Retina I LED - Buyer Beware

Idle Moor · 05/26/2011, 05:20 PM

I bit on this one too soon I'm afraid and probably should have known better. It appears everywhere to be advertised as a 50 watt fixture, but is in fact less than 10 watts by my Killerwatt meter. Marine Depot informed me by phone that it is only "equivalent" to 50 watts of light (from what? Not LED's apparently) and that the chips, of which there are 12 primary, are actually only 3/4 W each. Interestingly they initially challenged my assertion of the wattage wanting to know how I had measured it, then confessed to the actual watt rating of the chips. I said their ad copy was deceiving and they said it was obtained from the manufacturer, thereby denying responsibility for what was in their own catalog. I got an RMA for return but will have to pay shipping. I will buy an Ecoxotic Panorama strip as replacement, but not from Marine Depot. I was duped.

James77 · 05/26/2011, 06:21 PM

Quoted from marine depot description.............

"Over 50W of light output by 12 white and 8 blue LEDs"

Thats pretty deceptive.....how could anyone possibly know that they were talking about equivalent light? There is no other wattage listed that says what it actually is. Id return the thing and demand 100% money back.

Idle Moor · 05/26/2011, 06:45 PM

Not sure "demanding" all my money back will do much good, but I am posting this information about the light and experience with Marine Depot everywhere I find reference to this on the web. This includes ************ and Advanced Aquarist online magazine who are quoting MD in their articles which essentially advertise this thing, and thereby promote the deception. Hopefully the bad press is worth the $18 they saved in shipping costs.

reefsurfing · 05/26/2011, 08:57 PM

Marine depot always hides behind the manufacturer since they're not there to defend themselves. I have had two similar problems where I was shipped the older version of the product and both were blamed on the manufacturer and I was denied RMA's on both occasions. I use BRS now and have very few issues but when something comes up they handle it pretty fairly.

jeffb3t · 05/27/2011, 04:04 AM

I figure for the price it wouldn't perform as well as it is advertised for and can't blame MD for it since most sites post the manufacturers info anyway but I am curious what PAR it puts out and in particular at what depths as many of us are aware wattage is not an accurate way of measuring light output. Anyone out there have any data on this? I have been searching the internet but havent found any yet. I am wondering how well 2 of these would be for a FW planted tank (I know this is a reef site but dont worry... I easily grow bored of water without salt and will turn it into a nanoreef in a matter of a couple months.)

Right now I am torn between getting 2 of these or just picking up a hang on tank 150 DE kit. I love halides and run 2 each 250watt SE bulbs on my 45 gl sps but hate the heat and on this new 10 gl tetra half moon kit I am looking for something that wont have major light spillage or the heat considering its just 2 feet from me sitting on my office desk.

Idle Moor · 05/27/2011, 06:20 AM

I don't know what the requirements are for an fw tank but it's subjective performance was not impressive. The watt meter registered only 8 watts consumption - even lower than MD's revised specs. The blue chips are miniscule and have little effect. I did actually put it over an 18 gal nano briefly and it looked very dim indeed. The physical construction was however pretty solid. It could easily be retrofitted with better LEDs, but a hundred bucks is a lot to pay for just a holder.

RG Rude · 12/09/2014, 11:04 AM

Thanks for the info on this now resurrected thread. This item is on MD's Holiday Deal of the Day. I was thinking of getting it but will now pass.

sahin · 12/10/2014, 04:55 AM

If that is how this item is advertised, without providing details of actual power usage/or even power details about the LED's; then this is deceptive and shame on both the manufacturer and anyone who sells it without fully stating that the item is probably less than 15watts!

It annoys me that you have to pay return shipping; that might acutally deter some people from sending it back.

Bumping this back to the top.

doctorwhoreefer · 12/10/2014, 05:35 AM

I would press them to correct their obvious misleading description, and pay for the shipping.

albano · 12/10/2014, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorwhoreefer

I would press them to correct their obvious misleading description, and pay for the shipping.

3 &1/2 yrs later?

