Looks like if I want a good LED light, I'm going to have to pony-up the money. Once again, you get what you pay for. I've given up on the idea of building my COB LED array. I've got other stuff to do.
So here are the three I'm going to choose from...
Rapid LED CXB3590 4' X 4' LED Grow Kit - 12 x Cree COB LED array ($764)
Amare SolarECLIPSE SE 500 - 6 x COB LED combo ($1075)
HLG 550 V2 R Spec - Sammy LEDs ($849)
I'll be using whichever one I get in a 4x4 tent. I may get two of the half-sized versions, instead of the single large one, so I can spread them apart.
Opinions?
Amare is a great choice. In a 5x5 the SE-500 is very nice. I own the SE-450 Powered to 480.
But for coverage of a 5x5, x2 , Pro-4's destroy it.
Now they have lights you cant view on the site yet.
Lightweight Bar-8 design as well as a UVA+B model.
The Bar-8 's are more efficient then the COB lights & cover the most evenly out of all current options available.
Amare is the king of Spectrum Imo. NOt to be confused w/ SpectrumKing.
Reason being is all the testing they've done has lead them to provide the fullest spectrum. Which in turn leads to massive Bag appeal, plants finishing on time, larger yields with higher terps/flava.
I would not consider purchasing anything plain white if i were you.
If it does not include IR , it is not a Horticultural grade light IMO.
The lights with white, 660 & 730 do pretty well to. But i would Not get one that lacks the IR.
Many companies fail to incorporate it do to the par meters not picking up nm's beyond 700 or below 400nm. Which is wrong. So in order to be able to write the highest efficiency #'s on the websites , they ignore much needed nm's/colors.
Apogee is releasing a meter that picks up a wider range & that will change how many of these companies perceive Par.
Gonna be an eye opener fir HPS/MH/CMH efficiency #'s as well.
Goodluck!