Radion G6 noise

Nicauj · Feb 23, 2024

Hey all,

I was decided to go with 3 reef factory reef flare Pro M for my redsea peninsula 700 but I ordered them a month ago and still now news from reef factory ...
So i'm now thinking about switching to a different setup and my lfs is suggesting me to go 4 radion xr15 g6 instead.

I admit I didn't include them in my reflexion at first because of the noise people were complaining about. Now my lfs is saying that the noise was terrible on g4s but quite ok on g6s.

Anyone running g6 can comment on the noise they make (or better, don't make) ?

Thanks !

Waters · Feb 23, 2024

Nicauj said:
Hey all,

I was decided to go with 3 reef factory reef flare Pro M for my redsea peninsula 700 but I ordered them a month ago and still now news from reef factory ...
So i'm now thinking about switching to a different setup and my lfs is suggesting me to go 4 radion xr15 g6 instead.

I admit I didn't include them in my reflexion at first because of the noise people were complaining about. Now my lfs is saying that the noise was terrible on g4s but quite ok on g6s.

Anyone running g6 can comment on the noise they make (or better, don't make) ?

Thanks !

I honestly don't hear my G6s at all. I didn't even know noise was a concern with the Radions.

Nicauj · Apr 3, 2024

Just following up in case anyone is seeing this thread: they have been running on my tank for the last month and unfortunately they are quite noisy, even running at only 75%.

landlubber · Apr 3, 2024

are we talking fan noise?
i have G5 XR32's and while they occasionally make a bit of noise when the fans kick in i wouldn't say it negatively affects my opinion of them. I'd be surprised if the 6's were any worse.

Naekuh · Apr 3, 2024

I have 2 XR30 Blue G6... can't hear them... I think my overflow makes more noise honestly, and its a bean style on top, so that should tell you how quiet they are.

But i don't run them more then 40%, and it gives my tank TOO much par at even 40%.
Maybe if i blast them... but again, its too much par for my LPS / Softies, id nuke them at that setting.

tuscani · Apr 3, 2024

I am also running two at 75% and I hear the fans kicking in sometimes

Kirklan · Apr 3, 2024

Just installed 2 weeks ago brand new XR15 Pros and 1 XR15 blue. The pros create a lot of fan noise in my living room, a lot of fan "rattle". So much so that I can hear them when watching TV. The blue in my office is whisper quiet for some reason. Way too much fan noise IMO. I disabled the fans through the mobius app on pros.

Nicauj · Apr 4, 2024

Naekuh said:
I have 2 XR30 Blue G6... can't hear them... I think my overflow makes more noise honestly, and its a bean style on top, so that should tell you how quiet they are.

But i don't run them more then 40%, and it gives my tank TOO much par at even 40%.
Maybe if i blast them... but again, its too much par for my LPS / Softies, id nuke them at that setting.

I started them at 40% at first and I couldn't hear them either. 75%, fans are not on all the time but fairly often

Kirklan said:
Just installed 2 weeks ago brand new XR15 Pros and 1 XR15 blue. The pros create a lot of fan noise in my living room, a lot of fan "rattle". So much so that I can hear them when watching TV. The blue in my office is whisper quiet for some reason. Way too much fan noise IMO. I disabled the fans through the mobius app on pros.

You completly disabled the fans or just limit their max speed ? Do you see the light intensity going down when the lights gets too hot ?
Rattle is a good work for the fans, they sound cheap. Is anyone aware of the possibility to upgrade the fans for a less noisy one ?

KC2020 · Apr 4, 2024

I have 3 XR-15 G6 Pro and the fans run above about 70% but they sound like computer fans. No rattle and not loud. It makes me wonder if they've sourced fans from different vendors for different production runs.

I never finish anythi · Apr 4, 2024

I run xr15 blues and honestly never heard the fans . My lighting is only at 60% tho !

907_Reefer · Apr 4, 2024

I've run 2 XR15 G6 Blues for ~3 years, the standard fan noise I never really noticed, but one has developed a louder noise recently / potential bearing issue / on my "annoying things to investigate" list.

They light up the tank but I'm not sold on using the same setup on the next go-round..

Kirklan · Apr 4, 2024

Nicauj said:
I started them at 40% at first and I couldn't hear them either. 75%, fans are not on all the time but fairly often

You completly disabled the fans or just limit their max speed ? Do you see the light intensity going down when the lights gets too hot ?
Rattle is a good work for the fans, they sound cheap. Is anyone aware of the possibility to upgrade the fans for a less noisy one ?

