Radion Gen5 XR15/XR30 Observations and Issues

[Octocat]

I have read here and elsewhere the crack issue should be resolved by lower torque in manufacture process. I've not read anything about the fans though. Interesting that it isn't gaining more attention.

Mine had the captive washers, so they should have been the updated version. I dont think they actually fixed the case cracking issue but maybe I just got unlucky four times

I think the fan noise is always going to be an issue with these lights- high output with a small lightweight heatsync. Fan noise was a complaint with previous generations too.

 

[Ben Pedersen]

+1
My ReeFi Duo Extremes are whisper quiet and I haven’t had single problem with them over 6 months! Great color and coral growth.

And they offer the longest warranty of any reef light. I think it is 3 years!

 

[Backtoreefing]

I received my replacement covers and took the lights apart but seeing they have no impact on the light itself I decided not to replace them and keep them new for if I ever need to sell them. One note, they ran for about 4 months around 40% and were filthy! I now blow them out monthly and will disassemble and clean every 6 months. Other then that, they are great lights and so glad I spent the $$$ on these lights. I run ab+ and have no second thoughts or questions on if I have the levels set to the best spectrum. If I went with the pro’s I would not be happy as I definitely would have turned the whites down and wondered. My tank looks way better then any LFS with their blues on. If a coral looks good in person at a lfs, it looks noticeable better in my tank the next day, at least to me, lol. First pic AB+ second pic is a portion of their Radiant template that I like and incorporated into my ramp down at night. Photos were taken with the Polyp Labs brown filter(orange and yellow in one filter).

 

[Superlightman]

The fan issue is the only one I not had with this leds.. They are very silent.

 

[Hydrored]

The fan issue is the only one I not had with this leds.. They are very silent.

At what percentage are you running them and do you have the max fan speed at 100%?

 

[Superlightman]

They are between 60 and 80% and yes at 100%,but you can change this is the settings

 

[enb141]

I can't believe they still have issues, after all this months, at least they have to discontinue G5 and release G5 V2 or G6 without the issues.

 

[Octocat]

I can't believe they still have issues, after all this months, at least they have to discontinue G5 and release G5 V2 or G6 without the issues.

Discontinue? Because of a cracking case issue and a fan that some people find too noisy? Seems a bit dramatic. Overall, I'm really happy with the lights and would buy them again. It does tick me off a bit to have this issue after ETM stated it was fixed. But the lights are still pretty new and all the issues caused by COVID certainly aren't helping them.

 

[enb141]

Discontinue? Because of a cracking case issue and a fan that some people find too noisy? Seems a bit dramatic. Overall, I'm really happy with the lights and would buy them again. It does tick me off a bit to have this issue after ETM stated it was fixed. But the lights are still pretty new and all the issues caused by COVID certainly aren't helping them.

Cracking issue and noise on expensive lights, in my opinion, they need to go to their labs and release a new one without those issues, they can't keep releasing, those lights are new, just imagine a few years from now, how noisy they will become.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

The problem is that noise is subjective, unless your an engineer that spent an entire career perfecting silent props for nuclear submarines and wish to pass that information on then you cant expect a fan to be dead silent.

The cracked plastic is minor as pointed out not necessary in functionality of the light, etm sends a replacement to make you whole.

The real concern that people need to worry about is how does it perform? The spectrum options and color blending is 2nd to none. If someone chooses to opt out of purchasing these lights over cosmetic issues, they're only doing themselves a disservice.

 

[enb141]

The problem is that noise is subjective, unless your an engineer that spent an entire career perfecting silent props for nuclear submarines and wish to pass that information on then you cant expect a fan to be dead silent.

The cracked plastic is minor as pointed out not necessary in functionality of the light, etm sends a replacement to make you whole.

The real concern that people need to worry about is how does it perform? The spectrum options and color blending is 2nd to none. If someone chooses to opt out of purchasing these lights over cosmetic issues, they're only doing themselves a disservice.

People claim that this lights are way noisier than previous generations, some people say that this lights are the most noisy device from their tanks, so in other words whatever they did to cool this lights, they did a bad design with their cooling in this G5 generation.

 

[Hydrored]

The noise is subjective, both my wife and I think they are too loud and that’s with our house at a constant 72*
With the TV on or music with low volume it’s a non issue.

Yes the cracking is annoying but Ecotech sent new covers via FedEx and had them in 2 days.

I do think the quality control should’ve been better overall and I do think they were released prematurely, the Mobius app at release showed that.

 

[User1]

The problem is that noise is subjective, unless your an engineer that spent an entire career perfecting silent props for nuclear submarines and wish to pass that information on then you cant expect a fan to be dead silent.

The cracked plastic is minor as pointed out not necessary in functionality of the light, etm sends a replacement to make you whole.

The real concern that people need to worry about is how does it perform? The spectrum options and color blending is 2nd to none. If someone chooses to opt out of purchasing these lights over cosmetic issues, they're only doing themselves a disservice.

Interesting analogy I'll give you that. I have no dog in the fight as I do not own them but I do know having watched one of the videos from the engineer on the design they did point out new fan design. Rather than use one off the shelf they went on to say the effort in their design and why. Again, not knocking any of this more just a talking point.

Fan, return pump noise, and more as you say is subjective. I recall years ago during the video card wars Nvidia faced a similar problem with one of their top of the live video cards. Noise, heat, and more. The only thing I can think of is that if there "was" a common theme of lowering intensity or power to lower noise then something would probably be done. I've only read good things on their supporting of new products to include redesign (pumps a few years back) and supporting the customers.

I know Captain Kirk wouldn't like it and probably go down to the engineering bay and knock Scotty out Captain Kirk - Scotty, I need Warp 10 now... Scotty replies Captain - I can only go to Warp 4.5.... Yeah, don't think so

Hope everyone is having a great day!

 

[SeeFu]

all of my g5 issues have been resolved. i only run them at 40% so the fans dont even turn on.

 

[enb141]

all of my g5 issues have been resolved. i only run them at 40% so the fans dont even turn on.

If you are running them at 40%, then it would be cheaper to get AI Prime, so you could save about $300 per fixture.

 

[CoralB]

Are gen 4’s having the same issues???

 

[mfinn]

Are gen 4’s having the same issues???

which issues?
I had none with my gen 4's

 

[Doreno]

Is the fan noise problem resolved so that the light can be used at70-80 percent and the fan does not hum like a propeller plane?

 

[ELChingonsReef]

I just received my xr15 g5 blues from brs today. I hope I don't have the issues people are describing on this thread. I spent 1100$ for lights and mounting arms. I don't see any cracks on the lights. But I'm very concerned about the noisy fans. My tank is in my bedroom I don't want to hear a loud fan while I'm trying to rest. I have two fixtures going over a reefer 300xl so I'll probably not be running them both at 100% . Does anyone out there have 2 xr15 g5s over a 3ft tank? What intensity should they be set at?

 

[Rando]

Ecotech has to do something with the Blue software. Because something is wrong with this light! It cannot be that this blue can only be a very bad, bright and visually ugly AB +! As soon as you change this spectrum, nothing works anymore and the corals look worse from day to day than they did with this AB +. Even Ecotech's presets look awful with the Blue version. When I asked why this was so, Ecotech did not answer. However, they respond immediately to any other request.