The compatibility feature is a big move in the right direction with Double Ended grow lights. Back in 2005, the initial version of the DE grow light systems used a 440v plug and were for industrial use. Then 4 years after it was only compatible with 220v outlets. Nowadays, they have been manufactured to be redesigned for 120v home use. A lot of other brands still kept the 220v outlet version, which is fine, but the new move should be towards multiple options like the 120v and 220v compatibility ballast.

• 1000w HPS DE bulb included

I think the real MVP is the Yield Lab DE 1000w HPS Grow Bulb. It's manufactured to be the highest performing flowering bulb to date. Lumens don't mean much to plants, but to give you an idea of light intensity, it produces 159,200 lumens (compared to 130,000 lumens from a standard 1000w single ended HPS grow bulb). So with the same wattage, it produces 18% more light-- that's impressive. That's damn good. But what's the downside to having a stronger more badass light like the Yield Lab DE Grow Light system?

• Integrated Ballast and Reflector (no need to install a separate reflector and ballast)
• 3 point hanging system with hangers included

The Challenges (& Solutions) to using a Double-Ended Grow Light System

The biggest challenge when using a double-ended grow light is the extra amount of heat it produces. The heat is an issue for a lot of smaller grow rooms and we wouldn't recommend it for those who are unwilling to control their temps. There are no cooling options either so you either have to have an external AC running in your grow area or have the grow lights mounted in a high roof grow room. The initial cost is more than a standard 1000w hps grow light kit but less than an LED. It's not so much of a challenge because it pays for itself over a short time. But it is something to consider when making a big investment in producing more flowers or fruits in your garden. You love the idea of a double-ended grow light system but you can only grow with a 600w grow light due to electricity and heat. Plus, a 1000w grow light system might not fit your budget as far as maintenance goes. Most growers would tell you to govern the ballast by dimming it to a lower wattage. This is not the right way to go. Like I mentioned before, you'll lose life expectancy and ruin the rated light spectrum the bulb is supposed to emit. What you should do instead is invest in a 600w DE grow light system instead. This may sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how uncommon a 600w DE grow light kit is. We are currently carrying a limited run of these 600w kits, so if you're in the market for one-- check it out at GrowAce.com.

Overall

THE GOOD / The Yield Lab 1000w DE Pro Series Grow Light Kit's sturdy build quality and massive PAR and lumen output is ahead of most competitors. The integrated design makes it an easy setup and more appealing than regular mogul HPS grow light systems. THE BAD / It's intense penetrating lights come with a price = heat. No option for air cooling leaves you with limited use if the temperature is a concern. You would either have to run a split AC unit or grow in a large enough space to hang the light higher above your canopy and account for the heat. THE BOTTOM LINE / Indoor growers looking for a sturdier, high performing HPS grow light system for intense flowering production will find that the 1000w Yield Lab DE Pro Series is a worthy upgrade to any grow room setup.

Specs recap

• Reflector size: 13" (L) x 10" (W) x 5" (H)
• Only suitable for use with 1000 watt double ended EL lamps:
• No acoustic resonance
• More than 25% brighter compared to traditional lamps
• Light maintenance after 10,000 hours >90%
• Professional 1000 watt high-frequency electronic ballast.
• Including high-efficiency MIRO aluminum horticultural Yield Lab reflector (96% efficiency).
• Includes Yield Lab 1000 watt double ended EL lamp.
• Microprocessor controlled with electronic safety circuit.
• Driver efficiency >95% and is adjustable to 600/660/750/825/1150W.

DE 1000w HPS Yield Lab Grow Light Specs

• Power: 1000 watts (High efficiency)
• Expected Life Span: 24,000 hours
• Lumen: 130,000 lumens
• Color Temperature: 2,100K
• Contains 30% more blue spectrum
• Best choice for Plant Yield
• High output, high luminescence efficiency
• Fit for all standard 1000 watt HPS grow light systems
• Pass UL and CE