What is the difference between the LED that CURA uses and the other grow lights?
CURA uses the latest generation of OSRAM horticulture LEDs. These are power-efficient, high performance, with superior spectral rendering and high PPFD at close distance. With our proprietary secondary lens, the light beam is focussed towards the plants, with least light pollution. We also have the ability to tune the wavelength across the type of plant and across their growth stage. These factors lead to quicker plant growth with desirable botanical traits such as thicker stems, leaves having more mass with shorter nodes and accelerated flowering and tastier produce. Our lights also have the least purple glare and have a warm natural feel.
We have observed that most consumer grow lights take advantage of consumer ignorance and make do with inferior non-horticulture LEDs which only provide colored lighting and nothing more. Most plants, particularly herbs and veggies require good quality of consistent lighting to replace the sunlight, to be able to provide the desired results. Without the precise wavelengths (PAR) and the right quantum (PPFD), the plants starve leading to stunted growth and inferior produce.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:37
How much energy does it consume?
CURA works on 5V DC output from a phone charger and is the most energy efficient general purpose grow light. Designed as a grow light system for living spaces, we decided to make a system that has just the right output to substitute sunlight and not to waste energy as light pollution or as radiated heat. With the latest generation of OSRAM LEDs, CURA gives high PPFD at close distance and doesn’t bother the people or pets around.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:37
I have not used LED grow lights before, is there a learning curve?
No, CURA is plug and play. All you need to do is to set it up above the plants and plug in. The presets in the app make it easy to vary the light wavelength to make the best of what you are growing.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:37
Do I need to refill the device with water daily?
The CURA pump draws water from a reservoir. You could use a water bottle, a container or the reservoir from the stretch goal. Once topped up, it could last for a week or two, depending on what you are growing.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:37
Is it ok to combine LED lights and sunlights?
Yes, you could move a plant from a window sill or balcony to indoors under a CURA. The opposite of this is also possible.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:37
How does the watering system work?
CURA pump works by taking water from a reservoir and drip feeding to the base of plants for a short duration every day. There is a peristaltic pump controlled by the same architecture (ESP32 with Wifi & Bluetooth) which works as scheduled by the app, even without any connectivity to app or internet. You could use a bottle or a container as the reservoir, which could be placed behind the plants. Each CURA Pump can support upto three adjacent planters and is daisy-chained to CURA lights.
Alternatively, the optional CURA reservoir is a neatly integrated system that we plan to introduce as a stretch goal. Blow-molded in HDPE, this sits beneath the planter, with a groove to accommodate the circular base of the CURA mount and provides water storage for upto 3 weeks or more.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
What is CURA’s approximate life expectancy?
Like all other Altifarm Enverde products, CURA is built to last with an ecological impact in mind. The enclosure is made in pressure-die casted aluminum like in a premium laptop, while the lower half is in shatterproof Polycarbonate like in an automotive headlamp. The LEDs have a guaranteed life of 50,000hours and the mounts are built in powder-coated steel. We also would upgrade the firmware and functionalities through OTA(Over The Air) updates as they are developed. We expect CURA to be a permanent fixture in your home for many years to come.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
Are there any parts that need to be replaced over time?
None. There’s no recurring costs or user serviceable parts involved on the hardware.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
Will the lights burn the plant?
CURA lights use high-efficiency LEDs which emit less heat, which is then radiated away from the aluminum enclosure which works as a heatsink. There’s no heat coming towards the plants. However, it’s advised to have the lights above the plant canopy by at least 4-6 inches at all times.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
Is there an off-grid version? Can it be charged with solar power?
The optional solar panel stretch goal could be used to make CURA offgrid. Simply hang the panel on a window facing the sun and connect it to CURA using the included long cable. We recommend using a typical battery pack in the chain, if sun-light is not consistent in your area.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
Does the LED give off any heat?
Almost all light sources produce heat. Our LEDs consume the least power and also produce less heat. The aluminum enclosure with the floral motifs are in contact with the pads of LEDs with a thermal paste and they radiate heat away from the LEDs as a heat sink and help prolong their life. There’s no considerable heat from the lights towards the plants.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
What is the recommended hanging length? Can I change the length?
We suggest hanging the CURA lights a minimum of 4-6 inches away from the plant canopy for high-light plants and 6-12 inches for low-light plants. All three mounts allow for easy height-adjustment in a few seconds, so that you could follow the growth of plants towards the light.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
Does the CURA app have voice control? Is it available for my Android/ios smartphone?
The CURA app doesn’t have voice control at this stage. However, with its smart home integration, you could give voice commands like ‘’turn on ambient lights on CURA’’ to your voice assistants such as Google Assistant, Alexa and Siri. This is still in development and more features would be added in the future.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
Does the product have a warranty?
CURA range has a warranty of 1 year from the date of activation.
Last updated: April 13, 2022 07:41
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