If you run a business in the agriculture space, then you should know that LED lights will come in handy when it comes to helping your plants and herbs grow.
COB LED lighting and HPS lighting have emerged as two of the most prominent options for agriculture businesses and growers. So, let’s see which of them is better for your business.
What is a COB LED?
“COB” is short for “Chip-on-Board” LED lighting. It is a form of LED technology that works by arranging different LED chips directly on a circuit board or substrate. This forms just one lighting module, with the design making space for a higher density of LEDs in a smaller area.
An Introduction To HPS Lighting
Short for “High-Pressure Sodium,” this is a lamp form that discharges gases and produces light by passing electricity through a combination of sodium and other gases.
The light gotten from HPS looks like a combination of orange and yellow. This makes it particularly ideal for planting. However, it also has some interesting secondary uses as well.
COB LED vs HPS: Key Comparisons
Now that we are familiar with both options, let’s examine how they stack up. Which is better, HPS or LED?
Energy Efficiency
Like we pointed out earlier, one of the many highlights of COB LED lighting is that it is very energy-efficient. It converts a larger percentage of electricity into light than heat, which is better than HPS and its lower lumen-per-watt ratio.
The Visible Light Spectrum
You can generally design COB LEDs to produce a full spectrum of light. In fact, the lighting option even works if you need something to mimic sunlight itself. With this, COB works well for different growing needs.
For HPS, you have light being emitted in the yellow-orange-red spectrum. This works for flowering and fruiting planting, but not for vegetative growth – which needs blue light.
The Production of Heat
Of course, COB LEDs don’t produce as much heat compared to HPS lights. Generally, COB LEDs produce between 60°C to 90°C (140°F to 194°F). On the flip side, HPS lights go much higher, hitting up to 555°C (1031°C)
With this lower heat output, you won’t need to implement an elaborate cooling system to optimize your growing environment if you’re working with COB lighting.
How Long Do They Last?
In most cases, you can find COB LEDs lasting for up to 50,000 hours of use before they start to degrade. The fact that they are solid-state devices also means that they have less of a propensity to break.
Compare this with HPS lights, which usually run between 10,000 and 24,000 hours before they degrade and are considerably more fragile.
The Overall Cost Profile
When you look at the features, it’s easy to understand why COB LEDs tend to be more expensive than HPS lighting. Still, when you consider these same features – as well as the longer lifespan, lower operating costs, and the elimination of a need for cooling – you will find that this option can also be quite cost-effective.
Light Penetration Abilities
This is one area where HPS actually performs better. With its higher light penetration, HPS lighting works particularly well in lower plants of the plant canopy. When you’re working with tall plants and you need to ensure growth all through the plant, this is one lighting option that works quite well.
Your Ability to Control It
With COB LEDs, you get advanced features such as spectrum adjustment, dining, and other smart controls. This makes it easy for you to adjust light output to meet your specific needs.
Because they usually offer a fixed spectrum, versatility isn’t quite promised with HPS lighting. You’re limited in how much you can adjust the lighting conditions, although there are some HPS lights that offer very basic dimming capabilities.
COB LED vs HPS: Their Pros & Cons
So, we’ve looked through the differences between both lighting options. For a quick recap, let’s examine their pros and where each option shines.
Pros Of COB LEDs
- They are very energy-efficient, meaning they consume much less power while still offering high light output
- You get a full spectrum of light, which looks quite similar to sunlight
- They don’t produce much heat, so you don’t need any cooling equipment
- The LEDs last long and are very durable.
- You also get to control things like intensity and focus
Cons Of COB LEDs
- They cost more, especially when you consider the initial payment
- They don’t have so much light penetration, and this can affect plant growth
- Some COB LEDs can also distribute light unevenly if you don’t configure them right
Pros Of HPS Lighting
- Light penetration is much stronger when compared to COB LEDs
- When it comes to flowering, HPS lighting has shown to be quite effective
- Light intensity is high, and this benefits large-scale planting
- You also don’t have to pay so much money to set up HPS lighting
Cons Of HPS Lighting
- The heat output can be very high
- These lights also consume a lot of energy
- They don’t last so long, and you also don’t et to enjoy so much control over intensity
Conclusion
COB LEDs and HPS lighting will always be two of the most prominent lighting options for anyone looking to grow plants. And as you can see, they have their pros and cons. At the end of the day, finding the right option requires considering your needs.
For additional help making a choice, contact us at NSE LED Cloud.