March 23, 2020 Mike M.

NextLight Mega LED Grow Light Review 2020

LED lighting took the traditional lighting industry by storm and are now becoming extremely common in the agricultural lighting market as well. LED grow light technology has developed significantly in the last few years and now even large, commercial greenhouses have begun using them as an efficient and practical replacement for HID lighting.

Initially, the results were mixed, with some users experiencing disappointing results, but in 2016, a light arrived on the market that promised to deliver the results and efficiency that growers had been expecting and craving from an LED grow light – the NextLight Mega LED Grow Light.

NextLight’s Mega is considered one of the best values in the industry using white light to replicate the full, dynamic spectrum. This enables all NextLight LED grow lights, including the Mega, to deliver the sun-like quality of an HPS 1000 over long periods while using a fraction of the energy.

We know it can be confusing sometimes to cut through the noise and marketing BS to find the right LED grow light for your grow or gardening operation, so our experts put together this detailed review of the NextLight Mega LED Grow Light to give you all the info you need before investing. We at Rightbud.com want to help you to make the right choice!

Broader spectrum, less energy

The NextLight Mega beats out a 1000 watt high pressure sodium (HPS) light in terms of PAR due to its better spectrum with the same coverage area, all while pulling only 650 actual watts. This is equal to most double-ended 1000 watt HPS bulbs currently on the market.

The “Mega” in the NextLight Mega’s name doesn’t mean it’s huge in size; it’s got enormous production power and provides a large footprint to your canopy. It’s the perfect grow light for gardeners and growers who are looking to cover a large area while keeping power consumption down to a low 650 watts.

Because it’s a full-spectrum light using only white LEDs, the Mega doesn’t have separate settings for veg and bloom. This means that it uses the same amount of power from beginning to end of the plant cycle, unlike other lights that require different setting for veg and bloom.

Large coverage area

With a vegetative footprint of 49 sq ft (84'' x 84'') and a flowering footprint of 25 sq ft (60'' x 60''), the NextLight Mega LED grow light has one of the largest coverage areas of any 1000 watt equivalent LED light on the market, making it one of the only fixtures that can equal or top a 1000 watt HPS bulb when it comes to PAR and coverage.

Those measurements are one of the reasons the Mega has a PPF of 1400 umol per second that works out to 2.15 PPF per watt making it one of the most efficient full-spectrum LED grow lights in the industry!

White LED diodes

While many LED diodes don’t give you the same canopy penetration as a 1000 watt HPS bulb, the NextLight Mega LED Grow Light uses chips that only draw approximately a quarter of a watt each, as opposed to the 3 or 5 watt chips in other fixtures. That may not sound like much, but the NextLight Mega combines over 2500 of them to create a powerful light that matches the output and penetrates as deeply as a 1000 watt HPS bulb. This is helped by the fact that the fixture can hang much closer to the canopy than a typical HPS bulb.

Moreover, NextLight uses extremely high-quality diodes with a rated lifespan of 100,000 hours. That means you will may never need to replace them, even running at 12 hours a day, 100,000 hours, over 20 years!

Less Heat Output

Another advantage the NextLight Mega LED grow light has because of their weaker diodes is that they do not produce much heat. Aside from the advantage of being able to hang the fixture closer to the canopy, Mega’s fixture doesn’t have any internal fans, relying instead on heat sinks. The air from its external fan blowing from beneath is enough to dissipate the heat that’s produced and at the same time helps increase the lifespan of the diodes.

The Mega’s heat output is only about 2200 BTU which is fairly average for lights for this size. But keep in mind that those fixtures will typically include several built-in, power sucking fans. This low heat output makes the life of the diodes increase, which saves on replacement cost, and you won’t have to spend any additional time and equipment to cool your grow room. If that wasn’t enough, those missing internal fans make the fixture run virtually silent – so no more irritating fan hum.

Easy Operation

Every product you purchase for your grow operation or garden must not only be efficient and produce great yields, but it should be easy to use and dependable. The Mega makes your life easy with simple controls and simple operation that has garnered it some of the best NextLight Mega reviews of any of their product line.

The Mega doesn’t have separate modes for veg and bloom, so you don’t need to use a complicated control panel or remote control. It’s also the only company in this industry that provides you with both a 120V and a 240V power cord so you’re set for plug and grow operation no matter what your electrical requirements may be – no more searching down a separate cord!

Input voltage: 100 to 277 volts AC
Amperage: 5.4 amps at 120 volts; 2.7A at 240V
Output temperature: -4~104°F (-20~40°C)
Operating frequency: 60 hertz

Lightest and Thinnest LED fixture

NextLight Mega’s fixture is intentionally designed to be one of the lightest and thinnest LED fixtures in its class. Its LED panel measures only 37 x 37 x 2.5 inches and weighs only 23 pounds – in part due to the elimination of its internal fans. Being lightweight doesn’t mean this is a lightweight in performance or yields. Even though its built with a thin and lightweight fixture, NextLight Mega reviews from users and tests by experts like ours show that it is a durable and a high-quality LED grow light you can trust.

Save Time & Money

Our experts agree that if you’re looking for a full-spectrum white LED grow light, the NextLight Mega could be the perfect light for you. By offering high-performance and high-quality features such as a larger coverage area, more output per watt, less heat output, and silent operation, the NextLight Mega LED grow light is a great investment for your grow operation. Each unit is even covered by a 5 year full manufacturer’s warranty, has a 100,000 hour life rating, and is UL listed – you may never have to change a bulb again, saving you time and money at every turn.

Tested and proven to be safe

Safety and security is always on the mind of every grower in the industry, especially when buying a new product. Product safety is a key concern with NextLight products so you can rest assured that the NextLight Mega LED Grow Lights is safe. Each of their products has been rigorously tested and given the Underwriters Laboratories seal.

Final thought

If you are in the market for a full-spectrum white LED grow light, the NextLight Mega LED Grow Light is the light for you. Without a doubt. It’s more affordable than its competitors, has a larger coverage area, more output per watt, runs cooler, is completely silent, and comes with a stellar manufacturer’s warranty.

This may be the best white light LED grow light you can get at this price.

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Filed in: Grow Light Reviews

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