Kessil A360X Settings for Color and Intensity

[joe-ejs]

Hello,

I have a pair of Kessil A360X's and they were great but have not changed settings in quite some time, and want to make sure I understand the settings.

Intensity
- As I increase Intensity, am I increasing the wattage output of the LED's thus increasing the PAR as well?
- As I increase Intensity, am I also adding more white color? What am I actually doing when I increase the Intensity setting?

Color
- The lower the color setting, the more blue the tank is. I assume this does not change the spectrum setting, which is locked in for Blue Optimal color, correct?
- As I increase the COLOR setting, the tank goes less blue. Again, am I adding white or simply reducing the amount of Blue? does increasing the COLOR setting increase the PAR?

Thanks for any input in advance.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I do not work for Kessil but this is what I know based on what they have told me. Kessil control is unique for a variety of reasons.

Kessil uses a multichip LED. The main thing limiting how much power can go to an LED is cooling but since the LEDs are so close together and they use the same heat sink when you shift the proportional amount of power between LEDs of different colors the total power consumed by the light remains consistent. In other words, Color changes do not affect Intensity if you measure it by power draw, but a PAR meter may measure a difference when the color channel is adjusted because some meters are more sensitive to some wavelengths than others. To your question as to whether you are reducing blue or adding white. You are doing both because you are shifting how the power balance is distributed between the LEDs. In a sense, you can overdrive the blue LEDs if only blue LEDs are on because you only have 90watts of heat but if you turn the white lights on you can still only have 90 watts of heat so the blue reduces in power to maintain the same power draw.

Kessil also has a different LED setup than other brands most manufacturers use different colors of LED from major manufacturers such as Cree, or Philips. Kessil is owned by Dicon and all of their LEDs are made in-house. The way most manufacturers make white LEDs is by phosphor-coating Green LEDs. Green LEDs are the most power-efficient so they are selected and then coated with a filter that broadens the spectrum into a white color. However, the phosphor is only 50% efficient, and half of the light in the white LED is still green light. For flashlights or home lights, this is fine but for aquariums, green light is not helpful for photosynthesis. Kessil uses phosphor-coated blue LEDs to make their white LEDs. This way when you shift the color to the white spectrum 50% of the white LEDs' color is the blue wavelength used in photosynthesis. This means it is very hard to mess up the color setting on the light because no matter what 50% of the lighting is in the blue range needed for photosynthesis.

An additional difference with Kessil is that the phosphor coating process is randomized meaning that none of the LEDs emit exactly the same spectrum. Once the LEDs are manufactured, Kessil calibrates them so that 2 different lights match each other on the same settings. However, the same LEDs on each light's board are not receiving the same amount of power at a given color setting because the LEDs of each light are unique.

 

[joe-ejs]

I do not work for Kessil but this is what I know based on what they have told me. Kessil control is unique for a variety of reasons.

Kessil uses a multichip LED. The main thing limiting how much power can go to an LED is cooling but since the LEDs are so close together and they use the same heat sink when you shift the proportional amount of power between LEDs of different colors the total power consumed by the light remains consistent. In other words, Color changes do not affect Intensity if you measure it by power draw, but a PAR meter may measure a difference when the color channel is adjusted because some meters are more sensitive to some wavelengths than others. To your question as to whether you are reducing blue or adding white. You are doing both because you are shifting how the power balance is distributed between the LEDs. In a sense, you can overdrive the blue LEDs if only blue LEDs are on because you only have 90watts of heat but if you turn the white lights on you can still only have 90 watts of heat so the blue reduces in power to maintain the same power draw.

Kessil also has a different LED setup than other brands most manufacturers use different colors of LED from major manufacturers such as Cree, or Philips. Kessil is owned by Dicon and all of their LEDs are made in-house. The way most manufacturers make white LEDs is by phosphor-coating Green LEDs. Green LEDs are the most power-efficient so they are selected and then coated with a filter that broadens the spectrum into a white color. However, the phosphor is only 50% efficient, and half of the light in the white LED is still green light. For flashlights or home lights, this is fine but for aquariums, green light is not helpful for photosynthesis. Kessil uses phosphor-coated blue LEDs to make their white LEDs. This way when you shift the color to the white spectrum 50% of the white LEDs' color is the blue wavelength used in photosynthesis. This means it is very hard to mess up the color setting on the light because no matter what 50% of the lighting is in the blue range needed for photosynthesis.