I completely disabled them in Mobius. As near as i can tell "adjusting" the speed in the Mobius App does nothing to reduce the speed of the fans or noise. Not sure why the Pros rattle and the Blue does not.

tuscani · Apr 10, 2024

Would disabling the fans not potentially cause a heat issue?

Naekuh · Apr 10, 2024

tuscani said:
Would disabling the fans not potentially cause a heat issue?

worse.... it can also physically burn the expensive LED's on top.

You should never disable the fans.

Nicauj · Apr 11, 2024

They say that the light intensity will decrease if the unit becomes too hot to prevent damage. Not sure I want to risk it though

mzlskink · Aug 5, 2024

Kirklan said:
Just installed 2 weeks ago brand new XR15 Pros and 1 XR15 blue. The pros create a lot of fan noise in my living room, a lot of fan "rattle". So much so that I can hear them when watching TV. The blue in my office is whisper quiet for some reason. Way too much fan noise IMO. I disabled the fans through the mobius app on pros.

me too, I can hear the noise in another room and making it hard to fall asleep, does anyone know the actual model types of those fans?

https://store2.ecotechmarine.com/products/replacement-xr15-xr30-g5-and-g6-fan

I bought this new G6 only a month ago and the fan rattled from day 1 - so buying a replacement fan from ecotech seems like a bad idea. This unrealistic for a $500 light - all the black box lights including vipraspectra were so much quieter

mzlskink · Aug 5, 2024

Here is a video of the noise

Neko · Aug 25, 2024

In my measurement, Radion G5 XR30 Pro's fan noise is over 80db (see attached picture), which is considered as harmful for human hearing. Sound levels exceeding 85db are considered dangerous and potentially damaging human hearing. However, it all depends on the duration of the exposure.

Guideline:
Noise levels above 80-85 decibels over an 8-hour period is the generally accepted limit from which employers have to provide hearing protection to workers. These limits are regulated by law for work environments with high noise levels. However, for public environments, no dangerous noise limits are defined. The recommended maximum level in any general setting is 70 dB over a 24-hour period.

When I reduce intensity equal or less than 40%, there is no notiable noise. But, when I incrase intensity to 50%, noise level will be increased to 70db.

I am using Reef Brite XHO as suppremental light. This is my setting for my SPS domintated tank.

Radion G5 XR30 Pro 40% intensity
Reef Brite XHO 100% intenity

I can get 180 par at the bottom. This is not ideal but this might be ok. I hope Ecotech Marine resolve fan noise issue in coming Radion G7.

oreo54 · Aug 26, 2024

Neko said:
In my measurement, Radion G5 XR30 Pro's fan noise is over 80db (see attached picture), which is considered as harmful for human hearing. Sound levels exceeding 85db are considered dangerous and potentially damaging human hearing. However, it all depends on the duration of the exposure.

Guideline:
Noise levels above 80-85 decibels over an 8-hour period is the generally accepted limit from which employers have to provide hearing protection to workers. These limits are regulated by law for work environments with high noise levels. However, for public environments, no dangerous noise limits are defined. The recommended maximum level in any general setting is 70 dB over a 24-hour period.

When I reduce intensity equal or less than 40%, there is no notiable noise. But, when I incrase intensity to 50%, noise level will be increased to 70db.

I am using Reef Brite XHO as suppremental light. This is my setting for my SPS domintated tank.

Radion G5 XR30 Pro 40% intensity
Reef Brite XHO 100% intenity

I can get 180 par at the bottom. This is not ideal but this might be ok. I hope Ecotech Marine resolve fan noise issue in coming Radion G7.

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support.ecotechmarine.com

Fan speed and on/off is adjustable. Not a "solution" per se but a simple lowering of the max speed a bit may help lower the decibels. Cleaning as well.
YMMV as to the effect but....
If the designers are any good the fans should have leeway as to doing their job

Have your turned the fan speed down a bit in settings?

Mine were very loud as well but turned the max fan speed down to 70% and now don’t hear them over the other tank related humming and gurgles.

Radion fan noise

Home from work earlier today and the fans on my XR15 G6 Pro's are really loud, much louder than usual.

www.ultimatereef.net

So shouldn't need 100% except of course if they have little "open-ness" in their environment. Free air and a normal room temp is best.

Right at the fan doesn't exactly tel you what "you" are exposed to.

In general, the ideal location to measure a sound source is the closest distance at which free field conditions are met. Free field conditions are met for a single point source when spherical spreading occurs and the sound pressure level decays at a rate of 6 dB for every doubling of distance.