Interesting Solaris Info

[PelagicMagic]

Re: Interesting Solaris Info

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14269246#post14269246 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mark426
I received this article in a newsletter that my LFS sends out. I had similar problems with the Solaris I purchased and returned for a full refund. I edited out the names and company names in the letter.

Newsletter:
"If you were considering one of PFO Lighting’s
Solaris LED fixtures, we wanted to share our
personal experience with this system. First, the
fixtures operate with very little heat into the
aquarium. Corals that have been acclimated to
the intense LED lighting seem to respond well
and thrive under the Solaris. The ability to adjust
the color spectrum, light cycles and other custom
features is an excellent idea. BUT, there is the
down side and it’s a big one! We installed two of
the 48” Solaris fixtures on a custom aquarium in
the last quarter of 2008. For a short time, the
fixtures operated beautifully but then the
problems began. The LED strips randomly began
to flicker and fail. Some would light up fully
while others either flickered or dimmed
unexplainably. Initially, PFO Lighting was
helpful by sending replacement LED strips that
we installed in place of the defective strips. Yet,
weeks later, more LED strips (some that had
already been replaced) failed or began to flicker.
After several visits to the customers home to
replace defective strips (at no charge to our
customer) I (#####) felt this was not fixing the
problem with these fixtures. Once again, PFO
Lighting responded by sending replacement
control panels at no charge that we (######)
installed in both fixtures along with more
replacement LED strips that had failed. Their
response was that fixtures that were
manufactured in China (imagine that) were
having problems (imagine THAT) and the new
control panels would fix the problem.

Just after installing the fixtures in the custom
aquarium we spoke about above (before the
problems started) we (#####) also purchased
one of these 48” LED Solaris fixtures. The same
problems have occurred with this fixture to a
point where we have robbed nearly all the
functioning LED strips to replace bad ones in our
customer’s two fixtures. The control board has
also been replaced in this fixture. J### #### of
####### (a local aquarium service and
installation company) also purchased a Solaris
fixture for one of his custom jobs. The same
issues have arisen in this fixture. Another
aquarium store in the Charleston area installed
one of these fixtures over one of their custom
jobs with the same results! For both J#### and
our competitor’s fixtures, PFO Lighting has sent
out replacement parts just as with the other
fixtures we installed. But now, PFO Lighting will
not answer any phone calls or emails from me or
from Mr. S### (or from requests from our
customer). The fixtures are all still having issues
with flickering or burned out LED strips. These
are EXPENSIVE fixtures still in full warranty
yet PFO Lighting is not responding to requests to
replace any of them. In fact, no one even answers
the phone at the company.
For the obvious reasons listed here, #####
##### feels these fixtures are unreliable and
the support from the manufacturer has degraded
to a point of customer neglect. For us and our
customers that have purchased these fixtures
already, it looks like legal means may be
required to settle these problems. As for you, the
customer considering the Solaris LED system,
we will let you decide whether you want to take
the risk by purchasing one of these fixtures from
PFO Lighting or one of the many other outlets
offering these fixtures for sale. We give PFO
Lightings LED fixtures a BIG THUMBS
DOWN FOR RELIABILITY AND
CUSTOMER SERVICE!! Consider yourself
warned…."

It’s not the best idea to send out a negative news letter to customers regarding another company that references legal action before a judgment has been made. I am not taking sides here but if there is more to this story...

I would be upset after spending all that $$. Thats why you come here to read before buying new toys. Let someone else be the

I have always been happy with PFO metal halide ballasts.

 

[Opsanus tau]

With Tom Gone it is game over.
I too have been calling and experiencing "the circle".
I have been there since the beginning with nothing but years of headache from these lights, and even the I-5 doesn't grow any of my corals, ..not like my MH or T-5s,..no comparison.

to touch on an earlier post, I have 9 Vortecs in my lab, and none of them have ever failed,(some are almost 2 years old!) they should NEVER have been mentioned in this thread, and/or compared to the trash that is Solaris!

