I've translated a detail review of the Maxspect 160W LED with the permission from the author, "Master QQ" of reef.hk
The original thread can be found on
www.reef.hk forums:
www.reef.hk/forum/index.php?showtopic=4780This is a direct translation of the original thread, I've not added or removed any content to/from it.
I hope this information can be useful to those of you who're looking to utilize the more affordable Maxspect LED lighting equipments in keeping reef (especially SPS) aquariums.
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Applications of LED light have grown dramatically in recent years, in the early days LED technologies are usually found electronic equipments, these days you can pretty much see LED lights on all sort of things.
From car head / tail lights, to
Street lights / traffic signal lights, to
Spot lights,
and even in subways.
LED technology is better than incandescent, fluorescent (T5HO / VHO, etc.) and even high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs (Metal Halide, HQI, etc.) because:
- High energy efficiency / low heat output
- Does not emit harmful UV rays
- Lower Luminous Decay and longer lifespan, usually last over 50,000 hours (usage in reef aquarium will be different however, due to high light PAR value and color sprectum requirements)
- Smaller in size
However high wattage LED lights usually require good heat sinks or they may burn out in high temperature during operation.
In recent years, LED applications finally hit the aquarium industry, and hobbists start to see LED lighting equipments from big names such as:
Ushio (Spot lights)
Kotobuki (Small and elegant)
Aqua Illumination modular LED system
ECO (also sold in Hong Kong)
ELOS
Another major brandname IceCap LED/T5HO/MH hybrid (Hobbists who have used VHO bulbs should have heard of this brand)
Aquactinics T5 / LED
Thanks to fellow hobbist Tritech who lend me one of the "new kids on the block" for testing - Maxspect LED lighting system
LED-G1-400-160W
Product IntroductionThe package is quite heavy:
Main components such as ballast, LED light casing and wirings:
External apperance of the LED light casing, very appealing. There're two CPU fans installed on the top of the casing. Air is drawn in from the sides and exhaust out from the top.
(Dimension: 405mm x 80mm x 45mm)
3W White LED (10000K) x 14
3W Blue LED (450 nm) x 18
30W White LED ( 18000K) x 2
The most obvious feature: the two 30W white LED bulbs:
Hanger that is used to support the lighting system (it can clip on glass panel up to 12mm thick), and length is about 4 inches.
Appealing appearance of the ballast and power supply. You can set clock, seperate timers on white / blue light on/off, as well as a display of temperature on the LED casing. (Warning at 60C and automatic shutdown at 70C to prevent burnout of LED due to high temperature).
Inside the power supply:
Inside the LED casing (overall speaking, great craftmanship):
The system is ready after simply connecting the power supply to the LED casing with the provided wires.
Blue lights only:
Blue lights only consumes about 55W power:
White lights only (only if you can seperate the on/off of 3W and 30W bulbs...):
White lights only consumes about 108W power:
Both lights on:
It consumes about 155W of power with both lights on (that's pretty good, since the manuafacturer didn't make false claims on power consumption)
Equipment testsThis is merely a private test, using equipment readily available to the public. This test may not cover all the facts about the lighting system and there is no commercial involvement of any kind in this test.This time we'll use a brand new 250W XM20000 metal halide bulb with small reflector and Philips ballast as comparison:
We'll use a Lux meter for dry tests and PAR meter for submerged tests.
Using a large piece of gridded cardboard paper to capture data, the 20k MH bulb looks quite blue:
The 250W MH consumes about 323W of power:
Maxspect 160W LED color spectrum lies between 12000k to 15000k, mixing of color is done well, there is no obvious issue with LED color mixing here:
T5HO using brand new 24W UVL 454, KZ Coral Light New Generation, AquaScience 22000K & UVL Indigo with Osram dim ballast
Color from T5HO is quite blue as well, the color spectrum seems to lie between MH and Maxspect LED:
Power consumption of T5HO is about 97W:
Data captured using Lux meter (from the 2cm gridded cardboard paper):
250W MH (XM 20000K)
Maxspect LED 160W
T5HO (4x24W)
Using Maxspect lighting system on a frag tank, the color sprecturm appears white with a tint of blue, with water shadow, feels just like using MH bulbs:
Short video of the lighting effect using MaxspectUsing T5HO on the same frag tank, the color appears more blueish:
Using PAR meter to capture testing data:
Rednumbers being Maxspect,
Bluenumbers being T5HO
Frags color under Maxspect LED, results are quite surprising:
ConclusionBeing a LED lighting system that is "Made in China", the results are quite impressive (from the apperance, design, craftmanship and performance).
From the data captured using the devices (PAR/Lux vs power consumption), this Maxspect system can already reach the output of a MH system, however heat generation is much lower compared to MH (after running the LED system for 2 hours, under room temperature of 18C, the LED casing only recorded temperature of 38C). However there're still room for improvements:
- Fan is turned on instantly as the power supply is connected, it will be better if the fan is activated only when the lights are turned on, to reduce wear and tear on the fan bearings.
- 30W and 3W white LED are turned on simultanously, it will be better if they are on seperate timers and controllers.
- There is no light adjustment funcionalities.
- The hanger can only clip onto glass panel up to 12mm thick, and only 4 inches lengths on the hangers. It will be better if a hanging system can be utilized.
