Depends where the short was. Also, I would expect the design to have built in limiting of current and power/temperature internally. Maybe that's why it's sitting just above the max rating on the case (1.1A).
MH vs LED POWER CONSUMPTION
- Thread starter Misenplace101
- Start date
Depends where the short was. Also, I would expect the design to have built in limiting of current and power/temperature internally. Maybe that's why it's sitting just above the max rating on the case (1.1A).
alton
Well-known member
The Power factor of the ballast shown is only 64% efficient. Most T5's are 99% and electronic MH are 90%. The screw in compact fluorescent lamps are the same, they advertise 26 watts which replaces a 100 watt incandescent, but since they have a .5 power factor they draw 52 watts not the advertised 26. I like my new marineland LED fixture. I will take readings tonight on it and post tomorrow.
For me it makes total sense. I do not have any lights yet!! That way I save money on electric, bulb replacement, plus I do not have a $600 old fixture that will be collecting dust. In my area my electric is 0.175 per kwh. That is fairly expensive, so in areas like mine where the rate is higher we do get more bang for the buck then somebody paying 0.12.
As for the drivers. I just purchased 5 x eln-60-48D drivers. I will be running anywhere between 60 and 70 LEDs (I plan on maxing out the drivers a bit more than the old 12 leds per). Now those drivers are rated to draw 60 w max. Even with no physics understanding, if those drivers are pulling a full 60 each, this sytem can draw 300 w max.
As for the drivers. I just purchased 5 x eln-60-48D drivers. I will be running anywhere between 60 and 70 LEDs (I plan on maxing out the drivers a bit more than the old 12 leds per). Now those drivers are rated to draw 60 w max. Even with no physics understanding, if those drivers are pulling a full 60 each, this sytem can draw 300 w max.
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LEDs will not blow if you are short + and - side together in a short period of time but your driver will if the driver doesn't have short circuit protection.
Most of the case that would raise the input current higher than normal are could be a slightly short on LEDS or one of the LED polarity was reversed install (LED will light if reversed polarity but will draw higher current).
Anemonebuff
New member
But if the heatsink/driver casing were causing the voltage to go full 110V it would be supplying that to the LEDs as well. This would cause them to instantly blow. Wouldn't he also get shocked if he touched the driver/sink?
LED technology is more then 30 years old. T5 is half that.
Useful light is a curve of light output vs. time, it is the LED lumen maintenance profile. An illumination grade LED, like used for our fish tanks, with normal heat dissipation and nothing foreign to discolor it will take about about 100,000 hours to hit 80% of the original output. That is about 11 years if you leave them on every single minute of every day.
There is a LOT of very misinformed posts just propagating misinformation in this thread.
I'm pretty sure its 70% after 50,000 hours for crees.
I was going by the LED's we use at work, but that sounds about right still.
Most tanks are on what, 10 hours a day? So that's about 13 years before you hit 70%, opposed to a MH hitting 70% in 11 months.....
Should note that profile is dependent on the color of the LED and the intensity it is ran.
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James77
Team RC
Useful light as it applies to the regular world is vastly different compared to what we need in this hobby. If the LEDs we are using over our tanks have the same performance- save for a 20-30% reduction in output- after 50,000 hours, then fantastic.
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
That 50k hours is under IDEAL, PERFECT conditions. CREE tests them in a TOTALLY controlled lab where temps are perfect ALL the time.
Anyone that has been in this hobby for more than a month knows that our tanks are NOT an IDEAL condition for technology.
I think people are up in the night if they think LED's will last 50k hours over our tanks. Kind of like when T5 became popular, everyone was shouting from the rooftops that they would last 2 years, no problem. You also didn't have to cool them. :lolspin: :hammer:
Fast forward a couple years and we now know that T5's last a year and you DO have to cool them if you want max performance and bulb life.
Now all of that aside.
If LED's follow suit and last half what the manufactures claim, 25k hours, you are still looking at roughly 6.5 years before they need replacing. In that 6.5 year stretch of time, MH and T5 people will replace bulbs anywhere from 6-12 times. Assuming the common MH bulb costs more than $50/bulb and T5's cost $25/bulb, that is A LOT of savings right there.
