How control my CTLite G4

Henriktheeight

Henriktheeight

New member
Does anyone know how I could control my CTLite G4 120W? (approx 22 by 26 cm) i.e. to dim and adjust colors.
I have 3 Slave units, so I can only turn them full on.
I've searched for a Master unit, but there are none for sale
 
Is this your light?
G4 Lamps Ctlite Led Aquarium Light Marine Led Light Fixture Led Aquarium Lamp - Buy Chinese Led Aquarium Light led Aquarium Lights aquarium Lights marine Tank reef coral aqua Led Light Fixture bridgelux Led Aquarium Lamp changeable Color Temperature 2-year Warranty On Led Light 50000-hour Lifespan Led Product on Alibaba.com
They have a Facebook page too
Youtube video of programming a G4 with the phone app. From 9 years ago. Ouch

It appears they have made lights called a G4 for a long time and there are many different units out now.
 
I recently got hold of a CTLite G4 Mega Aqua Master unit, but unfortunately it’s not broadcasting any WiFi signal (neither in AP nor Station mode), and I can’t connect to it via the app.


The unit powers up and blinks like it’s trying to link, so the LEDs seem to work, but there’s no way to access the settings or pair it with anything. I’ve tried powering it off/on, waiting several minutes, and checking for hidden SSIDs – nothing.


Has anyone else had this issue with the G4 Master version?
Is there any known method to reset it, force it into AP mode, or re-flash the WiFi module?
 
I do not see much to go on but Google AI says
Manually resetting a CTLite G4 Mega Aqua light without a remote
The reset button may just be a tiny hole to stick a pin into. It may have a plug in it.
I do not see any documentation on these lights.
Have you checked for a bluetooth connection. Some aquarium stuff uses bluetooth for an initial setup.
Found this. It's really bad but shows what you should see I think.

  • Network Compatibility: The CTLite G4 likely connects to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks only, so ensure your router is set to broadcast on this frequency or that your device is connected to the 2.4 GHz band if you have a dual-band router.
  • You might need an older router to talk to this. I use an old one with everything turned off but 2.4 ghz and simple security for my aquarium stuff. I just plug its wan port into a port on my internet router as its gateway.
Maybe a hard reset

To perform a manual reset on your CTLite G4 Mega Aqua aquarium light without the remote, you can typically use the physical button on the light fixture itself.
Here's how to do it:
  1. Disconnect the light from power: Unplug the light fixture completely from the electrical outlet.
  2. Locate the reset button: Find the small reset button on your CTLite G4 Mega Aqua light fixture.
  3. Press and hold the button: While the light is disconnected from power, press and hold down the reset button.
  4. Reconnect power while holding: Keeping the reset button pressed, plug the light back into the power outlet.
  5. Continue holding until flashing: Continue to hold the button until you see the indicator light on the fixture begin flashing red.
  6. Release the button: Once the light is flashing red, you can release the reset button.
  7. Allow reset to complete: The light should then cycle through its reset process, which may take up to 2 minutes.
  8. Check for blue/green flash: If the reset was successful, the indicator light should flash blue/green.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your suggestions.

The unit does power on, and the internal WiFi module blinks green rapidly (~5 times/second) indicating it's likely stuck in Station mode, attempting to connect to an old network.
  • I've verified that it has no physical reset button, neither hidden nor recessed — only the jumper (which I’ve tested in both Master and Slave configuration).
  • I’ve used a dedicated 2.4 GHz hotspot on my phone and tried at least 15 different SSID names.
  • I’ve installed CTLite app v1.5.01 on an Android 5.0.1 phone (LG)
  • I’ve also scanned for hidden SSIDs using WiFi analyzer tools on both Android and iPhone – again, no signal from the lamp is detected.
  • I’ve verified the lamp does not use Bluetooth
  • When I remove the WiFi module entirely, the lamp turns on at full brightness on all channels after about 10 minutes — so the main PCB and LED drivers seem functionaI.

So far, the lamp appears to be alive, but stuck in a non-recoverable state with no way to reset via the app or trigger AP mode. I suspect it either needs a firmware reflash or possibly a WiFi module replacement.
 
Henriktheeight said:
Thank you for your suggestions.

The unit does power on, and the internal WiFi module blinks green rapidly (~5 times/second) indicating it's likely stuck in Station mode, attempting to connect to an old network.
  • I've verified that it has no physical reset button, neither hidden nor recessed — only the jumper (which I’ve tested in both Master and Slave configuration).
  • I’ve used a dedicated 2.4 GHz hotspot on my phone and tried at least 15 different SSID names.
  • I’ve installed CTLite app v1.5.01 on an Android 5.0.1 phone (LG)
  • I’ve also scanned for hidden SSIDs using WiFi analyzer tools on both Android and iPhone – again, no signal from the lamp is detected.
  • I’ve verified the lamp does not use Bluetooth
  • When I remove the WiFi module entirely, the lamp turns on at full brightness on all channels after about 10 minutes — so the main PCB and LED drivers seem functionaI.

So far, the lamp appears to be alive, but stuck in a non-recoverable state with no way to reset via the app or trigger AP mode. I suspect it either needs a firmware reflash or possibly a WiFi module replacement.
Click to expand...
I would contact the company directly. I don't see any other option. There are no docs listed on the site though I did not create a login. I dont see any to be found on the net. Is there any help information or documentation in the app itself? Troubleshooting?
 
The "help" button in the app just gives you general guidelines, not troubleshooting.
CTLite won't help me. They're just saying that it would be better to consider their newer models.
 
Henriktheeight said:
Got a reply from Fix Reef:
"Sounds like a configuration issue. I’d contact the manufacturer tech support"

So I guess it's a lost case. They are not worth sending for repair. And it's not a hardware problem.
Click to expand...
ask Fix reef if there is some way to hardware default it.
Is there a battery on the board? I would open it up. You have nothing to lose at this point.
Who did you buy it from. Ask them for the network network credentials it has in it.
 
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