- There is a transparent arclic panel that shield the LEDs from the water, however the arclic near the 30W bulbs seems to soften a little bit overtime (perhaps from the heat). It will be better if a thin glass panel is used instead of arclic as shield.
- Both blue and white lights are turned on simultanously when power is connected, it could scare the unwary hobbist.
After lumanating the frag tank with the Maxspect LED system for 2 hours, response are positive from the SPS, however only time will tell if it indeed satisfies the needs of all SPS corals. Additional feedbacks/reports from fellow hobbists using this LED system are welcome.
Happy Reefing
QQ
Updates on the Maxspect LED system:
This report was done during November 2009 by Master QQ, there've been improvements made to the LED system since then (I'm currently using a Maxspect 110W LED system):
- Fans only turn on when lights are on.
- The LED system now comes with stainless steel wirings, bolts and nuts to allow properly positioning above your tank.
Image of my own tank using Maxspect 110W (I bought the support frame seperately but Maxspect also provide the support frame for additional costs)
Additional InformationThe second generation of Maxspect LED system will be available Q1 2010, with improvements such as:
- Additional models: 80cm wide, 170W and 230W models. 170W model contains 1 set of blue LEDs and 2 sets of white LEDs on seperate controller and timer (i.e. 3 timers in total), while 230W model contains 1 set of blue LEDs and 3 sets of white LEDs (i.e. 4 timers in total).
- All Maxspect LED systems now contains moonlight LEDs.
- All LED bulbs are "socketed", making replacement of bulbs much more easier.
- New hanging system and support frame that can be installed on rails, allowing the hobbist to move the frame + LED system, and easier access to the water.
Master QQ didn't post any comparsion data with MH, however I found these on the official forum:
Maxspect 110W light output is comparable to 150W MH + T5 blue tubes.
Maxspect 160W light output is comparable to 250W MH + T5 blue tubes.
Maxspect 180W light output is comparable to 400W MH + T5 blue tubes.
Appearance tests done by manufacturerReef tank dimension: 150cm wide, 58cm water depth
Units used for testings:
Unit #1: 150W MH (width 60cm), using OSRAM ballast, 14000K bulb made in China, used for 6 months. In addition, T5 blue tubes 14W x2, also used for 6 months.
Unit #2: 150W MH (width 40cm), using imported (didn't specify brand) 15000K bulb and ballast, used for 1 month. In addition, T5HO blue tubes 14W x2, also used for 1 month.
Unit #3: T5HO (width 60cm), made in China using 24W 10000K tubes x4, 24W blue tubes x1. All tubes are used for about 3 months.
Unit #4: Maxspect 160W LED system (width 40cm), 12000K white LED 3W x14 = 42W, 16000K white LED 30W x2 = 60W, blue LED 3W x 18 = 54W.
Unit #5: Maxspect 110W LED system (width 40cm), 12000K white LED 3Wx18 = 54W, blue LED 3W x 18 = 54W.
Maxspect 160W vs Maxspect 110W
Maxspect 160W vs Maxspect 110W (Blue LED)
Maxspect 110W vs T5HO (unit #3)
Maxspect 110W vs 150W MH (unit #1)
Maxspect 110W vs 150W MH (unit #2)
Maxspect 160W vs 150W MH (unit #1)
Maxspect 160W vs 150W MH (unit #2)
Old 150W MH (unit #1) vs New 150W MH (unit #2)
LUX data captured by manufacturerUnits used for testings:
Unit #1: 150W MH (width 60cm), using OSRAM ballast, 14000K bulb made in China, used for 6 months. In addition, T5 blue tubes 14W x2, also used for 6 months.
Unit #2: 150W MH (width 40cm), using imported (didn't specify brand) 15000K bulb and ballast, used for 1 month. In addition, T5HO blue tubes 14W x2, also used for 1 month.
Unit #3: T5HO (width 60cm), made in China using 24W 10000K tubes x4, 24W blue tubes x1. All tubes are used for about 3 months.
Unit #4: Maxspect 160W LED system (width 40cm), 12000K white LED 3W x14 = 42W, 16000K white LED 30W x2 = 60W, blue LED 3W x 18 = 54W.
Unit #5: Maxspect 110W LED system (width 40cm), 12000K white LED 3Wx18 = 54W, blue LED 3W x 18 = 54W.
Data on LEFT grid is captured 25cm from the light systems, whereas data on the RIGHT grid is captured 50cm from the light systems.Note, normally you need to keep MH systems 20-40CM above water level to avoid heating up the water too much, however for Maxspect LED systems, we suggest that the users can keep them 5-10cm above water level. Therefore, LUX data captured at 25cm away from the light system matches closer to the actual light output from the Maxspect LED system in actual aquarium usage.
Capturing data 25cm from the light systems:
Capturing data 50cm from the light systems:
Results:
Maxspect LED 180W
Maxspect LED 160W
Maxspect LED 110W
New MH 150W (unit #2)
T5HO (unit #3)
Luminous decay3W White LED bulb - Luminous decay at 3% every 1000 hours, running 10 hours a day at 50C, luminous decay at about 11% a year.
30W White LED bulb - Luminous decay at 5% every 1000 hours, running 10 hours a day at 50C, luminous decay at about 18% a year.
3W Blue LED bulb - Luminous decay is estimated at about 1.5% every 1000 hours, running 10 hours a day at 50C, luminous decay at about 5.5% a year.