Kessil A350w

burban94 · 07/04/2012, 04:56 PM

Here are my new Kessil A350w led lights that I ordered from MD about three weeks ago. Before these I was running metal halides (3x 250w phoenix 14k). With a plasma tv, and home theater setup in the same room, I would occasionally trip the breaker once the HT got cranked up. Well after a while the fans on the metal halide setup started to die out and I would have to give them a lil push to get them going. Didn't feel like hiring an electrician to run a dedicated line (should have but didn't want to lol)as I have vaulted ceilings and it looks like it would be troublesome to get to those outlets. Hence my EXCUSE to order some new lighting.

Before, metal halide (actinics off to stop breaker tripping)
After, Kessil A350w
Sorry about the quality these are cell phone pics, my good cameras battery is dead atm.

burban94 · 07/04/2012, 05:04 PM

I personally think the Kessils look more naturual vs. the metal halide.....
Forgot to mention that I had to slightly modify the rim of my tank for the goosenecks to fit, but that was no big deal. Just make sure if you order the goosenecks to keep them above water, in only 1 weeks time I had about a 1/8" of one of my mounts COMPLETELY corrode away (if you look closely in the photo you can see the plastic adapter protruding beneath the adapter).

yongpanda · 07/04/2012, 05:40 PM

How are the red, orange, and pink colors doing under the kessil a350w

burban94 · 07/04/2012, 05:58 PM

This is as much red/orange I actually have in this tank right now. My params were a lil out of wack a while ago and these two monties turned very pale. I thoght they were going to bleach out, but they didn't. They actuall started to regain a lil color under my halides. With the
kessils they seem to be regaining color a lil bit faster. To be completely honest the photo doesn't show the true color.

Twiegs · 07/04/2012, 06:53 PM

Overall is the tank brighter with the Kessils?

burban94 · 07/04/2012, 07:13 PM

Actually its just a bit dimmer, but from what I'm understanding about leds lumens and par are two different things. Lumens is what we perceive as brightness. I guess what I'm trying to say is a high lumen value doesn't doesn't equal the proper par from a light source nor spectrum. Does that make any sense lol cause I'm starting to confuse myself thinking about it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

burban94 · 07/04/2012, 07:17 PM

This is what I was trying trying to say....

http://www.livingreefs.com/lumens-and-par-t16209.html

Twiegs · 07/04/2012, 08:02 PM

Yeah that totally makes sense. I have a 24 gallon cube that is 18x18x18 and I was considering the 350. I like a bright tank so not sure that is the route for me.

jerpa · 07/05/2012, 07:48 AM

What size tank do you have? How high above the waterline are the Kessils?

Anemonebuff · 07/05/2012, 07:55 AM

You get use to the tank looking less bright. After a while it will seem just as bright as it did with halides. Your halide memories fade.

Anemonebuff · 07/05/2012, 07:58 AM

burban, tank looks great. I have a Kessil A150 and love it. I plan on replacing the rest of my PAR38s with them as well. Good to hear that you trashed the halides. It sounds like you had the chance of a fire on your hands overloading the circuit and having fans that didn't start. Best of luck.

burban94 · 07/05/2012, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerpa

What size tank do you have? How high above the waterline are the Kessils?

125g. They're about 5" off the water line.

burban94 · 07/05/2012, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anemonebuff

burban, tank looks great. I have a Kessil A150 and love it. I plan on replacing the rest of my PAR38s with them as well. Good to hear that you trashed the halides. It sounds like you had the chance of a fire on your hands overloading the circuit and having fans that didn't start. Best of luck.

Thanks. The sad thing is those fans were replacement fans the i had replaced about three months ago. I guess a thousand watts worth of heat can kill those things pretty quick. It wouldn't have cost much to change them, but like I said before, I had an EXCUSE....

burban94 · 07/05/2012, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anemonebuff

You get use to the tank looking less bright. After a while it will seem just as bright as it did with halides. Your halide memories fade.

