Eoctech Marine and other LED manufacturers......

[italquam]

Just some food for thought, realizing today that Ecotech basically stopped selling replacement LED pucks on their website. I have some old G2 LED Radions. I contacted Ecotech and was told you can no longer get LED upgrades on them since they don't have G3 parts anymore. I understand the lights are old but just out of curiosity I looked to see if G4 LED pucks are available and those are not even listed on their website as well. It seems to me that Ecotech is basically putting a life expectancy on the units and expecting customers to buy new units every few years. It makes me feel like just going to back to metal halides or T5 lights and call it a day. My G2 lights still work but it is annoying how the manufacturers are trying to manipulate the market. They know that people will keep replacing their LED clusters so they no longer want to produce them.

Sorry i spelled Ecotech wrong in the title.....LOL

 

[GlassMunky]

Just some food for thought, realizing today that Ecotech basically stopped selling replacement LED pucks on their website. I have some old G2 LED Radions. I contacted Ecotech and was told you can no longer get LED upgrades on them since they don't have G3 parts anymore. I understand the lights are old but just out of curiosity I looked to see if G4 LED pucks are available and those are not even listed on their website as well. It seems to me that Ecotech is basically putting a life expectancy on the units and expecting customers to buy new units every few years. It makes me feel like just going to back to metal halides or T5 lights and call it a day. My G2 lights still work but it is annoying how the manufacturers are trying to manipulate the market. They know that people will keep replacing their LED clusters so they no longer want to produce them.

Sorry i spelled Ecotech wrong in the title.....LOL

I would bet that now since the gen 5 are Coming out they have already stopped making the gen4....
they def want you to upgrade rather than fix tour current product when it fails.

That’s how they keep getting your money

 

[italquam]

I would bet that now since the gen 5 are Coming out they have already stopped making the gen4....
they def want you to upgrade rather than fix tour current product when it fails.

That’s how they keep getting your money

I see that for sure, they won't be getting my money. I am not spending $839 on new lights every few years, i have a 72 inch tank. Eventually people will get tired of it

 

[dank reefer]

Many others will be upgrading their lights in the next few months, so there will be deals to be made shortly.

I for one will not be upgrading my lights as I just got them in October, and don't see the need to upgrade.

 

[italquam]

Many others will be upgrading their lights in the next few months, so there will be deals to be made shortly.

I for one will not be upgrading my lights as I just got them in October, and don't see the need to upgrade.

Just makes no sense how they don't sell G4 parts all, don't you think they would still sell replacement clusters

Makes me not want to have Ecotech products at all, mine as well go with T5 bulbs that are cheaper in my opinion.

 

[Javamahn]

The fix is a discounted upgrade. That was the case with my G3 a year ago.

 

[italquam]

The fix is a discounted upgrade. That was the case with my G3 a year ago.

That sounds like a sales tactic to sell people lights. Shouldnt be any reason they dont have parts available for G3

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

I see that for sure, they won't be getting my money. I am not spending $839 on new lights every few years, i have a 72 inch tank. Eventually people will get tired of it

I feel you, I am fairly new in the reefing game and when I first came in I didn't know about ecotech…. I had just known about kessil (because my brother in law had them on his tank) and Aqua Illumination. I ended up getting an AI Prime HD for my tank. I am a closet gear nerd, but I cannot justify buying 4 G5's for $3,356, shoot even 2 for $1,678 is too much for the new tank build. I just went with a T5 hybrid and bought another PrimeHD. In total I'm in maybe $600 for lighting on the new tank. if I have to upgrade my LEDs in the hybrid setup in the next few years, I will probably go with the AI again. I have heard great things about the radions and I have seen it for myself as well, but for the company to stop selling replacement parts to force you to buy new models or new fixtures cause "time ran out" on them doesn't sit well with me.

my 2 cents.

Barnabie

 

[Luis1992]

The fix is a discounted upgrade. That was the case with my G3 a year ago.

I just got the g3 so now I’m worried lol

 

[italquam]

I feel you, I am fairly new in the reefing game and when I first came in I didn't know about ecotech…. I had just known about kessil (because my brother in law had them on his tank) and Aqua Illumination. I ended up getting an AI Prime HD for my tank. I am a closet gear nerd, but I cannot justify buying 4 G5's for $3,356, shoot even 2 for $1,678 is too much for the new tank build. I just went with a T5 hybrid and bought another PrimeHD. In total I'm in maybe $600 for lighting on the new tank. if I have to upgrade my LEDs in the hybrid setup in the next few years, I will probably go with the AI again. I have heard great things about the radions and I have seen it for myself as well, but for the company to stop selling replacement parts to force you to buy new models or new fixtures cause "time ran out" on them doesn't sit well with me.

my 2 cents.

Barnabie

Yes , exactly what i mean. When they first came out with Radions their big thing was making parts available, now basically hardly any parts available because they probably saw many people repairing old units and upgrading them. They also stopped making the units upgrade-able as well. I noticed Aqua Illumination also stopped selling parts as well, I believe Ecotech and AI are same company or have relationship

 

[TheHarold]

Unfortunatly it’s not like the auto industry, where parts have to be available for 10 years.

