LED fixture? Sooner than we thought!
- Thread starter Unarce
- Start date
Yeah I think those are still a ways away, I'm curious about the spectrum of those leds if they are a nice broad spectrum with a few peaks like most fluorescent/MH lighting, or if they are just a bunch of sharp peaks.. Need Sanjay to test that badboy out and post some spectral charts! 
Eitherway it saves time having to wire 100s of those sobs together!
Eitherway it saves time having to wire 100s of those sobs together!
Exactly how spendy?
I imagine the claim of 250W output is for each 12", or maybe 24" section. Of couse, I can't wait for some outside party to verify it. Sounds very cool if it's nearly as good as advertised. I have the same concerns as sfsu re: spectral output.
I imagine the claim of 250W output is for each 12", or maybe 24" section. Of couse, I can't wait for some outside party to verify it. Sounds very cool if it's nearly as good as advertised. I have the same concerns as sfsu re: spectral output.
Maybe in a few years when its the "old" technology. It will will be more affordable. The offset cost of bulbs and electricity should make up for the high price. Lack of heat, reducing fans and chillers may also be a big bonus. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
I don't know why they claim no chillers required, I was under the impression it was the radiant energy that was primarily used to heat the tank water from lighting, if it has the same power output as a 250w metal halide then it'll heat up the tank the same amount. The heat via convection of warming up surrounding air and hence the tank didn't have much to do with water temp (or atleast that's what I was told).
sfsuphysics":1cspii9s said:Yeah I think those are still a ways away, I'm curious about the spectrum of those leds if they are a nice broad spectrum with a few peaks like most fluorescent/MH lighting, or if they are just a bunch of sharp peaks.. Need Sanjay to test that badboy out and post some spectral charts!
Eitherway it saves time having to wire 100s of those sobs together!
Units are being sent to Sanjay, Dana Riddle, and myself for testing -- we will report the results when ready in our publication, Advanced Aquarist. They are more than interesting in terms of energy efficiency and that the reef keeper can actually alter what color temperature is desired, and change that for the time of day. This can be programmed to happen automatically.
I grabbed a shot of them running over Dirk's tank while @ IMAC:
They were pretty wild and I was really suprised when Joy and I moved the PAR meter around underneath the LED's and the halide to the left of the fixture. They were significantly brighter than the halide. My concern was with "hot spots" or highs and lows in the light uniformity over the tank. We couldn't find a uniformity problem though. They did their homework on this one and I'm really interested in seeing the results from Dana and Sanjay's work. The one main problem I see is that if a LED burns out that there is really no easy way for the hobbyist to replace just one. They'd have to hack the circuit board to replace it.
Terry: I'm seriously jealous that you got one! Where was I when this happened??? LOL
Shane
They were pretty wild and I was really suprised when Joy and I moved the PAR meter around underneath the LED's and the halide to the left of the fixture. They were significantly brighter than the halide. My concern was with "hot spots" or highs and lows in the light uniformity over the tank. We couldn't find a uniformity problem though. They did their homework on this one and I'm really interested in seeing the results from Dana and Sanjay's work. The one main problem I see is that if a LED burns out that there is really no easy way for the hobbyist to replace just one. They'd have to hack the circuit board to replace it.
Terry: I'm seriously jealous that you got one! Where was I when this happened???
LOLShane
sfsuphysics":3sc9jm2a said:
They do have a spectral charts there for the white and the blue. IIRC, the blue and the white is almost identical, with the white has a secondary peak in the lower frequency.
Obviously, there is a marketing fellow that come up with the no-heat sale pitch. It is kind of true, since one of the main disadvantage (sic) of LED is its poor ability to get rid of excess heat radiantly. This means that very little IR radiation is being generated, but it must rid of heat via convection. Make sure the fan is working properly 100% of the time, and it will probably be one of the main factor that affects its life.
>...and that the reef keeper can actually alter what color temperature is desired,....
It use PWM to dim the LED, and alter its appearant color. Color temperature is not a very well definited concept when it come to these non-black body radiation sources. It is more for the looks than anything that affect the reef organisms.
It use PWM to dim the LED, and alter its appearant color. Color temperature is not a very well definited concept when it come to these non-black body radiation sources. It is more for the looks than anything that affect the reef organisms.
By my basic calculations for a 72" fixture that would replace 3 - 250 Watt metal halide bulbs. One fixture would save $105 per year in electricity. If the bulbs last the number of hours they say they should. 10 years would be over $1000 in savings. Makes the price seem not so bad anymore.
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