AliExpress A8SE Reef Light

[RoanokeReef]

I'm not understanding where you see a difference? The first pic the pcb is installed in the fixture, with just the external housing removed, the second and third are the g6 upgrade pcb's right? Taking out the pcb from the a8 and taking one of the g6 upgrade boards out of the box to compare them would be the way to verify. Side by side comparison, with a g5 and a group of us could not see a difference in performance. Color ect.

I can only go by what others have posted here and the reef builders vid on the xr15 clone version.

I'm not saying your wrong about perfomance and color but you said "I believe these are assembled using the same parts being produced for ecotech" and this is flat out wrong.


The first pic is the clone and the second is g5 xr30 cluster. I'm not sure how you don't see the difference, there is no need to take it completely out. The connector that connects the LED PCB to the Bluetooth/WiFi are on opposite sides and are physically smaller and are soldered together. Also look at the connector on the second pic, it is right by the bolt hole for the lens, clone it is not. So NO they aren't using the same parts. This rings true for the G6 board which is attached.

 

[Reefing102]

Chihiros Nova 1 is a Seminal Entry into Saltwater Aquarium Lighting | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The Chihiros Nova 1 is a new LED light from a company which will be unknown to reef aquarium keepers but which has come to mean excellence in another side of the hobby. For several years now Chihiros…

reefbuilders.com

Took a few to find it but this is the xr15 clone. I'll see if I can find the video for it as well

And roughly the same cost as the XR15 - $450

Chihiros Saltwater Nova 1 LED Light - Chihiros Aquatic Studio

With the help of the built-in Bluetooth controller and the My Chihiros application you can change the color and brightness of the light to your liking so you can easily achieve the perfect look for your own taste. You can even set sunrise and sunset with a few clicks in the app which is not only...

www.chihirosaquaticstudio.com

 

[Hooz]

Chihiros Nova 1 is a Seminal Entry into Saltwater Aquarium Lighting | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The Chihiros Nova 1 is a new LED light from a company which will be unknown to reef aquarium keepers but which has come to mean excellence in another side of the hobby. For several years now Chihiros…

reefbuilders.com

Took a few to find it but this is the xr15 clone. I'll see if I can find the video for it as well

There is no "cheap knock-off" of the XR15 like the A8 lights are to the XR30. I wish there was... They would sell truckloads of them.

The Chihiros looks like an XR15-ish light, but the price takes it right out of "knock-off" territory. The Seatorch LM15 would be closer, but even that is on the pricy side, all things considered.

 

[Shooter6]

And roughly the same cost as the XR15 - $450

Chihiros Saltwater Nova 1 LED Light - Chihiros Aquatic Studio

With the help of the built-in Bluetooth controller and the My Chihiros application you can change the color and brightness of the light to your liking so you can easily achieve the perfect look for your own taste. You can even set sunrise and sunset with a few clicks in the app which is not only...

www.chihirosaquaticstudio.com

I think part of the reason they didn't make it, but then the xr15 was around 600 at the time these were going for 400. The savings would add up for people buying multiple lights for their system. The a8 is on a whole northern level in savings.

 

[Shooter6]

I'm not saying your wrong about perfomance and color but you said "I believe these are assembled using the same parts being produced for ecotech" and this is flat out wrong.


The first pic is the clone and the second is g5 xr30 cluster. I'm not sure how you don't see the difference, there is no need to take it completely out. The connector that connects the LED PCB to the Bluetooth/WiFi are on opposite sides and are physically smaller and are soldered together. Also look at the connector on the second pic, it is right by the bolt hole for the lens, clone it is not. So NO they aren't using the same parts. This rings true for the G6 board which is attached.

As far as my statements as probably made in the same factory, I very well could be wrong, as I said in those statements PROBABLY and LIKELY. Possibly the Bluetooth connection points required modification causing the difference? Same fans diodes lenses ect?

I'm basing my statements off the reef builders vid and I believe ( could be mistaken) telegram on here had a post showing the internals side by side. I've only compared the a8 to an xr30g5 over my friends display, we visually could see zero difference.

So far 3 weeks for the first light installed, and no glitches in the programming.

 

[mini-fred]

And all.3 a8se powercycle constantly when pushing 100% on all channels (powersupply cant handle the draw). See how this gets sorted

 

[disaster999]

And all.3 a8se powercycle constantly when pushing 100% on all channels (powersupply cant handle the draw). See how this gets sorted

was this on the meanwell power supply?

 

[Shooter6]

And all.3 a8se powercycle constantly when pushing 100% on all channels (powersupply cant handle the draw). See how this gets sorted

Wow, no issues with the a8s with meanwell

 

[Shooter6]

And all.3 a8se powercycle constantly when pushing 100% on all channels (powersupply cant handle the draw). See how this gets sorted

Are those your lights ? What's the seller have to say? Don't see white leds are those the se or blue?

