Ai prime HD lens melted?

Whyteboy

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as the title states. I have 2 AI prime HD’s that I run in a aquatic life hybrid fixture about 11” from the water line. I noticed the fans were getting pretty dirty so I figured I would take them down and clean them. Once I began inspecting and cleaning the light I noticed a hole through the lens as well as brown discoloration where the UV and violet leds are. I am running the BRS AB+ replica schedule which overclocks the violet and UV to 119%.

Has anyone else had any issues with this?

I have since reduced the UV and Violet to 95%.

Attached are pictures of the lens after I removed it from the fixture
4CCB5113-F4F6-4C92-AEDA-EF43183A0272.jpeg
75881EF8-FFE0-43EF-B684-A55491C064A3.jpeg
 

oreo54

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Sadly a relatively common issue w/ high energy violet/UV photon emitters and "plastic" lenses.
Somewhat doesn't depend on brand...

how old are the lights?
how are the chips under the lens?
 
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Whyteboy

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Sadly a relatively common issue w/ high energy violet/UV photon emitters and "plastic" lenses.
Somewhat doesn't depend on brand...

how old are the lights?
how are the chips under the lens?

the lights are 1 year 4 months old.

As far as the leds they appear to be functioning fine. I am going to replace these lens with a new set since they are cheap. if it happens again I will document it and probably change my led lighting for something else. I like the lights as far as function. But the fact that they have options which are available to do from the factory that puts off more heat than the light can dissipate resulting in that is annoying. As well as now I am worried this thing is going to burn my house down
 

oreo54

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It's not really heat per se just concentrated photons..Heat does contribute to it though.
It's complicated:
4.2. Role of photonic energy
In addition to thermal effects, the main reason for the discoloration and yellowing of optical materials within LED-based systems is continued exposure to wavelength emission (blue/UV radiation). Photo-degradation of the polymer materials used for LEDs usually takes place as a result of increasing the molecular mobility of the polymer and/or introducing chromospheres as an additive into the molecule. Both changes result in absorption maxima in a region where the matrix polymer has no absorption band [25]. Photo-degradation also depends on exposure time and the amount of radiation.


Colors above blue rarely cause this problem if not "heat" related.

In a sense you are sort of lucky.. Usually the diode lens discolors and then the board/diode should be replaced.
 

Jose6point2

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Sadly this just happened to me. Do you know where I can’t get replacement lenses? I have the prime 16hd.
 
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Whyteboy

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They sell them directly I think this is from the AI website


I would just contact them directly and make sure this is the same angle lens and they would work for the updated 16

I upgraded tanks to a 120 so I need to retire my lights soon anyways
 

Beck

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Here's mine. Just out of curiosity are you guys running the ab+ spectrum on your lights?
UV 119%, violet 116%, royal 79%, blue 80%, green 4%, red 4%, cool white 19%

20201112_151018.jpg
 

Greg Gdowski

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All five of mine are having similar problems, with 2 of them looking like Beck's. I looked up replacements. Yes, the lens is cheap ($6.56), but they want $17 shipping and handling for 1 lens. It is a little irritating.
 
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