The word “quantum board” was first introduced by horticultural lighting group (HLG), a enormously new supplier of grow lights for houseplants. It refers to a large number of small LED diodes fixed on a flat panel of new lights.
The diodes are arranged in rows and operated in parallel by high power constant current drivers. There are now many different boards from multiple manufacturers with different configurations.
The main board of Bbier lighitng has Samsung lm301h LEDs, one of the most efficient in the market. Two variants of the board replace 16 Samsung diodes with dark red OSRAM diodes or blue diodes.
We has been using top quality components such as Samsung LED diodes and Meanwell drivers. This focus on mass components is one of the reasons quantum plates have become so popular.
Today, many brands make quantum boards, some of which use the same components as HLG. Others trade them for cheaper alternatives to reduce costs. Still, all of these are considered quantum plates. We’ll look at each of the major manufacturers below to see how they compare.
Are quantum boards grow lights for houseplants better than HPS grow lights for houseplants ?
No matter which light source you use, there is a direct equivalence between watt and heat. Therefore, the 220W quantum board grow lights for houseplants will generate the same heat as the theoretical 600W HPS. The difference is that quantum boards will yield about 2-3 times as much.
Are Quantum Boards Grow Lights for Houseplants Dimmable?
Bbier 660W Full Spectrum Quantum Board grow lights for houseplants, Samsung 3500K LM301b, Osram 660nm red lights, Dimmable Meanwell Driver and dimmable knob.
Advantages Of Quantum Board Grow Lights for Houseplants
So what’s the big deal about these quantum board grow lights for houseplants ? They look very basic and are not as good as most traditional grow lights for houseplants. Are they really better?
Generally speaking, yes. Compared with the conventional grow lights for houseplants, the quantum board has many advantages. In fact, we always recommend quantum LEDs or cobs for anyone who wants to grow them indoors (read quantum board vs cob to compare the two).
The main advantages of quantum board grow lights for houseplants are as follows:
1.Efficiency
The quantum board xxx gives you more output and consumes less watts. For example, the 550 V2 rspec produces 168 lumens per watt or 2.6 umol per joule
2.Light Spread
Since light is emitted from many points on the large panel, it has a more direct path to the roof outside the coverage area than light from smaller lamps that must be emitted outwards.
This results in a lower intensity in the middle of the coverage area and a higher intensity around the outside. In other words: more uniform light propagation.
3.Spectrum
Samsung diodes (and cheaper alternatives used by many brands) emit full spectrum white light at all visible wavelengths. They have several different color temperatures, but they are all close to natural sunlight. This makes it an excellent spectrum for plants.
Although blue and red LEDs were common in the past, the industry gradually realized that white LEDs were more suitable for plants, so more and more manufacturers turned to white LEDs. This transition began with HLG and its quantum plates.
Today, quantum plates usually have extra diodes mixed in with white diodes, most notably dark red, and sometimes ultraviolet and infrared.
4.Thermal Management
Quantum plates are usually mounted on thin aluminum sheets (or sometimes radiators), which are enough to passively cool the diodes. No fan is required (please note that the lamp will still get hot; See disadvantages below).
5.Low Price
On average, the cost of quantum board grow lights for houseplants is lower than the traditional grow lights for houseplants or cob grow light that produces similar outputs. Yes, there are cheaper lights, but they can’t provide output from the quantum board.
6.DIY Options
Bbier Lighting and other manufacturers sell DIY kits, which make it easy to build their own lights and save more money
Disadvantages Of Quantum Boards Grow Lights for Houseplants
Compared with other types of grow lights, the quantum board has no major drawbacks, but there are some minor drawbacks.
1.Canopy Penetration
Because of the presence of green wavelengths, white light can penetrate the canopy better (read more about white light and plant growth), which makes quantum board more advantageous than “fuzzy” LEDs. But more powerful white LEDs, such as cob, have deeper penetration than quantum daughter boards.
2.Open Build
Quantum board are very simple. The LED diode is directly fixed on the board. nothing more. No lid or lens. The diodes are open and exposed, and in many cases, so are the wires. Some manufacturers have recently started adding plastic covers to bare wires, but many still open them. All of this means that components are less protected. But it does reduce costs.
3.Misconception About Heat
Although LED lights operate at a lower temperature than other types of lighting, they still emit a lot of heat. Quantum boards are no exception.
There’s a misconception that they work cool because they don’t need fans, but diodes still heat a lot. In general, you can expect about 30% less heat than an equivalent HID lamp.
Quantum Board Grow Lights for Houseplants Manufacturer
More and more companies are launching quantum board grow lights for houseplants, but most of them are not reliable brands. The following manufacturers are the only ones we will consider when writing this article. If your budget is tight, consider Bbier lighting. We are basically the same as HLG, but much cheaper. However, you have to order them from China.