ESHINE 48X3W 4G lighting fixture experience

[tntneon]

-In the future i'm probably gonna replace one t-5 fixture with an brigelux 3X36 W with some red and UV leds , for now i'm gonna see how the hybide set up (4X 39 T5 + 48 X 3W leds + 20 X 3W leds) performes .
If the shimmering is to much decreassed due to the t-5's is gonna be , a little bit faster


greetingzz tntneon

[pryorrods]

Can anyone currently using these 48/3W fixtures tell me a little about the controller? I'm still trying to decide if I should go with the Bridgelux or Cree. I'm leaning toward the cree for the added output, but I can't seem to get much info on the features of the controller. Do they have an auto dimming feature where the lights can go from lunar all the way up to full power on their own at at set time and rate? Can the output be set to a percentage of the overall output, say 50%, if I think they are too bright at full output? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[pryorrods]

Also, is anyone mounting their units in an enclosed canopy? My canopy is 18" high and I was thinking of building a light rail inside to mount them.

[yh1185]

Originally Posted by pryorrods

Can anyone currently using these 48/3W fixtures tell me a little about the controller? I'm still trying to decide if I should go with the Bridgelux or Cree. I'm leaning toward the cree for the added output, but I can't seem to get much info on the features of the controller. Do they have an auto dimming feature where the lights can go from lunar all the way up to full power on their own at at set time and rate? Can the output be set to a percentage of the overall output, say 50%, if I think they are too bright at full output? Any help is greatly appreciated.

If you use their standard 1:1 ratio. There are 2 basic settings. Auto on, and sunrise/sunset.

Auto on lets you choose what percentage you want each of the lights to be on. (i.e. 100%blue, 50% white)

Sunrise/sunset allows you to set a percentage you want the lights to be on every hour. So first thing you do when you turn the unit on is set the time. Then you can choose to do the constant or wave. If you choose wave, it will allows you to set intensities for the blue and white every hour. So for instance:

Time B% W%
0 0 0
1 0 0
2 0 0
3 0 0
4 0 0
5 0 0
6 10 10
7 10 10
8 20 20
9 30 20
10 40 20
11 50 30
12 60 30
13 60 30
14 60 30
15 60 30
16 60 30
17 50 20
18 50 20
19 40 20
20 30 20
21 20 10
22 10 0
23 0 0
24 0 0


Hope that helps.

[pryorrods]

WOW, thanks yh1185! So I guess that's not a bad little system. I guess it's not so bad that it can't be controlled by a tank controller......it's still a fairly controllable unit on its own. What do you think.....cree or bridgelux for my 30" deep tank?

[yh1185]

i have cree on my 40b which is not that deep. I tend to think you might as well spend a bit more and turn it down if it's too bright...You can't go brighter with the bridgelux once you hit 100%

[fluxuploll]

HI guys,
I've been really confused with the sales on the site. I'm planning to buy a 48x18x24 90g tank. Robin said 2 60w would be enough but Peter said i would need 2 48x3w. A big difference in price. What do you guys think??

Im plannin to do a mixed reef tank.

[Phishguy]

Originally Posted by fluxuploll

HI guys,
I've been really confused with the sales on the site. I'm planning to buy a 48x18x24 90g tank. Robin said 2 60w would be enough but Peter said i would need 2 48x3w. A big difference in price. What do you guys think??

Im plannin to do a mixed reef tank.

Either one would do. Peter seems to always recommend that one. The 60w uses cree leds and is dimmable and can not be customized. The other models are fully customizable but not dimmable unless you get their controller for each fixture. Their units can be made with either Cree or bridgelux LEDs. In my opinion, on your tank I'd probably choose the 36x3w. Of course the 48x3w would be fine too and there is barely a price difference between them. When I chose I figured it's better to under power than overpower. I can always add t5's or extra LEDs if I need to. If its too much, you have to buy their very expensive controller to dim them and then you're s.o.l. If their driver stops working.

[SimonSKL]

I am in the process of building a 125g tank and have been wondering which light I should get to cover my 72x18x22 tank. If I go with 48x3W, I may need 2 or may be 3 units. The 60x3W is ideal as I only need 2 units but it does not come with controller at this time according to the email from Eshine yesterday. So if I want controller, the only option is the 48x3W.

Was anyone able to negotiate a lower price than what was published on their price list? Are there any place where I can buy these lights without paying over $127 in shipping cost for 2 units of 48x3W?

[yh1185]

Originally Posted by SimonSKL

Was anyone able to negotiate a lower price than what was published on their price list? Are there any place where I can buy these lights without paying over $127 in shipping cost for 2 units of 48x3W?

