# Coralife Aqualight wiring & noisy fan solution??



## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

I have one of the coralife aqualight cf fixtures with the 2 fans that only run with one set of lights. 

I was wandering if anybody has attempted to rewire it so that the fans will come on no matter which set of lights are on?

Also, does anyone think it would be dangerous to run the 2 bulbs without the fans for an extended period of time? Say 6 hours?

Thanks---Brian


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

PRESTON4479 said:


> I have one of the coralife aqualight cf fixtures with the 2 fans that only run with one set of lights.
> 
> I was wandering if anybody has attempted to rewire it so that the fans will come on no matter which set of lights are on?
> 
> ...



I wouldn't try to rewire the fan to be able to work with both lights. The potential to cause a problem and or fire would concern me. I would look at adding another fan to the unit to run off of the other set of lights though. You can buy coralife replacement fans, and if you can figure out how the one fan is wired, it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out how to set the other one up.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

BiscuitSlayer said:


> I wouldn't try to rewire the fan to be able to work with both lights. The potential to cause a problem and or fire would concern me. I would look at adding another fan to the unit to run off of the other set of lights though. You can buy coralife replacement fans, and if you can figure out how the one fan is wired, it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out how to set the other one up.


Thanks for the concern but,
I wouldn't attempt to rewire it unless I could figure out how it is wired in the first place or get a hold of a wiring diagram for it. I have a good deal of experience wiring things because of my job. But I certainly wouldn't do it unless I knew I could get it right.

I'm wandering if anybody else has attempted this and if so what was their experience?

Brian


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## mrkookm (Apr 4, 2007)

..............


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## ansbfish (Nov 12, 2007)

you could just feed two 12v wall plugs through the fixture to the fans and then splice the fans to em, and put on some wirenuts.

Would allow you to run both on a timer with the lights or completely independent.

I have a current fixture, and that's how they do it. They run a 12v plug through the fixture to the fan. I just finished replacing my fan with a better one, and a speed controller I got online.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

mrkookm said:


> There are 2 12v transformers, 1 for each switch. To have constant power a dedicated power cord with switch would have to be rigged to control both 12v transformers. It can be done, really an easy rig if you are up for drilling and doing some really basic wiring with possible soldering here and there.


I think I am going to take it apart and get a good look at things. I will be posting to let everyone know what I come up with. I agree mrkookm. I think it could be easier than we think.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

Alright. After about 2 hours of experimenting with the wiring I believe the best/easiest way is going to be installing a power cord for the fans only that also will be controlled by a timer itself. 

Both transformers are receiving power from one switch. I am going to disconnect the fans from the one switch and put it straight to a pre-cut extension cord to be controlled by a timer.

Brian


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

I have this light but haven't popped it open yet to look at the workings. Are the fans 12v or 120v? 

Another question, I bought mine used and the fans are really noisy, is that common or are my fans going out? It's a really loud hum.


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## tropicalfish (Mar 29, 2007)

They are 12 volt fans.
They are 40mm fans.
I think the noise is mostly from the vibrations.
I took the fixture apart a while ago and lined the area with electrical tape, then put it back. Now I hear more of a blowing sound.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

tropicalfish said:


> They are 12 volt fans.
> They are 40mm fans.
> I think the noise is mostly from the vibrations.
> I took the fixture apart a while ago and lined the area with electrical tape, then put it back. Now I hear more of a blowing sound.



Is there still a noticeable noise after you did that? I can hear mine under a canopy, I'd hate to replace 2 $15.00 fans and not gain anything.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

Its probably a normal noise. I have a loud humming sound also. It doesn't really bother me though.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> Is there still a noticeable noise after you did that? I can hear mine under a canopy, I'd hate to replace 2 $15.00 fans and not gain anything.


I am not sure if it was on this forum or not but I read one time that they can be replaced with these fans. 

http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.asp?SKU=997-0168&SEARCH=KDE1205PFV1&ID=&MPN=KDE1205PFV1+11%2EMS%2EA%2EGN&DESC=KDE1205PFV1+11%2EMS%2EA%2EGN&R=997%2D0168&sid=462AA5802CF5E17F

They said the noise was greatly reduced with these. I haven't tryed them yet. I will probably just wait until the original fans quit.

If you replace them please post and let us know how it worked out.

Brian


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Ya know for $9.00 + shipping I may just do that, if they don't fit I could still run them in one of my canopys off of a 12v transformer.

