Tips for shield removal on t5 fixture.

[JMM744]

any tips or suggestions for care and removal of the plexi shield? Have two fixtures , one a power module, and both have shields that are proving very hard to get out of the fixture. One I have removed about 10 months ago and need to update bulbs but it is fast in the grooves. Other, ATI light , I never tried to remove after buying it used. It is proving to be a challenge as well. Tips, tricks, suggestions. All welcome along with how one might avoid this in the future.
Thanks all,
Jim

 

[WV Reefer]

any tips or suggestions for care and removal of the plexi shield? Have two fixtures , one a power module, and both have shields that are proving very hard to get out of the fixture. One I have removed about 10 months ago and need to update bulbs but it is fast in the grooves. Other, ATI light , I never tried to remove after buying it used. It is proving to be a challenge as well. Tips, tricks, suggestions. All welcome along with how one might avoid this in the future.
Thanks all,
Jim

Compressed air to jolt it?

 

[JMM744]

Probably worth a try . Thanks for the suggestion. Appreciate it!
Jim

 

[Reefltx]

Hmm, try pulling to right or left? Mine's relatively easy.

 

[JMM744]

I have tried shifting them but one has cracked now. It came out very easy the first time I changed bulbs but not now.
Thanks for the thought. Never know what might get the job done.
Jim

 

[SGREEFER310]

You dont think they melted a tiny bit with the heat and adhered to the aluminium?

 

[WV Reefer]

Probably worth a try . Thanks for the suggestion. Appreciate it!
Jim

If they are brittle there might be little you can do.

I also thought maybe a hair dryer to warm them up?

 

[Greybeard]

You used to see aquarium fixtures with glass, even low iron glass, splash shields. Haven't seen one in years. Everything is acrylic these days.

I generally remove acrylic splash shields entirely. They sag, get crusted up, yellow over time... I just do without, wipe down the bulbs once in a while, and change yearly.

 

[SGREEFER310]

You used to see aquarium fixtures with glass, even low iron glass, splash shields. Haven't seen one in years. Everything is acrylic these days.

I generally remove acrylic splash shields entirely. They sag, get crusted up, yellow over time... I just do without, wipe down the bulbs once in a while, and change yearly.

How would this work say on a ati t5 fixture where it needs the splash guard for proper cooling of the bulbs, ive also heard ati fixtures use some very high end sensitive reflectors that will corrode if the splash shield isnt there.

 

[Greybeard]

How would this work say on a ati t5 fixture where it needs the splash guard for proper cooling of the bulbs, ive also heard ati fixtures use some very high end sensitive reflectors that will corrode if the splash shield isnt there.

I use an old 8 bulb TEK fixture, passive cooling, new ATI ballasts and bulbs, hanging ~18" over the water, with no canopy or whatnot to block airflow. It works for me. It's possible that the active cooling in an ATI fixture would work better with the splash guard in place. Don't really know.

A sheet of window glass cut to size wouldn't be terribly expensive, wouldn't sag, swell, or yellow...

I note that BRS did a video using ATI Sunpower with the splash shield removed as the 'average' T5 implementation...
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/h...-out-your-t5-bulbs-brstv-investigates.360004/

 

[SGREEFER310]

I use an old 8 bulb TEK fixture, passive cooling, new ATI ballasts and bulbs, hanging ~18" over the water, with no canopy or whatnot to block airflow. It works for me. It's possible that the active cooling in an ATI fixture would work better with the splash guard in place. Don't really know.

A sheet of window glass cut to size wouldn't be terribly expensive, wouldn't sag, swell, or yellow...

I note that BRS did a video using ATI Sunpower with the splash shield removed as the 'average' T5 implementation...
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/h...-out-your-t5-bulbs-brstv-investigates.360004/

I just seen the video with them removing the shields very interesting. Also not a bad idea to switch the acrylic shield for a glass one, do you think the glass will affect par ? Because i know people say acrylic is the clearest, more clear than starphire glass.

 

[Greybeard]

I just seen the video with them removing the shields very interesting. Also not a bad idea to switch the acrylic shield for a glass one, do you think the glass will affect par ? Because i know people say acrylic is the clearest, more clear than starphire glass.

Will glass effect PAR? Sure. How much? Who knows. Best way to find out would be to measure. As for acrylic, the reason I removed the acrylic splash shield on my light is that I bought a used light, the splash shield was yellowing, warped, scratched, and sagging. A sheet of window glass my not be as optically clear as a NEW sheet of acrylic, but compared to the condition mine was in, it would have been a vast improvement.

No shield was my choice. Optically clear, doesn't trap heat (remember, mine is a passively cooled unit) no chances that it'll sag... and the price was right :)