March 18, 2022
If you are interested in indoor gardening, then perhaps you have been hearing more about COB LED grow lights lately. Though they may not currently be as popular as other LED lights on the market, this may simply be because a lot of people don’t realize the advantages of using COB LED grow lights for indoor plants. In this article, let’s explore some of the best COB LED grow light for your indoor plants.
But why? Why choose a COB LED grow light over the more traditional models like SMD LEDs? And if you do decide to invest in one, which is the best COB LED grow light for your type of indoor grow space?
We’ll help you answer these questions and more as we take a closer look at COB LED grow lights and give you our pick for the best ones on the market today.
There are multiple benefits to using a COB LED grow light over the more standard LED models that are currently on the market. The most common ones are often referred to as SMD (Surface Mounted Device) LED lights.
They are more energy-efficient. With COB LED grow lights, you can get more power per input watt.
They are high intensity. COBs can penetrate deeper beneath the canopy than other grow lights as they essentially function as if they are one big LED COB chip. This makes their light intensity stronger than any one diode.
They offer a great color spectrum for plants AND humans. COB LED lights can provide a range of color spectrums, including warm white and cool white. These kinds of spectrums are also great for humans, as you can grow an indoor plant in a light that is more similar to natural sunlight instead of a pink or purple glow. This makes it easier to detect any issues in the appearance of your plants.
They are compact. Since they use fewer components and the LED lights are packed closely together, a COB grow light can take up less room than other types while still providing the same kind of output.
They produce less heat. Having fewer components also contributes to the fact that COB LED grow lights tend to give off less heat than other lights. The heat is even further dissipated by the aluminum, copper, or ceramic substrate, as they can act as a heat transfer when combined with an external heat sink. This means that you don’t have to worry about heat damaging your plants.
They are more reliable. COB LED lights tend to have a lower failure rate than others because they produce less heat and require less welding as they are attached directly to the substrate.
They have a long lifespan. Though it does depend on the exact materials and build used by the manufacturer, COB lights tend to last anywhere from 30,000–60,000 hours.
Niello 600W LED Cob Grow Light
Features:
The spectrum range is about 380–780 mm. This, along with the cleverly angled lenses ensures a high PAR value and allows better growth of your plants. The COB technology used ensures you to save 30% of the energy costs and allows for a dustproof operation. Moreover, this Niello grow light produces highly intense and bright red light which is ideal for boosting the process of photosynthesis in your indoor growing plants. To maximize effect of light produced from COBs Niello has equipped this LED grow light with scientifically designed and advanced reflector cups along with an optical lens cover. Now, for people seeking information on the coverage potential of Niello COB LED Grow Light, we’re glad to mention that it’s well suitable for an area of up to 2.5′ X 2.5′ if you hang it at 18″ height. For cooling and better heat dissipation, there are 3 small-sized and quietly operating cooling fans on the backside. Moreover, it’s an open-ended design so heat dissipation takes place from the side sink.
SunStream 600W COB LED Grow Light
Features:
This COB grow light features a balanced blue, red, and white spectrum emitted by an upgraded 10-watt dual-chip LED, making it more energy efficient and producing higher yields. 60 optical lens LEDs ensure the concentration and dispersion of light, reducing light loss by 50%, and the 90–120 degree mixing position further amplifies PAR and increases the penetration rate of the canopy by up to 200%. Extensively tested full-spectrum design, which includes universal blue, red-infrared, ultraviolet, and white light, provides nearly all the energy plants need in natural sunlight. Multiple air vents, large aluminum radiator and low-noise high-speed cooling fan.
In the section above, we reviewed the best COB LED grow lights that you can buy right now. We have narrowed down your options, which will certainly help you with making a choice out of all the models on the market. In this buying guide section, we will review some of the important features to consider if you want to buy lights outside of our list. These features are what we considered when making the list. We have also provided some other useful information that make for excellent reading.
Best COB LED Grow Lights
In the past, basic LED lights were the choice whether indoors or outdoors. However, these lights usually came in bigger sizes than what you need. That is why companies decided to create a type of LED light that still retains the power of typical LEDs but come in a smaller size and are great for growing plants indoors.
What are these Lights?
Well, COB stands for Chips On Board. These lights are mounted on a circuit board and create LED arrays. Due to their design, they use a fewer number of components and allow you to fix a large number of LEDs on a small space. This is just one of the advantages of these types of lights. Let’s see the other advantages and differences.
There are many differences between both types of lights. Both of them come with similar features. Some of the things they have in common include impressive durability, efficient light output, and a wide spectrum. However, the differences are what really matters.
Lumen Intensity
As I said earlier, the COB model has more LEDs cramped on the circuit. The result is that you get more light. The lumen intensity of the COB is higher than that on an SMD or surface mounted device. It also gives you a more even lighting.
Focus
Using a reflector design and having a larger number of lights fixed on a circuit board, COBs give more focused light than SMD. It is denser and with a reflector, the light is even brighter and evenly spread, which your plants would love.
Size
COB lights use space more efficiently than your typical LED light. You can arrange a 100 lumen COB array tighter than a 100 lumen SMD array. This results in smaller products, which is what you might need in a small indoor farm.
Heat
The more the components in an LED fixture, the more the heat produced. That is why COBs do not produce as much heat as you’d expect. It simply has fewer components that can get hot. They also come with a thermal sink that is directed toward the board.
While COBs are generally less hot, when choosing a COB, check out the type of heat sink it uses. You should also consider the design of the board and the material of the COB substrate.
The COB LED grow lights are a significant investment in plant's indoor farming. They are especially needed if you want a whooping growth of plants.
A COB LED Grow Light you choose should have all the quality features like full-spectrum, IR and UV rays, fans, god coverage, and a good PAR value for maximum yield.
We have segregated the best of the best grow lights meant for plant’s maximum growth. Before choosing any of them, please familiarize yourself with your current increase room area and its requirement. However, you can select any of them as they are sure to work the best for you. So, all the best and happy growing.
October 20, 2023