Kessil A360W Problems

Chi Town Reefer · 08/17/2013, 09:01 PM

So I have had 4 x Kessil A360W LED lights above my 225 gallon for around 5 months now and I love them and I hate them. The colors of all the fish and corals look great when the lights work but really ****es me off when they don't work. For some reason every few days one of them randomly just seem to not turn on (not just one of them but they all seem to have the same problem). Sometimes the light will flicker on and off for hours before it stays on and sometime it will not turn on for days. During the times of the problems, the fan internally is still running so its not a power issue. I have been having this problem from day one but as soon as I decide I am going to send it in for repair, it seems to turn back on. I am afraid to have to send them in and not have lights during the process, (too many corals to chance). Anyone else having the same problems or know how to rectify them?

Ruu · 08/17/2013, 10:23 PM

I have 6 A360W's. Some of them are daisy-chained and Apex controlled, and a couple are just timer controlled outlets (also via the Apex). Some of them have been running for pretty much as long as the 360 has been available.

At no time has any of them ever done what you are describing. I have two separate webcams to monitor my tanks throughout the day, so I am reasonably confident I would have noticed by now if anything strange were happening.

Are you running a controller of any kind, and if not how are you turning the lights on and off? My first thought, given that all of the lights are doing this, is to look at anything shared in the system (power strip or timer?) - unless you happened to get pretty unlucky with a batch of lights, it seems worthwhile looking into anything that they share first before sending them all back (and I am not sure that I would agree with the assertion that just because the fan is running, that power is automatically "OK").

Have you contacted Kessil though? Would be curious to see what they say.

Dave

reeftivo · 08/18/2013, 12:13 AM

Definitely contact kessil!

I contacted kessil directly when my A350W went out and the experience was great. They gave my info to a rep from dicon and I was contacted the following morning. I gave them the serial number off the unit and expected they would want me to ship the unit back first but NO! Dicon sent me a new unit and return shipping for the faulty unit.

foreveralone · 08/18/2013, 07:10 AM

Send it back. I had the same thing happen to one of my 360's. Kessil said it sounded like something was wrong with the diver in it. They will get a new light to your doorstep within a few days.

Chi Town Reefer · 08/18/2013, 08:11 AM

I have them all daisy chained to an Apex Controller since day one. It just seems odd to me that all of them are having the same problem but at different times.

scottaviation · 09/08/2013, 02:51 PM

I bought 2 new kessil A360W's in July. They are daisy chained with no controller. About 2 weeks ago one of them started flickering and would turn off. But like someone posted about the fan will continue to run. I have no doubt this is an issue with a faulty driver and will be phoning Kessil tomorrow to open a warranty claim. Sounds like there are a few out there with the same issue, These lights are far too expensive to be flaking out like they are...Im a bit concerned about their longevity now.

Touring · 09/08/2013, 02:54 PM

thats really wierd, i had mine with no issues also. check with a volt meter whats coming out of that plug

summoner12 · 09/09/2013, 01:40 AM

I have also been looking into these.... I dunno if I want to spend over $400 to get a light that will flake out on me.

1000_smiles · 09/09/2013, 02:18 AM

You might check the plug where the power cord goes into the brick, mine has worked itself loose a couple of times (A350)

cynbob · 09/10/2013, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by summoner12

I have also been looking into these.... I dunno if I want to spend over $400 to get a light that will flake out on me.

my thought also..i need 3 for mt 180g..im getting second thoughts

Alaskan Reefer · 10/23/2013, 02:09 PM

Just to add, I have owned a set of 3 Kessil A360W since March. 2 of them started flickering about a week ago. My 3 new ones just arrived free of charge from Kessil. Thumbs up on the service...