I wonder what the cfm difference is between these and the coralife ones.

When I do it I'll do before and after video....


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> I wonder what the cfm difference is between these and the coralife ones.


Not sure. Didn't think about that.



rolloffhill said:


> When I do it I'll do before and after video....


That would be great!


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## ansbfish (Nov 12, 2007)

I'd get one of these and add a variable controller...
http://buyextras.com/btopmot50bal.html

I replaced one of my Current USA fixture's fans with some link depot 50x50x10mm from newegg, and a variable controller and it works really well. The fan is almost silent at full power, but I was able to tweak it and turn it down a bit so it was completely quiet from viewing distance.

Unfortunately, I found those 50x50x20mm fans after I was already done, but if I were going to replace more fans, I'd get those.

For a controller I picked up the zalman fan controller on newegg.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Now I'm gonna keep searching for the perfect fan. The link from Preston has Great CFM @ 15, but he db isn't listed. 

The link from ansbfish has a higher CFM but the db's seem kinda high 

Air Flow: 19.5CFM
- Noise: 32dBA


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## ansbfish (Nov 12, 2007)

That's why you wire it with a controller 

That way you will be able to slow it down and still have high CFM and low dB

I think the thicker the fan, the more air it can move at slower speeds, so the 50x50x20 should be best, its the thickest 50mm I've found.

FWIW my Current USA fixture had Sunon Maglev fans and it was noisy as hell, even my cheap $1.99 link depot fan from newegg is better. There are 50x50x15 Sunon fans though, if you really want one, mine may have just been on the fritz.

Here is a link to the controller I'm talking about: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118217

All in all the Link Depot 50x50x10mm & Zalman Fan Mate cost me about $8 shipped.


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## deeda (Jun 28, 2005)

I have the 72" Coralife Lunar Aqualight Deluxe Series that came with two 96W Actinic, two 96W 10,000K & six 3/4W LED moonlights (3 switches total). I switched out the Actinic for 6700K bulbs & was worried about heat build up since the 4 fans only come on with the 10,000K bulbs.

I contacted Coralife support & got conflicting advice. One said MUST run fans when any lights are on (except LED's) & the other said SHOULD run fans when any lights are on (except LED's).

So I am very interested in any solution you come up with regarding adding an additional fan or replacing the existing fans with quieter ones. I can't stand having the fans on cause they are sooooo loud.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

This is the stock coralife fan.... 40x40x10mm

6.48cfm
24.5 db-a
5000rpm

http://www.allproducts.com/ee/bisonic/19dc4010.html


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

I think I am going with this one....ain't it cute????:hihi: 

40 x 40 x 10 mm $13.99
5 CFM
14 dB
3500 RPM

I'll have these tonight, I have my wife stopping by fry's on her way home...:biggrin: 


http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5...ynamic_Bearings_IXP-11-14.html?tl=g33c165s352


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## ansbfish (Nov 12, 2007)

Ah, so coralife uses 40mm fans? I wish the manufacturers would include at least a 60mm as that is the smallest size produced heavily for home electronics use in stuff like computers. Thus there are many different types ranging the gamut of CFM and dB.

Luckily at 40mm there are slightly more choices from what I see than I had with 50mm.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

It could be done, but it requires cutting and new mounting options. If you really wanted to hack up the fixture you could drop in about anysize you wanted to, but you'd have to find a good way to mount them.

At this point I just want to test some direct replacements to help the masses that won't dive into some heavy fab work. 

I have a video of the before and will wire them up and shoot the after hopefully tonight...


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## tropicalfish (Mar 29, 2007)

It's actually not hard.
Open up the left panel where the fans are, and feel around. You will find little clips which hold the black grille down in place. Press those in and lift the grille out. It will be harder for the inner one. They both lift out, and they connect using a two pin connector.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Ok here it is...

Before...

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u195/rolloffhill/DIY/?action=view&current=M2U00077.flv

After....

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u195/rolloffhill/DIY/?action=view&current=M2U00078.flv


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

That sounds much better. Did you install the fans from frozencpu.com? Also are they cooling just as well as the originals? And how easy was the installation?


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

PRESTON4479 said:


> That sounds much better. Did you install the fans from frozencpu.com? Also are they cooling just as well as the originals? And how easy was the installation?


First off thanks for letting me hijack your thread....









