You've undoubtedly heard of the full spectrum COB LED grow light if you've been following the most recent developments in grow light technology. One of the most innovative advancements in grow light design is this kind of bulb. But just what is it? What distinguishes COB LEDs from conventional LED grow lights?
Here is all the information you want on full spectrum COB LED grow lights. We'll discuss the implications of this new design for LED technology and if switching to it might be beneficial for your own indoor gardening.
But first, the fundamentals.
A COB LED grow light: what is it?
Surface mounted diode LEDs have been the standard technique for LED grow lights up until quite recently. This technique, also known as SMD, uses individual single diodes affixed on a surface. Although being positioned close to one another, they always work as many independent light sources.
COB technology, which stands for "chip-on-board," encourages an equal distribution of light, produces a consistent light source, and lowers expenses. In order to create COB LEDs, several small LEDs are physically mounted in close contact to a substrate. Together, these tiny diodes form a single module, a homogeneous light source that functions much like a single large LED chip. Unlike SMD LEDs, which normally emit light at limited angles, COB LEDs emit light in all directions (180 degrees).
COB LEDs begin as all blue LED diodes, in contrast to SMD LEDs, which have a particular spectrum in each diode. The blue LEDs are then covered with a yellow-colored phosphor coating. There is no such thing as a white LED; all of them begin life as blue LEDs and are later coated with phosphor to generate white light, much as fluorescent lights, which similarly employ phosphor to produce white light.
By changing the phosphor mix, it is possible to modify the color temperature of the light. As a result, it is possible to shift the spectrum for veg or bloom further in the direction of the red or blue spectrum, but this will be a set spectrum that does not alter. Also, there is a limit on how far you can convert blue or red phosphor. The SolarSystem series from California Lightworks is one example of a surface mount LED fixture that allows for changeable light spectrum in a single fixture, giving you the best of multiple light settings.
LED Grow Light COB
What are COB LEDs' advantages over SMD LEDs?
After your understanding of what COB LEDs are, you may be wondering why this technology even exists. What advantages do COB technology provide over SMD LEDs?
An increase in focused light energy is one fairly important benefit. Despite the fact that SMD LED grow lights are already far more efficient than their HID equivalents, it may be challenging to fit a lot of light into a tiny area. At greater power levels, the LED boards need to be bigger. The development of chip-on-board technology has increased power density even further. Many chips may be powered by a single driver thanks to COB architecture. More light is produced per square inch as a consequence. Less heat is also produced by COB LEDs. In flood lights and light bulbs, where SMD LEDs would not fit into a compact area at greater power levels, COB LEDs have shown to be quite successful.
When more diodes are squeezed into a small area, light density rises noticeably. Moreover, since all of these diodes work together as one big LED chip, the light they produce is more intense and goes deeper into the canopy. Moreover, COB technology has a higher CRI, which means that when a thing is illuminated by a COB LED grow light, human eyes will see it in its true color. Growers may more easily see discolouration that might be an indication of a fungus attack, light burn, or any other harm to plant health without the purple glow associated with SMD LED lights.
However the purity of the light spectrum is perhaps one of the biggest advantages of COB LED technology.
A Broad Spectrum COB LED Grow Light's Advantages
Well designed full spectrum COB LED grow lights provide the whole range of visible light that plants need to carry out their biological functions. During the growth cycle, your plants need a range of light wavelengths since each color spectrum instructs the plant to carry out a distinct function connected to growth and development. Blue light encourages the formation of roots and stocky structures. Red light increases high blooming yields and facilitates budding.
Even the green light has a function. Chlorophyll reflects green light, enabling it to go farther into the canopy as it bounces off the top of one leaf and onto the underside of another, while plants only absorb a very little quantity of green light for photosynthesis.
whole spectrum With a customized light spectrum, COB LED grow lights are made to fit your crop's precise demands. No vital wavelength is left out, and no color spectrum is employed excessively.
The primary drawback of COB LEDs is their constant spectrum. The spectrum mix cannot be altered, in contrast to conventional SMD LEDs. A COB LED's spectrum is created by combining a special mixture of phosphor that is applied as a coating to the COB LED. The phosphor blend then produces light. By altering the phosphor mix, the spectrum may be somewhat altered, but this will be fixed to that spectrum. Conventional SMD LEDs may be combined to create a certain spectrum and changed by boosting or lowering the intensity of the various colors.
