geemanaz
Community Member
good post by a locale reefer name evolved post it so want to pass it a long to you
I am simply posting this as a PSA (public service announcement) to warn potential buyers about the hidden dangers of buying cheap, 3rd party fixtures off eBay.
Recently a local teacher in the East Phoenix Metropolitan set up a small reef tank in her classroom with the intent of education. "Miss Janet" was able to do this via many local reefers donating livestock and equipment. However, some things she acquired/purchased on her own, with budget being in her foresight. The lighting she purchased, via eBay, was sold as "Aquarium Reef LED Lamp 30W 450 nm Actinic BLUE" (eBay link). Some of you are likely familiar with this product; it looks like this:
On Christmas morning, this light caught fire, and the subsequent sprinkler system in the building caused thousands of dollars in damage. Surveillance cameras captured the origin of the fire. Directly from "janetora" on RC, the teacher who set up this tank with the best of intentions: "Except for the burned pile that was my tank, my classroom looks almost the same. But because of the water damage my room plus eight others are a complete loss. They are talking about a half a million or something like that in cost. ... Cameras have it [the eBay light] smoking and then catching on fire. Poof! It started in the LED light housing." (Original RC Thread)
Thankfully, the wider local community pulled together and was able to get this community center back up and running in short order: East Valley Jewish Community Center gets thousands in donations after a fire on Christmas Day
So please, buyer beware and make your eBay purchases carefully! Saving a little now can cost you a WHOLE lot more later.
Disclaimer: I do not have any ties to this unfortunate teacher, the community center, nor the eBay seller. This is purely to help spread important information to all buyers in the LED market.
I am simply posting this as a PSA (public service announcement) to warn potential buyers about the hidden dangers of buying cheap, 3rd party fixtures off eBay.
Recently a local teacher in the East Phoenix Metropolitan set up a small reef tank in her classroom with the intent of education. "Miss Janet" was able to do this via many local reefers donating livestock and equipment. However, some things she acquired/purchased on her own, with budget being in her foresight. The lighting she purchased, via eBay, was sold as "Aquarium Reef LED Lamp 30W 450 nm Actinic BLUE" (eBay link). Some of you are likely familiar with this product; it looks like this:
On Christmas morning, this light caught fire, and the subsequent sprinkler system in the building caused thousands of dollars in damage. Surveillance cameras captured the origin of the fire. Directly from "janetora" on RC, the teacher who set up this tank with the best of intentions: "Except for the burned pile that was my tank, my classroom looks almost the same. But because of the water damage my room plus eight others are a complete loss. They are talking about a half a million or something like that in cost. ... Cameras have it [the eBay light] smoking and then catching on fire. Poof! It started in the LED light housing." (Original RC Thread)
Thankfully, the wider local community pulled together and was able to get this community center back up and running in short order: East Valley Jewish Community Center gets thousands in donations after a fire on Christmas Day
So please, buyer beware and make your eBay purchases carefully! Saving a little now can cost you a WHOLE lot more later.
Disclaimer: I do not have any ties to this unfortunate teacher, the community center, nor the eBay seller. This is purely to help spread important information to all buyers in the LED market.
