What are the cons to using an led fixture???

[ksc]

If you understand the graph you will notice that both mh and fl bulbs perform almost identically to the led bulb for the first 20-30,000 hours. At this point they fail whereas the led just fades away over a longer time. I have a par meter but we are discussing lumens, not par (hence the misleading propaganda being spread by aquarium light vendors). If I was to market a mh fixture for a reef tank and claim the bulb would last 10 years (50 hrs a week, or about 2500 hours a year) would you believe me? That's what I believe you are missing.....

 

[extremehobbyist]

If you understand the graph you will notice that both mh and fl bulbs perform almost identically to the led bulb for the first 20-30,000 hours. At this point they fail whereas the led just fades away over a longer time. I have a par meter but we are discussing lumens, not par (hence the misleading propaganda being spread by aquarium light vendors). If I was to market a mh fixture for a reef tank and claim the bulb would last 10 years (50 hrs a week, or about 2500 hours a year) would you believe me? That's what I believe you are missing.....

wait what mh or fl could last 20,000-30,000hr

 

[ksc]

Here's one......

400 Watt Universal Position
Mogul Base
Standard Metal Halide (MH) Bulb
36,000 initial lumens. 20,000 hour mean life-span. Vertical or horizontal fixtures. Mogul base.
Order #STAMH400
Metal Halide Bulb
Standard
400 Watt
Universal Position
52.95

another...
NEW! BlueMaxâ„¢ T5 High Output lamp. Increased bulb stability and life expectancy, plus higher lumen output per watt than standard T5 bulbs. The result is an amazing lamp with high CRI and a 35,000 hour rated life.

TCLP Compliant
Length: 46.5 inches
Diameter: 5/8"
Wattage: 54 watts
CRI: 93+
Kelvin: 5900
Lumens: 5200
Pin Configuration: Mini Bi-Pin
Hour Rating: 35,000 hours
Warranty: 1 Year Standard, 2 Years when used in an UltraLuxâ„¢ Fixture

 

[Troylee]

i have all mh lighting my shop... i have been here for 16yrs and only replaced a few.... these bulbs burn 10hrs a day 6 days a week... so if my math is correct thats 49,920 hours and still burning.......granted the spectrum has shifted and does through out the day but there still lit and don't matter for lighting a warehouse....

 

[ksc]

Nice! I have a 15 year old Iwasaki lighting my barn. looks like I'm going to be "spotlighting" certain tools with my burnt out Par38 leds very soon....

 

[extremehobbyist]

i have all mh lighting my shop... i have been here for 16yrs and only replaced a few.... these bulbs burn 10hrs a day 6 days a week... so if my math is correct thats 49,920 hours and still burning.......granted the spectrum has shifted and does through out the day but there still lit and don't matter for lighting a warehouse....

so u would use a 16yr old light over your system cause i beleive thats what were talking about not lights lightingup shops tharts a whole different ball game bra

 

[ScottyMcReefer]

I love light fights =) =)

 

[Troylee]

so u would use a 16yr old light over your system cause i beleive thats what were talking about not lights lightingup shops tharts a whole different ball game bra

No I wouldn't I was just stating the bulbs will still run or light I should say....
LEDs are the future of this hobby without a doubt and I believe there statements that they will last 40,000+ hours if we do our part by keeping them cool etc.... I didn't add to this thread to argue anything I was just pointing out that MHs last many years no matter what that graph or anyone says.... LEDs will do the same granted we take the nessacary steps to insure that life!!!!

 

[Troylee]

Nice! I have a 15 year old Iwasaki lighting my barn. looks like I'm going to be "spotlighting" certain tools with my burnt out Par38 leds very soon....

I don't get the point your trying to make here???? You actually think LEDs are gonna need replacing after a year or 2 huh.... Hmmm I bet if I asked soundwave the originator of this whole led thing and all the diy fixtures his LEDs are still burning strong and it's been about 2yrs since he built his first fixture....
Granted all LEDs are not created equal and if you bought
Some cheap chinesse led fixture it might take a crap after a year or 2 but the higher end ones with higher quality diodes and parts are gonna live up to there claims I believe.... LEDs are way different than flour and mh lighting they don't use gas or vapors or mercury for that matter so there not gonna shift nearly as quick!!!!!

