Welcome to this post , in this post we will discuss what is quantum board led grow light, its benefits and the top 5 best quantum board led grow lights in 2022 in the market. So lets enjoy the post.
What is a Quantum Board Led Grow Light?
Quantum board grow lights are the next step above chip on a board (COB) LED grow lights. The LEDs are connected to a carefully wired board. The quantum board may be sold as just a circuit board. In these cases, you combine it with a pin heat sink or conventional extruded aluminum heat sink.
The LED bulbs themselves share the same advantages as other LED lights such as a long life expectancy and energy efficiency. Quantum board LEDs are as controllable as other LEDs. For example, a 300 watt system can typically be dimmed down to 120 watts in the early stages of growth. A quantum grow light that matches a 150 watt CFL in light output uses around 80 watts while covering a roughly two foot by two foot growing area.
Quantum grow lights that cover a 6 foot by 6 foot area for vegetation growth may only provide enough light for a 4.5 by 4.5 blooming crop. But it will consume only 350 to 500 watts of power while matching the light output of a rough 1000 watt bulb.
The best quantum board led grow lights are properly sized for the growing area. Know that this may mean setting up several grow lights to get full coverage.
The Benefits of Quantum Board Led Grow Lights
Chip on a board LEDs reduce the loss of power through circuit boards sending power to each LED in a grow light array. Quantum boards are even more energy efficient. This dramatically reduces their power consumption. This can also reduce the waste heat generated by the grow light.
A side benefit of the large and often exposed board has excellent ventilation, since the large flat board is exposed to the air. It may not need fans to keep it cool. The quantum grow board can be combined with a large, board-like heat sink. In this case, the heat created by the grow light array is continually pulled away from the board.
That’s why the best quantum board led grow lights never cause your grow tent to overheat. On the other hand, you may want ventilation to minimize smells or manage the humidity inside the grow tent. Yet the lack of fans may make the growing operation nearly silent.
The standard lightweight board is perfect for do it yourself projects. Its design may allow you to install it in tighter spaces than the standard LED grow light with a large plastic protective shell. You may be able to stick it to the top of a grow tent or the top of your closet to provide light to the plants underneath. Now you don’t have to deal with a hanging kit. Note that this approach means you can’t raise and lower the grow light as the plants grow.
Quantum grow lights are typically broad spectrum light similar to white LED or HID bulbs. This includes the red light that growing plants need. Whether or not you can put out predominately red or blue light depends on the quantum board design.
The top 5 best quantum board led grow lights
01. HLG Brand 100 V2 4000K Quantum Board Grow Light
This quantum board LED grow light puts out 4000K white, full spectrum light. This means it can be used for all phases of plant growth as well as supplemental light for plants. The V2 stands for version 2 of the design; this model is more energy efficient than version 1. It uses roughly 100 watts of power, while the light output is similar to that of a 200 watt T5 or 200 watt metal halide light bulb.
The unit can provide full light for a two foot by two foot swath of flowering plants or three foot by three foot growing leafy plants. The 4000K cool white light is perfect for indoor plants, since this is the type of light found in commercial offices or industrial spaces.
The manufacturer ships the quantum board and hanging kit along with a free sample of a root stimulator solution. There are complaints that the root formula goes bad. The wire hangers included by the manufacturer are fairly long, and that may force you to buy different wires if you can’t make them shorter some other way.
While the lights can be dimmed, you’ll have to buy a separate dimmer. Nor does the manufacturer provide thermometers, but that’s rarely an issue with this type of grow light.
The power supply that powers the entire board is located on the top of the quantum board. If the solder breaks, you’ve lost the entire board. This may happen if you drop the quantum board or if it is hit hard enough to shake it loose.
Pros:
- Energy efficiency
- May eliminate need for fans in growing operations
- Full spectrum light you can dim
Cons:
- Power supply is not securely soldered to the board
- Can’t create mostly red or blue light
- Long wires with hanging kit cause issues in small tents
02. HLG Brand 100 V2 3000K Quantum Grow Light
This quantum grow light is a 3000K model. It is similar to a 200 watt T5 or 200 watt metal halide lamp. The unit can provide full light for a two foot by two foot swath of flowering plants or three foot by three foot growing leafy plants. That’s similar to the 4000K unit in terms of growing area. The main difference is that this light has a warmer, crisper color.
The light is closer to that found in an office than greenhouse. That makes the 3000K model a better choice for providing supplemental light for a window garden than replacing sunlight for plants in a grow tent. It is less strain for your eyes, too.
The 3000K grow light shares many of the advantages of the other quantum board grow light on our list. It puts out very little waste heat, and you can use a variety of heat sinks, fans or heat exchangers with it. The power port is loosely soldered on, but the unit is energy efficient. You get the hanging kit and root fertilizer but not much else.
Pros
- Energy efficient
- Full spectrum light
- Little waste heat generated
Cons
- Power port is not as well soldered as it could be
03. HLG Brand 550 V2 R Spec Quantum Board Grow Light
Horticulture Lighting Group or HLG makes some of the best quantum board led grow lights.
This grow light is rated by UL, formerly known Underwriters Laboratories. They are a world-renowned independent safety certification organization. This grow light also received Intertek’s ETL certification, demonstrating it meets American safety standards. That makes this one of the safety quantum board lights on the market.
