2021 Guide | DIY LED Grow Lights on a Budget

The top reason most people get interested in a DIY LED grow light is to save money. Even low-end factory-made LED grow lights could cost around $100. Alternatively, you could purchase a box of LED bulbs or a COB for only about $10 – $20, depending on where you’re shopping. Standard LED drivers now retail around the $20 – $30 range, and heat sinks could be as low as $10.

But it’s not only cheaper to assemble your LED grow light upfront. Since you will have to calculate the input and output of your LED lights, you can maximize the efficiency of your grow light set-up. You could put as many or as few LEDs as you want, considering your ideal electricity costs.

As another bonus, making your own LEDs can be handy if you don’t have a ton of space. You’ll find it’s much easier to fit your DIY units in small spaces versus many of the LED grow lights now on the market. Just like a DIY grow tent, making your own LED lights provides you with the ultimate control over the features of your grow space.

Do I Need The Experience To Assemble My Own LED Grow Lights?

You don’t need any prior electrical experience to put together a custom DIY LED light successfully. However, the more you know about skills like soldering and sequence wiring, the more natural this process will be for you.

The essential qualities you need to start setting up your own grow lights include patience, determination, and a willingness to learn. If you put the time into learning basic concepts like voltage, sequence wiring, and soldering, you should feel comfortable using any driver, LED, and heat sink to make your grow light set-up.

Terms Everyone Should Know Before Building Grow Lights?

As you start researching the how-tos of building a DIY LED grow light, you might run across a few unfamiliar terms. Here are just a few words that you need to know before shopping for materials:

When you’re shopping for an LED driver, there are a few specs you need to inspect carefully. Most significantly, you need to check out the numbers listed for the driver’s input and output voltage.

Although most modern drivers work around the world, you should double-check that the input voltage range fits your country’s standard voltage. So, if you’re reading this in the USA, the driver should have a voltage that includes 120V.

Turning to the output voltage, this will tell you the total voltage and amperage your driver will supply to your LED lights. To find out how many LEDs you could successfully attach to your driver, you need to divide the total voltage in your driver’s output by the voltage of your LEDs.

After you’ve established how many LEDs your driver’s voltage can supply, you need to double-check the amperage of your LEDs. The maximum amperage of your LEDs must be able to handle the amps provided by your driver.

Building a DIY LED grow light takes a lot of patience and perseverance, especially if you’re not technically inclined. The good news is that there’s never been a better time to learn how to make LEDs at home. Since more cannabis cultivators are interested in DIY LED projects, there’s a wealth of information you could access online.

If you’re still intimidated about making your first LED light, then you might want to research beginner-friendly DIY LED grow light kits. Usually, these starter kits have everything you need to build your first successful grow light. After you feel confident with this hands-on experience, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you’re putting together sophisticated units. And lastly, if you’re still unsure about taking on a DIY project, try out some of the best LED lights on the market to help guide your choices for a DIY project down the road.