HLG has released the impressive new HLG 600. These grow lights are the upgraded version of the now discontinued HLG 550 V2.
I recently bought the more expensive version, the HLG 650R, so I have a pretty good feel for the HLG 600 series.
Features:
The HLG 600 grow light is a large, white spectrum, modern design LED grow light that effectively covers a minimum of 4×4 feet, up to a maximum 6×6 feet of grow space.
Here’s why I like the HLG 600 – It offers a great value. The old HLG 550 was a 480 watt grow light, and now the new 600 version offers 120 extra watts of power for the same price the HLG 550 was selling for.
That’s a total of 600 watts of power, which equates to an extra 1-2 square feet of canopy coverage compared to the previous 550 model.
| HLG 600 | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Voltage: | 90-277V; 50Hz – 60Hz |
| Amperage: | 5.0A @ 120V; 2.5A @ 240V |
| Dimensions: | 29 x 22 x 4 inches |
| Dimmable? | 10%-100%; 60w – 600w |
| Weight: | 20lb |
| LEDs: | Samsung LM301H |
| Warranty: | 3 years |
| Where to buy: | LED Grow Lights Depot |
High Performance Samsung LM301H LEDs
The light has 4 circuit boards, each containing 272 (1,088 total) Samsung LM301H diodes. Samsung is known for high LED performance, so you won’t have to worry if you decide to go with this quantum board grow light.
The boards are placed on a large 26 x 21.5 x 2.75 inch panel with a dimmable Inventronics driver on the opposite side.
1000 watt HPS/MH equivalent
If you’re curious, or just switching over from a HPS/MH grow light, the HLG 600 is equivalent to a 1000 watt HPS grow light.
The Horticulture Lighting Group 600 is ETL certified, meaning it meets North American safety standards. The light is put through various electrical, mechanical, normal and abnormal temperature testing to ensure it’s durability and safety.
Spectrum & Light Intensity:
As you can see in the image above, two different variants are offered. The R-spec and the B-spec. The R-spec is meant to grow your cannabis from seed to harvest, and the B-Spec is a vegetative spectrum light.
The R spec spectrum has a good balance of blue, white, and red wavelengths. The B spec variant is heavy on blue and white, and intentionally omits red.
(click to magnify)
Looking at the independent lab provided light intensity charts above, you can see at 24 inches the HLG 600 R spec will sufficiently flower a 5×5 foot space. The B spec will veg 6×6 feet.
For seedlings you want the PPFD to be around 250-300 micromoles. During the vegetative phase of growth you want between 300 and 600 micromoles of light hitting your plants. During the flowering phase 400 to 925 micromoles will do, although people using CO2 may choose to go up to 1500 micromoles of light.
Click Here to Purchase or View Details about the HLG 600 at LED Grow Lights Depot
Hang Height:
Seedlings: 34 inches
Vegetative Phase: 28 to 30 inches
Flowering Phase: 22 to 24 inches
The key to grow light hang height is to ensure enough light reaches the leaf surface from your grow light. Believe it or not a 12 inch height difference equals a 75% difference in light strength.
I recommend the above listed hanging heights for the HLG 600 grow light. Remember to keep an eye on your plants initially when adjusting grow light hang height, to reduce the risk of unnoticed leaf burns.
Comparison:
There are a lot of grow light options, so how does the HLG 600 stack up to alternatives? Here are my thoughts on a few other 600 watt options…
HLG 600 vs HLG 650R vs HLG Scorpion:
If you’re deciding between the high end HLG grow lights such as the HLG 650R, HLG 600, and the HLG Scorpion models, here are the main differences:
The HLG 650R is slightly stronger than the HLG 600 models, and has a slightly better spectrum.
The HLG Scorpion models are designed for vertical growing at a short distance above the plants, but are just as powerful at 600 and 650 watts. These are similar to a Gavita 1700e.
HLG 600 vs Mars Hydro FC-6500
The Mars FC-6500 is a 650 watt bar-style grow light. Both are good grow lights with different design style. I’ve had good experience with both brands.
The thing I like about Mars Hydro is the removable driver, especially on a higher power grow light like this. But if that doesn’t matter much to you, you can get the HLG 600 for about $100 less than the FC 6500.
HLG vs Spider Farmer
The closest Spider Farmer grow light to compare to the HLG 600 would be the Spider Farmer SF 4000. It wouldn’t be a fair comparison because the Spider Farmer SF 4000 is a 450 watt grow light, compared to the 600 watts used by HLG.
You’ll notice these two grow lights are in two different price ranges and that’s because they’re not really on the same comparison level.
If you’re trying to decide between one or the other, you should know that the HLG 600 will flower a slightly larger grow space (5×5 feet) than the Spider Farmer SF 4000 (4×4 feet). It also uses more power and costs more money. Those are the main differences between these two brands.
Budget Alternative:
If you’re on a budget and looking to light a 4×4 foot or larger grow space, you’ll probably need to spend a minimum of $400 on an acceptable LED grow light.
If that’s still too much for your budget, I would suggest a 600 watt HPS/MH light kit, which is much cheaper but creates more heat and has a lower spectrum quality. You can even consider a 1000 watt HPS/MH kit because that’s what the HLG 600 is equivalent to.
Heat Management
Any 600 watt grow light you buy is going to make heat in your grow tent. The best course of action is to be prepared to deal with the heat. I know the heat showed up pretty soon after turning on my HLG 650R.
Check out my guide to lowering grow tent temperatures. I also recommend a minimum 5×5 foot grow tent for the HLG 600. Make sure you have the right size inline fan as well.
Save Money and Get More with a HLG 600 DIY Kit:
Want to save a couple bucks and get a little extra wattage? If you’re willing to spend 30 minutes of your time assembling the grow light on your own, I highly recommend the HLG 600H DIY grow light kit.
This kit consumes 620 watts instead of the 600 consumed by the HLG 600. Assembly is straightforward, and there are assembly videos on YouTube to help you step by step if you need them.
Final Thoughts
It’s great that Horticulture Lighting Group was able to upgrade performance of the 550 series without increasing the price. I think the new HLG 600 will give some of the larger more expensive 600 watt grow lights a run for their money.
It also makes me wonder if HLG is planning a new grow light for in the 400 watt range since the HLG 600 was just upgraded from 480 watts.
Speaking as an owner of the HLG 650R, I can say the quality of grow lights from this brand is top-notch. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one for myself in the future.
References:
FAQ:
How many watts is the HLG 600?
The HLG 600 consumes 600 watts of electricity.
How many Amps does the HLG 600 consume?
The HLG 600 consumes 5.0 Amps at 120V; 2.5 Amps at 240V
How many plants can I grow with an HLG 600?
You can grow as many plants as you can fit in a 5×5 foot area. Adult cannabis plants usually require about 2×2 feet of space per plant if they aren’t stress trained, which would require more space per plant.
What LEDs does the HLG 600 use?
The HLG 600 uses Samsung LM301H LEDs
How high above plants do I hang the HLG 600?
You should hang the HLG 600 grow light 34 inches above the canopy for cannabis seedlings; 28 to 30 inches above the canopy during the vegetative phase, and 22 to 24 inches above the canopy during flowering
Is the HLG 600 good for seedling to harvest plant growth?
It depends which HLG 600 version you choose. The R spec is good for seedling to harvest plant growth, while the B spec is only good for seedling to vegetative plant growth.