 

[RoanokeReef]

And all.3 a8se powercycle constantly when pushing 100% on all channels (powersupply cant handle the draw). See how this gets sorted

You sure they're not over heating? I've taken apart 3 so far and none had thermal paste.

 

[Shooter6]

ANY pics of yours taken apart

You sure they're not over heating? I've taken apart 3 so far and none had thermal paste.

 

[RoanokeReef]

ANY pics of yours taken apart

There’s one of two in this thread and I believe in the other one. I assume since the capped the ANY your doubting my statement. Here’s another members that didn’t have any and if you search this thread there’s a couple others. Not a big deal to fix, just a couple screws. Not saying 100% have this but it’s the first thing I’d check if I had any overheating.

I’ve ordered the A8 Pro (G6 radion clone) and have been happy with it so far. I’ve taken it apart to apply thermal paste to the heating and the components seem to be of high-quality. I’ve had no issues programming the lights in English and any issues that I did have were communicated to the vendor which they quickly solved and pushed updates to the app. I have yet to measure the par coming off of the lights, but they seem to pack a punch. I also made some custom light mounts as I did not like the ones they offered.

Correct, the leds are mounted to an aluminum plate which has contact with the heat sink. No thermal compunds

 

[bradreef]

I moved my xr30 recently and mobius has one light 30 minutes off of the other now. I've restarted reloaded and mobius has been a pita for too long. I ordered an A8SE and it connected right away. Seems solid, I'm interested in how it works.

 

[Orito]

my A8SE don't hold time when power goes off, I'm thinking about changing the internal battery to see if that's the problem

 

[Overstocked Nano]

hey are the blue spectrum on the A8SE similar to a XR30? Or would the A8 Pros be closer? Also i assume these lights work with any xr30 radion mount? Thanks

 

[RoanokeReef]

my A8SE don't hold time when power goes off, I'm thinking about changing the internal battery to see if that's the problem

Please report back either way, curious of that's what the battery is for. I'd assume so.

 

[RoanokeReef]

hey are the blue spectrum on the A8SE similar to a XR30? Or would the A8 Pros be closer? Also i assume these lights work with any xr30 radion mount? Thanks

The Pros have an extra control channel, Cree LEDs (maybe) and more related to the Gen6 to where the A8SE combines the extra channel control and is more related to the Gen5. The blue spectrum is basically the same between the two. The mounts will work but you will need to widen the holes on the plastic mount as the screws are a different diameter.

Edit - If you check this thread someone had posted a breakdown of the difference of all of the variants. But if you're worried only about spectrum all are basically the same except the X30 Blue which has more blue LEDs.

 

[Shooter6]

There’s one of two in this thread and I believe in the other one. I assume since the capped the ANY your doubting my statement. Here’s another members that didn’t have any and if you search this thread there’s a couple others. Not a big deal to fix, just a couple screws. Not saying 100% have this but it’s the first thing I’d check if I had any overheating.

No not doubting your statement just asking to see your pics, as I believe it was telegram who posted pics of the insides of the light and didn't notice this issue. Same with reefbuilders.

I'm analytical, always have been. I like to see data instead of just believing what I'm told.

 

[RoanokeReef]

No not doubting your statement just asking to see your pics, as I believe it was telegram who posted pics of the insides of the light and didn't notice this issue. Same with reefbuilders.

I'm analytical, always have been. I like to see data instead of just believing what I'm told.

I didn’t take any extra pics besides what was posted here as adding paste wasn’t a big deal. Ecotechs has paste so I assume there’s a good reason and I’m in IT so I have tons of it. I only took them apart to reroute the powers cords to work in my T5 hybrid fixture and noticed it was missing. Is it needed? No idea but if I was overheating at 100% it’s a 10minute and $5 fix to try. If he have paste great, maybe myself and @tgn225 just got unlucky. I’m not bashing these lights as I like them for the price but they do have some short comings, my thermal paste comment was a troubling shooting step and nothing more.

Can you link the reef builders article?

@telegraham Did you happen to separate the leds from the heat sync and if so do you recall it having thermal paste?

 

[Shooter6]

I didn’t take any extra pics besides what was posted here as adding paste wasn’t a big deal. Ecotechs has paste so I assume there’s a good reason and I’m in IT so I have tons of it. I only took them apart to reroute the powers cords to work in my T5 hybrid fixture and noticed it was missing. Is it needed? No idea but if I was overheating at 100% it’s a 10minute and $5 fix to try. If he have paste great, maybe myself and @tgn225 just got unlucky. I’m not bashing these lights as I like them for the price but they do have some short comings, my thermal paste comment was a troubling shooting step and nothing more.

Can you link the reef builders article?

@telegraham Did you happen to separate the leds from the heat sync and if so do you recall it having thermal paste?

I've tried to find the reefbuilders video. Theirs was on the xr15 g5 style but .y assumption is the same company-companies are making the xr15 and xr30 style lights.