A particularly controversial topic in the DIY and indoor garden community is the question of which chip is better: the established LM301B or Samsung's new horticulture version, the LM301H? Is the new name in the end just marketing?
Samsung Horticulture LEDs
The first Samsung LEDs built on large area LED boards for plant lamps were the LM561C. Equipped with the new flip-chip technology, the successor LM301B was able to increase the efficiency levels for white LEDs once again, thus finally heralding the triumphant advance of mid-power LEDs in the horticulture sector.
With the growing popularity of Samsung's LED products among growers, it is no wonder that the company is trying to further develop this market. This was first indicated when Samsung published the PPF values for LM301B (more on this later). From then on it didn't take long - and the semiconductor manufacturer from South Korea announced its own horticulture version of the LM301 design in spring 2019.
But now comes the exciting question: LM301H vs LM301B - which LED is better for plant lamps?
Update from May 2021
Samsung has broken it down. Which is better, LM301H or LM301B? Those who want to know immediately can read more directly here.
LM301H - This is what the manufacturer advertises:
- Photosynthetic photon efficiency of 3.10 µmol/J at 65 mA (applies to the cold white 5000K version)
- Anti-sulfur coating
According to the data sheet, the LM301H LED has the same electrical and optical characteristics as the LM301B variant. It is available in different colour temperatures from 2200K to 6500K and in colour rendering index CRI 70-90.
Another variant with the designation LM301H One is now also available.
The About the LM301H One are rather average:
- Photosynthetic photon efficiency of 2,75 µmol/J at 65 m
- Single package solution for leafy vegetables
This special variant has a modified spectrum, which we will analyse in more detail in another article. Noticeable is the low power in the blue range, while the green-yellowish to red spectrum is more strongly weighted. According to Samsung, this should make it possible to grow lettuce well. However, the efficiency is disappointing, which doesn't do justice to the LM301 series.
LM301H vs. LM301B: a question of efficiency?
Since Samsung announced the new LED called LM301H, rumors and speculation have been spreading about the new product. In the DIY LED community there are more and more voices claiming that the new model is merely a label change. They say that the chips with the "H" are basically the same as those with the "B".
There is indeed much to suggest that For example, there is no significant difference to be seen in the data sheets of the two LM301 variants. A glance at Samsung's press releases nevertheless raised hope that the technology of the Horticulture version contains a fundamental innovation. Or is it just a listing of plant lighting specifications and a sulphur-resistant coating?
Official Samsung statements point to higher efficiency
After Samsung recognized that its LEDs for plant lighting are very competitive, the PPF / PPE values for the "normal" flagship, the LM301B, will first be released in 2018. The stated 2.92 µmol/J are impressive!
"[...] Samsung has added horticulture specifications to its mid-power packages - LM301BLM561C, and two linear modules - Q-series and H inFlux. These LED component families now include PPF values of 0.52μmol/s (65mA)0.49μmol/s (65mA), 24μmol/s (0.45A, 21.9V) and 114μmol/s (1.38A, 46.9V), respectively.
In addition, the white LED packages and modules feature extremely high light efficacy of 2.92 micromoles per joule (μmol/J) (65mA)2.72μmol/J (65mA), 2.72μmol/J (0.45A, 21.9V) and 1.76μmol/J (1.38A, 46.9V [...]".
But not quite a year later it is announced that the LM301H - the "specialized solution" for horticulture - even achieves 3.1 µmol/J!
Press release dated 23 April 2019
"At 3.10 micromoles per joule (μmol/J), the newly introduced LM301H now features the highest photon efficacy** among today's mid-power white LED packages.
Samsung is able to achieve this advancement in photon efficiency by optimizing the chip's light-emitting layer to convert electrical energy into photons with greater efficiency, while an improvement in chip structure minimizes light loss, delivering more light to plants. Titanium dioxide around the chip also ensures higher durability when exposed to agricultural chemicals.
Samsung LM301B vs. LM301H under test
How did this increase of 6% come about? For an objective comparison, extensive measurements in an integrating sphere are necessary. However, a simple PPFD test can already provide a small clue and fortunately we are able to do this ourselves.
With the Apogee SQ-520 PPFD sensor and a small box, we wanted to compare the different Samsung LEDs under the most reproducible conditions possible.
In the first generation FLUXengine, the proven LM301B are installed, while from 2020 we will be using the FLUXengine v2 on the new LM301H.
In the comparison we simply let the first generation of the FLUXengine compete against the FLUXengine v2: 140x LM301B against 140x LM301H.
By the way, the third generation of our LED module is now available: FLUXengine Evo. Of course, we continue to use Samsung LM301H in the SL Bin.