 

[ksc]

Well, I guess we'll see in a few years. So far, all the led fixtures I've tested have lost significant par in the first year. I was just reading that the USAF banned leds in their properties due to failure to meet manufacturers specs...
Air Force Bans LEDs http://www.edisonreport.net/Articles/Air%20Force%20Bans%20LED.html

 

[VelasCorals]

Well, I guess we'll see in a few years. So far, all the led fixtures I've tested have lost significant par in the first year. I was just reading that the USAF banned leds in their properties due to failure to meet manufacturers specs...
Air Force Bans LEDs http://www.edisonreport.net/Articles/Air%20Force%20Bans%20LED.html

Which fixtures did you test? I would post the data, it could save a bunch of people some head ache down the road.

 

[Wycombes]

Contrary to what is said, the Air Force is not banning LED's. The point of the Air Force letter, as stated at the beginning of the letter is:
1. Purpose.

This ETL provides technical guidance and criteria for specifying, designing, and installing LED luminaires for interior and exterior lighting applications at Air Force installations.​

It is a new set of guidelines specific for LED's as there weren't ones that specifically laid out how they could be used in older guidelines. It is a list of do's and don't's for LED use in the USAF, not "they are banned and you can't use them". They have to be used in certain areas within the specifications of the Air Force.
Examples:​

8.2.
LED luminaires are not approved for airfield ramp, alert, security, or munitions

area lighting due to interference with night-vision goggles operation.​

8.6.
Retrofit conversion of LED lamps or LED lighting module inserts that have been designed and constructed to be used in existing high-intensity discharge (HID) luminaires—including metal halide, mercury vapor, or fluorescent fixture enclosures—are prohibited. New, complete-assembly LED luminaires shall be used.

This is an interesting one:​

8.3.
LED luminaires are not approved for marine applications where low-pressure

sodium lighting is specified because of the unknown effect on marine life.​

Let me just think about this a minute, Air Force and marine life. Seems like the coverage of the Air Force is above the water and away from marine life. I would think marine life is kinda of in the Navy arena.​

The USAF is not banning use exteriorly for LED's (the prior guidelines don't allow for the use of LED's exteriorly) it is setting guidelines on how to implement the use:
10. New Construction Exterior LED Application Criteria.......
then there is a Listing of what you do if you are going to put in some exterior LED's.​

 

[nixer]

the only con is the fact that you have way too many ppl that have never tried it tell you its a waste!

 

[VelasCorals]

the only con is the fact that you have way too many ppl that have never tried it tell you its a waste!

Yeah, I hate that I don't have to run a fan anymore, my corals looks better, corals grow faster, fixture looks better and use less energy each month. Totally a waste, I wish I could be replacing my T5's every 8 months still .

 

[phil519]

I had one of the original led solaris fixtures. Probably a bad basis to comment on but that series of fixtures had many quality control problems and a ton of complaints. What ended up sinking the entire company though was a patent lawsuit. Anyways I digress. The one thing I really loved about the fixture was how the LEDS dimmed and slowly came on during the day and night. It really made a positive impact on my fish in my opinion. The downside in my opinion was that every LFS I went to sold corals under T5 or MH lamps. This made purchasing a coral a tricky proposition as the coloration of the item changed dramatically under the LED lights. Softies and such were not a problem but i wasn't interested in raising softies...I did that just fine using VHO a decade ago. This go round I wanted to try the tougher sps. So frankly i'm not sure if it truly was the light or my inexperience with keeping sps. The one sps that did very well was a tri-color validia I had. However every single "easy" monti stunted and at times color shifted duller.

The macna in orlando was an all LED affair. it was very difficult to find any vendor not selling corals under LEDs. My concern though was that vendors deal in high inventory and are able to showcase a beautiful coral under LEDS for a limited time. I'd like to see more long-term samples of say a single frag that was grown to a colony under LEDs.

I have since moved to an all t5 fixture. The purple grape cap i had went from frag-stunted to now appetizer plate size with spirals. It may end up a charger sized plate (don't ask me what that is, I ordered some recently for someone's wedding registry). The latest LEDs do seem very intriguing and perhaps if funds were available I'd try it again - because as alluded to before - LEDS produced zero heat into the tank and was very nice during the hot summer.

 

[phil519]

One thing I can attest to with experience is that LEDS and other lights are no different in keeping Bryopsis, Bubble Algae and all the other nuisance algaes species. :wink:

 

[VelasCorals]

I forgot about that, I clean the glass 1/2 as much and havn't had any issues with any nuisance algeas since I switched to LEDs.