What's the Differences between SMD & COB LED?

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Have you wondered about the actual light source of an LED downlight?
The 2 most popular types of LED downlights are SMD (Surface Mount Diode) and COB (Chip on Board) downlights. They both produce high quality light, have high life expectancy and are extremely efficient.

What is SMD (Surface Mount Diode)?

SMDs are more efficient than COBs because the light source produces higher lumens per watt, which means that they produce more light with a lower wattage.

They produce a wider beam of light which is spread over a greater area. This means that less material is needed for the heat sink, which in turn means that they are more economical. The manufacturing procedure to make them is more expensive as the SMD diodes (LED chips) are machine printed on a PCB board. Most domestic downlights use SMD LED’s. SMD downlights are covered with a frosted reflector which hides the LED chip array, and spreads the light evenly.

What is COB (Chip on Board)?

A Chip On Board LED Downlight consists of a single LED chip, mounted on the downlight, compared to an array of LED’s like an SMD. As the single cluster of LED’s are mounted in one point, they require greater cooling, so a larger heat sink, usually made of aluminium, must be mounted to dissipate the heat. As more material is required to manufacture a COB LED heat sink, this usually increases the cost slightly.

What are the Advantages of Both?

Benefits of COB

COB downlights provide a better light source. It achieves a more focused light and with the use of reflectors, the light beam can be controlled. Chrome reflectors surrounding the diode can be replaced and set at different angles to make the light beam narrower or wider. Due to the narrow beam and with the use of reflectors that are usually clear, COB lights generate crisper and cleaner as there is no frosting on the lenses. which cuts down the clarity of the LED light. Due to the clear lenses, more light can penetrate further which means they perform well in rooms with high ceilings.

Benefits of SMD

SMD downlights produce a wide spread of light. It floods light everywhere which in turn means there is a higher glare. Their wide beam angle means they are suitable for larger rooms like living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms.

How can You Tell the Difference?

SMDs are hidden by a frosted acrylic lens. The face is usually bigger. COBs faces are exposed to show the one chip. In most cases, they are designed to look like traditional dichroic halogen globes.

For more information, please visit smd led uv.

So,

JD Lighting hopes to have cleared up some of the mystery behind LED downlights. Shop with the safe knowledge that JD Lighting only deals with top quality downlights!

Top Banner Image: Right: Lampada COB Downlight - has an anti-glare lens, it is recessed so that the light source is hidden.
Left: Tradetec Arte SMD Downlight - is an affordable, high lumen output, super-efficient downlight.)

LED lighting has become an essential in current times with the cost-of-living increase and the energy price cap rise, energy efficient, cost effective and long-lasting lighting is more than ever a necessity or your home or commercial space. However, do you know the different types of LED, and which is the most appropriate for which space? Read on to learn more about COB and SMD LEDs to ensure you have the right fit for your needs.

What is a COB LED?

COB stands for Chip on Board

COB LEDs feature multiple light diodes packed closely together on the printed circuit board, requiring it to have a heat sink in the middle made of aluminium, used to dissipate heat products by the lights. This means that it can live in high temperatures for a longer amount of time making it a better choice for high pressure environments like street lighting and industrial lighting. However, this leads to more inbuilt cooling capacity than SMDs being needed for COBs. It also means that they are more energy efficient, producing about 80 Lumens per watt in comparison to SMDs producing around 50 Lumens per watt.

Chip on Board LEDs tend to be a more higher quality light source as they use reflectors to provide a more uniform, bright, and high-quality illumination. They also don’t feature the frosted lenses that come with SMD LED Lights. This means you can expect a more crisp and clear light with no glare that is ideal for rooms with higher ceilings. As a result, these LEDs are referred to as higher end lights and are used for a more architectural look and are best for long-term living in the property they are installed in. They are also very popular with filmmakers and photographers due to the uniform luminosity and wide-angle beam.

What is an SMD LED?

SMD stands for Surface Mounted Devices. SMDs are the most common types of LED in the market, this is because they are mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board, featuring a compact design that is almost identical to flat, square computer chips.

Whereas SMD LEDs do not tend to be quite as energy efficient as COB LEDs, they are still a very energy efficient option compared to non-LED bulbs and offers a wider range of colour temperature from 3000K warm white to 6000K daylight white, whereas COB LEDs are usually just the one colour temperature.

SMD lights are also best used as a point light due to it having a glare as a result of multiple surface mounted light sources, causing a coupling effect. As a result, SMD lighting is usually best suited for signage in bars, clubs, hotels, and restaurants, as well as use in outdoor wall lighting and spotlights in general. Ideal for use in bathrooms and kitchens as task lighting.

What suits your property best COB or SMD?

We hope that this guide has helped you understand the differences between COB and SMD LEDs, and has helped you weigh up the pros and cons of each to decide which light is the best fit for your home. From bright bathroom, outdoor, and spotlighting, to softer table lamps, floor lamps and ceiling lights you can guarantee that Litecraft has an LED light fitting to suit you.

For more top tips, guides, and styling inspiration why not check out the main Litecraft blog page here and give some of our other blogs a read. Alternatively, if you’re looking to see gorgeous photo shoots and all the latest with trending interior décor styles, head over to our social media pages and give us a follow @litecraftlighting.

For more cob led chip specsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.