Maxspect LED owners!!!

[CalmSeasQuest]

Maxspect Retailer email Promoting LED Replacement

Maxspect Retailer email Promoting LED Replacement

I'm assuming that many others received this email? I certainly hope these Maxspect SemiLEDS don't need to be replaced every year or so...

"Thanks for you order Maxspect LED Lighting in our shop. We would like to introduce for the LED chips have a lifetime and require for upgrade the led chips for a year

For 30W LED chips, it is better for replacement 1 year
For 3W white / blue, it is better for replacement 1.5 year"

 

[swannking]

I don't have a picture of the new cree light, but from what I understand only the white leds are now cree. You're paying upwards of +200 dollars for only the whites to be upgraded.

Seems kinda steep to me. Changing out about 14 leds should not cost an extra 200 dollars.

I have the G2 160W-CREE. I will post some pictures taken by my webcam in the morning. There are total of 26 Cree XP-G R3 (not R5 sold by most website). The configuration is totally different that the non cree version with 15W blue leds X4 and 6X3W blue and 4X3W violet. It gives you a 1:1 watt-to-watt ratio of white:blue. I have it side by side with the G2 110W and I can't tell the difference in color temp betweem the two.

 

[Soymilk]

wow that is surprising. I was under the impression that all they changed where the white leds. I did not realize the whole set up was different. Not after reading the spec sheet listed on the website, i can see how the price could be higher. I still don't see 200 dollars difference though. i would love to see a head to head comparision between the noncree and cree version.

They do not use the 30w whites in the cree version. What is your tempeture like while running all the leds.

 

[swannking]

wow that is surprising. I was under the impression that all they changed where the white leds. I did not realize the whole set up was different. Not after reading the spec sheet listed on the website, i can see how the price could be higher. I still don't see 200 dollars difference though. i would love to see a head to head comparision between the noncree and cree version.

They do not use the 30w whites in the cree version. What is your tempeture like while running all the leds.

The temp of the 160W-cree reported by the power supply is 43-44C at the highest while the 110W is 40-41C. I know it is hard to justify the $200 difference while 26 XP-G R5 LEDS cost less than $200. But then it has a new configuration. Someone in HK has a custom made G2-160W with 4X 15W white instead of 2X 30W which has a similar layout as my cree. If we want to compare the price difference between the cree and non-cree, we should use the price of that instead of the standard G2-160W. However, I have no idea how much that is.

 

[swannking]

No the best pics but...

 

[Quintis]

Hello fellow Maxspect owners. This thread is great and full of useful information! I currently have a G2 110w model and am about to start a new tank. It's a ADA 90-p with overflow (50g, 36x18x18) I would like to keep sps in this new tank but am not sure if the 110w would be enough. Im trying to decide if I should sell it (still brand new) and get a stronger model or if it would be fine. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Soymilk]

wow nice ada 90p, i currently have a 60p.

But i think you should probably upgrade your light if you plan on doing sps. IMO at least the 160w, or if you prefer the longer 80cm lights. Did you get the matching stand?

 

[Quintis]

wow nice ada 90p, i currently have a 60p.

But i think you should probably upgrade your light if you plan on doing sps. IMO at least the 160w, or if you prefer the longer 80cm lights. Did you get the matching stand?

Thanks for the suggestion. I was thinking that the 110w probably wouldn't be enough. :worried: No, I didn't get the matching stand. The price for their stands are insane, so I'm having a custom stand made for the tank. Will have smooth lines and sorta resemble the ADA stand style.

 

[Timanator]

hey guys, what is the point of going to LED if on a 20G you need a 160w version to run sps. Thats more power consumption than a 150 MH which will do the job just fine?

 

[SimonSKL]

hey guys, what is the point of going to LED if on a 20G you need a 160w version to run sps. Thats more power consumption than a 150 MH which will do the job just fine?

IMHO I think 160W LED is too much light for a 20G tank but the light has 3 independent light groups that you can use to lower the overall light intensity. LED lights do not need to be replaced every 6-9 months as required by MH bulbs.

 

[rgulrich]

I'm currently running 3 160's over my 180, and my SPS, clams, and such on the bottom (at 24") are pretty happy. The ones up near the top the same. I also only use the 30W LEDS for 4 hours out of the day.
While a 160 would be pretty bright for a 20L, you might want to consider a G2-110. If you picked up a 160, then you'd have the option (of course) of using the 30W LED very little or not at all, but you'd have them if you decided move the fixture to a deeper aquarium at a later date.
Cheers,
Ray

 

[builderguy]

I saw that Finsreef now carries these in the US

 

[amheck]

I saw that Finsreef now carries these in the US

nice catch. But $700 for the G2-160. Yikes.

 

[SimonSKL]

Wow $1,100 for a G2 230W!!! I didn't pay that much even with oversea shipping. Wonder if there are any extra value added services from them.

 

[swannking]

nice catch. But $700 for the G2-160. Yikes.

And that's not even the cree version.

 

[CalmSeasQuest]

Wow $1,100 for a G2 230W!!! I didn't pay that much even with oversea shipping. Wonder if there are any extra value added services from them.

In addition, I saw a note in another reef forum blog purported to be from Eric at Fish Street indicating they would no longer be allowed to ship to the US (retail or wholesale) affective 7/1/2010

It would seem costs are going up as a result of no competition. I also wonder how, with a US distributor, they hope to avoid entanglement in the Orbitec patents.

 

[SimonSKL]

In addition, I saw a note in another reef forum blog purported to be from Eric at Fish Street indicating they would no longer be allowed to ship to the US (retail or wholesale) affective 7/1/2010

It would seem costs are going up as a result of no competition. I also wonder how, with a US distributor, they hope to avoid entanglement in the Orbitec patents.

It almost sounds like a conspiracy to raise prices or they want us to contribute to the legal fund on patent infringement!:mad2:

 

[Soymilk]

hey guys, what is the point of going to LED if on a 20G you need a 160w version to run sps. Thats more power consumption than a 150 MH which will do the job just fine?

The 160w is not needed to grow sps, I have it over a 16g tank right now and so far I like what I see. I bought the light for a 50g cube but couldn't help trying it on the small tank first. 110w is probably more suitable for a 20 but Ive had good luck so far with the 30w LEDs. The price difference between the 110w and 160w is not that bad. I only run the 30w for 2-3 hours a day. Maybe it's just me but my corals seem to really like them 30watters

Not having to run a chiller is another good point.

 

[Soymilk]

In addition, I saw a note in another reef forum blog purported to be from Eric at Fish Street indicating they would no longer be allowed to ship to the US (retail or wholesale) affective 7/1/2010

It would seem costs are going up as a result of no competition. I also wonder how, with a US distributor, they hope to avoid entanglement in the Orbitec patents.

Isn't the patent for the ability to dim a led fixture over an aquarium? I could be wrong.

Maxspect still available thru fish street website. I have noticed a $40-60 price increase over the the past week though...

 

[elFloyd]

I spoke with Erik two weeks ago... they are still shipoping to the US until the new models come out. He said the new vendor was working with him and may allow them to continue. F-S did raise their prices within the past week or ten dys.