Re-Wiring Aquatic Life Hybrid

Nurse.Reef.Reapeat · Oct 10, 2018

Guys, thanks for the help @Behnken for the tips and @AquaticLifeProducts for answering my questions. I went with the least expensive and easy route. used Zip Ties and Cable mount to hold the cable and to meet in the middle. used a wire raceway to hide the black cable in my white painted wall. I so love this fixture.

Nurse.Reef.Reapeat · Oct 12, 2018

AquaticLifeProducts · Oct 16, 2018

Is that an original painting? Really like it a lot!

Behnken · Oct 16, 2018

The picture can be purchased from reefweeds.com. I may have to pick one up, it looks nice above the tank.

Chris155hp · Nov 12, 2018

Following

Blue Tang Clan · Nov 16, 2018

AquaticLifeProducts said:
I was at RAP this weekend and went over to review the new 360X, it appears to me that the 360X M5 screw mount will work with the standard LED bracket, it will not work with the Kessil 4" hole mount that we have now. We are looking at changing the tooling to allow both.

The only concern is that the 360X M5 mount to the LED bracket is that the kessil will extend down below the bottom of the T5 housing. It looked to be less then an inch but with out actually installing it could be a little more or less.

@AquaticLifeProducts - I think you are going to get a LOT of questions about this in the coming weeks/months.

1. What was the exact issue with the 4" hole mount? Does the smaller A360X body fall through now?
2. If people wanted to use the A360X M5 screw mount with the rectangular LED brackets, could they potentially use washers or shims under the brackets (and longer screws if needed) so that the A360X would sit higher?

Kyl · Nov 16, 2018

It's no different than any of the under-mount fixtures being used on the hybrid, the bottom profile will extend below the T5 fixture if the body is taller than the fixture itself. If you run radions with the diffuser panels, they will also extend below the bottom of the fixture. I'm about to mount my blackbox on the hybrid and it will extend about 1" below the T5 section, etc.

The only way you can get around this is to use the drop in style bracket, which it seems Dave is getting made to accommodate the 360X. The issue then is that the light will stick out of the top portion instead of the bottom. Up to you if the increased visible profile change or cable clutter is worth having them flush with the bottom of the fixture. If you use washers / shims under the bracket, it will push the light further down, not raise it as you're thinking. Using the LED brackets, it's not possible to raise the height of a light because your base is fixed to that LED bracket, unless you do some modification using other brackets which will just make an unsightly mess.

Blue Tang Clan · Nov 16, 2018

Kyl said:
If you use washers / shims under the bracket, it will push the light further down, not raise it as you're thinking. Using the LED brackets, it's not possible to raise the height of a light because your base is fixed to that LED bracket, unless you do some modification using other brackets which will just make an unsightly mess.

I think it's quite the opposite. If the light is affixed to a bracket (shown attached) and there are washers/shims underneath these brackets (between them and the base unit) - everything would be pushed up that amount. The brackets would not be flush with the base anymore, but the bottoms would come up.

Kyl · Nov 16, 2018

We're talking about the long, rectangular brackets for non-kessil uses, correct? Getting confused :|

Blue Tang Clan · Nov 16, 2018

Kyl said:
We're talking about the long, rectangular brackets for non-kessil uses, correct? Getting confused :|

Yep! If those brackets themselves are raised up (not the connection to the light, which would push it further down) then the whole thing would come up a bit. The only tricky thing would be getting the screw and shim to line up perfectly in the groove.

Screen Shot 2018-11-16 at 10.11.28 PM.png

Kyl · Nov 17, 2018

Yeah, if not caring about seating in the grooves that will work. I was going by the thought of not doing such, which is why any method wouldn't work

AquaticLifeProducts · Nov 19, 2018

As Kyl mentioned we are working on a modified round cradle bracket for the 360X, which is just slightly wider than the originals. So we need to make a new tool to punch the metal to accommodate the new size. I just approved the new tool so we are looking at a few weeks until it will be ready for testing.

The universal LED brackets will also work with the Kessil 360X sitting slightly below the T5 profile, they would attach with the M5 screw mount that is in the center of the Kessil body. Not sure if Kessil supplies the screw with the 360X?

Mole · Dec 31, 2018

I'm not so handy with electrical and much better with just building/ making things so, I just made my own brackets so I could have both lights corded the same end and keep the two cords.

Behnken · Dec 31, 2018

The part you made looks nice, send some pics when you get it put together.

gobble · Mar 20, 2019

How did you guys open up the part of the fixture that has the ballast? It looks like it's two pieces that slide apart, but I don't want to break it by trying the wrong thing.

Actually, it looks like it would be better to fish the wire through rather than take it apart. I'm going for the center single wire.

siggy · Mar 21, 2019

gobble said:
How did you guys open up the part of the fixture that has the ballast? It looks like it's two pieces that slide apart, but I don't want to break it by trying the wrong thing.

Actually, it looks like it would be better to fish the wire through rather than take it apart. I'm going for the center single wire.

No need to remove the ballast. @Crabs McJones has a thread on how to do this.

Just_Pete · Mar 21, 2019

gobble said:
How did you guys open up the part of the fixture that has the ballast? It looks like it's two pieces that slide apart, but I don't want to break it by trying the wrong thing.

Actually, it looks like it would be better to fish the wire through rather than take it apart. I'm going for the center single wire.

Just take both end brackets off then slide the ballast fixture housing halfway. No need to completely slide it off as you’ll notice there are wires that will be in your way. Sliding it apart halfway will give you enough space to do all the wiring you need.