iGrow 400 watt Induction Grow Light Review & PAR Test
Hey everyone—Nate with Growers House here. Today I’m walking through a newer fixture in the hydroponic growing market: the iGrow Induction Light (their 400 watt flagship unit). Early research numbers on this unit suggested it could compete with HID grow lights in the 600W to 1000W range—so your HPS and Metal Halide setups—while running closer to the canopy. Instead of hanging a 1000W high overhead (often 18–24 inches depending on growth stage), this one is designed to operate around 6 inches above the canopy.
Why Induction Lighting Is Different
Induction technology is still relatively new in horticulture, but one standout claim here is spectrum. iGrow described the spectrum blend as patented, and they said there hasn’t been an induction grow light like this one in terms of spectrum output. The unit I’m showing uses the blooming spectrum bulb (think flowering-leaning output), but a key part of the design is that you can swap bulbs depending on your cycle. iGrow offers both a vegetative bulb and a flowering bulb, so you can keep the same fixture and change the bulb when you switch phases.
Bulb Life, Warranty, and Long-Term Value
Another big talking point: bulb longevity. These induction bulbs are rated at 100,000 hours—which, in plain terms, is roughly “one bulb for about a decade of growing” if it holds true in real-world use. That’s a very different ownership model than frequent HID lamp swaps. On top of that, iGrow backs both the fixture and bulb with a 5-year warranty on both parts.
Coverage and Reflector Design
This iGrow 400W induction grow light is said to cover about a 4' x 4' area. The fixture itself is about 4 feet long and 27 inches wide, and when we placed it over a 4' x 4' canopy, it covered the footprint well. Inside the reflector, you’ll notice a white coating instead of the typical metalized or pebbled aluminum finish. iGrow said they worked with Sherwin-Williams to develop a 94% reflective proprietary white paint. The idea is to get strong reflectivity without relying on the standard textured aluminum approach.
Instant On/Off and Quiet Operation
Even though induction lights use a ballast, one practical advantage is responsiveness: they turn on and off immediately—no warm-up time. It’s either on or it’s off, and iGrow’s claim here is that switching it on/off doesn’t reduce bulb life or create negative effects. When I powered it up, the blooming bulb threw a yellowish/orange/peachy tone, and one thing that stood out: it was very quiet. No noticeable hum—just silence.
Mounting Options and Low-Profile Build
The unit is also pretty flat, which can matter a lot in tight grow rooms. From the base of the light to the top of the ballast section is about 7.5 inches. The included brackets can be removed and repositioned, and they’re adjustable—so you can hang it conventionally, mount it for supplemental lighting, or even place it on a vertical wall to shine horizontally or at an angle.
Lumens vs. Real Canopy Intensity
On paper, the lumen output is listed as 44,600 lumens. That sounds low next to a 1000W HPS (often quoted around 140,000–150,000 lumens), but lumens don’t tell the whole story for plants—especially because a 1000W fixture is typically hung much higher. The practical claim here is that an iGrow induction fixture running at 6 inches above the canopy can deliver intensity comparable to a 1000W HID hung around 24 inches above the canopy.
PAR Meter Test Results
To validate those claims, we wanted to get it under a PAR meter and compare it to HID benchmarks we’ve tested before. After running the tests, the result matched iGrow’s positioning: about 6 inches above the canopy, the iGrow induction light was equivalent to roughly a 1000W HID at about 20 inches above the canopy (based on our other HID PAR tests).
What was also interesting was the footprint consistency. Across the center horizontal readings, intensity barely dropped off—meaning it held a fairly consistent output across that line. The vertical center showed a bit more drop compared to the horizontal, but overall the footprint looked very even for a grow light, and the performance looked promising.
Efficiency Over Time vs. HID Degradation
Another spec iGrow highlighted: this light is said to be 90% efficient after 70,000 hours. In other words, the output is intended to remain strong for years. By comparison, a typical HID bulb (HPS or MH) can degrade significantly in just six months. If you’re planning long-term use, that durability is where induction lighting can get very compelling.
Technical Snapshot
| Spec / Feature | What Nate Observed / Reported |
|---|---|
| Power draw | 400 watts (full capacity) |
| Recommended hanging height | ~6 inches above canopy (primary lighting use) |
| Claimed HID equivalency | Comparable to 600–1000W HID; PAR test aligned with ~1000W HID hung ~20 inches |
| Coverage area | Approximately 4' x 4' |
| Fixture dimensions | ~4' long x 27" wide |
| Bulb options | Vegetative bulb + flowering/bloom spectrum bulb (swappable) |
| Bulb life rating | 100,000 hours (claimed) |
| Warranty | 5 years on both bulb and fixture |
| Noise | Very quiet operation |
| Reflector finish | Proprietary white paint, ~94% reflective (claimed) |
| Efficiency spec | ~90% efficient after 70,000 hours (claimed) |
What This Means for Hydroponic Growers
If you’re running HID lighting today, the iGrow 400W induction grow light is interesting for a few practical reasons: close-canopy operation, a fairly even footprint across the centerline, instant on/off behavior, quiet performance, and long-life bulb expectations. The big takeaway from our testing is that the PAR intensity at 6 inches stacked up closely with what we expect from a 1000W HID hung significantly higher, which helps explain why some commercial operators were already building greenhouses around these units for energy savings and increased plant production.
We’ll keep watching for more corroborating data as additional tests are published, but based on the footprint consistency and the PAR comparison, this induction fixture looks like a serious contender for growers who want long-term performance without the rapid bulb degradation common in traditional HID systems.