Yes they are the exact same fans, I just had my wife stop at fry's on the way home to save on shipping. They are $14.95 there.
http://shop3.outpost.com/product/53...7WyfIG1Zg**.node2?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

It is a huge improvement on sound, the dryer was running in the other room and the furnace was on and I had to turn them both off to shoot the video...:thumbsup: There is still a blowing noise, but it is absolutly bearable. The db comparison is easily half of the originals just like the specs on both fans state.

I can't say if they cool as good, you can feel the airflow on the new fans as much as you could feel the airflow on the old ones, so I can only assume that they will at this point. I didn't have them on today since I haven't fully gotten my tank setup yet (still waiting on co2 equipment, so there is only anubias in the tank...ie no need for extra light at this time). 

Installation was cake, the connector on the aqualight uses just a 2 prong plug where the new fans use 3...but they are the same plug setup. You can't plug them in upside down, and there are only 2 ways to plug it in, one way it will work, the other way it won't so it is very very simple, NO SOLDERING.....:thumbsup: 

I took pictures for a DIY write up but havne't had the time to put it together yet. When I get a chance I will post it up, but it may be a couple of days.

All in all this is a great option for a direct quiet replacement with only loosing 1cfm. IMO any airflow is better than none so that makes it a good alternative.

I will keep my eye out for a higher CFM fan that is this quiet, but IMO there is no rush as these are really good little fans. :biggrin:


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## EdTheEdge (Jan 25, 2007)

> I took pictures for a DIY write up but havne't had the time to put it together yet. When I get a chance I will post it up, but it may be a couple of days.


This should prove intresting. I can hardly wait! Thanks for sharing!!


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

PRESTON4479 said:


> I have one of the coralife aqualight cf fixtures with the 2 fans that only run with one set of lights.
> http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/4/1/10/f_48Freshwatem_4a6f1af.jpg&srv=img01
> I was wandering if anybody has attempted to rewire it so that the fans will come on no matter which set of lights are on?
> 
> ...



Since I have opened my fixture up and have seen the guts, IF you have wiring abilities here is what I would do if you were wanting 2 sets of fans. The side opposite of the running fans are just vents to pull air across the ballast to the fans and pull out the hot air. I haven't looked, but if you can find a direct replacement 12v convertor and wire it up to the other switch the same as the switch with the fans you could have 2 sets of fans running on both banks. The one thing you would need to do it create a new intake for air to flow across the ballast. Ideally it would need to be in the middle of the fixture so that it would pull air from the middle and out to both sides of fans. I don't recall if there was enough room between the ballasts to do that, but it would also require cutting the fixture and finding a new grill(intake) to put there. 

You could put the grill(intake) on the black plastic endcaps of the fixtures, but I can't say that it would flow any air across the ballast to cool them. It would get the hot air out of the ends of the ballast section, but ideally you would want to draw the air across the ballast. 

Without tearing back into mine, I would say if there is enough room on the back of the fixture or on the top, either way putting 2-3 intakes there would be a great option.....


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> First off thanks for letting me hijack your thread....


No problem at all. I really appreciate the time your putting in on this so we all can quiet down our Coralife fixtures.:thumbsup:


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> Since I have opened my fixture up and have seen the guts, IF you have wiring abilities here is what I would do if you were wanting 2 sets of fans. The side opposite of the running fans are just vents to pull air across the ballast to the fans and pull out the hot air. I haven't looked, but if you can find a direct replacement 12v convertor and wire it up to the other switch the same as the switch with the fans you could have 2 sets of fans running on both banks. The one thing you would need to do it create a new intake for air to flow across the ballast. Ideally it would need to be in the middle of the fixture so that it would pull air from the middle and out to both sides of fans. I don't recall if there was enough room between the ballasts to do that, but it would also require cutting the fixture and finding a new grill(intake) to put there.


