Secret Jardin - TNOLED 2x40W Bloom

The TNOLED 2x40W Bloom is a set of two 90 cm flowering strips in one fixture, 80 watts together at an efficiency of 2.4 µmol/J, for an area of 90 × 60 cm.

Why a bloom spectrum measures lower than a growth one

Put the two versions of this set side by side and a difference stands out: the growth version reaches 2.7 µmol/J and this one 2.4. Same build, same wattage, same brand. It is nonetheless not a sign that the bloom version is less well made.

Micromoles per joule counts photons, not usefulness. A photon detector does not ask whether a plant can use them, it counts how many particles of light come out per joule. And how many photons you get per joule depends on colour: red light needs less energy per photon than blue, while the diodes producing that red have their own efficiency in turn. A spectrum tuned to flowering therefore lands on a different number from a cool white growth spectrum, even when both are equally well made.

What to take from that: compare µmol/J between lamps of a comparable spectrum. Setting a bloom lamp against a growth lamp on this one figure is apples and pears, and it produces the wrong conclusion, namely that you would do better hanging a growth lamp during flowering.

For this set it is 90 × 60 cm during flowering and fruiting, with two strips that blend neatly into one another at short hanging distances.

Technical Specifications:

• Model: TNO80BL
• Power: 80 W total, 2 × 40 W
• Length per strip: 90 cm
• Spectrum: tuned to flowering and fruit set
• Efficiency: 2.4 µmol/J
• Lit area: 90 × 60 cm
• Supply voltage: 24 V

Frequently asked questions

Is this set less efficient than the growth version?
In µmol/J yes, but that comes from the spectrum. It says nothing about build quality.

Should I hang the growth version during flowering then?
No. You would get more photons in the wrong colour, which is of little use to a flowering crop.

What may I compare this figure against?
Other flowering lamps. Compare µmol/J between lamps of a comparable spectrum.

What area is this set meant for?
Roughly 90 × 60 cm during flowering and fruiting.

Video