TaoTronics 120W LED lights

[necat]

Im starting this thread to review the LED lights I just purchased and are to arrive Wed or Thurs. I have read around 8 good reviews and hope to have good luck as well until I can afford name brand lights. The only negative reviews I've found are from critics and not from people who have actually used them as of yet. Im sure they are out there though! :D

I was wondering if I could customize these lights if the colors are not very good? Hopefully some LED pro's will chime in without constant bashing and recommending of AI SOL or Radions! I want to buy the SOL's but for 158 per fixture shipped, Im willing to take the chance! :D

Here is a link to the lights,

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Aquarium-Coral-White-Light/dp/B0058RXPOS]Amazon.com: TaoTronics Aquarium Coral Reef Tank White Blue LED Lamb Grow Light 120W: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame]

You can get the same light for 158 off of ebay from reputable sellers.

Thanks to all for any input and or following! Cheers! :beerchug:

 

[Sir Alex]

The stats look good. 3 watt LEDs are quite powerful and with two units you'd have 110 LEDs = way overkill.

Only thing I'd be concerned about it "Note: The rated power of our chip is 3W, but actual using power is 2W, in order to match the cooling system of our product and make sure the using time as long as possible." Are they trying to say they are in fact 2 watt LEDs? But I guess with that mean it'd be okay.


Oh and also, it says 25 blues and 30 whites. You might find it a little too white...

 

[necat]

The stats look good. 3 watt LEDs are quite powerful and with two units you'd have 110 LEDs = way overkill.

Only thing I'd be concerned about it "Note: The rated power of our chip is 3W, but actual using power is 2W, in order to match the cooling system of our product and make sure the using time as long as possible." Are they trying to say they are in fact 2 watt LEDs? But I guess with that mean it'd be okay.


Oh and also, it says 25 blues and 30 whites. You might find it a little too white...

You nailed exactly what ive been thinking (3w using 2w) as being ok. Ill just need some advice for the proper height to hang them. Not sure how to figure that out. I was afraid they will be to white. I wonder if a guy could swap some whites out with blues?

Thanks for replying!

 

[Dturner]

I am going to follow this post, I am very interested to see how they turn out. Looks pretty promising but I would prefer about 1:4 ratio of white to blue for my likings. I wonder if they can be customized from the original manufacturer.. seems like they'd get more sales that way.

 

[necat]

I am going to follow this post, I am very interested to see how they turn out. Looks pretty promising but I would prefer about 1:4 ratio of white to blue for my likings. I wonder if they can be customized from the original manufacturer.. seems like they'd get more sales that way.

I cant find where TaoTronics personally sells them. Im assuming its shipped over seas and sold through different people in the states. Im hoping when they get here I can find some tech support numbers and call to inquire on different ratios. Ill keep you informed as Im very curious about these as well. :beer:

 

[Northstar24]

Someone who is better with electronics will have to chime in to be sure, but I do not think under driving the LED's at 2 Watts will hurt them, but you won't get the same performance out of them as you would units that are designed to run the Crees at their normal 3 Watts. I would question the design of a fixture that has to under drive LED's solely because the cooling fans wont handle the power

There are several reasons why people try to steer you away from fixtures like this
1) If something does happen and you need to have the fixture serviced... good luck
2)Developing these fixtures takes time, money, and R&D. Buying these cheap knock offs from China means companies may be less willing to spend money and innovate because the ROI is lower than they expect
3)Reviews from reputable people in the industry - we recommend the mainstream fixtures because they have a proven track record
4) If the price is too good to be true - it probably is. Look at similar fixtures on the market from reputable companies, and you'll find they're probably more expensive. There are many reasons for this. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for

In any case the only way to really know how well these fixtures will work is to try them out, but don't be suprised if you decide they need to be returned / replaced

 

[necat]

Someone who is better with electronics will have to chime in to be sure, but I do not think under driving the LED's at 2 Watts will hurt them, but you won't get the same performance out of them as you would units that are designed to run the Crees at their normal 3 Watts. I would question the design of a fixture that has to under drive LED's solely because the cooling fans wont handle the power

There are several reasons why people try to steer you away from fixtures like this
1) If something does happen and you need to have the fixture serviced... good luck
2)Developing these fixtures takes time, money, and R&D. Buying these cheap knock offs from China means companies may be less willing to spend money and innovate because the ROI is lower than they expect
3)Reviews from reputable people in the industry - we recommend the mainstream fixtures because they have a proven track record
4) If the price is too good to be true - it probably is. Look at similar fixtures on the market from reputable companies, and you'll find they're probably more expensive. There are many reasons for this. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for

In any case the only way to really know how well these fixtures will work is to try them out, but don't be suprised if you decide they need to be returned / replaced

First off thank you for the input, it is appreciated.