 

[cdmurphy]

Tom may have quit but why has that stopped everyone else in the company from picking up the phone. The Solaris has had trouble from the outset and its about time that PFO stood up and took some responsibility for a sub-standard product. I'm done with the Solaris and have been looking around for new lighting. I can't decide to go back to MH or give T5's a try. I like the looks of the ATI powermodule or the new ATI Sunpower when its released.

 

[reefkoi]

I was at the DFW show last weekend "next wave" and PFO was not there even though they had a booth reserved.........

 

[jade2122]

Ok everyone. Take a step back and just listen. It does no good to any company to have a thread just meant to bash them. Something that negative shouldn't be put on here. I deal with PFO almost on an every other day basis. I am a manager for a LFS that sells on average 1 or 2 solaris lights a week. PFO is not going out of business. With the economy being the way that it is most companys are having to make cutbacks on employees and such. PFO is no different. They have had to cut back employees on every level and it is making it harder for everyone who is left to keep up with customers calls, emails, etc. Put yourself in the same situation to one person having the responsibility of all the people that are no longer working there. Every product is going to have issues with some percentage of their equipment, there is no piece of equipment with 100% perfect operation for every single piece sold. I know of many many many many people that have Solaris lights and have had no one with issues. Yes I do agree that the lights that were made in China are not as good quality as the ones now made in USA. That is why they stopped production out of China. I really just hate seeing threads like this where the few people who have had issues with a product/company try to directly affect that companies business. I can guarantee you if you start a thread for those happy with their solaris light and customer service from PFO there would be a phenominal response.

 

[cdmurphy]

Ok then Jade2122 can you please tell me why everyone at the company has stopped answering the phone or replying to email. Put yourself in my position where I only have 2 out of the 4 banks of LED's working due to a failed power supply and I can't get a response out of the company. You can put it anyway you like but that to me is poor customer service. If PFO really wanted to stand behind the products that it sells it would have sufficient stock on hand to be able to replace faulty products as soon as they go down. I, like everyone else has a substantial amount of money invested in my tank and I for one can't stand the fact that PFO hasn't got the decency to answer the phone or respond to emails. I am in the process of filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

 

[8BALL_99]

If you talk to them every other day I'd love to know how your getting someone on the phone.. A LFS told me today that he thought they were no more since he has been trying for two weeks to get someone on the phone. The whole point in forums is for people to give others info, help and sometimes even warnings when a company or product is having major issues.. Customers and even stores not getting called back for weeks or months is a pretty big red flag. These lights have had tons of issues. On top of that no one really knows what the output will be in a couple years from now. Most of the people that take the plunge and spend so much on these things. Is because they think they are covered for atleast a few years with the warranty.

 

[patriotsreef]

Just a thought

Just a thought

If there are so many happy customers than I'd like to see the postings. I am setting up 250g tank, I was told by my LFS that it would light the tank no problem, I agree, but Im concerned after reading the posts regarding the customer support. Im thinking about returning the Solaris unit just because of that. Im in the process of setting up the tank and I just want to be careful so I don't run into issues..

Tank 48x36x36

 

[8BALL_99]

Better question would be requesting pictures of established tanks that have been running nothing but LEDs for atleast a year.. You won't get many.. You might not even get one lol

 

[eme]

8BALL_99 Excellent idea .. I'll start a thread to that effect in General. Im curious too.

 

[tufacody]

Here's a thought, why doesn't PFO tell us what's going on and set the record straight?

 

[Philwd]

8ball - Sanjay posted pics of a friend's SPS tank running LED for over a year. Growth seemed to be ok. I can't say I liked the colors but that's very subjective. It was also tough to see what the tank coverage was. There have been other LPS or softy tank pics. Few other longer term SPS that I've seen. Best examples seem to be nanos on another forum.

 

[LarryW]

I have spoken to hellolights and MarineDepot, and they are wondering the same thing.

 

[LarryW]

I ran one over my 120 for a year, and then dumped it for MH. I had an original H model, and after the I came out I wanted to upgrade only to find out it would cost me another $1900 bux to do so. that's when it went up on ebay, and I switched to 400w HQI's.