I didn't try negotiating since their prices were really fair, if not really cheap compared to other options of similar power. For instance, i see one of their setups(not the 48X3w) being sold online from a US seller for about 370$. When i went to ask eshine about their pricing, i was told it was about 179+80 for shipping (give or take it was a while ago) Their price even with shipping was about 100 cheaper then if i tried to go with the US retailer of their lights.(and that's on a single unit, the more you buy the larger the gap will be) The retailers of these units have to make a profit, which is fine, but to me I have no issue with dealing directly with Eshine, and having to wait for delivery's and such. My suggestion, if you want to find a deal, would be to see if anyone in your area would go in on a group buy, or talk to a LFS, maybe they'd be willing to buy some and sell them in their store.

[Phishguy]

Simon, I don't think you need a fixture that matches the dimensions of your tank. If that were the case, you'd need several to reach back to front. Personally on your tank I'd probably do 3- 36x3w fixtures. Think of metal halide fixtures, they don't go to the edges of the tank. Also, since they are fully customizable, if you were concerned about even coverage, you could have them use 90* optics on the ends in between the fixtures and 60* on the rest. If you really want the controller, just wait a bit. More will be available soon.

[tntneon]

-The electrical powercord where i was waiting for has arrived , that is they delivered me two good powercords making it even better
I hung it over my new diy 154 g system i was already watertesting.
-I'm very pleased with the result , the fans do not make noise and what a bunch of light comming from those leds !
Only the fan in the driver you hear a bit , the driver is gonna be hanging in the electrical compartment after a door anyway .
I find it very easy to program the driver , thats a real plus for somebody who even can't program a digital walmart timer
-One unit with 90° optics and 10" high mounted will be enough (lps/sps) to lit an area of 24"X24"X24" .
Only i gonna supplement that a bit with some additional T-5 lighting (fiji purple/bleu plus) that i had laying around for a full blown SPS system with high numbers from top to bottom

greetingzz tntneon

[yh1185]

Originally Posted by tntneon

-The electrical powercord where i was waiting for has arrived , that is they delivered me two good powercords making it even better
I hung it over my new diy 154 g system i was already watertesting.
-I'm very pleased with the result , the fans do not make noise and what a bunch of light comming from those leds !
Only the fan in the driver you hear a bit , the driver is gonna be hanging in the electrical compartment after a door anyway .
I find it very easy to program the driver , thats a real plus for somebody who even can't program a digital walmart timer
-One unit with 90° optics and 10" high mounted will be enough (lps/sps) to lit an area of 24"X24"X24" .
Only i gonna supplement that a bit with some additional T-5 lighting (fiji purple/bleu plus) that i had laying around for a full blown SPS system with high numbers from top to bottom

greetingzz tntneon

Hmm my unit came with broken glass, and they send me 2 pieces for replacement. Yours came with wrong cord, so they send you 2 cords for replacement. I wonder.......Someone should hope to have a unit that is completely dead, maybe they'll send you 2 replacement units

[tntneon]

Yeah that would be a mega deal

[SimonSKL]

I am just ready to pull the trigger to get two of the 48x3W CREE with controllers for my new125g tank. I am also planning to replace 4 of the blue LEDs with red and see if the color will be more vibrant. Did anyone order any non-standard or customized color LEDs in your fixture?

Here is the link to my build and how I plan to place the LED fixtures inside the canopy.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2133241

[ghrorick]

Phishguy, what colors did you go with? I talked to peter and was thinking of going with a couple of other colors in the fixture, but haven't decided which. He told me I needed 4 for my 180 gal and sent me the spec sheet for the bridgelux and crees to compare. I'm also held up with the fact that he is trying to charge me the single unit price when I am may be ordering 8 units (4 for me, 4 for my friends tank.

[Phishguy]

Originally Posted by SimonSKL

I am just ready to pull the trigger to get two of the 48x3W CREE with controllers for my new125g tank. I am also planning to replace 4 of the blue LEDs with red and see if the color will be more vibrant. Did anyone order any non-standard or customized color LEDs in your fixture?

Here is the link to my build and how I plan to place the LED fixtures inside the canopy.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2133241

Are you able to add in other colors tithe Cree fixtures? I was told with the Cree versions that couldn't be done. One of the reasons I went the bridgelux route.

[Phishguy]

Originally Posted by ghrorick

Phishguy, what colors did you go with? I talked to peter and was thinking of going with a couple of other colors in the fixture, but haven't decided which. He told me I needed 4 for my 180 gal and sent me the spec sheet for the bridgelux and crees to compare. I'm also held up with the fact that he is trying to charge me the single unit price when I am may be ordering 8 units (4 for me, 4 for my friends tank.

