LEDs - Good, Bad or just another addiction?
- Thread starter pecan2phat
- Start date
- Location
- poughquag, ny
and when u dont lke them plz lmk lol was going to hop on the bus to get one and thought of getting two for my reef
I don't know about these chinese fixtures man. Marinedepot pretty much carry the same product.
I don't even know what's real or fake anymore.
Take a look at these Blue Moon Aquatic fixtures.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewi...idproduct=UU1111&idcategory=FILTFILDTN-UU1111
I don't even know what's real or fake anymore.
Take a look at these Blue Moon Aquatic fixtures.
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewi...idproduct=UU1111&idcategory=FILTFILDTN-UU1111
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
i hear you aznt.with t-5 and mh you know the companys that are great and reliable.with the LEDs you just dont know what your getting yet
- Location
- Flushing, NY
Well, don't expect to pay only a few hundred and get excellent quality LED's.
There will always be people that want to skimp out on their equipment to save money and hope for the best. The same can be said about T5's and MH. For me, you generally want to know the details such as what parts (bulbs, ballast, and reflector primarily can almost any light you buy and know the differences) are included so you know what kind of quality its outputting.
There is always a whole lot of info online on most known manufacturers with people testing PAR values so there is really no reason to say you don't know what you're getting unless you want to try a new brand nobody has heard of, but if you went that route, you would almost definitely want more details on the build unless you like taking a blind gamble. The only question is, how much time are you willing to research into your lights? There are people who like to just take the first recommendation they get, and others want to know every model and chose the one that best suits them.
I personally prefer building my own. That's what I did with my T5's. That's what I'm going to do with my LED's. I'm far from an electrical expert and its really not that hard if you put time into it.
There will always be people that want to skimp out on their equipment to save money and hope for the best. The same can be said about T5's and MH. For me, you generally want to know the details such as what parts (bulbs, ballast, and reflector primarily can almost any light you buy and know the differences) are included so you know what kind of quality its outputting.
There is always a whole lot of info online on most known manufacturers with people testing PAR values so there is really no reason to say you don't know what you're getting unless you want to try a new brand nobody has heard of, but if you went that route, you would almost definitely want more details on the build unless you like taking a blind gamble. The only question is, how much time are you willing to research into your lights? There are people who like to just take the first recommendation they get, and others want to know every model and chose the one that best suits them.
I personally prefer building my own. That's what I did with my T5's. That's what I'm going to do with my LED's. I'm far from an electrical expert and its really not that hard if you put time into it.
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off topic but on topic at the same time:
Anyone have an opinion or experience on these light bulbs for household use? I have about 20 of these types of bulbs throughout the house. I have already swapped out to the CF version of the lamps and I'm not happy with them at all. They take for ever to warm up and I've already had at least 8 crap out (@$9 a piece).
My only concern is that the philips leds run $30 a piece, so swapping out 20 would cost $500. I don't mind laying out the money as long as I know the bulb is going to last the rated 16000 hours. Yes they are warrantied for 5 years but who the heck keeps receipts and packaging bar codes for 5 years?
BTW payback on these bulbs is amazing:
LED--> 16000/1000 x 4 watts x .22 kWh = $14 in electricity. Total cost is $30 + $14 = $44.
HALOGEN---> 2000/1000 x 35 x .22 cents kWh = $15.40 in electricity cost per bulb, but you then need to buy 8 of them to be the same as the LED. $5 (bulb)+ $15.40(electric) x 8 = $163 to use a halogen bulb.
So $44 as opposed to $163.
Anyone have an opinion or experience on these light bulbs for household use? I have about 20 of these types of bulbs throughout the house. I have already swapped out to the CF version of the lamps and I'm not happy with them at all. They take for ever to warm up and I've already had at least 8 crap out (@$9 a piece).
My only concern is that the philips leds run $30 a piece, so swapping out 20 would cost $500. I don't mind laying out the money as long as I know the bulb is going to last the rated 16000 hours. Yes they are warrantied for 5 years but who the heck keeps receipts and packaging bar codes for 5 years?
BTW payback on these bulbs is amazing:
LED--> 16000/1000 x 4 watts x .22 kWh = $14 in electricity. Total cost is $30 + $14 = $44.
HALOGEN---> 2000/1000 x 35 x .22 cents kWh = $15.40 in electricity cost per bulb, but you then need to buy 8 of them to be the same as the LED. $5 (bulb)+ $15.40(electric) x 8 = $163 to use a halogen bulb.