This is actually one of things I thought about doing. I was thinking of setting it up with one set of fans pulling air and the other set of fans pushing air. What do you think about that? I am sure I could wire it but wasn't sure how well it would work. I was also looking at this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230209315148&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=013


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

Can I use this fan on my nova current? cuz that fan is so loud


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

PRESTON4479 said:


> This is actually one of things I thought about doing. I was thinking of setting it up with one set of fans pulling air and the other set of fans pushing air. What do you think about that? I am sure I could wire it but wasn't sure how well it would work. I was also looking at this:
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230209315148&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=013


<---no expert

I dunno if I would go through all that effort to try to push air through it, I can't imagine that it would do all that much. Since the chamber isn't pressurized I don't think it would help as much as adding 2 more fans and more intakes. I personally would try adding fans to the existing intakes and venting the endcaps first. Worst case you have to replace the endcaps (cheap) If they were higher CFM fans it might be worth a try, but then you are back with dealing with the noise again.




cleekdafish said:


> Can I use this fan on my nova current? cuz that fan is so loud



Find out what size fan it has, the Silenx come in all different sizes..


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> <---no expert
> 
> I dunno if I would go through all that effort to try to push air through it, I can't imagine that it would do all that much. Since the chamber isn't pressurized I don't think it would help as much as adding 2 more fans and more intakes. I personally would try adding fans to the existing intakes and venting the endcaps first. Worst case you have to replace the endcaps (cheap) If they were higher CFM fans it might be worth a try, but then you are back with dealing with the noise again.


No, I wasn't thinking of adding any more vents. I was thinking the air would continue moving in the same direction it is now. One pair of fans pushing air and the other pair of fans pulling air.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Well theres one way to find out....:biggrin:


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

Alright, you convinced me to try them out also. I just ordered them from here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835191001

Brian


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

shoot i cant find a 50mmx50mm one


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

cleekdafish said:


> shoot i cant find a 50mmx50mm one


You are looking for a 50mm by the same manufacturer that we are using? If so you are correct. That manufacturer only makes 40mm and 60mm.

http://www.silenxdirect.com/ixtremaprofans.asp?sku=ixp-11-14


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

PRESTON4479 said:


> Alright, you convinced me to try them out also. I just ordered them from here:
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835191001
> 
> Brian


Good price!! I just couldn't wait that long so I got them local.

Are you replacing or adding extras?



cleekdafish said:


> shoot i cant find a 50mmx50mm one


I had a list of links for 50mm but I deleted them all, lemme see what I can dig up, there were some good ones that I found.


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

thanks^^ so wat do u do make new holes in the lighting system , preston?

My old fan is 50mmx 50mm , so i gotta buy one thats 50mm , I guess


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Ah found it, for 50mm I was going with the rasburo..

17 cfm
22 db
4000 rpm

It isn't the quietest, but it is the lowest db I found.










http://www.quietpcusa.com/Rasurbo-U...uter-Case-Fan-with-3-Pin-Connector-P82C6.aspx


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

thx , its probably better than the nova current that thing is like a buzz saw


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

You may want to confirm that you have a 50mm before you order one.

If you don't have a ruler that measures MM then it should be just a hair under 2" long. Also may want to check and see if it matters what depth it is.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> Good price!! I just couldn't wait that long so I got them local.
> 
> Are you replacing or adding extras?


I think I am just going to replace the originals and add an additional power cord so the fans by themselves can be run on a timer. That way the fans will run all day no matter which set of lights are on.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

cleekdafish said:


> thanks^^ so wat do u do make new holes in the lighting system , preston?


No. I am just going to replace the original fans. The only hole I will be making is a small for the additional power cord I am going to add.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Does anyone think there would be a problem running a 2x65w 24" coralife fixture over a glass top if it didnt have the clear plexiglass that covered the bulbs?


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

My 4x65 is sitting on glass tops without the plexi.


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## tropicalfish (Mar 29, 2007)

IIRC it's a pieve of acrylic, not plexiglass.
Unless your fixture is a good distance from the glass, I wouldn't do it.
Too intense of a heat will crack the glass.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> My 4x65 is sitting on glass tops without the plexi.


is it on legs?


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

bsmith782 said:


> Does anyone think there would be a problem running a 2x65w 24" coralife fixture over a glass top if it didnt have the clear plexiglass that covered the bulbs?


I don't think you will have a problem. I used to set a 110 watt all glass aquarium cf directly on the top of the aquarium with versa tops.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

PRESTON4479 said:


> I don't think you will have a problem. I used to set a 110 watt all glass aquarium cf directly on the top of the aquarium with versa tops.


