Horticulture is quickly becoming one of the most prominent aspects of the agricultural market. However, for this sub-industry to become prominent, it’s critical to have the right technology for growing and fostering plants.
In this article, we’ll look at two lighting technologies that tend to get a lot of application on this front – COB LEDs and Quantum Board.
What Are COB & Quantum Board Technology?
Before we look into the differences between these two display options, it’s important to understand what they are particularly.
As the experts know, “COB” stands for “Chip On Board.” This is an LED technology type that focuses on packaging different LEDs together and mounting them straight on a substrate to create one solid LED module.
With COB LEDs, you get high light intensity as well as consistency in the output of light. This makes the lighting option perfect for many things, from spotlighting to growing plants.
Now, what is a Quantum Board? These are a form of LED grow light technology that seems to be especially adept at indoor gardening. Basically, a Quantum Board is an LED panel that makes use of several LED chips with low wattages, all spread over a massive and flat surface area.
As a result of their design, Quantum Boards ensure even light distribution and efficiency in dissipation. You also get full spectrum lighting, which is an added bonus.
COB vs. Quantum Board: Differences Between Them
So we’ve seen what these two lighting technologies really are. Now, let’s examine how they compare with each other to get a proper view of their dynamics:
Light Distribution
The first thing people tend to focus on when selecting grow lights is the distribution of the light itself. For COB LED light, you get different chips that are packed closely together in a small surface area and which produce very intense light. For Quantum Board LED grow light options, however, light is less concentrated.
This means that COB LEDs offer more of a “hotspot” effect, where light gets more intense directly under the LEDs. As you move towards the edges, things tend to dissipate.
Lighting Efficiency
To be fair, both options offer impressive levels of efficiency when lighting. COB LEDs offer a high lumen output, which makes them efficient when you consider the light output per watt.
That said, efficiency for COB LEDs isn’t exactly replicated when you’re trying to cover broad areas. This is why Quantum Boards score the upper hand here – their widespread design allows them to share light across great distances, thus improving growth outcomes.
Heat Output
The concentration of COB LED light chips means that they offer more heat in a localized space. As you can imagine, this means that you will need a more efficient cooling system to handle the heat they offer.
On the other hand, the fact that their LEDs are spread out means that Quantum Boards generate much less heat per square inch. They also offer greater levels of heat dissipation, so passive cooling is more efficient.
Cost
The need to save money drives a lot of purchase decisions. So, it should come as no surprise that potential users will want to consider the cost of these lights when choosing.
For COB LEDs, you have a higher upfront cost. These LEDs offer high-intensity lighting and are generally more complex to assemble, so it goes without saying that they will be more expensive. Add in the extra cost of cooling, and you’ll find that they tend to be more expensive overall.
Overall Coverage
If you have a broad patch of land where you’re growing your crops, then Quantum Boards might be what you need. COB LEDs usually concentrate light over a narrow area, meaning that you will need multiple COBs if you hope to cover a broader region.
Quantum Boards don’t have an issue with this as they offer broader coverage, reducing the need for you to get so many of them.
Operational Lifespan
In general, COB LEDs usually have a shorter lifespan – this is especially true if you don’t find a way to properly manage the heat they’re generating. Depending on the quality of your heat management, you can easily use COB LEDs anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 hours.
For Quantum Boards, however, the lifespan ranges anywhere between 50,000 and 100,000 hours. These LEDs don’t have to deal with much heat, so they tend to last longer.
The Need For Additional Customization
It’s entirely possible that you might need to add more features and customizations to your existing lighting setup. If that’s the case, then you might find Quantum Boards to be more receptive to these changes.
Quantum Boards are built to offer different light spectra for specific stages of plant growth. So, it doesn’t matter what you need – they easily offer it. On the other hand, COB LEDs tend to be less flexible, and even though they are very powerful, they might not offer the same level of spectrum control that you need for growing your plants.
COB vs. Quantum Board: Pros and Cons
For a quick recap of the points we just made, let’s take a look at where both COB LEDs and Quantum Boards shine and where they tend to fall short:
For COB LEDs, you get a high level of light intensity as well as a compact design that allows them to fit into small spaces. The lumen output for COB LEDs is also quite high, and if you need lighting for focused applications, they’re perfect for you. That said, these LEDs generate a lot of heat and don’t cover so much space. Add this to their higher cost, and you can see where they fall short.
On the other hand, Quantum Boards give you a broad, even level of light distribution. They’re energy-efficient and cost-effective, offering a lower heat output and the ability to cover a broad area. The pros for them will be that they’re less compact and not particularly ideal for focused use.
COB vs. Quantum Board: Which One is Right for You?
So, with all we’ve said, how do you know which option works for you?
Overall, you probably won’t get anything better than COB LEDs if you want focused lighting that works well for particular tasks. They work if you have a small area to light and you need high-intensity light output for growing your plants. Quantum Boards, however, work better when you need something that’s not too expensive and which offers efficiency across a broader region of coverage.
Conclusion
COB LEDs and Quantum Board are probably the most popular lighting options for anyone looking to grow plants. That said, understanding what you need and what each of these options offers will help you make more informed decisions.