What makes quantum boards superior to LED grow lights?

Quantum boards are pieces of boards that are lined with LED chips.

The chips are spread all over the boards. This way that they get their power supply simultaneously from the same source.

Quantum boards are popular in the manufacture of LED grow lights.
Quantum board LED grow lights are known to be more efficient and effective and other types of grow lights.

Most indoor growers buy quantum board LED grow lights to illuminated their plants and ensure they blossom well.

Are the quantum board grow lights worth it, though? Do they make any difference in the wellbeing and productivity of crops?

The primary advantages of quantum boards are:

Efficiency

Quantum board give you more output while consuming fewer watts. The HLG 550 V2 Rspec, for example, generates 168 lumen per watt or 2.6 umol per joule.

Light Spread

Because the light emanates from many points across a large board, it has a more direct path to the canopy on the outside of the coverage area than a light that comes from a smaller fixture and has to emanate further outward.

This results in less intensity in the middle of the coverage area and more intensity around the outside. In other words: a more even light spread.

Spectrum

The Samsung diodes (and the cheaper alternatives many brands use) emit a full spectrum white light that contains every visible wavelength of light. They are available in several different color temperatures, but all are close to natural sunlight. This makes it an excellent spectrum for plants.

While blue and red LEDs were common in the past, the industry is coming to realize that white LEDs are better for plants, so more and more manufacturers are switching to white. This switch began with HLG and their quantum boards.

These days, quantum boards often have additional diodes mixed in among the white ones, most notably deep red and sometimes UV and IR.

All growers know that full spectrum LED grow light is best recommended for plant growth.

Thermal Management

Quantum boards are generally mounted to a to a thin piece of aluminum (or sometimes a heatsink), which suffices to passively cool the diodes. No fans are needed (note that the fixtures do still get hot; see disadvantages below).

Low Price

On average, quantum board lights cost less than traditional LEDs or COBs that produce a similar output. Yes, there are far cheaper lights, but those lights do not come close to giving you the output of a quantum board.

DIY Options

HLG and some other manufacturers sell DIY kits that make it easy to build your own light and save even more money

Is it marketing or is it quality? What are the real benefits of LED grow lights, or the features to look for? The primary factors you should look for in LED grow lights are these.

The best LED grow lights deliver full spectrum wavelengths from 380 to 840 nm. This includes blue, red, IR, and UV light for all of the growth stages.

To be sure, this recommendation is relatively new in indoor horticulture; in the past we didn’t have these kinds of lighting systems to use. However, using full spectrum lighting for indoor grows can yield plants with more flowers and healthier buds.

LED grow lights use far less electricity, too—and the buy-in cost is still lower, because LED grow lights last significantly longer. A high-quality LED light system will last for years while running 10 to 12 hours daily. Even higher wattage LED lights with their powerful output are more cost-effective because they ultimately reduce electrical use overall.

LED lights also run much cooler despite producing a greater amount of light, which means you don’t need to add fans to reduce the temperature low. They are more durable and well-made, so they last longer and fail less.

The ability to closely control light levels improves the health and yield of your plants. The ability to do so remotely yet precisely improves your quality of life, and that’s where LED grow light systems come in. Tailoring your lighting cycle also saves you more money, so consider more tweaking features both a yield and cost benefit.

To achieve optimal light for your plants, aim for a balanced spectrum with a high PAR/lumen output. Typically the best way to achieve this is with a mix of 3-watt and 5-watt diodes.

It is important to be precise in your measurements when considering the area that the lights project. Plants that receive less light will produce less and can dwarf. Occasionally, product descriptions aren’t totally accurate, so it’s critical to check reviews like this one to confirm coverage.

ECO Farm LM301B 220W Quantum Board with Daisy Chain

Excellent full spectrum - white, blue, red and IR (3000K, 660nm and IR 760nm and UV 395nm). 3000K diodes providing more reddish light. The 660nm red and IR light is especially useful during bloom, where it speeds up flowering time and boost yields. Turn your seeds into your own supply. And the light looks fairly natural, so it's good for accurately monitoring plant health.

No Fan Noise Free. High Safety performance MEAN WELL Driver, Fair Waterproofing. Update aluminum board is thick and sturdy, doesn't put out a tremendous amount of heat, high-quality protective covers for cables; User-Friendly Packaging. Quality components mean the light lasts longer, but they also save you money. 

NextLight Mega Quantum Board LED Grow Light

DE 1000w HPS Replacement The NextLight Mega produces a high intensity full spectrum light designed to efficiently replace any DE 1000w HPS on the market. This bright white LED grow light is named “Mega” not for its size but for the increased production and large footprint it will supply to your canopy. Using only 650 watts, this light is perfect for growers looking to cover larger areas using less. The Mega covers a 5 ft x 5 ft flower footprint and a 7 ft x 7 ft veg footprint. This unit is part of the NextLight Commercial Series. This distinction means each unit is covered by a 5 year full manufacturer’s warranty, has a 100,000 hour life rating, is UL listed and you will never have to change a bulb again. The Mega is designed to meet the needs of commercial and home growers alike. We understand excessive power consumption, bulb replacements and heat are the biggest problems indoor growers face. The NextLight Commercial Series alleviates all of those issues. Coming in at 2.15 PPF/Watt, the Mega is the most efficient full spectrum LED, period. NextLight’s Full Spectrum provides the same sun-like qualities plants love without the negatives of high energy requirements and high heat. Using NextLight’s Full Spectrum you will see faster growth, tighter internodal spacing and increased production overall. Specifications Flower Footprint: 5 ft x 5 ft Veg Footprint: 7 ft x 7 ft PPF: 1400 Wattage: 650w PPF/Watt: 2.15 Unit Dimensions: 37 in x 37 in

It’s great to see manufacturers innovating and trying new things – these boards look really promising and I’m very excited to try this tech out.  Since HLG was out of stock, last night I ordered 600 of these Samsung LM561C diodes from Digikey and I’m going to try and build something similar myself – we’ll see how it goes! Once I’ve had the opportunity to test these things out, I’ll be sure to share my results.