An additional difference with Kessil is that the phosphor coating process is randomized meaning that none of the LEDs emit exactly the same spectrum. Once the LEDs are manufactured, Kessil calibrates them so that 2 different lights match each other on the same settings. However, the same LEDs on each light's board are not receiving the same amount of power at a given color setting because the LEDs of each light are unique.

This is an excellent summary and appreciate it.

So in summary, as I increase the "Color Setting" it goes from Dark Blue to more White as I increase that particular setting, correct?

And for "Intensity Setting"...as I increase it, I am simply driving the LED's at a higher wattage output basically, correct? so for example, if I set my Intensity at 70% for 6-8hrs..that means I am running at 70% of the max output of 90watts..or am I always running at 90% regardless of the settings? Still a little confused on the Intensity setting...

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

This is an excellent summary and appreciate it.

So in summary, as I increase the "Color Setting" it goes from Dark Blue to more White as I increase that particular setting, correct?

And for "Intensity Setting"...as I increase it, I am simply driving the LED's at a higher wattage output basically, correct? so for example, if I set my Intensity at 70% for 6-8hrs..that means I am running at 70% of the max output of 90watts..or am I always running at 90% regardless of the settings? Still a little confused on the Intensity setting...

You are correct. Color shifts the balance of power between the LEDs. Intensity changes the total amount of power used.

 

[areefer01]

I think the question should be if you are using the WiFi dongle or Spectral Controller or not. That makes a difference in the answer.

With either dongle or controller you have access to additional control via red, green, and violet+indigo channels. If you are not using the controller then you only have access to the knobs on the top of the light. Kessil Logic, spectrum, which is intensity/power and spectrum.

Basically the controller opens additional channels for the user to control over the spectrum. There are also optional lens that you can add to the bottom that allows a bit more depth or spread.

 

[CBonito]

I think the question should be if you are using the WiFi dongle or Spectral Controller or not. That makes a difference in the answer.

With either dongle or controller you have access to additional control via red, green, and violet+indigo channels. If you are not using the controller then you only have access to the knobs on the top of the light. Kessil Logic, spectrum, which is intensity/power and spectrum.

Basically the controller opens additional channels for the user to control over the spectrum. There are also optional lens that you can add to the bottom that allows a bit more depth or spread.

I went with the controller and the 55 degree reflectors. I think the 55 degree reflectors are a must have. The factory spread angle is brutal and the spillover is way too much where it kills you. The 55s tame that down a lot which is a good thing man.

 

[oreo54]

I do not work for Kessil but this is what I know based on what they have told me. Kessil control is unique for a variety of reasons.

Kessil uses a multichip LED. The main thing limiting how much power can go to an LED is cooling but since the LEDs are so close together and they use the same heat sink when you shift the proportional amount of power between LEDs of different colors the total power consumed by the light remains consistent. In other words, Color changes do not affect Intensity if you measure it by power draw, but a PAR meter may measure a difference when the color channel is adjusted because some meters are more sensitive to some wavelengths than others. To your question as to whether you are reducing blue or adding white. You are doing both because you are shifting how the power balance is distributed between the LEDs. In a sense, you can overdrive the blue LEDs if only blue LEDs are on because you only have 90watts of heat but if you turn the white lights on you can still only have 90 watts of heat so the blue reduces in power to maintain the same power draw.

Kessil also has a different LED setup than other brands most manufacturers use different colors of LED from major manufacturers such as Cree, or Philips. Kessil is owned by Dicon and all of their LEDs are made in-house. The way most manufacturers make white LEDs is by phosphor-coating Green LEDs. Green LEDs are the most power-efficient so they are selected and then coated with a filter that broadens the spectrum into a white color. However, the phosphor is only 50% efficient, and half of the light in the white LED is still green light. For flashlights or home lights, this is fine but for aquariums, green light is not helpful for photosynthesis. Kessil uses phosphor-coated blue LEDs to make their white LEDs. This way when you shift the color to the white spectrum 50% of the white LEDs' color is the blue wavelength used in photosynthesis. This means it is very hard to mess up the color setting on the light because no matter what 50% of the lighting is in the blue range needed for photosynthesis.

An additional difference with Kessil is that the phosphor coating process is randomized meaning that none of the LEDs emit exactly the same spectrum. Once the LEDs are manufactured, Kessil calibrates them so that 2 different lights match each other on the same settings. However, the same LEDs on each light's board are not receiving the same amount of power at a given color setting because the LEDs of each light are unique.

There is Soo much questionable in that post.
This is pure bs ..

The way most manufacturers make white LEDs is by phosphor-coating Green LEDs. Green LEDs are the most power-efficient so they are selected and then coated with a filter that broadens the spectrum into a white color.