Advantage for the newcomers?
In fact, a lead of the FLUXengine v2 could be determined in the test.
With a current of 1000 mA the sensor of the FLUXengine showed 667 µmol, while the display of the FLUXengine v2 even showed 698 µmol. In addition, the FLUXengine with LM301B dropped a little more voltage, so that the bottom line was a higher efficiency of almost 5%.
The sorting makes the difference
However, this 5%ige difference is not necessarily due to the better LM301H. The first generation FLUXengines were equipped with unsorted LM301B. For the successor we decided to use the higher quality SL-Bin sorting. The difference corresponds almost exactly to the measured 5 %s! The "average" SK Bin delivers an average of 37 lm at 65 mA, while the SL Bin delivers an average of 39 lm (unfortunately only lumen values are given).
Which Samsung LED chip is better suited for grow LEDs?
We could only measure with simple test equipment, so the results are subject to various uncertainties. At first glance, however, it is still not possible to confirm that the LM301H is the better choice for grow LEDs.
The difference between our LM301B and LM301H is probably due to the stricter sorting and not to any particular innovation by Samsung. How the contradictory press releases come about remains a mystery.
But there is one good thing we can gain from this: It has been confirmed that the LM301H SL Bin are extremely efficient LEDs, which in this case even surpassed the very good LM301B.
The bottom line is that when comparing Samsung LEDs, it makes more sense to look for the highest possible bin than for the suffix -H or -B. In other words: LM301H and LM301B = both super! SL Bin = even better!
You can use our FLUXengine with Samsung LM301H in SL Bin now also buy on Amazon by the way.
Update: LM301 Evo is coming - the confusion about the two LM301 types is over
In fact, it has been confirmed that the introduction of the LM301H only serves to differentiate the "horticulture" from the general lighting market. Technically, it is the same product. As shown in our tests, it is only the better binning that matters more. Special features such as increased sulphur resistance are also characteristics of both product types.
In future, however, specialised spectra will be marketed under the LM301H designation, as was already the case with the LM301H One. The latest product is the LM301H Evo. You can find out all the details in the following article:
LM301H Evo - new Horticulture LEDs
24 November 20212 Comments
With its new LM301H Evo Samsung continues what it has started with LM301B and LM301H mid-power LEDs which are the dominating in the market for high efficiency grow lights. Now a new chapter follows with the LM301H Evo, which allows us to develop some great new solutions for grow lighting.
Read more »
FAQs
Is LM301H better than LM301B? ›
But there is one good thing we can gain from this: It has been confirmed that the LM301H SL Bin are extremely efficient LEDs, which in this case even surpassed the very good LM301B.
What are the best LED diodes for growing? ›- Best For Medium Coverage: Spider Farmer SF-2000 LED Grow Light.
- Best Accessories: MARS HYDRO LED Grow Light.
- Best For Large Coverage: Spider Farmer SF-4000 LED Grow Light.
- Best Tubular Lights: Barrina Plant Grow Lights.
- Best For Small Coverage: VIPARSPECTRA LED Grow Light.
| WATTAGE | 800W±5%@100-277V |
|---|---|
| Chip Brand | Samsung Lm301B |
| Spectrum | 660-665nm,2800-3000K,4800-5000K |
| Max Yield | 3.0g/W |
| Voltage | AC100-277V |
You will not be disappointed! Best grow light for the price on the market. So far the best light for the price. If I was gonna compare it to a top dollar light it's almost an HLG 660 r light except has a better driver than hlg.
What LED lights do professional growers use? ›Today, the most widely used lights for professional use are HIDs and fluorescents. Indoor flower and vegetable growers typically use high-pressure sodium (HPS/SON) and metal halide (MH) HID lights, but fluorescents and LEDs are replacing metal halides due to their efficiency and economy.
What is the highest yielding grow light? ›For the biggest yield, you must use High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting. Metal Halide (MH) or High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights are the indoor grower's choice for plant production and heavy harvests.
What grow lights do dispensaries use? ›HID (high-intensity discharge) grow lights are somewhat of a gold standard in the cannabis cultivation industry. Many growers swear by HID lighting and believe that they produce the best and biggest yields. There are two main types of HID lights: MH (metal halide), and HPS (high pressure sodium) lights.
What LEDs do commercial growers use? ›CMH grow lights are becoming popular amongst commercial cultivators and hobby growers because they use up to 30% less energy and provide the same PAR/watt, or PFF performance as traditional MH & HPS Grow Lights while also producing less heat which requires less grow room air conditioning.
What color LED light is best for plant growth? ›Most LED growing lights offer both types of color spectrum lighting, so you can get all the benefits. TIP: Violet-blue light promotes plant growth and red light promotes plant budding.