Allentown · 10/23/2013, 05:06 PM

I pulled my cord loose once adjusting the goosenek and sent it into a flickering fit. However their have been a few with this same issue. Looks like a bad batch went out. Don't worry they stand behindvtheur lights and have a two year warranty. If one of mine went out after the warranty, I'd replace it without hesitation. But I run an open tank with no hanging setup and the simplicity of these lights make me highly motivated to make use of them.

kb3777 · 10/24/2013, 08:14 AM

Just call kessil, they will send you 4 new ones.

kalan850 · 10/24/2013, 07:35 PM

sounds like they have some great customer service! also sounds like the lights should be purchased NEW and not used, in order to keep the warranty. its worth the extra cash is what i'm thinking. thanks guys

ErieKarnage · 12/29/2013, 08:34 PM

I have had the same issue with two of my three A360Ws. Bought all three from AquaCave.com around May 2013. One started flickering about two months ago. Was very frustrated, I convinced my wife to get these lights and then this crap starts. Called Kessil, they were very nice and heplful. Replaced light immediately. Now another light is flickering again and i'm afraid if I call kessil they will say it is my fault somehow. I will call them tomorrow.

RedStangGA · 12/30/2013, 07:21 AM

Everything I've read has said they have excellent customer service. I wouldn't worry much about getting grief from them because you're having issues.

FastUno · 12/30/2013, 04:10 PM

Well, they overpriced the Kessils & pre-charged you for the service already. Anything less at this point would be a crime.

ErieKarnage · 12/30/2013, 04:46 PM

Following up on my post. RedStangGA and others were right, customer service was great and they are shipping me a new 360W. Now it's not flickering, if doesn't even turn on. Thanks

nikon187 · 12/30/2013, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastUno

Well, they overpriced the Kessils & pre-charged you for the service already. Anything less at this point would be a crime.

They are on par with the other higher end leds so i dont know where that is from. Still LOOK better than a radion, vega, or hydra and cheaper too, with better colour blending and shimmer

Hawg Pharm · 12/30/2013, 10:02 PM

Same issue here and same positive experience with customer service. Two lights down. One has already been replaced and I expect the second light any day now. The Kessil folks have been very accommodating.

Maximus · 12/30/2013, 10:24 PM

If I were you guys, I would see if they could switch them out for the newer 360WE'S

summoner12 · 01/01/2014, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

If I were you guys, I would see if they could switch them out for the newer 360WE'S

What is the significance of the "E"?

And is one of these enough for a 34g Solana?

Maximus · 01/01/2014, 03:05 PM

It's the latest model and 15% brighter. Hopefully they have worked out the kinks from the a360 and improved the reliability with the newer 360e. I just ordered the a360we yesterday so I'll update this thread as soon as I can.

balm33 · 01/04/2014, 04:01 PM

I too have experienced the same issue with the flickering and have got new ones from Kessil. It seemed to happen when they were daisy chained together. I also noticed that when they are daisy chained together I don't get the blues as much as if they were not, has anyone else noticed this?

Grendel0501 · 05/29/2014, 10:31 PM

Here's what I know about the flickering.

I own 5 kessils. Two A350's and three A150w's.
One of my A150w's kept flickering, so I go fed up and took it apart.

I found the connector that connects the power supply to the LED chip gets salt creep and rust on it. I had to take some Qtips and clean it as best I could. Once it was clean the light didn't flicker anymore.

The light that it happened to gets very poor ventilation, I'm guessing the salty air rusts the leads on the connector, which causes the flickering.

08/17/2013, 09:01 PM	#1
Chi Town Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Wauconda, IL Posts: 151	Kessil A360W Problems So I have had 4 x Kessil A360W LED lights above my 225 gallon for around 5 months now and I love them and I hate them. The colors of all the fish and corals look great when the lights work but really ****es me off when they don't work. For some reason every few days one of them randomly just seem to not turn on (not just one of them but they all seem to have the same problem). Sometimes the light will flicker on and off for hours before it stays on and sometime it will not turn on for days. During the times of the problems, the fan internally is still running so its not a power issue. I have been having this problem from day one but as soon as I decide I am going to send it in for repair, it seems to turn back on. I am afraid to have to send them in and not have lights during the process, (too many corals to chance). Anyone else having the same problems or know how to rectify them?