As a start.

 

[oreo54]

This is an excellent summary and appreciate it.

So in summary, as I increase the "Color Setting" it goes from Dark Blue to more White as I increase that particular setting, correct?

And for "Intensity Setting"...as I increase it, I am simply driving the LED's at a higher wattage output basically, correct? so for example, if I set my Intensity at 70% for 6-8hrs..that means I am running at 70% of the max output of 90watts..or am I always running at 90% regardless of the settings? Still a little confused on the Intensity setting...

Fun simple way to think if it.
Intensity is volume...
Color is balance, left ( blue) or right ( "white").
Their " white" channel has a mix with mostly white diodes, some blue and a UV.

 

[oreo54]

For reference:

Kessil 360X Testing

If it is the same company I am thinking of I really like how they are laying out their units like the VYPRx. I understand the various form factors, myself included by using a single multi channel, but sometimes I think a bar similar to a florescent tube is more ideal. Then just replicate and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

There is Soo much questionable in that post.
This is pure bs ..

As a start.

All I can say is this is exactly what Kessil has told me that they do. I am not a Kessil engineer, but we were the first distributor in the country to sell Kessil lights and we toured the manufacturing facility before bringing in the lights. They are indeed making them in a very different way than any other manufacturer I know of. I am extremely confident that they do not use green LEDs as the base for their white LEDs and that all multichips come out slightly different because of randomizing phosphors on the diodes. I have seen where they calibrate each and every light after production because they are not the same after manufacturing. They look very different at the same settings until calibrated. This is also why there are occasional reports of a kessil light that doesn't match another one even when they are connected to the same controller. One has lost calibration and needs to be recalibrated at the factory.

 

[oreo54]

All I can say is this is exactly what Kessil has told me that they do. I am not a Kessil engineer, but we were the first distributor in the country to sell Kessil lights and we toured the manufacturing facility before bringing in the lights. They are indeed making them in a very different way than any other manufacturer I know of. I am extremely confident that they do not use green LEDs as the base for their white LEDs and that all multichips come out slightly different because of randomizing phosphors on the diodes. I have seen where they calibrate each and every light after production because they are not the same after manufacturing. They look very different at the same settings until calibrated. This is also why there are occasional reports of a kessil light that doesn't match another one even when they are connected to the same controller. One has lost calibration and needs to be recalibrated at the factory.

Afaict EVERY white led on this planet uses either blue to violet pump base emitters and add phosphors.
Green LEDs are one of the LEAST efficient color in diodes along with amber.
The de-facto reason Luxeon developed the lime and pc-amber diodes using blue emitters ( highest efficiency) and adding phosphors.

Over the years I've often had a hard time believing what Kessil says and at times for good reason.

Now that doesn't imply anything about their abilities or quality, just some err " coloring" of their lights attributes.

And sure the led board fab is pretty impressive and certainly different than other lights.

 

[joe-ejs]

Oreo54 and others...so looking at the link that was in your in Post #9 above...I read through some of the commentary and noted that the highest PAR and wattage output is at 50% Color setting...I interpret what I read as all the LED's are runnning at Max output at 50% Color Setting, thus giving the highest wattage output and PAR. Is that correct? And if so, is the recommendation to run Color at 50% to achieve the highest PAR if that is hat I am chasing, even though I am adding more white to the appearance of the tank?

 

[oreo54]

Oreo54 and others...so looking at the link that was in your in Post #9 above...I read through some of the commentary and noted that the highest PAR and wattage output is at 50% Color setting...I interpret what I read as all the LED's are runnning at Max output at 50% Color Setting, thus giving the highest wattage output and PAR. Is that correct? And if so, is the recommendation to run Color at 50% to achieve the highest PAR if that is hat I am chasing, even though I am adding more white to the appearance of the tank?

Well that is the funny thing about Kessil logic. At 50% color and 100% intensity ch1 and ch2 are running at 50% each
At 100% color and 100% intensity. One channel is running at 100% the other 0%.

There is some disagreement about if it is "exactly" split into 2 channels but see no reason to believe for ease if construction it isn't.
Concept is the same though.
You never have all diodes running at 100%.

Why the wattage/par is different based on " color" isn't really known.

LEDs do get more efficient with less drive current so part might be the cooler ( less current) channels at 50% have an increased photon/ watt efficiency than 1 channel driven 100%.
This makes sense though the difference is usually not err extreme.

All I have is Dana's numbers and if right, yea follow them for your needs
You could go more on his " PUR" findings.