I agree with most of what you are saying. You get what you pay for and reasons behind the Name Brands being more expensive. However I disagree that buying cheap knock offs hurts the industry. I believe it improves the industry. It creates a stronger competition and drives the dollar down for consumers. Trust me when I say if they arent making money, they wont make the lights. Companies like TaoTronics seem to be filling a much vacant market. Afforadable LEDS. Which for some reason a lot of people seem to think is just an out of this world concept. I am not trying to buy the best LEDS. I am not trying to buy the most advanced LEDS. I would be happy with LEDS that keep my tank alive and I dont have to change the bulbs often. I understand that will come with certain downfalls.

I dont think we can compare LEDS such as AI SOL to TaoTronics fairly. In my opinion that is like comparing a Cadillac to a Hyundi.


I dont know if these will work. I understand that. But what if they do? :D

 

[necat]

Side Note:

I will post honest results and opinions on these lights. Obviously I hope they work but if not I dont want to stear others wrong!

 

[little_fish]

I looked at all the reviews, and they all seemed to review after only having the light for a weeks or days, which isnt enough time to evaluate the light's ability to grow corals. It will be interesting to see how these perform long term.

 

[necat]

I looked at all the reviews, and they all seemed to review after only having the light for a weeks or days, which isnt enough time to evaluate the light's ability to grow corals. It will be interesting to see how these perform long term.

Good point, and Agreed. I wish those that reviewed would have updated. Unless maybe they have all threw them away! :-x

 

[Smitty]

Good luck with the lights, I hope they do well for you. Thanks for keeping us updated.

 

[slm32123]

By the 2W on 3W LEDs, they mean they have the Drivers dialed back to about 66% power. That prolongs the life of the LEDs themselves. All DIY sellers recommend that you dial it back to about 70% for that specific reason. They will last the predicted 5 years that way, versus about 2-3 years running full power.

 

[necat]

By the 2W on 3W LEDs, they mean they have the Drivers dialed back to about 66% power. That prolongs the life of the LEDs themselves. All DIY sellers recommend that you dial it back to about 70% for that specific reason. They will last the predicted 5 years that way, versus about 2-3 years running full power.

Interesting. Thank you for your input!

 

[necat]

Got the lights today and they are currently installed. Ill post pictures as soon as i can get them uploaded. Here are my thoughts so far.

Packaging was good and delivery was super fast. Ordered Sunday night and arrived today. Secured well and protected with foam inside box number two.

Very bright but do wish they would have had just a few more Blue leds. I do like the color however with both on and its very clear with just the whites.

Fans are not silent by any means, but dont sound light the protein skimmer as I had read before. They are behind my wall running with my sump so they blend right in. You dont even notice them after a few minutes.

One thing that is scary is that there is absolutely no paperwork or anything with these. Just the lights, hanging cord, and 2 power cords. I may ask the seller for some kind of warranty contacts before giving them feedback on ebay. Doubt Ill get anything.

Now for some questions for my reefing friends!!

1. How high should I be hanging these? I have lids on the tank and they are currently about 5.75". I used slotted angle bracket so they can go up very easily.

2. How should I program the timer? I thought maybe have just the blues turn on around 9am. Then blues and whites from 11am - 9pm and then just blues again from 9pm - 12am? That seems like alot of light to me but I would prefer them on later as to enjoy them with a few drinks on the weekend!!

My cords in the pictures are a mess as I was just trying to get them running. Ill post a final picture once I get the timer mounted, programmed and the wires secured and organized!

 

[BL1]

That's definitely too long, you only want your lights to run 8-12 hours a day. If you want your tank to be lit later then you can start it later. When I ran my tank I had the lights come on at 11am and went out at 11pm so I could enjoy the tank for a while after I got home from work.

 

[necat]

Here is pictures of lights in boxes, hanging, and top of one of them.

 

[necat]

2 more

 

[necat]

my camera is doing horrible. its trying to adjust lighting so take these for what they are worth I guess. sorry. old lights then new lights

 

[necat]

only blues and only whites

 

[necat]

and finally my brackets for adjustment and cord mess (temporary!)