The version 2 grow light has an upgraded Inventronics power supply. It pulls about 500 watts of power. Dim the lights, and it may only use 250 watts. It puts out a broad spectrum light. Its PAR efficiency is 2.6 umol/j. It doesn’t put out ultraviolet light. Around three percent of the light it generates is in the infrared spectrum.
One point in favor of this HLG model is that it comes with the driver you need to dim the lights. However, if the heat sink or driver are not secured properly to each other and the quantum board, things won’t work correctly. It is supposed to come with hanging hardware.
It has a relatively short power cord. The standard plug is only compatible with 120 volt power outlets, though you can request one that is compatible with both 120 and 2240 volt power plugs. The driver can tolerate anywhere from 120 to 277 volts.
This grow light covers a relatively large area. It could support flowering plants in a four foot to four foot area, whereas it can provide replacement light for growing leafy greens in a six foot by six foot area. The quantum grow light should be 20 to 32 inches above the plants. The LED board itself is 26 inches by 20 inches by 3 inches. It weighs a little under twenty pounds.
This grow light design is known for its low heat output. It generates half as much heat as a comparable HPS light bulb. That’s why it relies on a passive cooling system. This eliminates fan noise and reduces the risk of literal burning of your plants.
A side benefit of its lower operating temperature is that the LEDs are unlikely to get so hot they literally burn out. However, these grow lights are not water-proof.
Pros:
- Quiet
- Low heat output
- Large coverage area
Cons:
- Doesn’t always come with all the hardware
- Can’t adjust the light spectrum
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04. Maxisun Brand 2022 Model PB 2000 LED Grow Light
This quantum board grow light by Maxisun is designed to cover a roughly three foot by three foot tray of flowering plants. It can support a three and a half foot by four foot tray of vegetation.
This is a full-spectrum grow light. It puts out a lot of blue light and red light, though it does create some green light, as well. You can’t switch between vegetable and blooming phases, putting out more red or blue light as required. It does not give you much visible light, though that is a plus for some users.
Its PPF per joule rating is 2.7 umol/J. It pulls nearly 200 watts of power, and the light output is equivalent to a 400 watt HID light. Yet it is so energy efficient that it uses half as much power. It can accept AC power anywhere from 100 to 240 volts. This unit is not dimmable, so you can’t use that mode to reduce energy usage.
And it puts out half as much heat. It can stay cool with passive cooling if in an open room. You can use it in a grow tent with decent ventilation, but the grow light won’t need additional noisy fans of its own. It relies on an aluminum heat sink instead.
Note that this grow light is not as cool as the HLG boards, so it can heat up a grow tent ten degrees F if there isn’t enough ventilation, and that can cause problems for heat-sensitive plants. The LED lights may last up to 100,000 hours.
This grow light comes with a basic hanging kit. You can buy a sturdier, more adjustable version from the manufacturer. You should buy this grow light if it is the right size for your growing area, because it doesn’t seem to be suitable for daisy chaining and you only get a short power plug with the grow light.
One interesting trait about the Maxisun quantum board grow lights is that it is essentially waterproof. The IP67 rating means you could in theory drop it in a tray of water, take it out and turn it back on once it dries out. This unit won’t short out because a water mister hit it, and it won’t rust. These are the best quantum board led grow lights for use around aquariums and hydroponics systems.
Pros:
- Quiet
- Energy efficient
- Water proof
Cons:
- More heat output than similar quantum board lights
- Not dimmable
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05.Maxisun Brand 2022 Model PB 4000 LED Grow Light
This grow light by Maxisun is designed to cover a four foot by four foot growing area, if you’re nurturing flowering plants. It can replace sunlight for leafy plants in a five foot by five foot tray.
This is a full-spectrum grow light. It puts out similar amounts of red and blue light. It lacks a purple hue because it puts out white, yellow and green light, as well. This gives owners better visibility when working under the grow light. However, you can’t make it put out more red light to maximize vegetation growth.
This model has a driver that automatically dims the grow light when things are getting too hot. However, this can cause problems if the grow tent isn’t getting enough ventilation. While the quantum board grow light puts out half as much heat as a comparable HID light, it can get hot, especially in an enclosed space.
For example, it could warm up a grow tent by ten degrees F in just a few hours. If you don’t have enough ventilation, the plants won’t get enough light.
This unit doesn’t have a fan, because it relies on passive cooling. That makes it one of the quieter grow lights on the market. Another point in favor of it is that it is essentially water proof. While it should be put in a tray of water, it won’t rust or short out if it gets a little wet. Note that it is not suitable for outdoor use.
The unit comes with a basic hanging kit and short power plug. It is not designed to be daisy-chained to other grow lights.
Pros:
- Low heat output
- Automatically dims to cool things off
- Energy efficient
- Full spectrum grow light
- Water proof
Cons:
- Must have decent ventilation
Conclusion
Quantum boards are not as revolutionary as the LED was, but it is a step forward in the technology. While quantum board grow lights may not be the best choice for every application, they are a decent product for a number of applications. If you buy any one of the above light you will be benefited by many ways.