Quote Originally Posted by Kirker
If one were shopping for LED lighting, what would look for or ask for or otherwise be aware of to ensure they were getting "SMT diodes"?? Also, are there LED panels that lean either way by design to either the blue or red ends of the color spectrum?? Lastly, I hear things like "tri-band" and "UFO" and "muti-band" (or something) and such, any English translations??

:rastasmoke:
It's easy to tell a surface-mounted diode. They're the only type used in quality panels. Any UFO panel is using SMD (SMT is surface-mount technology, SMD is surface-mount diode) and thus you have a panel using SMT. SMT is the class of technology, SMD is a type of that tech. Cell phones are one example of things that use a lot of SMT, laptops are another.

In my personal opinion, avoid white diodes in any panel. Quad band versus tri-band, as far as I've seen there's no notable difference, and I've really seen no difference versus panels that add UV or IR to the mix. Avoid 7:1:1 ratios like the plague (panels that lean too heavily towards red,) you want panels with more balance. Don't get greater than 120 degree beam angle, and don't get narrower than 45 degree unless you're wanting to focus all of your power into a narrow space for a small amount of larger plants.

tri-band means three specific wavelengths are targeted. UFO is just a sort of light that's round and was called the UFO light originally.

If you go for blue-heavy panels, make sure blue is no higher than 60% of the overall amount of light. You still need red for flowering.

happy growing!