Thats kinda what I was thinking, it wasnt an issue of overheating the glass (the plexi/acrylic wouldnt block that much if any heat), but more an issue of condensation geting in the fixture. It sounds like it's no biggie! Im set, thanks. :icon_smil


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

bsmith782 said:


> Thats kinda what I was thinking, it wasnt an issue of overheating the glass (the plexi/acrylic wouldnt block that much if any heat), but more an issue of condensation geting in the fixture. It sounds like it's no biggie! Im set, thanks. :icon_smil


Yeah, I would imagine the heat from the fixture would keep it dry. Besides you would have to get water on top of the glass tops for that to possibly become a problem. So just be sure to keep them dry.

That piece of acrylic is really nothing more than a splash shield.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

bsmith782 said:


> is it on legs?


No



PRESTON4479 said:


> Yeah, I would imagine the heat from the fixture would keep it dry. Besides you would have to get water on top of the glass tops for that to possibly become a problem. So just be sure to keep them dry.
> 
> That piece of acrylic is really nothing more than a splash shield.


roud:


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

I just got my new fans and installed them immediately. They installed much easier then I imagined. Took 5 minutes tops and I can't hardly hear them running. I have to put my ear up to them to tell they are running. So we'll see how well they do at keeping the fixture cool.

Also, one thing I recommend to anyone whether or not your changing the fans in your fixture is to take the originals out and clean them every once in awhile. I had never taken mine out and they were filthy. This will greatly reduce airflow so I will certainly be removing my new ones and gettting a can of air to blow the dust off of them.

Brian


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Yeah mine were filthy too. Grills got a good scrubbing also..

Glad they worked out for ya. I am impressed with them, next test I'm gonna do is see how hot the fixture actually gets during the day with one bank on no fans and both banks on with fans.

The highest reading I got with just one bank no fan was just under 100*.

Haven't tested it the other way yet.


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

OMG my new fan is driving me insane


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

cleekdafish said:


> OMG my new fan is driving me insane


Simma down now.:icon_smil Whats the problem?


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> Yeah mine were filthy too. Grills got a good scrubbing also..
> 
> Glad they worked out for ya. I am impressed with them, next test I'm gonna do is see how hot the fixture actually gets during the day with one bank on no fans and both banks on with fans.
> 
> ...


I didn't use a temp probe or anything but when I got home after work today and checked out my light fixture it actually seems to be a little cooler than it was with the original fans.:thumbsup: Anyways they are doing a great job and I can't hear them running at all. Well worth the extra money. 

When you are testing keep in mind that the fixture is hotter on the right side than it is on the left where the fans are.

Brian


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Yeah I was testing at different places looking for the hottest part with this...


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

cleekdafish said:


> OMG my new fan is driving me insane


 
What did you get?


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

rasburo..
I got this one and it blows


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

cleekdafish said:


> rasburo..
> I got this one and it blows


If I were you I would probably be trying to do a little retrofitting and go with one of the fans we bought. They really seem to be doing a great job cooling the fixture and you can't really hear them.


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## cleekdafish (Jun 13, 2007)

ya good idea just i dont want to shall out anymore money though


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

cleekdafish said:


> ya good idea just i dont want to shall out anymore money though


No problem. Hey its no rush right? The ones you have now are working its just that they are annoying. Wait until your ready to put out the money for the good fans. It seems like you get what you pay for with these fans. I was figuring there was a reason the fans we went with were almost double the cost of all other fans.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

PRESTON4479 said:


> I didn't use a temp probe or anything but when I got home after work today and checked out my light fixture it actually seems to be a little cooler than it was with the original fans.:thumbsup: Anyways they are doing a great job and I can't hear them running at all. Well worth the extra money.
> 
> When you are testing keep in mind that the fixture is hotter on the right side than it is on the left where the fans are.
> 
> Brian



Actually I get about a 10* difference on the left side where the fans are compared to the right side where the intakes are. The highest temp I have gotten is 134* on the left dropping about 5* in the middle and down to around 125-126* on the right. This is on the sloped part of the fixture towards the front.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> Actually I get about a 10* difference on the left side where the fans are compared to the right side where the intakes are. The highest temp I have gotten is 134* on the left dropping about 5* in the middle and down to around 125-126* on the right. This is on the sloped part of the fixture towards the front.


Do you have any ideal how this compares to the original fans? That would be a great comparison to show how well these new fans are performing.

I have finished added an additional power cord to my fixture and have wired it to the fans only. I can now control them by themselves using a timer. This way I can run the front pair of lights for 5 hours and run the back pair of lights for 5 hours while the fans run the whole time. I have alot more options with the lighting now. 

