MarsAqua question

[cloak]

I've been using a 165 watt fixture for almost 2 years now and have been very happy thus far, but last week I noticed that two of the blue lights on the far left just aren't as bright as the other ones are. It's almost as if these two bulbs are running at 50% while all the others are at 100%. (which they are) I was just curious if this is a minor problem or an indication of something more serious? Thanks.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Are you familiar with a soldering iron?

 

[cloak]

It's sounds familar, but no. My father probably is though.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I would ask. Best way to figure out what is going on is by switching a good diode out for the affected one(s).

 

[cloak]

Can these diodes be found at a hardware store or do I need to get them at BRS or someplace similar? I did purchase the fixture on Amazon, although I'm not sure if that matters or not.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Can these diodes be found at a hardware store or do I need to get them at BRS or someplace similar? I did purchase the fixture on Amazon, although I'm not sure if that matters or not.

Well, before you consider ordering them I would just switch diodes out, making sure it's not a bad board.

BUT, eBay would the source for ordering new chips. Just search for 3w chips without PCB. Look for USA sellers.

 

[cloak]

OK, thanks.

 

[Mattrg02]

Or take a digital MM to it, checking the voltage drop across the suspect diodes, comparing to the spec sheet for the diode.

 

[trido]

Ive been running black boxes for years and currently am using 11 of them. I rebuild the blue channels every two years because the emitters do overheat and the epoxy resin turns black. It has nothing to do with a voltage drop, and is simply time to replace the emitters. ON the third year I rebuild the white channel, the fourth back to the blue. I run mine at 100% both channels though.

Here is a link to the RB I use.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/231956409070

I also buy cool whites, red, green and UV. The UV are the most expensive.

Here is a link the the UV I use https://www.ebay.com/itm/331605240618

 

[Mattrg02]

Ive been running black boxes for years and currently am using 11 of them. I rebuild the blue channels every two years because the emitters do overheat and the epoxy resin turns black. It has nothing to do with a voltage drop, and is simply time to replace the emitters. ON the third year I rebuild the white channel, the fourth back to the blue. I run mine at 100% both channels though.

Here is a link to the RB I use.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/231956409070

I also buy cool whites, red, green and UV. The UV are the most expensive.

Here is a link the the UV I use https://www.ebay.com/itm/331605240618

Having to replace diodes every few years is completely against the miracle that leds have claimed to be.

If your diodes are overheating, then thermal management needs to be your focus. The diodes are rated for 25,000 hrs, at least.

 

[teller]

Having to replace diodes every few years is completely against the miracle that leds have claimed to be.

If your diodes are overheating, then thermal management needs to be your focus. The diodes are rated for 25,000 hrs, at least.

Don't forget these black boxes do not have a real heatsink. No miracles

 

[reeferfoxx]

I agree with everyone

I've actually modified my black box with heat sinks found on old computer hardware. Old motherboards and video cards with slim heat sinks get placed inside my box. Doing this allows me run 390nm, 410nm, 420 - 460nm without any issues.

 

[Mattrg02]

I agree with everyone

I've actually modified my black box with heat sinks found on old computer hardware. Old motherboards and video cards with slim heat sinks get placed inside my box. Doing this allows me run 390nm, 410nm, 420 - 460nm without any issues.

Are you using forced air on these heat sinks? Do you have adequate air flow through your enclosure? Heat is the enemy of diodes. Warm to us is probably too warm for the diode. Once it’s reached a certain temperature, it’s permanently damaged. They need to be properly mounted to the heatsink as well.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Ive been running black boxes for years and currently am using 11 of them. I rebuild the blue channels every two years because the emitters do overheat and the epoxy resin turns black. It has nothing to do with a voltage drop, and is simply time to replace the emitters. ON the third year I rebuild the white channel, the fourth back to the blue. I run mine at 100% both channels though.

Here is a link to the RB I use.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/231956409070

I also buy cool whites, red, green and UV. The UV are the most expensive.

Here is a link the the UV I use https://www.ebay.com/itm/331605240618

Duane, thanks for the links!

I've modded my Mars units back a couple years ago to mimic the SB diode layout, but didn't add the UV ones.

Duane, how many UV's do you use per box?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Having to replace diodes every few years is completely against the miracle that leds have claimed to be.

If your diodes are overheating, then thermal management needs to be your focus. The diodes are rated for 25,000 hrs, at least.

He runs his at 100%. They do degrade being pushed that hard for that long. Diodes are extremely cheap and changing them keeps the spectrum from trailing off in time.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Are you using forced air on these heat sinks? Do you have adequate air flow through your enclosure? Heat is the enemy of diodes. Warm to us is probably too warm for the diode. Once it’s reached a certain temperature, it’s permanently damaged. They need to be properly mounted to the heatsink as well.

Yes it's forced air. It has plenty of air flow.

I should mention that what typically degrades fastest on these diodes is the plastic secondary lens. Especially in regards to the UV chips. You can pop those secondary caps off and extend the life exponentially compared to with the lens.

 

[reeferfoxx]

You can find more discussion on my modified black box thread.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-modified-black-box-thread.283942/

 

[Flippers4pups]

Yes it's forced air. It has plenty of air flow.

I should mention that what typically degrades fastest on these diodes is the plastic secondary lens. Especially in regards to the UV chips. You can pop those secondary caps off and extend the life exponentially compared to with the lens.

How much longer will they last by doing this?

 

[reeferfoxx]

How much longer will they last by doing this?

On my Mars aqua the 390nm would have lasted roughly 3 months before Browning out. On the populargrow I could get 1.5 months. That's just due to factory heat sink variations.

After removing the caps on the popular grow and I'll have to go through old posts because I forget, I'm around the 10 month(I think) mark with no plans to change the diodes out anytime soon. Still going strong and no issues with the 410 or 420nm's thus far with added heatsinks.

 

[trido]

Duane, thanks for the links!

I've modded my Mars units back a couple years ago to mimic the SB diode layout, but didn't add the UV ones.

Duane, how many UV's do you use per box?

I try to run 4-6 of the 420nm. They do brown out in less than a years time though. ON the last four Mars Aqua I bought, I used heat sink epoxy and glued some scrap aluminum to the "heat sink" in order to help pull some heat from the emitters.