08/18/2013, 12:13 AM	#3
reeftivo Skim junkie Join Date: May 2008 Location: chino, CA Posts: 3,417	Definitely contact kessil! I contacted kessil directly when my A350W went out and the experience was great. They gave my info to a rep from dicon and I was contacted the following morning. I gave them the serial number off the unit and expected they would want me to ship the unit back first but NO! Dicon sent me a new unit and return shipping for the faulty unit. __________________ I told you not to be stupid you moron!(Stern) Current Tank Info: 60 gal cube/20g tideline sump-mixed reef, Aquamaxx c-tech Ca Rx, Akula 160 skimmer, paxbellum N18, mitras LX7 lighting with T-5s, apex controller

08/18/2013, 07:10 AM	#4
foreveralone Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 67	Send it back. I had the same thing happen to one of my 360's. Kessil said it sounded like something was wrong with the diver in it. They will get a new light to your doorstep within a few days. __________________ Current Tank Info: 40g breeder - 29g sump \| MP40w \| MP10w \| Tunze 1073.020 return \| Aquamaxx CO-1 \| 2x Kessil A360w \| GHL Profilux 3 controller \| GHL doser

09/09/2013, 01:40 AM	#8
summoner12 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Costa Mesa, CA Posts: 72	I have also been looking into these.... I dunno if I want to spend over $400 to get a light that will flake out on me. __________________ AquaZamp.com Current Tank Info: 12g JBJ and 34g Solana

10/23/2013, 02:09 PM	#11
Alaskan Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 2,360	Just to add, I have owned a set of 3 Kessil A360W since March. 2 of them started flickering about a week ago. My 3 new ones just arrived free of charge from Kessil. Thumbs up on the service... __________________ Unattended children will be given double shot espresso and a free puppy. Current Tank Info: 125g FOWLR -- Conversion Back To SPS In Progress

08/17/2013, 10:23 PM	#2
Ruu Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cherry Hill, NJ Posts: 1,037	I have 6 A360W's. Some of them are daisy-chained and Apex controlled, and a couple are just timer controlled outlets (also via the Apex). Some of them have been running for pretty much as long as the 360 has been available. At no time has any of them ever done what you are describing. I have two separate webcams to monitor my tanks throughout the day, so I am reasonably confident I would have noticed by now if anything strange were happening. Are you running a controller of any kind, and if not how are you turning the lights on and off? My first thought, given that all of the lights are doing this, is to look at anything shared in the system (power strip or timer?) - unless you happened to get pretty unlucky with a batch of lights, it seems worthwhile looking into anything that they share first before sending them all back (and I am not sure that I would agree with the assertion that just because the fan is running, that power is automatically "OK"). Have you contacted Kessil though? Would be curious to see what they say. Dave

08/18/2013, 08:11 AM	#5
Chi Town Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Wauconda, IL Posts: 151	I have them all daisy chained to an Apex Controller since day one. It just seems odd to me that all of them are having the same problem but at different times.

09/08/2013, 02:51 PM	#6
scottaviation Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 1	I bought 2 new kessil A360W's in July. They are daisy chained with no controller. About 2 weeks ago one of them started flickering and would turn off. But like someone posted about the fan will continue to run. I have no doubt this is an issue with a faulty driver and will be phoning Kessil tomorrow to open a warranty claim. Sounds like there are a few out there with the same issue, These lights are far too expensive to be flaking out like they are...Im a bit concerned about their longevity now.

09/08/2013, 02:54 PM	#7
Touring Registered Member. Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Panhandle Posts: 724	thats really wierd, i had mine with no issues also. check with a volt meter whats coming out of that plug

09/09/2013, 02:18 AM	#9
1000_smiles Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 80	You might check the plug where the power cord goes into the brick, mine has worked itself loose a couple of times (A350)

10/23/2013, 05:06 PM	#12
Allentown Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Augusta, Ga Posts: 975	I pulled my cord loose once adjusting the goosenek and sent it into a flickering fit. However their have been a few with this same issue. Looks like a bad batch went out. Don't worry they stand behindvtheur lights and have a two year warranty. If one of mine went out after the warranty, I'd replace it without hesitation. But I run an open tank with no hanging setup and the simplicity of these lights make me highly motivated to make use of them. __________________ NEW Build: 225g 72x27x27 Tigger Emerald 39 Sump, ConeS CO-3, 3xHydra 52, BRS 2 part dosers, Vortech MP-40 QD Gyre XF150, Neptune Wav x2, 2x Jaebo RW-4, SMR-1, MR-1

10/24/2013, 08:14 AM	#13
kb3777 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 92	Just call kessil, they will send you 4 new ones.