Brian


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

No I don't, I wish I would have thought to check before I made the swap but I didn't. I guess I could always swap in the noisy fans for a day...but I wouldn't hold your breath on that one...:icon_eek: 

So did you just take out the 12v transformer that is wired to the switch or just disconnect it? I assume you're just using a 12v transformer then?

I came upon a couple of cool things for free the last couple weeks...



















Then found a 12v 1000mA transformer, so naturally I wired them up and now I have 3- 40mm fans to help keep the canopy cooler.

Not sure if I'll put it on the 75g or the 215g. I have an Icecap 660 with t-12vho's on the 215g and need to shed some heat out of there badly


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> So did you just take out the 12v transformer that is wired to the switch or just disconnect it? I assume you're just using a 12v transformer then?


I left the transformer in there and just traced the hot and neutral leads off the transformer back to the switch and made 2 cuts. I made sure to cover any cut ends with wire nuts. I then took those and wired them directly to a pre-cut cord I came across at work and plugged them into a timer. I also like isolating the fans because I felt the energy draw from the lights caused the fans to run a little slower.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> I came upon a couple of cool things for free the last couple weeks...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Gotta love freebees! Sounds like you could really use it on the 215g.


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

PRESTON4479 said:


> I left the transformer in there and just traced the hot and neutral leads off the transformer back to the switch and made 2 cuts. I made sure to cover any cut ends with wire nuts. I then took those and wired them directly to a pre-cut cord I came across at work and plugged them into a timer. I also like isolating the fans because I felt the energy draw from the lights caused the fans to run a little slower.


 
So you are still using the transformer just wired it on its own plug...gotcha...:thumbsup: 

Yup freebies are good, I didn't even know what that thing was when I picked it up, but saw 3 fans and thought it's gotta be good for something.... I learned its for an xbox 360 tonight


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> So you are still using the transformer just wired it on its own plug...gotcha...:thumbsup:


You got it. Worked out great. Now I get use out of all 4 bulbs.:thumbsup:


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

Just want to say thanks guys (well, in advance). Quieting down my Aqualight has been my next project for probably going on a year now. Read through the thread quickly, but it sounds as tho even an idiot as myself with NO electrical ability should be able to pull this off. (Well, I was able to do an AH retrofit, and have hung the odd ceiling fan.) 
I have a Fry's just a few miles from my house, so it sounds as tho I can essentially go in there, tell them I want two of the fans you guys installed, bring them home, pop the end off of my fixture, unplug the old fans, plug in the new, and be good to go?
If this works for me as simply as you make it sound, this will be this year's experience confirming for me the tremendous value of these forums!


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Yes, that is about all there is to it.


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## Maxlugar (Sep 9, 2004)

That's the light I have that I was telling you all about the other day. The damn six pin connectors disintegrated when I pulled the bulbs out. They say they are sending a new one. Should be here any day.


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

rolloffhill said:


> Yes, that is about all there is to it.


Looks like I have a project for Saturday.

(Man, you really start to wonder, when you find yourself getting geeked about pimping your aquarium lighting fixture!)


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

Give all the credit to Rolloffhill for finding those great replacement fans. A little pricey but well worth the money. And not to mention they are just plug n play.:thumbsup:


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

eds said:


> Looks like I have a project for Saturday.
> 
> (Man, you really start to wonder, when you find yourself getting geeked about pimping your aquarium lighting fixture!)


:help: :hihi: 



PRESTON4479 said:


> Give all the credit to Rolloffhill for finding those great replacement fans. A little pricey but well worth the money. And not to mention they are just plug n play.:thumbsup:


 
Well back at ya, if I hadn't found this thread and







it, I probably would have just gotten direct replacement fans and been even more  with it later.

I bought my fixture used, so I just figured it was from age...


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

I'm thinking this thread might be worth a sticky - perhaps in the DIY or lighting forums.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

eds said:


> I'm thinking this thread might be worth a sticky - perhaps in the DIY or lighting forums.


I could have swore that there was another thread much like this one, perhaps by scolley (?) that had some detailed instructions and also gave some links to some really quiet fans...

Can't find it for the life of me though... may have been on another site.

I agree though, maybe a writeup would be a little more useful and less of a clutter. I know I've been wanting to change the fans in my lighting unit for a while.