How many lumens do I need for a grow room? ›Light Brightness and Lumens
Vegetable seedlings and other “full sun” plants require about 2000 to 3000 lumens (at minimum) per square foot of growing space. So, if you're growing just a single standard tray of seedlings, using a grow light that emits 3000 lumens is sufficient.
What color LED is best for flowering? ›
Grow Light Spectrum by Type. Certain light spectrums trigger growth characteristics in plants. In general, blue light spectrums encourage vegetative and structural growth and red light promotes flowering, fruit, leaf growth, and stem elongation.
Which LED chip is the brightest? ›What is the brightest LED type? Yes, as you can see by the table above, 5630 LEDs are by far the brightest, but it is not due simply to a larger lighting surface.
What is the most efficient LED chip? ›2835 SMD CHIP
A newer led chip on the market named the 2835 led chip and is seen as even more efficient than 5050 led chip for 20% more light with using less wattage. It also has the benefit of not getting as hot because it is smaller.
The Samsung LM301B is probably the most popular LED chip in recent years. Its outstanding efficiency makes the difference. But the successor is already in the starting blocks.
How bright is 300watts? ›The 300w LED light is manufactured to produce light intensity around 40,000 lumens. The light produced from these lumens can be 5000K pure white or 3000K warm white which is a yellow brownish color. Therefore, you do not have to worry about other lights' coloring index and glare effect.
How many watts is a Samsung 301B? ›Yes very happy with the 600w Samsung LM 301B from the adjustable Dimmer Low Beam to the full on Brightness ,Came well packaged, I'd Recommend to other's ,also Delivery was supper fast . I would purchase again .
What wattage is best for LED grow lights? ›As a rule of thumb, aim for 20 to 40 watts per square foot.
Do grow lights increase your electric bill? ›A light system will increase your electricity cost -- the exact amount depends on the size of the system and the number of hours operated. However, since most grow lights are so energy efficient, you are getting huge amounts of light (and growing power) for your money!
How many plants can a 1000w LED light grow? ›This HPS and MH grow light kit will provide the necessary lumens to up to 6 plants in a 5x5 grow tent through the vegging and flowering stages. The power of this 1000w light is perfect for providing the coverage and depth to reach all of your plants.
What yields more HPS or LEDs? ›LEDs have much higher efficacy than HPS lights. LEDs are much more efficient than HPS lamps, which allows them to use lesser watts to achieve the same or higher output. The VOLT Grow® 720W FL-1 light produces a higher light output than a standard 1000W HPS light while using 30% less power.
Can a grow light be too strong? ›
Intense, direct light is great for some plants, but it will damage (or even kill others). The plant isn't able to convert all of the light into consumable energy, and the excess creates a heat issue over time. The plant might use available water to cool itself, which creates a moisture shortage as well.
What is the highest yielding feminized seeds? ›The highest yielding feminized seeds are Blue Dream and Runtz Muffin as they can yield as much as 850 g and 1000 g a plant when grown outdoors.
When should you stop using grow lights? ›Seedling Daily Light Needs
Leave the grow lights on for 14 to 16 hours per day to provide light for the young seedlings. It's best to turn the light on early in the morning and turn it off around dusk. Your seedlings will still thrive if you deviate from this schedule.
Blue light helps plants produce chlorophyll, the pigment they need to grow. It also helps encourage germination and root development in young plants and seedlings. Red light regulates plant growth and helps plants produce flowers and fruit. Green light helps maximize photosynthesis.
What color light is best for root growth? ›Blue light is essential during a plant's germination phase. Stronger concentrations of blue light will encourage sprouting and development of strong roots.
Do plants prefer white or blue light? ›Plants preferentially absorb red and blue light. Much of the light produced by "white" LEDs are in spectra (colors) that plants do not use.
Can you put too much light in a grow tent? ›Too much light can harm cannabis plants, and a thoughtful grower needs to be strategic about the placement and strength of light sources in a greenhouse environment.
What is the best lumens for flowering? ›Ideally, a marijuana plant should have 4,500 lumens to ensure maximum growth. A 4,500-lumen bulb will cover a 3x3-foot space with adequate lighting. Cannabis plants are dependent upon precise light/dark ratios in order to adequately flower and produce an ample harvest.
How far should a 2000 watt LED light be from plants? ›For established plants, they are already where they need to be in order to thrive. During the flowering stage LED Grow lights should be located between 16-36 inches from the plant canopy. Moving the grow light closer will increase the light intensity which can maximize photosynthesis.
Do plants flower faster under LED? ›Faster flowering can result in significant savings and better profitability for plant breeders. Various conditions can affect the flowering speed, but the quality of the light spectrum is probably the most important.
