Traditionally, LED grow lights can be separated into two groups:
· The ones that try to be practical and not make use of technology.
· The ones that try to make use of technology but end up being too complicated.
They both have their problems. The first mentioned does not offer a sufficient advantage compared to the traditional luminaires. The second one requires one to spend a significant amount of time learning how to properly operate the luminaire.
Our approach to technology is different. We believe that the latest technology should be used, and it should be simple enough to use. It is not beneficial to use a technology that requires a lot of effort and time. You should be allowed to use your skills to grow plants, not adjusting lights.
In this blog post, I will go through the technology used by GROWLIGHTENGINE®. I will tell you how to best make use of it and the choices we have made concerning technology.
Powerful LED that is optimised for plants
Let us start from the most critical part of LED grow light, the LED.
GROWLIGHTENGINE® uses Japanese COB-LED. The LED manufacturer was the first to release a commercial COB LED. They have a long experience in manufacturing long-lasting and high-quality COB-LEDs.
What is COB, and why we chose it?
COB comes from the word “Chip-On-Board”. In short, COB-LED has got several LEDs packed together in one package.
Advantages of COB LED compared to LED modules made of SMD modules:
· The light comes from a smaller area, so it is easy to control with optics.
· The smaller size makes it possible to manufacture smaller lights.
· Withstand heat better, and cools from a larger area.
· Better efficiency
· It generally has a better lifespan than SMD-LED.
Due to the high-quality COB-Led, we can guarantee GROWLIGHTENGINE® greenhouse lighting with a five-year warranty and up to 10 years maintenance-free as its high quality ensure no issue will arise in the product during this period.
Even light with a wide-beam lens
The high-powered LED used by GROWLIGHTENGINE® produces a lot of light. By using a 120° wide-beam lens, an area 10 times bigger can be illuminated than with a traditional narrow lens. A traditional, low-power LED usually uses a 60° narrow beam lens.
Other features of the LED
The LED spectrum is designed to work throughout the lifespan of the plant. You don’t have to use a switch control or other gadgets to optimise the spectrum. You just keep the light on and GROWLIGHTENGINE® takes care of everything.
The LED is powered by 2700mA and has a power of about 300W. Due to this, it needs efficient cooling. This brings us to the next topic.
Efficient cooling system
GROWLIGHTENGINE® uses passive heat pipe technology for cooling. This same technology is used in laptops, cell phones, electric cars and satellites. Therefore, loud fans are no longer needed for cooling.
We use a thermally conductive paste between the LED and the heat sink. This effectively transfers heat away from the LED and the heat sink takes care of the rest.
How does the heat sink heat pipe technology work?
There is water inside the heat pipe, which the LED heats and turns into steams. The aluminium around the tube cools the steam, which condenses back into the water, after which the cycle begins again.
Because of the high-quality cooling element, we can use much more power in the LED without the risk of the LED overheating. The surface temperature of the heat sink is only 70-80 degrees.
The heat sink is also of Japanese origin and uses oxygen-free copper. In this, the thermal conductivity of the cooling element remains better for a long period.
Powerful power supply
GROWLIGHTENGINE® uses a high-quality power supply.
Flicker-Free
The power supply for the GROWLIGHTENGINE® greenhouse light is flicker-free, meaning that you can work under the light without getting a headache and other symptoms that flickering can cause. In addition, plants and animals react more sensitively to light flicker than humans, which can cause stress to the plant.
All issues caused by a flicker are not yet known, but there is no need to worry as GROWLIGHTENGINE® is virtually flicker-free.
Dimmable
GROWLIGHTENGINE® can also be dimmed. If you want to dim it, it is also possible. The power supply has a 1-10V dimming function. You can order a dimming cable from us separately, which by attaching, you get a dimmable luminaire
Hi-tech horticultural LED.
With GROWLIGHTENGINE®, you'll create a uniform lighting setup for your crops. All technical aspects are carefully thought, on these compact but efficient luminaires designed with nearly 40 years of experience in the lighting industry.
HPS vs. GROWLIGHTENGINE®
Replace easily your old HPS luminaires. GROWLIGHTENGINE® LEDs consume less and give more light.
Boost your productivity up to 30%
Experience has shown that when changing from HPS luminaires to GROWLIGHTENGINE® you can boost your productivity with 30%. When replacing your traditional HPS luminaires with the same amount of power of GROWLIGHTENGINE®, you can achieve up to 30% more yield.
Productivity after adding LED lighting
We believe that GROWLIGHTENGINE® is the best horticultural LED light on the market. When adding GROWLIGHTENGINE® luminaires to a crop with no additional lighting, you can achieve 10 times more yield.
The most economical and ecological option during its lifespan
GROWLIGHTENGINE® is maintenance free for 10 years of constant use. Light decreases only 20% in 40 000 hours. The most important feature being is that during this time the spectrum doesn’t change.
POWER SPECTRUM TECHNOLOGY
GROWLIGHTENGINE® features a refined full-power spectrum suitable for growing all kinds of plants. With this spectrum you’ll grow healthy, well- formed plants from seed to flowering and fruiting.
High-quality lens
Create a uniform lighting setup for your crops. While most grow lights use a narrower lens or no lens at all, the GROWLIGHTENGINE® lens is made from high-quality borosilicate glass, which transmits 97% of the light and the spectrum evenly.
The lens with a beam angle of 120° covers a wide round area. Properly installed, it creates an intense uniformity of light. If the luminaire is hanged at 1,2m of height, it will cover a 14 m2 area.
PPFD cone
As you can see, GROWLIGHTENGINE® 2.0 light is powerful. The minimum distance from the plant is 30cm.
Less shade
GROWLIGHTENGINE® luminaires are designed to minimize the shade on your greenhouse. Don't loose any more sunlight.