Disappointed with aqua illumination

[cliff717]

Well I thought I would share my latest experience with aqua illumination. But first I have to say that in the past I have been a huge fan of AI lights; in my fish room I currently have at least eight different lights all the way from AI sol blue to a couple of AI prime all the way up to the main units on my main display; they are four ai hydra gen1 lights. One reason I have been extremely loyal to aqua illumination is because of their customer service it is always been spot on; and the second thing I have like about AI is that they could always repair my lights. I have had some AI sol's that went back and they were even able to repair the motherboard and fan for me at very little cost to get my lights working again. That is why I bought the hydra's years ago. The hydra lights are generation 1 but they are all I need; they worked perfectly up till about three weeks ago when I noticed my tank was getting dimmer and dimmer so I opened it up and found that the royal blue channel on three of my four lights had quit working. I guess this is to be expected because are use the royal blue at 100% and have done so for the last six months since my tank upgrade. Now they are used lights and I am not worried about having to repair them; I get that but the problem comes is when I contacted a ai to get new blue pucks. I was told that they no longer make the blue pucks and that in order to fix my lights I have no option but to upgrade them to the 52 HD. This will cost me approximately $500 a light! This is totally crazy to me! It's not like these lights are crazy old they are only a couple of models out. I can't believe they've already stopped making the blue LED pucks! I cannot afford $2000 to fix my lights. I guess I will just go with Chinese black boxes from now on at least I could take out a led and Solder one in
What do you guys think and I looking at this wrong?

 

[chad.spiring]

How old are the lights to begin with? Don't LEDs need to be replaced every four years or so anyways? If they're close to their expected lifespan, I'd say it's not a terrible deal. Just think of the cash you saved in not replacing bulbs every six or eight months in that time.

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[Potatohead]

If they are not producing the lights anymore or using that puck in another light there is no reason for them to produce the pucks for them. It does suck for you but I don't know that they have done anything wrong. Maybe try to find some used dead ones you can pull pucks out of?

 

[cliff717]

I totally disagree with that statement though. Why do electronic manufactures get away with that? That would be like ford discontinuing a part for the car a years after warranty was upand saying "tough luck sorry I guess you have to buy a new car" why do we put up with this? Why is it standard in the electronic industry? Most companies will produce parts for their equipment years after they stop using them; why not in things like lights? It's not like they are cheap. If they were Chinese knock off's I could see but why not continue to make parts for at least a couple years after you stop using them? To me it's just a marketing ploy to get you to buy new ones and for some reason we are excepting it

 

[rtparty]

How old are the lights to begin with? Don't LEDs need to be replaced every four years or so anyways? If they're close to their expected lifespan, I'd say it's not a terrible deal. Just think of the cash you saved in not replacing bulbs every six or eight months in that time.

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Do you know how many bulbs you can replace for $2000??? Even if you wasted them by using your 6-8 month schedule.

(Unless your comment was being sarcastic?)

 

[rtparty]

I totally disagree with that statement though. Why do electronic manufactures get away with that? That would be like ford discontinuing a part for the car a years after warranty was upand saying "tough luck sorry I guess you have to buy a new car" why do we put up with this? Why is it standard in the electronic industry? Most companies will produce parts for their equipment years after they stop using them; why not in things like lights? It's not like they are cheap. If they were Chinese knock off's I could see but why not continue to make parts for at least a couple years after you stop using them? To me it's just a marketing ploy to get you to buy new ones and for some reason we are excepting it

While it sucks for you, to compare a tiny lighting maker in a niche hobby to one of the largest companies in the world is crazy talk.

Sadly, you were an early adopter. Things like this happen. With LED companies releasing a new light every year, they can't keep inventory on hand. It would put them out of business.

With that said, AI should at least give a considerable discount on the new lights IMO.

 

[cliff717]

I think all of us expect more than four years of use out of our LEDs LOL

 

[chad.spiring]

Do you know how many bulbs you can replace for $2000??? Even if you wasted them by using your 6-8 month schedule.

(Unless your comment was being sarcastic?)

