Spider Farmer SF300 / SF600
Linear LED Grow Lights
Product Review

Spider Farmer is tackling a niche market with these 2 fixtures. I was excited to see them doing it. Amazon is full of shoddy looking linear LEDs. No way to know what you're getting with those things. Growers have needed some affordable LEDs to replace the classic shop light approach. The SF300 / SF600 pumps out twice as many photons per watt compared to fluorescents.

The SF600 is my preferred model from a value perspective. It can be used for large vigorous seedling production. It's suitable for clones, culinary herbs, lettuce, microgreens & houseplants. The natural looking white light is attractive in the home. If used to replace a 4 bulb T5 system, the SF600 can pay for itself pretty quickly through electrical savings.

PRODUCT SPECS:

SF300/600
• Spectrum: 3000K/5000K/660nm/730nm
• Driver: Unbranded, Non-dimmable
• Efficacy: 2.3 umol/J
• Distance: 6"-12"
• Plants: Lettuce, Microgreens, Seedlings, Clones, Culinary Herbs, House Plants

SF300
• 192 Diodes: 3000K/5000K/660nm/730nm
• Power: 33W (29W)
• Coverage: Optimal: 10" x 20" / Max: 18" x 30"

SF600
• 384 Diodes: 3000K/5000K/660nm/730nm
• Power: 74W (65W)
• Coverage: Optimal: 12" x 36" / Max: 18" x 42"

SF300 Spectrum Test Report

SF600 Spectrum Test Report

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The SF300 & SF600 are great options for replacing old fluorescent shop lights!

IMPROVEMENTS: These LEDs are nice but not perfect. I'd like to see a power supply with a good power factor. You can't brag about 'high efficiency' when your product has a PF of 0.6 or less. This limits these units to small scale, home users only. And even still, it's a product that wastes energy & isn't as good for the environment as it could be. Keep in mind: Many shop lights have bad power factors too. And plenty of other LEDs on Amazon face the same issue.

A dimming feature would be helpful. I see lots of quantum-styled LED boards with dimmers even though growers may never use them. But in tight quarters on a grow rack, you might not have room to raise those lights. You can reduce the photo-period. But being able to dim the light would be so useful!

Daisy chaining might be a nice option. Not for dimming, but for pass-thru power. A grower might have 3 or 4 of these. Cable management would be easier if they could all be connected.

I would absolutely spread apart the 2 strips of diodes. They are much closer than they need to be. This causes light spikes in the center, while reducing light coverage at the sides. It forces the lights to be mounted higher. This could all be improved by adding a couple inches of space between the 2 LED strips.

Is Spider Farmer's SF300 & SF600 Worth It?

If you're looking to phase out some cheap shop lights, these lights are great. I advise getting the SF600. Only get the SF300 if your space is too small. The 600 is a massive upgrade to 2 bulb fluorescent systems. Make sure you have enough height. One 600 could replace a 4 bulb 4 ft T5 depending on your coverage area. (Technically the light output matches a 3 bulb T5.) Compared to other cheap LED strip lights, the SF300 & SF600 might be better. But you need good spec sheets for comparison. What's the true PPE? What about the Power Factor? Good luck getting that info from Amazon sellers. At least this review shows exactly what you're getting!

#LinearLEDs #IndoorGardening #ArtificialLighting #GrowYourOwn #LEDGrowLights #SpiderFarmer

Buy the Spider Farmer SF600 LED Grow Light from Amazon.com || Promo Code: PEPPER19