My halide memories have completely faded away. I love the new look plus tons less heat.

dailydriven911 · 07/05/2012, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burban94

I personally think the Kessils look more naturual vs. the metal halide.....
Forgot to mention that I had to slightly modify the rim of my tank for the goosenecks to fit, but that was no big deal. Just make sure if you order the goosenecks to keep them above water, in only 1 weeks time I had about a 1/8" of one of my mounts COMPLETELY corrode away (if you look closely in the photo you can see the plastic adapter protruding beneath the adapter).

+1 on the bracket corrosion! I had the same problem. Was able to get another from Kessil free of charge.

They need to state in the instructions to not submerge the anodized bracket.

burban94 · 07/05/2012, 07:17 PM

If Kessil would take the part of the bracket that sits on the inside of the tank and dip it in some type of rubberized coating that may stop all the corrosion issues. I have some in yellow that I got fom Lowes. May have to give it a try if I can find some in black.

burban94 · 07/05/2012, 09:46 PM

Here's what I was talking about...

http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip

burban94 · 09/01/2012, 08:37 PM

Well it turns out the corrosion wasn't from contact with salt water. That one light in particular was leaking a little stray voltage. Found out one day when I had one arm in the water and touched the gooseneck base with my other hand. Felt a lil shock through small cut on my hand. The shock felt similar to a 9v battery on your tongue. The stray voltage must have made the base react with the saltwater. I sent Kessil an email and they told me they would send me another free of charge. Good customer service!

07/04/2012, 05:40 PM	#3
yongpanda Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: United States Posts: 530	How are the red, orange, and pink colors doing under the kessil a350w __________________ I'm not obssesed with aquariums, I just find them very interesting :D Current Tank Info: Elos Midi in the making

07/05/2012, 07:48 AM	#9
jerpa Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,725	What size tank do you have? How high above the waterline are the Kessils? __________________ Jer Current Tank Info: 120g DT, 40b basement sump, 40b refugium, 30g frag

07/04/2012, 06:53 PM	#5
Twiegs Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 169	Overall is the tank brighter with the Kessils?

07/04/2012, 07:13 PM	#6
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 41	Actually its just a bit dimmer, but from what I'm understanding about leds lumens and par are two different things. Lumens is what we perceive as brightness. I guess what I'm trying to say is a high lumen value doesn't doesn't equal the proper par from a light source nor spectrum. Does that make any sense lol cause I'm starting to confuse myself thinking about it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

07/04/2012, 07:17 PM	#7
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 41	This is what I was trying trying to say.... http://www.livingreefs.com/lumens-and-par-t16209.html

07/04/2012, 08:02 PM	#8
Twiegs Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 169	Yeah that totally makes sense. I have a 24 gallon cube that is 18x18x18 and I was considering the 350. I like a bright tank so not sure that is the route for me.

07/05/2012, 07:55 AM	#10
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,881	You get use to the tank looking less bright. After a while it will seem just as bright as it did with halides. Your halide memories fade.

07/05/2012, 07:58 AM	#11
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,881	burban, tank looks great. I have a Kessil A150 and love it. I plan on replacing the rest of my PAR38s with them as well. Good to hear that you trashed the halides. It sounds like you had the chance of a fire on your hands overloading the circuit and having fans that didn't start. Best of luck.

07/05/2012, 07:17 PM	#16
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 41	If Kessil would take the part of the bracket that sits on the inside of the tank and dip it in some type of rubberized coating that may stop all the corrosion issues. I have some in yellow that I got fom Lowes. May have to give it a try if I can find some in black.

07/05/2012, 09:46 PM	#17
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 41	Here's what I was talking about... http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip

09/01/2012, 08:37 PM	#18
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 41	Well it turns out the corrosion wasn't from contact with salt water. That one light in particular was leaking a little stray voltage. Found out one day when I had one arm in the water and touched the gooseneck base with my other hand. Felt a lil shock through small cut on my hand. The shock felt similar to a 9v battery on your tongue. The stray voltage must have made the base react with the saltwater. I sent Kessil an email and they told me they would send me another free of charge. Good customer service!