Noob question, can someone please explain the difference between COB and standard LED?

DAZBEAST

DAZBEAST

Well-Known Member
Just trying to figure out the difference between COB lights and standard LED like the Advanced Plantinum or Mars.

I was looking at the Phototon 180 by northern grow lights for $379 and the Advanced Platinum P300 for the same price.

https://northerngrowlights.com/collections/all/products/photon-180clu1825?variant=21467975748

https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Platinum-P300-12-band-Grow/dp/B00NTBS91Y

As a noob to LED in general, I feel more inclined to go with the Advanced P300 just because it has a switch for veg/flower. As far as the COB lighting, I assume it's just 1 spectrum for both veg and flower... i.e) no switch to change spectrums. Is this correct? Kinda like a set it and forget it type deal?

This will be a stealth grow in a Armoire.

01111_1wSpMis669P_600x450.jpg

Can someone please dumb down COB lights for me and guide me in the right direction? Lol

Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
sixstring2112

sixstring2112

Well-Known Member
well theres alot to it lol.first off those mars type panels use smaller single diodes usually around 3 or 5 watts each.a cob (chip on board) uses many diodes grouped together in a cluster and can exceed 100w depending on how you drive them.and thats another way the mars type (or advanced panels) cut costs is by using cheaper drivers that get hot. the light you picked from northern is a good one,using top quality cobs and drivers with plenty of cooling so it will last much longer than most those china panels.i have a mars panel thats only about 14 or 15 months and its already got some burnt diodes,and it was running hot from day 1. you really need to do some more reading around this section before you spend your money .lots of options that will do much better than the advanced panel you chose.peace
 
cuddlesthesheep

cuddlesthesheep

Well-Known Member
DAZBEAST said:
As far as the northern light COB is concerned, is it just one spectrum for both veg and flowet? Or is there a switch to change spectrums between veg/flower?
Click to expand...
are you growing from clone or seed or what? I imagine the photon comes in 3500k spectrum. fine for veg and flower but if you grow from seed i would recommend something for the first couple weeks of its life. maybe a cheap t5 fixture from seed to like early mid veg?
 
frica

frica

Well-Known Member
"advaned platinum" uses cheap Chinese leds and sells them for a huge profit.
The Photon is dimmeable, which is what the veg switch on the Advanced mostly does. (On the platinum it shuts down a bunch of the leds, the Photon you can dim)

The 3500K from the Photon will do both veg and flower 100% fine.
It uses more efficient LEDs, it will do better.

Also the advanced platinum isn't really 300 watt, it only draws 180 watt.

Don't buy the Advanced platinum.

The difference between cobs and those diodes is that on a COB there are a lot of LEDs stacked tightly together on the chip covered by a layer of phosphor to produce white light.

The Photon will do you good.
It uses the newest generation Citizen COBs which are the current favourites with the DIY growlight builders because of their efficiency.
 
Olive Drab Green

Olive Drab Green

Well-Known Member
DAZBEAST said:
Just trying to figure out the difference between COB lights and standard LED like the Advanced Plantinum or Mars.

I was looking at the Phototon 180 by northern grow lights for $379 and the Advanced Platinum P300 for the same price.

https://northerngrowlights.com/collections/all/products/photon-180clu1825?variant=21467975748

https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Platinum-P300-12-band-Grow/dp/B00NTBS91Y

As a noob to LED in general, I feel more inclined to go with the Advanced P300 just because it has a switch for veg/flower. As far as the COB lighting, I assume it's just 1 spectrum for both veg and flower... i.e) no switch to change spectrums. Is this correct? Kinda like a set it and forget it type deal?

This will be a stealth grow in a Armoire.

View attachment 3756092

Can someone please dumb down COB lights for me and guide me in the right direction? Lol

Any help is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
COBs are Chip On Board LEDs, with drivers that regulate the power usage for best efficiency, and they are some of the best lights you can get. I say they will be industry standard in the near future.
 
frica

frica

Well-Known Member
cuddlesthesheep said:
are you growing from clone or seed or what? I imagine the photon comes in 3500k spectrum. fine for veg and flower but if you grow from seed i would recommend something for the first couple weeks of its life. maybe a cheap t5 fixture from seed to like early mid veg?
Click to expand...
First couple of weeks he could run the Photon dimmed, as seedlings don't need full intensity light
 
DAZBEAST

DAZBEAST

Well-Known Member
frica said:
The CLU056 version is more efficient for only a 10 dollar higher price.

The CLU048 is likely also more efficient than the CXB model and cheaper.

The newer Citizen COBs are more efficient and cheaper than the CXBs from Cree.
Click to expand...
It's been decided, today I will order the Northern Lights COB. Since the switch is dimmable is there a rule of thumb for the intensity? I know you said the first couple weeks in its early life I would run it dimmed, but after would I crank it up to full intensity right away? Or is it something you just need to play with until you figure out what works best for the strain? The strain is fem GDP from Connoisseur Genetics I've had stored away for a few years, hope they work!!! I'll be doing a journal here on RIU for all to see once the setup is complete. 20160813_100726.jpg
 
sixstring2112

sixstring2112

Well-Known Member
good choice on the light.i would just try to keep the light kinda close like 18 to 24 inches and as they get bigger keep turning it up.gdp can handle alot of light so it should be a good grow.just keep in mind when you veg ,not to let them get too big because they will double in size during the first few weeks of flowering.gl and look forward to seeing your grow here.peace
 
robincnn

robincnn

Well-Known Member
DAZBEAST said:
As far as the northern light COB is concerned, is it just one spectrum for both veg and flowet? Or is there a switch to change spectrums between veg/flower?
Click to expand...
One spectrum will work fine if you just Dim it down for veg. 3500K 90 CRI works well for Veg too.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/northern-grow-lights-photon-180-clu1825-grow.915159/#post-12797457
Cant wait to see the weekly update today.

Feel free to reachout if you need any help choosing a Photon Lamp. I will need to know what size is the grow space.
Thanks for considering Photon Lamp.
 
Rahz

Rahz

Well-Known Member
I would want to run an ebb and flow. 5" of medium.

I've never done SOG in pots so someone else can probably answer that question better.
 
weed-whacker

weed-whacker

Well-Known Member
DAZBEAST said:
It's been decided, today I will order the Northern Lights COB. Since the switch is dimmable is there a rule of thumb for the intensity? I know you said the first couple weeks in its early life I would run it dimmed, but after would I crank it up to full intensity right away? Or is it something you just need to play with until you figure out what works best for the strain? The strain is fem GDP from Connoisseur Genetics I've had stored away for a few years, hope they work!!! I'll be doing a journal here on RIU for all to see once the setup is complete. View attachment 3756443
Click to expand...


around 20% power for first week or 2, 50% during veg, 100% during flower

i don't own one but just looking at them thats how id run it

good choice btw, I'm sure you would have regretted getting a chinese rebranded led

I look forward to your journal, I'm planning smth of a similar size.

can you show us the inside of that cab when u get ur thread going?
 
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