Threads dont do much- just vote with your wallet. if unhappy seek another brand.

 

[italquam]

Unfortunatly it’s not like the auto industry, where parts have to be available for 10 years. As soon as you are out of warranty, you are on your own.

Vote with your wallet- if unhappy with the business tactics, seek another brand.

That is what i am thinking, definitely just go a different route like a Reefbreeders or just go T5 again

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

Yes , exactly what i mean. When they first came out with Radions their big thing was making parts available, now basically hardly any parts available because they probably saw many people repairing old units and upgrading them. They also stopped making the units upgrade-able as well. I noticed Aqua Illumination also stopped selling parts as well, I believe Ecotech and AI are same company or have relationship

I have noticed that about AI as well, but $420 for 2 Primes is still better than $800+ for a radion, in my opinion at least. and for my needs, 2 Primes and T5s will be more than enough for my tank....

keeping people from replacement parts doesn't make sense to me from a consumer standpoint, but makes sense from a business standpoint. but then again this hobby market isn't like the automotive/ racecar industry, they are putting a strangle hold on it... and they will lose some mid to lower level buyers because of it. maybe there are just way more wealthy buyers that are all in with ecotech. but I can tell you, I would rather replace T5 bulbs than worry about something going wrong with a G4,5, and know that they will give me a discount for a new one that will still put me back hundreds of dollars.

 

[italquam]

I have noticed that about AI as well, but $420 for 2 Primes is still better than $800+ for a radion, in my opinion at least. and for my needs, 2 Primes and T5s will be more than enough for my tank....

keeping people from replacement parts doesn't make sense to me from a consumer standpoint, but makes sense from a business standpoint. but then again this hobby market isn't like the automotive/ racecar industry, they are putting a strangle hold on it... and they will lose some mid to lower level buyers because of it. maybe there are just way more wealthy buyers that are all in with ecotech. but I can tell you, I would rather replace T5 bulbs than worry about something going wrong with a G4,5, and know that they will give me a discount for a new one that will still put me back hundreds of dollars.

I am in the same boat as you my friend..

 

[shred5]

Just some food for thought, realizing today that Ecotech basically stopped selling replacement LED pucks on their website. I have some old G2 LED Radions. I contacted Ecotech and was told you can no longer get LED upgrades on them since they don't have G3 parts anymore. I understand the lights are old but just out of curiosity I looked to see if G4 LED pucks are available and those are not even listed on their website as well. It seems to me that Ecotech is basically putting a life expectancy on the units and expecting customers to buy new units every few years. It makes me feel like just going to back to metal halides or T5 lights and call it a day. My G2 lights still work but it is annoying how the manufacturers are trying to manipulate the market. They know that people will keep replacing their LED clusters so they no longer want to produce them.

Sorry i spelled Ecotech wrong in the title.....LOL

I work in the lighting industry. The engineering company I work for specifies lighting and lays out lighting for pretty much everything. We also do all electrical.

What you are seeing is a real problem in the industry right now.

Owner of buildings were sold by lighting manufacturers these fixtures would last 10 to 20 years and they are not.
The actual led may last but the fixtures are not. Most still have Chinese drivers in them. They do not last and can not handle any transient voltage or spikes. So now we have to put SPD deceives on services which cost money.

The real problem is with fluorescent or halides you replace a bulb, occasionally a ballast. Well with leds it is the driver or the whole fixture which costs more. The other issue is the tech is moving so fast you have a hard time getting a new fixture that matches. Owners are not happy especially those who have 10,000 lights in a building. Honestly it is a real problem in the industry. We are getting request to not use led all of a sudden from owners. Seemed led hit a peak just last year and may be dropping some now.

Where we see led increasing though is exterior and freezer and cold storage.

 

[cidermaster]

This is driving me crazy . I planned on upgrading my lights to a G4 the other day but something told me to wait . Then I seriously starting looking at solely T5 now comes the G5 and this thread lol

 

[italquam]

This is driving me crazy . I planned on upgrading my lights to a G4 the other day but something told me to wait . Then I seriously starting looking at solely T5 now comes the G5 and this thread lol

It makes you think twice , you basically right now can buy G4 and after warranty they might tell you we have no parts and will give you a discount on a G5. I am glad I only have used G2 lights , which I will be selling and moving to a different light. I don't have thousands of dollars to blow every few years on lights. This is defeating the purpose of even going LED in the first place. There is no long term service available on these units and Ecotech knows it

 

[bam123]

Orpheks allow you to replace diodes, chips, fans (the whole kibottle) as well as upgrade. Saves a lot of money

 

[italquam]

Orpheks allow you to replace diodes, chips, fans (the whole kibottle) as well as upgrade. Saves a lot of money

Will have to look into them , not familiar with them. I don't mind spending money but I want something I will have support on for ten years if I want to keep my lights , I don't need every new model that comes out each year. I work hard for my money....lol

 

[dank reefer]

Also remember that tariffs have been put in effect, and that is causing a lot of issues with bring in product from overseas.