PAR Testing - Kessil A80 vs $30 Kingbo bulb

[reeferfoxx]

I am not surprised. Those bulbs are pretty darn effective. And likely to beat anything similar at that form factor/watts. I ran an ABI tuna blue, which kicked off rapid coralline growth (and hair algae). I did not like them in the long run though, can't dim them. And in my pico reef (3.7 g) the disco effect was pretty big. Fixed spectrum was also not very enjoyable (may be because I was running kessil on by 29G already). Coraline growth almost stopped after I switched to kessil (and green hair algae) .. now after almost 5 months, coraline is coming back, and algae is very less (not green hair , but the ones that form spots in glass)

I still have two of this type of bulbs,,.. I'll always recommend them if anyone who is on budget.

I would love to make these things dimmable (and probably controllable spectrum as well) , someday

From what I hear from a few youtubers, they are dimmable with added dimming switches. Have you tried it?

 

[Ranjib]

From what I hear from a few youtubers, they are dimmable with added dimming switches. Have you tried it?

Nah, I was thinking of hacking their power source, i.e internally they use a 12v transformer, followed by a rectifier (to convert it to DC), I want to pretty much gate that powersource with a mosfet (or may be a TIP120 will do), rest my DIY controller can do (or any other controller)..
It is unlikely that the bulb will look like a bulb if I take this route, the LEDs will be pretty much down to a puck (like the kessil), and the transformer might reside inside the controller housing. The only reason I want to do this, is it will make a 18/20 watt, dimmable lighting with controller within 60$ .

 

[Will Milberger]

This bulb would be a good one for the sump in a Triton setup?
Will

 

[Ranjib]

This bulb would be a good one for the sump in a Triton setup?
Will

I dont think exact this one,,, the blue versions are for reef, they have generally a purple version which is more suitable for sump/horticulture
something like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GKGE4GI/

 

[Will Milberger]

I dont think exact this one,,, the blue versions are for reef, they have generally a purple version which is more suitable for sump/horticulture
something like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GKGE4GI/

Thanks!
Will

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

@DracoKat we we're talking about these not too long ago.

 

[DracoKat]

@saltyfilmfolks - oohh!! Good reading!!

I chose a coral compulsion Par38 for my little pico tank. the softies love it. I want to compare now!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

@saltyfilmfolks - oohh!! Good reading!!

I chose a coral compulsion Par38 for my little pico tank. the softies love it. I want to compare now!

I'd bet they are very close. (Same factory).

 

[reeferfoxx]

Lately, with a lot of freshwater discussion, I wanted to do a rescape on my planted tank. Came across this little COB light... For $56 on Amazon the Luminigrow Asta 20 comes with IR remote w/ 4 channel adjustments, 2 lenses, and a rustproof gooseneck. 12 month warranty.



I ordered the planted(6500k) tank version

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Lately, with a lot of freshwater discussion, I wanted to do a rescape on my planted tank. Came across this little COB light... For $56 on Amazon the Luminigrow Asta 20 comes with IR remote w/ 4 channel adjustments, 2 lenses, and a rustproof gooseneck. 12 month warranty.



I ordered the planted(6500k) tank version

Hey that's coool!!! Is the reef n marine $1,000,000? Def let me know what king of power that has.
A winter pico has been on my mind.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Hey that's coool!!! Is the reef n marine $1,000,000? Def let me know what king of power that has.
A winter pico has been on my mind.

Well, I can par test the planted version. Not sure that will help but I can do it lol They say with the 180 deg lens it will work with 18"(length) tank.

For good head jerk, check out the reviews and the customer images. Nice little 5g tank(maybe smaller) with a clownfish, yellow tang and blue hippo tang. ;Nailbiting;Drowning

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Well, I can par test the planted version. Not sure that will help but I can do it lol They say with the 180 deg lens it will work with 18"(length) tank.

For good head jerk, check out the reviews and the customer images. Nice little 5g tank(maybe smaller) with a clownfish, yellow tang and blue hippo tang. ;Nailbiting;Drowning

Eww. I'm actually a bit squeamish at the moment.
Lol.

You can actually do a par lux
And it's good to know that par number. If it can deliver 100 par or more at like 8 to 12 in , it's worth it.
Keeps the price for that much par in between the 38 and the kessil. Looks better than a bare bulb too.

 

[oreo54]

Nah, I was thinking of hacking their power source, i.e internally they use a 12v transformer, followed by a rectifier (to convert it to DC), I want to pretty much gate that powersource with a mosfet (or may be a TIP120 will do), rest my DIY controller can do (or any other controller)..
It is unlikely that the bulb will look like a bulb if I take this route, the LEDs will be pretty much down to a puck (like the kessil), and the transformer might reside inside the controller housing. The only reason I want to do this, is it will make a 18/20 watt, dimmable lighting with controller within 60$ .

LOL.. With all that work you would be better off just DIY from scratch...

18/20 watt..60$

not a very high bar..
http://www.rapidled.com/citizen-royal-blue-cob-clu048-1212cf-b455/


At least then you could separate the power conversion from the heat center..

Have little faith in any lasting more than a year..
LEd's like that are in the old "stage" of CFL's.. You were guaranteed for years, lasting months due to heat taking out the ballast part..

Of course even at 1 yr and the cheap replacement cost.. not really an issue..
Just don't expect much..

 

[Ranjib]

LOL.. With all that work you would be better off just DIY from scratch...

not a very high bar..
http://www.rapidled.com/citizen-royal-blue-cob-clu048-1212cf-b455/


At least then you could separate the power conversion from the heat center..

Have little faith in any lasting more than a year..
LEd's like that are in the old "stage" of CFL's.. You were guaranteed for years, lasting months due to heat taking out the ballast part..

Of course even at 1 yr and the cheap replacement cost.. not really an issue..
Just don't expect much..

LOL. I want to mod the bulbs because I have two of them already. I opened up one to see how it works.
RapidLED will cost bit more I think, since you have to get the power adapter separately... also heat sink..the housing of these bulbs acts as heat sink
I would agree though, overall, if someone is starting from scratch probably best to go with some led strip.. instead of modding some bulb, that lotta work

 

[reeferfoxx]

LOL. I want to mod the bulbs because I have two of them already. I opened up one to see how it works.
RapidLED will cost bit more I think, since you have to get the power adapter separately... also heat sink..the housing of these bulbs acts as heat sink
I would agree though, overall, if someone is starting from scratch probably best to go with some led strip.. instead of modding some bulb, that lotta work

Are the chips easy to swap?

 

[Ranjib]

Are the chips easy to swap?

Nope. In fact, I had to use dremel :-/

 

[Ranjib]

Are the chips easy to swap?

By chip, do you mean electronics circuitry?

 

[reeferfoxx]

By chip, do you mean electronics circuitry?

Sorry no, I ment the diode chips?

 

[Ranjib]

Sorry no, I ment the diode chips?

Have to look at them again..

 

[oreo54]

if the kessil is like the other kessils the par reader will not read it right

90% marketing fiction...