IME in that 6.5 years you will also replace every ballast whether it be T5 or MH. T5 ballasts are around $40 each and MH ballasts range pretty dramatically.
Some of the new LED drivers coming out are stating they will last just as long as the LED itself, if not longer. I can't remember exact numbers but when I looked into the Thomas Research drivers they were claiming something like 80k hours. If you can keep the drivers cool and away from the humidity, they should last that long. But once again if they last even half that you are looking at 40k hours of usage!
Anyway you want to break it down LED's will save you money. If you plan to stay in this hobby less than a year, go buy a used MH or T5 setup. That will be cheaper in the end for most. I don't know about most of you, but I didn't get in this hobby thinking I would try it for a year and see what I think.
I jumped into this hobby hoping to stay in it for life, I am now at 5 years. One thing I can tell you though, I don't have a single item from my very first tank in regards to equipment. I have some coral still but no equipment.
Just my 2 cents.
Well said Ryan. I thought I would keep my latest mh/t5 fixture forever, I thought it was about the best fixture I could by at the time...that was 1.5 years ago and I already want to switch it out to a T5/LED combo DIY fixture. Wonder what kind of stuff will be around in 5-10 years when the leds need replacing!
zygote2k
Nuisance Algae
I replaced a Current fixture consisting of 2x250mh & 4x54t5 with 12) Par 38's and 1) 453 nm Panorama Strip module over a 90 SPS tank.
Old fixture was 716watts.
New fixture is 264watts
Old fixture used up $270 in bulbs every year.
If the LED's last 4 years, then that's a savings of $1080 in bulbs plus 1800 watts of electricity saved.
It's kind of a no-brainer when you add up all the figures.
LED=smart money
MH/T5=waste of money
Old fixture was 716watts.
New fixture is 264watts
Old fixture used up $270 in bulbs every year.
If the LED's last 4 years, then that's a savings of $1080 in bulbs plus 1800 watts of electricity saved.
It's kind of a no-brainer when you add up all the figures.
LED=smart money
MH/T5=waste of money
James77
Team RC
For you, it very well may be. I've done the math over and over for myself, and, at the current prices, LEDs are a waste of money for myself. At least to go entirely LED- i use actinic supplemets. I won't say, however, that LEDs are an across the board waste of money for everyone because they do not suit me at this time.
Not everyone has the same electric rates, nor are all of us battling high tank temps all the time that require the use of a chiller. For those people, the payback on the LEDs- even under the most ideal lifespan of the LEDs, may never pan out. The same things were said about halides -that they are obsoloete and a waste-when T5s came out and were extremely popular. Halides are still here, and will be for the foreseeable future, simply because their pros/cons fit better for some people than the pros/cons of LEDs. Yes, DIY LEDs are substantially cheaper. However, they look unfinished IMO, and it is exposing alot to the humidity of tanks, whereas a fisture will help to protect sensitive things against that.
The most I could expect out of something like an AquaIllumations setup at this time would be to roughly break even over the course of 6-7 years with it. I'd really rather wait a couple years to see these sky high prices of these fixtures come down, as well as being better tuned to exactly what we need for our tanks.
I don't see how anything but the output would change. LED doesn't really work like T5 or MH.
James77
Team RC
I really wish people wouldn't mention stuff like this. It makes me look into these things evert time, and theres always the risk of me having a weak moment and buying one
James77
Team RC
Then that is a great pro towards LEDs then.
I really wish people wouldn't mention stuff like this. It makes me look into these things evert time, and theres always the risk of me having a weak moment and buying one
Sorry
But I was like you almost decided for Maxspect, then almost decided for AquaIllumination SOL and THEN finaly someone tipped me about Pacific Sun and it was a jackpot. Youtube video review of the software sealed the deal I bring it up because for example smallest size they have is available in three different power versions: 110W, 160W and 200W. I'm not sure if they drive it with more power because doesn't seem like ther is mre LEDs, or maybeI'm blind.
On the "how long it lasts" topic, et least its modular in a way that all leds are mounted to user replacable strips. So possibly can upgrade in the futue with other more efficient LEDs.
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