Plasma lights @ RTC

[Crabby]

The 240G coral flat at RTC now has 3 Stray Light Optical Light Emitting Plasma lights hanging over it, and thanks to Dave (Houser) the lights are on a nice intensity cycle that ramps from minimum to maximum output over 4.5h, and then back to minimum in another 4.5 h (9h total light cycle).

Now, we'll see if the corals and algae grow...

Photos are at 20% power (minimum, blue) and 100% power. Note the spectral shift as well as intensity shift.

As I recall from memory, PAR in about 6-8" depth was ~ 350 µE/m2/s at 20% power and ~750 µE/m2/s at 100% power

Attached files /attachments/sites/default/files/IMG_1752.jpg /attachments/sites/default/files/IMG_1754.jpg

 

[bondolo]

Very lovely lights! I've wanted to see plasma lights for a while and the RTC is certainly closer than Jester's! Open house in Oct!

 

[jestersix]

Looks good! Love my plasmas...

 

[BAYMAC]

Very lovely lights! I've wanted to see plasma lights for a while and the RTC is certainly closer than Jester's! Open house in Oct!

MBA has had them for longer then anyone around these here parts CAS IIRC has some as well.

 

[Crabby]

I am pretty sure that the tank at MBA that had them has been taken down - the exhibit about marine conservation and global change was closed and replaced with a new jelly exhibit. That exhibit had a fantastic reef tank with lighting that could only have been LEPs.

 

[Thales]

Cool stuff. Interested to see how they work for you. At work the stray lights kept failing and we had problems getting them serviced.
MBA uses plasma over some of their temperate tanks and the reef in their global change reef used 1000w Halides.

 

[BAYMAC]

I am pretty sure that the tank at MBA that had them has been taken down - the exhibit about marine conservation and global change was closed and replaced with a new jelly exhibit. That exhibit had a fantastic reef tank with lighting that could only have been LEPs.

IIRC they bought 40 units after the initial test unit.

I'll drop David a dime and see since I wanted to talk to him about something else all together anyways

 

[Crabby]

Cool stuff. Interested to see how they work for you. At work the stray lights kept failing and we had problems getting them serviced.
MBA uses plasma over some of their temperate tanks and the reef in their global change reef used 1000w Halides.

1000W halides would explain the sparkle in that tank! Will be interesting to see how well the straylights work for us....

 

[houser]

Just for those who don't know anything about stray light plasma (and I didn't prior to playing that day) you turn the lights on and off by supplying/cutting AC power to each unit, and you dim them between 20-100% via a 2-10V external signal. They natively come with a dimming knob that you disconnect if you want to connect the external signal. We put together a small controller to handle the ramping of the 3 lights, but I didn't know I needed to factor in the AC switching, so with some reprogramming, a powerstrip with timer, and some creativity we built it out. The controller only had analog out capability...

I thought based on Jestersix that they were blue when at minimum intensity, and white at max intensity, but there was definitely some variation between the three units. By this I mean like one was blue at min, the others were a lot less blue. You can see it in the first picture. Is that typical, the variation?

 

[jestersix]

In my experience the coloration differential is typical. My first two units (Beta testers) were about a 5% variation in rendition at 20% - one was bluer that the other. My current set (Gen 2 lights and emitters) are much more closely balanced, almost no visible difference at 20%, and much more blue at that setting than my Beta units. The variation is not very noticeable at 100%, or at least not on the lights I've seen - maybe because they are so dang bright. I've had to help a few folks "tune" their lights because of a rather unusually large variation between their units.

I know I've seen a couple lights that were much bluer than others - wish they could dial that in, I think it would bump the popularity of the plasmas greatly!

I use a RKL with their Advanced Lighting Module and it doesn't really do what I would like to see from my ramp/dim cycle. I keep telling myself to upgrade controllers but just haven't managed to pull the trigger, especially since it is really just for my lighting...

 

[Thales]

I am pretty sure that the tank at MBA that had them has been taken down - the exhibit about marine conservation and global change was closed and replaced with a new jelly exhibit. That exhibit had a fantastic reef tank with lighting that could only have been LEPs.

IIRC they bought 40 units after the initial test unit.

I'll drop David a dime and see since I wanted to talk to him about something else all together anyways

I meant on reef tanks. They are using a bunch of them on temperate tanks.

 

[Thales]

In my experience the coloration differential is typical. My first two units (Beta testers) were about a 5% variation in rendition at 20% - one was bluer that the other. My current set (Gen 2 lights and emitters) are much more closely balanced, almost no visible difference at 20%, and much more blue at that setting than my Beta units. The variation is not very noticeable at 100%, or at least not on the lights I've seen - maybe because they are so dang bright. I've had to help a few folks "tune" their lights because of a rather unusually large variation between their units.

I know I've seen a couple lights that were much bluer than others - wish they could dial that in, I think it would bump the popularity of the plasmas greatly!

I use a RKL with their Advanced Lighting Module and it doesn't really do what I would like to see from my ramp/dim cycle. I keep telling myself to upgrade controllers but just haven't managed to pull the trigger, especially since it is really just for my lighting...

From talking with the plasma people the variation is from the binning of the lamps - as they come off production they are tested on K rating and separated. Unfortuantely, the range is pretty big which is where the variation comes from. Aquarium use for these lamps is an afterthought. Last I talked to them, we discussed using the bluer binned lights, but then I never heard from them again.

Jonathan - are the ones you have new? Have you been in contact with the company lately?

 

[BAYMAC]

I am pretty sure that the tank at MBA that had them has been taken down - the exhibit about marine conservation and global change was closed and replaced with a new jelly exhibit. That exhibit had a fantastic reef tank with lighting that could only have been LEPs.

IIRC they bought 40 units after the initial test unit.

I'll drop David a dime and see since I wanted to talk to him about something else all together anyways

I meant on reef tanks. They are using a bunch of them on temperate tanks.

I was in no way shape or form responding to anything you said. My response was entirely crafted in response to what I quoted.

As per the binning and "afterthought"... Didn't he tell us that what they get is bins that did not suite the original product? That in fact the blue was something not wanted until the aquarium hobby market :lol:

 

[Thales]

I am pretty sure that the tank at MBA that had them has been taken down - the exhibit about marine conservation and global change was closed and replaced with a new jelly exhibit. That exhibit had a fantastic reef tank with lighting that could only have been LEPs.

IIRC they bought 40 units after the initial test unit.

I'll drop David a dime and see since I wanted to talk to him about something else all together anyways

I meant on reef tanks. They are using a bunch of them on temperate tanks.

I was in no way shape or form responding to anything you said. My response was entirely crafted in response to what I quoted.

No worries. I was just clarifying!

As per the binning and "afterthought"... Didn't he tell us that what they get is bins that did not suite the original product? That in fact the blue was something not wanted until the aquarium hobby market :lol:

Pretty much. I told them to make some bluer ones and the Tropical Reef market would be all around happier with them. A lot of the bulbs are the wrong temp off the production line. I think the problem with them really is that we are a tiny side market and they are more interested, and rightfully so, in their military contracts. Really a flashlight that shines for two miles. That's sellable.

 

[jestersix]

Yeah, I want one of those flashlights...the potential to annoy the neighbors is boundless.