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Unread 05/11/2018, 05:01 AM   #321
Ron Reefman
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cape Coral, FL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedal Damnit View Post
I'm new to LED, so I need to ask:

How much heat are these LED lamps giving off? Do they run cooler than MH? I have used MH before and I had excessive heat issues. I'm interested in setting up a 24" deep tank and considering a few LED pendant lamps.
It depends on the fixture. Most led fixtures, even the Chinese Black Boxes I've dealt with, run a bit warm, but that's probably cooler than most t5 fixtures and way cooler than any MH.

Then there are the better led fixtures, like the Reef Breeders Photon V2 that run cool enough that at anything less than about 80% total power, the thermally controlled fan doesn't even turn on. About 75% of the time it's running (during the time it ramps up and then ramps back down) it runs so cool that it's barely a couple of degrees above the room temperature. Some other leds run this cool as well.

But there is the other extreme. I have two 21LEDUSA reef bar led strips that run so hot they're almost too hot to pick up with my bare hands. I've also had a very high end and well thought of led fixture that ran quite hot as well. I haven't used any of their newer releases and it would be my hope that they have improved their design and run cooler now. But I'd be going to a store and asking to see one in use and feel it for myself before I'd buy that brand again.

If you are looking at pendant leds, I assume you are looking at Kessils? They are commonly found in use at may LFS or coral shops. They offer a lot of shimmer (important to some users) and the run a strong blue which coral sellers like as it makes the corals look more colorful. But if they are running a lot of blue and very little or no white in the mix, be aware that the fixture is running at about 50% total power and it should be very cool to the touch. I have very little experience with them as I've found them to be slightly down on PAR when I've tested them with my PAR meter for fellow reefers in our local club.


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