05/26/2011, 05:20 PM	#1
Idle Moor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 193	Retina I LED - Buyer Beware I bit on this one too soon I'm afraid and probably should have known better. It appears everywhere to be advertised as a 50 watt fixture, but is in fact less than 10 watts by my Killerwatt meter. Marine Depot informed me by phone that it is only "equivalent" to 50 watts of light (from what? Not LED's apparently) and that the chips, of which there are 12 primary, are actually only 3/4 W each. Interestingly they initially challenged my assertion of the wattage wanting to know how I had measured it, then confessed to the actual watt rating of the chips. I said their ad copy was deceiving and they said it was obtained from the manufacturer, thereby denying responsibility for what was in their own catalog. I got an RMA for return but will have to pay shipping. I will buy an Ecoxotic Panorama strip as replacement, but not from Marine Depot. I was duped.

05/26/2011, 06:21 PM	#2
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	Quoted from marine depot description............. "Over 50W of light output by 12 white and 8 blue LEDs" Thats pretty deceptive.....how could anyone possibly know that they were talking about equivalent light? There is no other wattage listed that says what it actually is. Id return the thing and demand 100% money back. __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

05/26/2011, 06:45 PM	#3
Idle Moor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 193	Not sure "demanding" all my money back will do much good, but I am posting this information about the light and experience with Marine Depot everywhere I find reference to this on the web. This includes ************ and Advanced Aquarist online magazine who are quoting MD in their articles which essentially advertise this thing, and thereby promote the deception. Hopefully the bad press is worth the $18 they saved in shipping costs.

05/26/2011, 08:57 PM	#4
reefsurfing Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 499	Marine depot always hides behind the manufacturer since they're not there to defend themselves. I have had two similar problems where I was shipped the older version of the product and both were blamed on the manufacturer and I was denied RMA's on both occasions. I use BRS now and have very few issues but when something comes up they handle it pretty fairly.

05/27/2011, 04:04 AM	#5
jeffb3t Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Okinawa, Japan Posts: 1,327	I figure for the price it wouldn't perform as well as it is advertised for and can't blame MD for it since most sites post the manufacturers info anyway but I am curious what PAR it puts out and in particular at what depths as many of us are aware wattage is not an accurate way of measuring light output. Anyone out there have any data on this? I have been searching the internet but havent found any yet. I am wondering how well 2 of these would be for a FW planted tank (I know this is a reef site but dont worry... I easily grow bored of water without salt and will turn it into a nanoreef in a matter of a couple months.) Right now I am torn between getting 2 of these or just picking up a hang on tank 150 DE kit. I love halides and run 2 each 250watt SE bulbs on my 45 gl sps but hate the heat and on this new 10 gl tetra half moon kit I am looking for something that wont have major light spillage or the heat considering its just 2 feet from me sitting on my office desk.

05/27/2011, 06:20 AM	#6
Idle Moor Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 193	I don't know what the requirements are for an fw tank but it's subjective performance was not impressive. The watt meter registered only 8 watts consumption - even lower than MD's revised specs. The blue chips are miniscule and have little effect. I did actually put it over an 18 gal nano briefly and it looked very dim indeed. The physical construction was however pretty solid. It could easily be retrofitted with better LEDs, but a hundred bucks is a lot to pay for just a holder.

12/09/2014, 11:04 AM	#7
RG Rude Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa Florida Posts: 198	Thanks for the info on this now resurrected thread. This item is on MD's Holiday Deal of the Day. I was thinking of getting it but will now pass.

12/10/2014, 04:55 AM	#8
sahin Ultimate Reefer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,540	If that is how this item is advertised, without providing details of actual power usage/or even power details about the LED's; then this is deceptive and shame on both the manufacturer and anyone who sells it without fully stating that the item is probably less than 15watts! It annoys me that you have to pay return shipping; that might acutally deter some people from sending it back. Bumping this back to the top.

12/10/2014, 05:35 AM	#9
doctorwhoreefer Moved On Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 353	I would press them to correct their obvious misleading description, and pay for the shipping.