What light brightness makes plants grow the best? ›
The first thing to know is that plants typically absorb red and blue light. And natural sunlight is in the range of 2,700 to 7,000 Kelvin. So, as a general rule of thumb, if you're looking to promote vegetative growth, pick lights ranging between 5,000 and 7,000 Kelvin.
Can LED lights be too bright for plants? ›It is true that your seedlings need bright light to grow healthy and strong—but, too bright a LED light could actually damage them if it's too close – plus, seedlings also need a period of darkness in order to thrive.
Are 3030 LED chips good? ›It not only produces the highest light output but also has the best flux performance. The 3030 SMD can be driven by a large current, and can effectively dissipate heat. These LED Chips can work under various environmental conditions and are suitable for industrial and commercial lighting applications.
Which LED is the strongest? ›300 watt Aries 3 E39 LED Light Bulb: This is the brightest Light bulb made. It has almost 40,000 lumens with a high efficiency of 138 lumen/watt. It also provides 360 degree lighting and is ideal for replacement of 1000 watt HID/HPS/Metal halide or CFL fixtures.
What is a 3030 LED chip? ›This mid power LED is hot-color targeted which ensures that the LEDs fall within their specified color bin at the typical application conditions of 85°C. With its broad lumen coverage and wide range of CCT options, the SMD 3030 provides unparalleled design-in flexibility for indoor and outdoor lighting applications.
What is the newest most efficient lighting technology? ›The light-emitting diode (LED) is today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technology.
What is the most efficient LED color? ›The most efficacious LEDs have very high correlated color temperatures (CCTs), often above 5000K, producing a “cold” bluish light. However, warm white LEDs (2600K to 3500K) have improved significantly, now approaching the efficacy of CFLs.
What is the most powerful LED headlight bulb? ›- GTR Lighting Ultra Series 2 Low beam – 950 Max Lux. ...
- S-V.4 LED Headlight Low beam – 850 Max Lux. F3 Low beam – 790 Max Lux. ...
- Diode Dynamics SL1 Low beam – 590 Max Lux. Auxbeam T1 Low beam – 420 Max Lux. Headlight Experts Low beam – 370 Max Lux. ...
- GTR Lighting CSP Mini Low beam – 420 Max Lux. SNGL SH55U2 Low beam – 510 Max Lux.
Philips, Havells, Bajaj, Wipro, and Syska are some of the best brands that offer ceiling lights.
What is the best light technology? ›The light-emitting diode (LED) is today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technology.
What is the most flattering LED light? ›
The higher the Kelvin, the bluer or whiter the light. People tend to look the best when illuminated by light bulbs that measure around 2700 kelvins.
What are the disadvantages of LED light strips? ›- Depreciate in Brightness.
- Initial High(er) Cost.
- Subtle Light Differences.
- Our Recommendation.
The 24v strip suffers less voltage drop than the 12v type. While the usual length-limit for a 12v strip would be 5m (powered from one end), a 24v can be run further, maybe 7m powered from one end. So if you need longer runs, you would choose the 24v type.
What is the most advanced LED? ›300 watt Aries 3 E39 LED Light Bulb: This is the brightest Light bulb made. It has almost 40,000 lumens with a high efficiency of 138 lumen/watt. It also provides 360 degree lighting and is ideal for replacement of 1000 watt HID/HPS/Metal halide or CFL fixtures.
Is there anything better than LED? ›CFL bulbs. Condensed fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are the biggest competitor to LED lighting and LED light bulbs.
Does LED lights increase electric bill? ›Does energy savings on the electric bill support switching to LEDs? Yes! LED lights consume 80-90% less energy than incandescent bulbs, and last up to 100,000 hours, versus 3,000 hours for an incandescent. Combine this with the durable construction of LEDs, and savings extend beyond electricity.
What are SMD LED chips? ›The abbreviation SMD refers to a 'Surface Mounted Device'. That means this is an LED Chip (device) mounted directly to a light strip, without using wires. This surface mounting technology is indeed what makes LED Light Strips possible. The numbers after the SMD simply refer to the physical size of the LED Chip.
What is a chip LED? ›LED chips are electronic components that emit light directly. In short, an LED chip is a small LED panel. The LEDs are small and together they create a bright, intense light light image. One of the properties of a diode is that it conducts current on the one hand and blocks steam on the other.
What are CSP LED chips? ›Chip Scale Package (CSP) LEDs are lambertian emitters presenting the highest luminance at smallest size available on the market. Their superior quality without bond wires or need for spacing makes them the perfect fit for dense clustering and high luminous flux output.