 

[8BALL_99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14300618#post14300618 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Philwd
8ball - Sanjay posted pics of a friend's SPS tank running LED for over a year. Growth seemed to be ok. I can't say I liked the colors but that's very subjective. It was also tough to see what the tank coverage was. There have been other LPS or softy tank pics. Few other longer term SPS that I've seen. Best examples seem to be nanos on another forum.

Thats my point though. You do good to find one or two Decent examples. That means almost nothing. We have a guy in our local club that keeps SPS in a 75 under a couple NO shop lights. He has done it for several years. Mind you its lower light stuff like monipora and bali slimers ect. But Most of us wouldn't be able to even keep that. Everyone jokes with him and says its divine intervention since he is a preacher. Anyway point is just cause a few people have the midas touch doesn't mean its a good lighting choice for the rest of us..

My biggest concern is long term. These leds seem to go out constantly even though people buy them on the basis that they will last 10years or how ever long. This hasn't even come close to been proven. Infact it almost seems they don't last. And even if the led still lights up in 2 or 3 years what will the output be. I've got Mh bulbs in my parking lot right now that are over 3 years old.. They run from dusk till dawn every day. Sure they still work but I wouldn't try to run them over my tank lol. Same goes for T5s and PCs the bulbs will last several years for normal use just not for our needs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to knock them. I'm really not. I hope they get to a point where they do half what they say they do. I just don't think we are there yet.

 

[tufacody]

My biggest concern is long term. These leds seem to go out constantly even though people buy them on the basis that they will last 10years or how ever long.


I highly doubt this is true. People who shell out for the Solaris are very unlikely to keep them 10+ years. People (like myself) who buy new technology or experimental designs don't generally do it because they plan on keeping it forever. I highly doubt the people that bought the Solaris weren't fully aware that the price would drop and the technology would improve. We purchased these lights for the sense of exploration. True we like the advantages, but really, we all knew the risk (or should have!) and accepted it. Does this mean I'm happy about possibly getting screwed in warranty, of course not. But in all honesty I intended to try something new in a few years anyway. Whether it will be led or xenon or something else -- who knows. I expect to take crap for that purchase as well, but I will feel I'm contributing to the hobby, and maybe I'll even be right

 

[8BALL_99]

Well If I were to buy one the only way I could justify paying several times as much on lighting is if it would atleast last long enough to be worth the price. I looked at them simply to save cost. I love the look of MH but it comes at a price. I really do think most of the draw to leds beside the wattage is the bulb life. Atleast everyone I know thats even considered them did so to keep from having to replace bulbs. I ended up just going with solar tubes. Infact the tubes were less then 1/3 what the cost for leds would have been. I still use MH for night time viewing and by the way things look it will be a long time before I can replace them with LEDs.

 

[noboddi]

How do I even know this letter is authentic? If someone is going to make accusations, then there needs to be proof or it needs to be something you went through yourself. No one can defend themselves from rumor. The accusations are baseless IMO without corroboration. There are too many hoaxes out there

 

[tatkinson]

I can vouch for the authenticity of this letter as well as the validity of its content. I was drooling over the solaris but it seemed that there were problems from day one. Leds totally out, some putting out a totally different color than the rest, etc. I frequent the LFS that put out the newsletter and it seemed that each time I went in there were more/other lights out on the Solaris or other problems. Another LFS has a solaris and it seems to suck just as hard. The color of the corals looked terrible after being under the solaris as well... at both stores. So for me, if reliability wasn't reason enough the way the corals looked definitely was.

I'm sure the OP of this thread or anyone who has visited the LFS in question can corroborate. The fixture was over a tank that is dead in front of you as you come through the door, so anyone who has been to the store has to have noticed it. The fixture wasn't even in a canopy, it was hanging as a pendant so excessive moisture and poor circulation can't even be blamed.

 

[8BALL_99]

Why would a LFS bash a product they sell if it wasn't true? I'm sure with the price these fixtures demand that even the small % the store makes is probably much more then what they make on most other things. LOL besides that. Even if you dont believe the letter and are reading this.. Try to call PFO. Even better leave them a message and request help with your solaris light see if they get back to you....