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## BrettNYC (Nov 4, 2007)

I bought 2 of these fans from Newegg. While they are certainly more quite they also seem to move only about half the air as the OEM fans. Isn't anyone concerned about reducing the airlfow using these?


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

BrettNYC said:


> I bought 2 of these fans from Newegg. While they are certainly more quite they also seem to move only about half the air as the OEM fans. Isn't anyone concerned about reducing the airlfow using these?


Nope. You are actually only losing about 1 cfm. Not to mention that the fan blades on the new one are much better design and probably move more air. They have had no problem at all keeping my fixture cool so far.

Brian


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

BrettNYC said:


> I bought 2 of these fans from Newegg. While they are certainly more quite they also seem to move only about half the air as the OEM fans. Isn't anyone concerned about reducing the airlfow using these?


Nope, what temps are you seeing on your housing with the old fans?

I get 134* with the new fans, which I don't think is all bad considering the fixture is housed underneath a canopy.


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

I actually put a timer on it, and even a clutz like myself was able to swap out these fans in 15 minutes.
Way cool!

(Actually, the toughest thing was to find the damned things at Frys when their salesclerks proved themselves incompetent!)

Thanks so much, guys. The new ones are SOOO quiet. I noticed the lower flow on them, but don' tthink it should be any issue with my fixture, which is elevated on legs and not under a canopy.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

eds said:


> I actually put a timer on it, and even a clutz like myself was able to swap out these fans in 15 minutes.
> Way cool!
> 
> (Actually, the toughest thing was to find the damned things at Frys when their salesclerks proved themselves incompetent!)
> ...


No problem. Glad you like them. You wont have any issues. Mine is under a canopy and doing fine.

Brian


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

So, just to clear something up for this techno-idiot - why does it not matter that the old fans had 2 prongs and the new ones 3? What is the 3d hole for?

And thanks for warning me that when I have the endcap off and am snapping the fan/grilles back into place, the whole damned front part of the light fixture is liable to all off!  Probably what kept me from getting under 10 minutes!

Man, the 2d light clicked on as I was typing this. It is on the other side of the room. I can't hear a peep from the fans. Not a sound! AMAZING!


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

The third wire is for RPM speed when used in computer applications.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rolloffhill said:


> The third wire is for RPM speed when used in computer applications.


That was going to be my guess. Some type of rpm controller. Thanks for the response rolloffhill.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

eds said:


> And thanks for warning me that when I have the endcap off and am snapping the fan/grilles back into place, the whole damned front part of the light fixture is liable to all off!  Probably what kept me from getting under 10 minutes!


Just trying to keep things interesting for ya. 



eds said:


> Man, the 2d light clicked on as I was typing this. It is on the other side of the room. I can't hear a peep from the fans. Not a sound! AMAZING!


The fans used to be all I could hear from my aquarium. Now I cant here them at all. They are great fans.


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## tropicalfish (Mar 29, 2007)

PRESTON4479 said:


> That was going to be my guess. Some type of rpm controller. Thanks for the response rolloffhill.


They send a signal to the computer so the computer can monitor the RPM of the fan.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

tropicalfish said:


> They send a signal to the computer so the computer can monitor the RPM of the fan.


Cool. thats good to know. So in our application it really isnt needed.


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

PRESTON4479 said:


> The fans used to be all I could hear from my aquarium. Now I cant here them at all. They are great fans.


Yeah, of course now I think I should be pissed at yoy guys because now I want to quiet down that xp3!  (Seriously, behind the door it is - at most - a quiet hum when close to the tank.)


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## eds (Feb 12, 2003)

Guys, just wanted to post something that I found amusing.
I was doing my weekly tank maintenance, when I heard a little click - and the light-level dimmed. That's right - I was messing around with my arms in my tank and the new fans are so quiet I didn't even know they were on!
WAY COOL!
Thanks.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

Cooling pretty well too, huh?

Glad you like them. I have to put my ear right up to them to hear'em.:icon_bigg 

Brian


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

Excellent!!


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## deeda (Jun 28, 2005)

I would like to thank everyone, especially rolloffhill, for this thread.

I have a 72" Coralife Lunar Aqualight with 4 fans (2 at each end) & 4 exhaust grilles in middle of the fixture. The noise has been unbearable for 3 years. 

I bought the suggested Silenx fans, 4 of them, Model IXP-11-14 (40x40x10mm; 5.0CFM; 3500RPM; 0.02A; 0.24W; 12V; 14db) to replace the original fans on my fixture.