So $44 as opposed to $163.
- Location
- Wallingford, CT
Cali,
No PAR meter cause I'm a broke a$$ reefer.
Rick,
I bought those Chinese LEDs as backups in case any of my other LED fixtures go down so they will probably see more closet time then anything else.
Ted,
Big difference between a $1k Python and these no frills modules. I really don't think that there is comparison value at all but wanted to show viewers what is at the low end of the spectrum.
Yes Marine Depot started carrying those Blue Moon fixtures but they are also $500 vs $226.
Ming,
By no means do I promote any one specific light over another. Again, it is what meets your needs and wallet.
Some people will never and I do mean never, shell out thousands to light up their tank whether they can't financially or due to principles but if I had a fowlr, I would whole heartedly consider a $226 cheap LED unit over a T5 unit and even if I was proficient in skills for DIY, I bet that it would take more then $226 to build a unit with 119 one watt units.
No PAR meter cause I'm a broke a$$ reefer.
Rick,
I bought those Chinese LEDs as backups in case any of my other LED fixtures go down so they will probably see more closet time then anything else.
Ted,
Big difference between a $1k Python and these no frills modules. I really don't think that there is comparison value at all but wanted to show viewers what is at the low end of the spectrum.
Yes Marine Depot started carrying those Blue Moon fixtures but they are also $500 vs $226.
Ming,
By no means do I promote any one specific light over another. Again, it is what meets your needs and wallet.
Some people will never and I do mean never, shell out thousands to light up their tank whether they can't financially or due to principles but if I had a fowlr, I would whole heartedly consider a $226 cheap LED unit over a T5 unit and even if I was proficient in skills for DIY, I bet that it would take more then $226 to build a unit with 119 one watt units.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
pecan really interested in what you think, i know a couple of other guys got them as well and would like to see opinions of them before i jump and buy them myself
- Location
- Wallingford, CT
Rick,
Here's a shot where one side is a PS Python at 100% and the other is the no frills chinese LED lamp:
So first impression is that difference is hard to tell but upon closer evaulation, you can see that one side is a tad dimmer based on looking at the back pane on either sides of the center overflow and also from the trailing edge of the overflow box.
PS Python is on the right & cheap chinese LED is on the left.
In defense of the chinese LED lamp, we did have 4 rows (28 LEDs) switched out from blues to actinics so the brightness of the overall lamp was effected.
Here's a shot where one side is a PS Python at 100% and the other is the no frills chinese LED lamp:
So first impression is that difference is hard to tell but upon closer evaulation, you can see that one side is a tad dimmer based on looking at the back pane on either sides of the center overflow and also from the trailing edge of the overflow box.
PS Python is on the right & cheap chinese LED is on the left.
In defense of the chinese LED lamp, we did have 4 rows (28 LEDs) switched out from blues to actinics so the brightness of the overall lamp was effected.
Warren you're a symmetry freak. The tank looks good dude. Do you have any macros or top down shots of SPS?
OCD'd...
I am surprised he didn't get the three yellow tangs line up in their places :lol2:.
:biglaugh:
- Location
- Ronkonkoma, NY
Nice pics Warren, thanks for the comparison
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
I strongly recommend that people attend Sanjay's lecture at the swap. He will address a lot of these LED questions in detail.
Ok I did'nt follow this whole thread but here is my 2cents with PAR readings.
http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=512
http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=512
fernandokng
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Manhattan, New York
How easily can you replace the leds? is it just screw in? or are they glued on?
Rick,
Here's a shot where one side is a PS Python at 100% and the other is the no frills chinese LED lamp:
So first impression is that difference is hard to tell but upon closer evaulation, you can see that one side is a tad dimmer based on looking at the back pane on either sides of the center overflow and also from the trailing edge of the overflow box.
PS Python is on the right & cheap chinese LED is on the left.
In defense of the chinese LED lamp, we did have 4 rows (28 LEDs) switched out from blues to actinics so the brightness of the overall lamp was effected.
- Location
- East Stroudsburg, PA
fernando theyre soldered into a board
- Location
- Wallingford, CT
I have not taken apart any of the Lamps except for my Solaris units. The Solaris units utilize either 5 Luxeon LEDs on a MBPC board with a connector (H-series) or 6 Rebel LEDs also on a MBPC board.
With the 1W units, I can't see where they have the space to mount them on stars and screw them in, they are too tightly clustered together.
With the 1W units, I can't see where they have the space to mount them on stars and screw them in, they are too tightly clustered together.
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