Should have added a winky face I guess. I'm turrible with emojis.

But seriously, how old are the lights?

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[Potatohead]

I totally disagree with that statement though. Why do electronic manufactures get away with that? That would be like ford discontinuing a part for the car a years after warranty was upand saying "tough luck sorry I guess you have to buy a new car" why do we put up with this? Why is it standard in the electronic industry? Most companies will produce parts for their equipment years after they stop using them; why not in things like lights? It's not like they are cheap. If they were Chinese knock off's I could see but why not continue to make parts for at least a couple years after you stop using them? To me it's just a marketing ploy to get you to buy new ones and for some reason we are excepting it

Bad analogy. Cars have thousands of parts and the expected service life for a car is 15+ years. You don't think people with older cars have trouble finding parts?

*accepting

 

[cliff717]

These lights are about five years old. So you guys are telling me that it is OK to spend almost four grand on the lights every five years? Would you do it?

 

[cliff717]

OK so if you want to different analogy. What about a piece of equipment I have in my shop what if my welder quit working after five years of use and miller told me they no longer make the part scrap it and buy a new one would that be acceptable? it wouldn't to me.

 

[rtparty]

These lights are about five years old. So you guys are telling me that it is OK to spend almost four grand on the lights every five years? Would you do it?

Acceptable is up to each individual. Would I spend $4k every 5 years? Not a chance. It's why I won't run LEDs or any of the "high end" stuff. The Giesemann MH/T5 fixture I have is used. Very few parts that are easily replaced if anything goes wrong.

Being an early adopter is always a risk. Again, AI should give you a discount IMO.

 

[125mph]

Thats what manufacturers do all the time.. discontinue models and force you to buy new models.. Some people just upgrade to new models all the time.. others are forced.

 

[cliff717]

Well I can tell you they've lost me as a customer. There are so many brands of lights out there now I think I will be shopping elsewhere. And hopefully this thread will be a good warning to anybody contemplating buying aqua illumination fixtures in the future; don't expect them to be able to be fixed after they are A couple of model's old.

 

[Potatohead]

Well I can tell you they've lost me as a customer. There are so many brands of lights out there now I think I will be shopping elsewhere. And hopefully this thread will be a good warning to anybody contemplating buying aqua illumination fixtures in the future; don't expect them to be able to be fixed after they are A couple of model's old.

I get what you are saying but it's not any different for any other lighting manufacturers. If you have a welder I am sure you are capable of soldering, why not buy the LED's and solder them into the puck yourself?

Keep in mind AI is now owned by Ecotech, so if you buy Radions you are supporting the parent company.

 

[cliff717]

I would easily replace the LED but I heard this is not possible on ai pucks? That would be awesome if I could replace the LED I would be able to fix the lights for under 50 bucks

 

[chad.spiring]

I think all of us expect more than four years of use out of our LEDs LOL

'scuse my ignorance. I had the assumption I would lose intensity over time. Then again, I only have one fixture so even at a four or five year life span, I wasn't too worried. And I have a lot of top end to turn it up as it ages. I replace my cell phone more often than that.

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[vhuang168]

Well I can tell you they've lost me as a customer. There are so many brands of lights out there now I think I will be shopping elsewhere. And hopefully this thread will be a good warning to anybody contemplating buying aqua illumination fixtures in the future; don't expect them to be able to be fixed after they are A couple of model's old.

You will run into the same situation no matter whatever manufacturer you go with next.


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[cliff717]

I get what you are saying but it's not any different for any other lighting manufacturers. If you have a welder I am sure you are capable of soldering, why not buy the LED's and solder them into the puck yourself?

Keep in mind AI is now owned by Ecotech, so if you buy Radions you are supporting the parent company.

I wonder if this is the reason for the big change at AI? AI used to repair and replace everything. Geez my ai Sol's we're pushing 10 years old and they were still fixable. And I had great customer service with them. I wonder now that ecotech ownes them if they have changed their policies to force people to purchase new?

 

[cliff717]

Ok so I just got a response from rapid led. They may be able to reflow new diodes on my pucks! That would be awesome!!