These standard LED light fixtures were the first type available for growing, and today, they’re still widely available. These lights contain a lot, sometimes hundreds, of small to medium wattage LEDs (3–5 watts per single LED) in a compact fixture. Cannabis growers sometimes refer to these as “purple” lights, as they often comprise a mix of red and blue LEDs that combine to emit a purple hue.

The biggest advantage of these standard marijuana grow lights is their price point. Most are manufactured overseas, and you can find them aplenty on eBay and other places online. A disadvantage is that their quality is often lacking; they can be less than reliable, and their light output is often lower than other types of LEDs, leading to lower yields. To remedy this, we’re now seeing standard LEDs begin to include COB LED lights or UV LEDs in addition to the red and blue, which can help with yield and bud quality.
COB means “chip on board”. A COB LED is made of many hundreds of tiny powerful led grow light on one single small chip, as opposed to differently coloured LEDs spread over the entire fixture (as is the case above). COBs are among the most efficient LEDs. They produce a very intense white light that is similar to the natural light spectrum of the sun. One advantage of COBs is that they have good penetration into the plant canopy due to their intensity, resulting in a final yield approaching that of quality HID lamps. They also have a light spectrum that is optimal for healthy growth, and are very energy-efficient.
The drawback can be that a quality grow light with COB LEDs is quite expensive compared to cheaper purple lights. Some grow light manufacturers combine several COB LEDs into one fixture, often equipping them with lenses and reflectors. There are also lights available that are comprised of only one single COB. These single-COB fixtures can be a good choice for larger growing spaces, as you can space a number of them evenly for light distribution across the entire area. Most growers use COB LEDs with a light spectrum that works both for vegging and flowering, but you can also find those with a spectrum (“colour temperature”) tuned specifically to vegging or flowering.
Spread-style LEDs are comprised of a large number of small LEDs that are spread out on a larger panel or board. There are also spider-style LEDs and rack-style LED lights, which are widely used in commercial greenhouses. The spider-style LED lights don’t use flat panels, but spider-like “arms” with LEDs instead.The main advantage of spread-style grow lights is that they are among the most energy-efficient LEDs, which means you can get the most light for the wattage you’re using. A disadvantage is that quality spread-style LEDs, such as the spider-style lights, can be extremely expensive.
These standard LED light fixtures were the first type available for growing, and today, they’re still widely available. These lights contain a lot, sometimes hundreds, of small to medium wattage LEDs (3–5 watts per single LED) in a compact fixture. Cannabis growers sometimes refer to these as “purple” lights, as they often comprise a mix of red and blue LEDs that combine to emit a purple hue.
The biggest advantage of these standard led grow lights samsung is their price point. Most are manufactured overseas, and you can find them aplenty on eBay and other places online. A disadvantage is that their quality is often lacking; they can be less than reliable, and their light output is often lower than other types of LEDs, leading to lower yields. To remedy this, we’re now seeing standard LEDs begin to include COB LED lights or UV LEDs in addition to the red and blue, which can help with yield and bud quality.