Today we’re looking at a LED grow light company out of California, aptly named California Lightworks. I’ll be looking at their product line, examining their technology and company policy, and actually growing in one of their new flagship products: SolarXtreme 500.
Let’s get into it – but before we do, here’s a deep dive into their factory based in California. I found this video fascinating, because unlike many other LED companies I’ve reviewed, they’ve given people a look behind the curtain and actually shown their entire factory:
Quick Take
For the mid-range hobbyist grower, California Lightworks puts together extremely solid LED grow lights at a price that is still affordable for the non-professional grower.
I lean towards the SolarXtreme line myself, as I prefer the COB LED grow light design over the classic Osram diodes, and the fact that I don’t have to adjust the spectrum over the course of an indoor grow makes life a little bit easier for me. It also doesn’t hurt that the SolarXtreme line is a bit cheaper!
What Type of LEDs Do They Use?
The LEDs that California Lightworks uses in their lights really depends on the product line you’re looking at.
For the SolarSystem line, they use Osram diodes, some of the best in class, and in conjunction with the SolarSystem controller, you can adjust the spectrum of the grow light in a few days:
- View Mode: A white light for pleasant working in your grow room
- Automatic Sunrise / Sunset: High blue, low red in veg and high red, low blue in bloom for optimized yields over the course of a crop’s life cycle.
When looking at the SolarXtreme line, you might notice that the LEDs look quite different. This is because they use a proprietary COB LED design for this line, with a fixed (but full-spectrum) output.
So, while you aren’t able to customize the spectrum throughout the course of a grow, think of it as California Lightworks programming the grow light from the get go with a customized spectrum designed to take a plant from vegetative to flowering phase without having to adjust the spectral output.
Further Resources:
Warranty Policy
California Lightworks offers a 5 year warranty on the SolarSystem line, and a 3 year warranty on the SolarXtreme line. Both a solid amount of time given the lifespan of these lights. You cannot tamper with the light or try to make any modifications to the lumaires, you’ll void the warranty.
They also offer a 90 day money back guarantee, if for any reason you’re dissatisfied with the product. All you need to do is give them a brief explanation of the reason for returning and you’ll be refunded your purchase, so long as you’ve kept the light in new condition.
Product Line
As mentioned a few times, there are really two main lines for the average grower, with the final GreenHouse Pro line for large-scale growers. Below, you’ll find all of the lights broken down by product line and size, with the spectral outputs and specs included.
SolarSystem
SolarSystem 275 VEG
| Efficiency: | 2.23 umol/j |
| Power Consumption: | 0-200w |
| Light Output – PPF: | 439 |
| Dimensions: | 8.5″ x 8.5″ x 4″ |
| Weight: | 7 pounds |
| Coverage Area – Bloom: | 3 x 3 |
| Coverage Area – Veg: | Up to 5 x 5 |
| LED Lifetime Rating: | 50,000+ |
SolarSystem 275
| Efficiency: | 2.23 umol/j |
| Power Consumption: | 0-200w |
| Light Output – PPF: | 439 |
| Dimensions: | 8.5″ x 8.5″ x 4″ |
| Weight: | 7 pounds |
| Coverage Area – Bloom: | 3 x 3 |
| Coverage Area – Veg: | up to 5 x 5 |
| LED Lifetime Rating: | 50,000+ |
SolarSystem 550 VEG
| Efficiency: | 2.23 umol/j |
| Power Consumption: | 0-400w |
| Light Output – PPF: | 888 |
| Dimensions: | 18″ x 8.5″ x 4″ |
| Weight: | 13 pounds |
| Coverage Area – Bloom: | 3 x 4 |
| Coverage Area – Veg: | up to 6 x 8 |
| LED Lifetime Rating: | 50,000+ |
SolarSystem 550
| Efficiency: | 2.23 umol/j |
| Power Consumption: | 0-400w |
| Light Output – PPF: | 888 |
| Dimensions: | 18″ x 8.5″ x 4″ |
| Weight: | 13 pounds |
| Coverage Area – Bloom: | 4 x 4 |
| Coverage Area – Veg: | up to 6 x 6 |
| LED Lifetime Rating: | 50,000+ |
SolarSystem 1100
| Efficiency: | 2.23 umol/j |
| Power Consumption: | 0-800w |
| Light Output – PPF: | 1730 |
| Dimensions: | 18″ x 18″ x 4″ |
| Weight: | 26 pounds |
| Coverage Area – Bloom: | 5 x 5 |
| Coverage Area – Veg: | up to 8 x 8 |
| LED Lifetime Rating: | 50,000+ |
SolarSystem 1100 UVB
| Efficiency: | 2.23 umol/j |
| Power Consumption: | 0-800w |
| Light Output – PPF: | 1730 |
| Dimensions: | 18″ x 18″ x 4″ |
| Weight: | 26 pounds |
| Coverage Area – Bloom: | 5 x 5 |
| Coverage Area – Veg: | up to 8 x 8 |
| LED Lifetime Rating: | 50,000+ |
SolarXtreme
SolarXtreme 250
| Power Draw | 200w |
| 500 PPFD Distance | 18″ |
| 800 PPFD Distance | 12″ |
| Max Current | 1.6A @120v |
| Coverage Area | 3′ x 3′ |
| Heat Output | 640 BTU |
| Dimensions | 8.5″ x 8.5″ x 4″ |
| Weight | 6 pounds |
SolarXtreme 500
| Power Draw | 400w |
| 500 PPFD Distance | 24″ |
| 800 PPFD Distance | 18″ |
| Max Current | 3.3A @120v |
| Coverage Area | 4′ x 4′ |
| Heat Output | 1280 BTU |
| Dimensions | 18″ x 8.5″ x 4″ |
| Weight | 11 pounds |
SolarXtreme 1000
| Power Draw | 800w |
| 500 PPFD Distance | 38″ |
| 800 PPFD Distance | 28″ |
| Max Current | 6.6A @120v |
| Coverage Area | 5′ x 5′ |
| Heat Output | 2550 BTU |
| Dimensions | 18″ x 18″ x 4″ |
| Weight | 22 pounds |
GreenHousePro
GH Pro 340
| Efficiency: | Up to 3.0 umol/j |
| Power Consumption: | 0-340w |
| Light Output – PPF: | 900 |
| Dimensions: | 34″ x 3.2″ x 3.2″ |
| Weight: | 8 pounds |
| LED Lifetime Rating: | 50,000+ |
