WHAT IS COB (CHIP ON BOARD)?
A Chip On Board LED Downlight consists of a single LED chip, mounted on the downlight, compared to an array of LED’s like an SMD. As the single cluster of LED’s are mounted in one point, they require greater cooling, so a larger heat sink, usually made of aluminium, must be mounted to dissipate the heat. As more material is required to manufacture a COB LED heat sink, this usually increases the cost slightly.
The Advantage of COB LED Grow Lights
So what is exactly is Chip-on-Board technology? The most notable design advantage of COB packaging is its ability to accommodate nine or more LED diodes on a single chip. LED diodes are bonded directly onto a ceramic, aluminum, or copper substrate to form an array on a single module. When a COB LED grow light is turned on, these diodes emit a controlled light beam with no visible individual light points. Because these lights can pack more chips into the light-emitting area, COB LED lighting maximizes the lumen output per inch and provides a denser array of light vs. other lighting options.
COB is known for better lumen per watt ratios and heat efficiency. COB chips can produce a higher amount of lumens with less energy with a minimum of 80 lumens per watt. You can find it in all types of bulbs and applications, like the flash of your mobile phone or point-and-shoot camera.
Light density increases significantly as there are more diodes packed together in a tight space. And because these many diodes function as one large LED chip, they generate a greater intensity of light that penetrates deeper into the canopy. COB technology also boasts a higher color rendering index, which means human eyes perceive objects under the glow of a COB LED grow light as their natural color. Without the purple glow associated with SMD LED lights, growers have an easier time identifying discoloration that could indicate a fungal attack, light burn, or any other threat to plant health.