10/24/2013, 07:35 PM	#14
kalan850 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: FWB FL Posts: 181	sounds like they have some great customer service! also sounds like the lights should be purchased NEW and not used, in order to keep the warranty. its worth the extra cash is what i'm thinking. thanks guys __________________ 40 Breeder Retrofit Quad T5 Powered Minimalist Glass Box with Alien Creatures Living in a Pool of Sodium Chloride.

12/29/2013, 08:34 PM	#15
ErieKarnage Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 2	Kessil A360W not working correctly I have had the same issue with two of my three A360Ws. Bought all three from AquaCave.com around May 2013. One started flickering about two months ago. Was very frustrated, I convinced my wife to get these lights and then this crap starts. Called Kessil, they were very nice and heplful. Replaced light immediately. Now another light is flickering again and i'm afraid if I call kessil they will say it is my fault somehow. I will call them tomorrow.

12/30/2013, 07:21 AM	#16
RedStangGA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Winter Garden, FL Posts: 1,052	Everything I've read has said they have excellent customer service. I wouldn't worry much about getting grief from them because you're having issues. __________________ Marineland 220, Marineland 60 Cube

12/30/2013, 04:10 PM	#17
FastUno Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: NY Posts: 1,726	Well, they overpriced the Kessils & pre-charged you for the service already. Anything less at this point would be a crime. __________________ 75g AGA/RR/BB, 20g sump, Aquactinics 2x250 (Phoenix 14K)/2x54 T5 (AB & B+), Eheim 1262 Return, Deltec AP600, Tunze 6060 & Osmolator 3155, Homemade 2 part Current Tank Info: SW, Reef

12/30/2013, 04:46 PM	#18
ErieKarnage Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 2	Following up on my post. RedStangGA and others were right, customer service was great and they are shipping me a new 360W. Now it's not flickering, if doesn't even turn on. Thanks

12/30/2013, 10:02 PM	#20
Hawg Pharm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Arkansas Posts: 150	Same issue here and same positive experience with customer service. Two lights down. One has already been replaced and I expect the second light any day now. The Kessil folks have been very accommodating. __________________ 187g dt, 110g sump, 45g fuge, 2 Kessil A360W, 2 Kessil A360WE, 2 MP40w ES, Apex

12/30/2013, 10:24 PM	#21
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	If I were you guys, I would see if they could switch them out for the newer 360WE'S __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/01/2014, 03:05 PM	#23
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	It's the latest model and 15% brighter. Hopefully they have worked out the kinks from the a360 and improved the reliability with the newer 360e. I just ordered the a360we yesterday so I'll update this thread as soon as I can. __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/04/2014, 04:01 PM	#24
balm33 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1	I too have experienced the same issue with the flickering and have got new ones from Kessil. It seemed to happen when they were daisy chained together. I also noticed that when they are daisy chained together I don't get the blues as much as if they were not, has anyone else noticed this?

05/29/2014, 10:31 PM	#25
Grendel0501 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Memphis Tn Posts: 465	Here's what I know about the flickering. I own 5 kessils. Two A350's and three A150w's. One of my A150w's kept flickering, so I go fed up and took it apart. I found the connector that connects the power supply to the LED chip gets salt creep and rust on it. I had to take some Qtips and clean it as best I could. Once it was clean the light didn't flicker anymore. The light that it happened to gets very poor ventilation, I'm guessing the salty air rusts the leads on the connector, which causes the flickering.