The OEM fans were Model BS401012M (40x40x10mm; 6.48CFM; 5000RPM; 0.09A; 1.08W; 12V; 24.5db-a).

What a difference in sound!!! :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: I am very pleased with the easy swap out of fans. They fit the original mounts perfectly. I just need to add a gasket between the mounting grill & fixture top to cut down some of the vibrating rattle (aluminum fixture). 

I didn't take temp readings before switching fans but with the Silenx, (all four 96W bulbs running), its about 115F.:thumbsup: 

Again, thank you all for your suggestions on this wonderful site.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

Glad we were able to help deeda and welcome to tpt.net!

They made a huge difference in my fixture also.


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## kaliman (Apr 29, 2008)

*Help with Coralife Aqualight 12" 2X18w fixture Heat issues*

Aloha all, was hoping to find some info. and stumbled across this old thread. I have been trying to find some suggestions or a mod on a 12" Aqualight 2x18w fixture. My dilemma is that this model does not come with ANY fans at all! It's heats up extremely high temps and it is almost a fire hazard waiting to happen. I have been searching in vain and cannot believe not one person has complained or has tried to mod this fixture with a fan or two. Can anyone help or have any suggestion?


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## cfi on the fly (Jan 28, 2009)

Just wanted to add my experience with the fan replacement. I just did a swap out with the mentioned silentx fans. Yes they are much more quiet, but they dont put through near the airflow of the stock fans. I tested this by keeping one of the old ones plugged in and new one at the same time. Put them both up to either side of my face and could easily tell that the older stock fan was pushing at least twice the amount of air through. Ill leave the new ones in, just hoping that I dont have any overheating problems.

Also be very careful pulling apart the old fan grills, mine were brittle and broke apart in a few places


Update: There does not seem to be any kind of problem with the reduced air flow


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## rolloffhill (Jan 18, 2008)

My Silenx fans are DOA. One stopped all together and the other was making some serious racket. I put the original Coralife's back in for the time being. They aren't as loud as I remember, maybe it is just the grill vibrating. Maybe time to just silicone the grills in place and put high speed fans in there....

Well they lasted 15 months anyway...whatdya do...


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

Hi Rolloffhill,

I have since replaced my coralife fixture with the catalina t5 fixture and gotta tell ya, it is a much better fixture. It runs much cooler and gives a better color than the compact fluorescent lamp. I am loving this fixture. Although I did replace the fans in this one also due to noise. It sounded like the bearings were failing in one of them. But it is very possible that fans are not even needed in it because it runs so cool.

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/pro...=1423&osCsid=d923e5e30aa7bd2ccc556fff224f9864


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## rbittman (Jan 3, 2006)

Preston4479,
It's been a few months since you got your new fixture. I am trying to decide whether to fix the old fans on an aging Corallife fixture or go with the new T5 fixture you describe (the Catalina). Do you still like it and do you run it without fans (and is it cool enough to do that?)?
I hope this thread isn't completely dead. Thanks!


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## phan10ms (Sep 7, 2009)

Maybe this would help some of you. Instead of replacing my fan, I just bought a light dimmer from home depot and ran the fan at 75 percent of the speed. It's been running great for 3 months now and the noise level is very friendly.


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## PRESTON4479 (Mar 22, 2007)

rbittman said:


> Preston4479,
> It's been a few months since you got your new fixture. I am trying to decide whether to fix the old fans on an aging Corallife fixture or go with the new T5 fixture you describe (the Catalina). Do you still like it and do you run it without fans (and is it cool enough to do that?)?
> I hope this thread isn't completely dead. Thanks!


My opinion is the same. I don't think the coralife fixture even compares to the catalina. I am very happy I went to the t5 catalina fixture.roud:


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## Wahter (Apr 8, 2009)

Just an update that might help some people who are still searching for some replacement fans. I recently replaced one of my noisy fans on the Coralife with the Evercool fan EC4010M12CA and I bought it from newegg.com - they are priced at $4.99USD, so it won't put a hole in your wallet. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835119049

The specs are pretty close to the original, these use a ball bearing. They fit pretty well and you only need to match the red and black leads on the plugs when you hook it up.

40mm
5000 RPM 6.24 CFM
Ball
<21 dBA 

Hope that will help someone out.


Walter


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