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Post by Easy Aquariums on Aug 30, 2013 19:32:08 GMT -5
I'm down at MACNA right now and I was talking to our friends from Current USA and ecoexotic and they informed me that most of the cheaper LED tablet fixtures you can buy online at places like eBay and places like that are not adequate over an aquarium. They were initially developed for the horticulture industry and the way the power is delivered to the light is inadequate and unsafe for aquariums. They are supposed to have a power supply inline from the cord that goes into the light. What that does is lowers the voltage at your light so if it falls into a tank you don't have high voltage flowing through it. Some countries like Australia have actually made those fixtures illegal. Without an inline power supply they are not UL listed and therefore deemed unsafe. If anyone has anything to add I'd love to hear it. I just thought I'd share that little tid bit that I found out today. Happy reefing everyone.
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Post by reefking on Aug 30, 2013 22:35:09 GMT -5
I'm kind of confused as to what that means to have a power supply inline from the cord that goes into the light?
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Post by Matt in Lewiston on Aug 30, 2013 22:51:56 GMT -5
I am not sure, but I think it means you have a sort of adapter box that diverts the power to several channels...my LEDs were very expensive, there is a box in between the power cord and the light fixture, and the cord coming off that box going to the LEDs has about 6-8 seperate wires in it.
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Post by gotareef on Aug 31, 2013 8:46:26 GMT -5
im confused? are we talking drivers or power to the drivers or......? any examples? what do they consider high voltage?
lights are grounded if they fall in the water they short and pop the breaker,dosnt matter if its 110v from the wall or 75v from a driver.
places like australia and most of europe have un grounded plugs and 220v I can see it being a problem there and companys like current or ecoexotic using that to scare potential u.s. distributors/costumers! I hate companys that just talk trash about other companys.
again an example would be great?
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Aug 31, 2013 9:15:35 GMT -5
Ditto! I have one of those "cheap" LED lights from Reef Breeders that come from China and I've never had more growth or better coloring in my corals. Sounds like a company trying to scare consumers into buying their expensive lights.
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Post by gotareef on Aug 31, 2013 10:05:20 GMT -5
also with these cheap led lights the powercords are on top and come out easy, you can set them so if they fall it will disconnect power before it hits the water
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Post by Easy Aquariums on Aug 31, 2013 17:35:51 GMT -5
It's the transformer that goes between the wall and your light. There's no debate on the growth and effectiveness of the LED's. The only thing I'm conveying is that they may not be UL listed and if there's an accident they may do more damage than others on the market. Just a safety thing. Not bashing on the lights, just saying dont drop them in the tank plugged in :-)
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Post by Easy Aquariums on Aug 31, 2013 17:46:12 GMT -5
And for the price, you can't beat it.
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Aug 31, 2013 20:27:36 GMT -5
Isn't it a danger to drop any lights into the tank while they are plugged in??
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Post by gotareef on Aug 31, 2013 20:44:28 GMT -5
Isn't it a danger to drop any lights into the tank while they are plugged in?? only if they are plugged in  |
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Post by jess on Aug 31, 2013 21:32:06 GMT -5
Lol
Sent from my SCH-I535 using proboards
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Post by Hack157 on Sept 4, 2013 12:19:07 GMT -5
Jason thank you for passing this information along. It is important to know your products and the risks they pose, using them with that knowledge is entirely your choice. No product will ever be anywhere near my tank that does not have a UL certification. Relying on a plug to pull out or a circuit breaker to pop because of shortcuts in circuitry offers a fair amount of risk. A unit may not need to fall into a tank but have just the right occurrence of water splashing for voltage to become lethal. Not to mention the fact that shortcuts in circuitry can lead to fires. A UL certification is easily attained, and an inline transformer or one built into a unit will not break the bank. All this boils down to is what is your safety and those that maybe around your tank worth to you?
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Post by Lance on Sept 4, 2013 14:53:02 GMT -5
Not sure what the insurance implications are of non-UL listed fixtures if there's a fire. I worked at a pet store in high school that was sued by a couple who had a fire. They had placed a UL rated light fixture on their aquarium but had done so with an open top (contrary to manufacturer directions). It shorted, started a fire, and burned their apartment and at least one neighbor's.
Their insurance did not cover everything because of this. In turn they tried to sue my boss and the light manufacturer. They lost but it cost my boss and the light manufacturer time and money to defend the suit.
Not fun for anyone.
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Post by gotareef on Sept 4, 2013 16:53:22 GMT -5
so let me get this strait, any light except mh and a few high end led are not ul listed? because the ballasts are not remote?
sorry im more worried about a heater in someones tank thats not grounded!
over than the chance of my lights falling into the water and me not unplugging them or the breaker not popping before taking them out.
Hack157: I have to ask, is your tank covered and what do you use for lights?
your statement is like saying not to have a fishtank unless you put in gfi outlets (it is safer but 90% of tanks are plugged into the wall)
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Post by Hack157 on Sept 4, 2013 17:39:39 GMT -5
I use T5's connected to an ICE Cap ballast with the UL listing clearly displayed. They don't happen to recommend you connect an ICE Cap ballast to a GFI, so I don't. Like I said know your products. You seem to misunderstand what a UL Certification is all about. In simple terms, it is a certification that the circuitry as designed and utilized in a product is safe to use for its intended purpose. I don't happen to have a heater in my tank that doesn't carry a UL label, or a pump for that matter. Feel free to use and defend anything you like, it doesn't matter to me. After all the world needs guinea pigs, that is how most eventually find out what they were doing wasn't safe. I happen to feel that made in China is a warning label, and unless it actually meets our safety codes, I will pass on it. You do what you want.
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