I did a broad mix of colors. Royal blue, 470nm, 14k, uv and 660nm (red). I did 3ea of the 660nm and uv. 14- 14k and 12-rb and 4- 470nm.. I think.. Going off memory.. It seems the one consistent "thing" about LEDs is their narrow spectrum and the belief that can discolor or inhibit coral growth. I got different pricing from Vicki when my plan was to buy 7 fixtures. At that time I wouldve saved about 10%. By the time i started talking to peter, my plan changed and i ordered only 3 fixtures. Their price list just changed too. Some things are less, some are more.. I didn't even ask about better pricing because I only ordered 3 units and he let me customize every little this about the fixtures. I felt the total price was fair

[SimonSKL]

Originally Posted by Phishguy

Are you able to add in other colors tithe Cree fixtures? I was told with the Cree versions that couldn't be done. One of the reasons I went the bridgelux route.

I talked to Peter online and confirmed with Ivy whom I had been in contact with via emails. She said it can be done and without additional cost. I do believe CREE don't come in red so I am just replacing four of the CREE RB with non-CREE red.

[Phishguy]

I really wish I was told that... My lights should be here by Friday... I really would have preferred the crees mixed with the other colors

[ghrorick]

The cree spec sheet shows that it has xpg white/warm white and xp-e red/blue

[SimonSKL]

Originally Posted by ghrorick

The cree spec sheet shows that it has xpg white/warm white and xp-e red/blue

That's even better!

[tntneon]

-I the begining of my conversation with eshine they also told me that you can cluster the leds , like there growlights fixtures have , to have better mixing of colors and calmer shimmer (see radion , ai sol's) ?
If I'm gonna order me an additional fixture i would have them clustered and mix some UV / royalbleu and replace some whites also by uv's and reds .
I would place this fixture in the back of my lightrack litting only from back to half tank.

-One point of critizm , if i manuly dim the whites to 50 % with the sunrise controller the driver starts to buzz a bit ?

-This afternoon i''l post pictures of the new fixture over my nano at 50 % (=72 watts) versus my older 60 w at 100%
-Here you will see how the nano is lit by the new fixture , the light is more evenly dispersed and brighter lit (of course due to 12 w more)
this is because it uses 4 rows of 12 leds instead of only 2 rows of 10 leds

greetingzz tntneon

[reeferstace]

I am hoping that someone here may be able to give me some guidance. I have a 300 gallon 96x30x24 tall tank that is currently being lit with halides. I am considering replacing the halides with LEDs. These fixtures seem to be gaining some popularity and have been getting decent feedback.

My stock list would include SPS, LPS, and softies. I would like to keep clams on the sandbed eventually.

I am not really concerned with controllability other than being able to turn them off/on with a timer or, perhaps my Apex. I also do not care about dimmability (or do I????).

I prefer blue light to stark white. I run Radium 20,000k in my halides. I do have some VHOs that are available as supplemental lighting.

Any advice on how many fixtures it would tank to cover a 96x30x24 tank? Crees or Bridgelux? Do I really need to control the lights? Do I really need a dimmer?

Thanks in advance. Sorry to highjack OP's thread.

[yh1185]

Originally Posted by reeferstace

I am hoping that someone here may be able to give me some guidance. I have a 300 gallon 96x30x24 tall tank that is currently being lit with halides. I am considering replacing the halides with LEDs. These fixtures seem to be gaining some popularity and have been getting decent feedback.

My stock list would include SPS, LPS, and softies. I would like to keep clams on the sandbed eventually.

I am not really concerned with controllability other than being able to turn them off/on with a timer or, perhaps my Apex. I also do not care about dimmability (or do I????).

I prefer blue light to stark white. I run Radium 20,000k in my halides. I do have some VHOs that are available as supplemental lighting.

Any advice on how many fixtures it would tank to cover a 96x30x24 tank? Crees or Bridgelux? Do I really need to control the lights? Do I really need a dimmer?

Thanks in advance. Sorry to highjack OP's thread.

IMO, there's no need for a controller if you don't want one. The 4g series of lights would probably be best for you, since you want some control in led color ratio. I don't know whether apex can be used with these lights, but at the very least a timer will turn these lights on and off. The only thing i might think about is the fact that if these units are run without a controller/dimmer, you won't be able to control intensity, and if you can move the lights up and down, you might want to have some shaded areas in the tank for the lower light corals. The choice between cree/bridgelux comes down to a couple of things:

Bridgelux: more colors, cheaper
Cree: higher efficiency and penetration, the top of the line

As i mentioned before, if you choose not to use a dimmer/controller you have to consider how much light penetration you are expecting from CREE vs bridgelux. If it were me in your situation i'd see if i could get the largest 4g system with a dimmer, and customize the LED's the way I wanted. I would also contact eshine and ask them what their opinion would be, and rank your priorities and see which system satisfies them the most. Good luck!