# Finnex Planted Plus Flashing Red/Not Working. SOLVED!



## bcbishop (Dec 7, 2013)

Here is my rant/hopefully fix on my Finnex Planted Plus 36" lights.

I have two Finnex Planted Plus 36" fixtures i purchased about two years ago.
The reason i went with the Finnex LED fixtures was i wanted them to last longer than T5HO bulbs and be energy efficient. 
I looked around and i liked the look of the minimal fixture the planted plus lights had and the price seemed good for the overall output and features the Planted Plus had.
I liked how these had a separate true 660nm red LED row in them.
I had to order them off Amazon and it took awhile till i could find one that would ship to Canada.

This spring i noticed that my one light wasn't working and just flashing the red led strip. So i unplugged it and plugged it back in. Boom it works. The next day i notice its doing the same thing.
So i look it up and apparently this is a common issue with these lights. Now i'm not a electronic wizard but i do know a thing or two about electronics and thought i would look into it to see if i could find a fix.
It seems like most people just went and purchased a new power supply off ebay/amazon for around $30-50 CAN and that fixed it. But i'm sorry, the whole reason i bought these lights was for them to last a long time and not have to spend $$$ for fluorescent bulbs all of the time.

I love the light themselves but these power supplies they put in them suck. I cannot find any other light that has as many issues with power supplies as these do.
Why isn't Finnex covering this issue? They want me to buy a new "Finnex(made in China)" power supply for $30US($40CAN) plus shipping and duties...probably all said and done $50-60.

What i know so far, the one good power supply i have works fine on both lights(so its not the light). The one bad power supply i have doesn't work on both lights.
The bad power supply clicks every second...click, click, click; very faintly but you can hear it(in sequence with the red LED flashing).
I have opened the power supply and noticed some discoloration under one of the voltage regulators like it over heated(the plastic power supply box gets very hot when on). So i'm assuming the voltage regulator is shot? I don't know how to test it.
The label on the outside of the power supply says 15volt 27watt. If i connect it to a plug in power meter its drawing exactly 27 watts(the good one).
So are they using a underpowered power supply, and its overheating and killing its self?

All i know is i'm not spending $50 on another power supply from them.
Oh and by the way they are still selling these lights.
I wanted to make this thread to hopefully find a GOOD solution to this what seems like a common problem a lot of Finnex owners are having.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Sorry.. AFAIAC chinese power supplies are "consumable" part.. 


> AL-20WM
> Input: AC110v-240v
> Output DC15v
> Watt 10w


Verify voltage and output.. Replace it w/ a decent or cheap ps..
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/953938-finnex-powersupply-burnt-out.html

If you want you can now "upgrade" to one to run both lights.. if close together and 2)add a wee bit of a hack w/ an adj. voltage one..
Slight tweaks to the voltage out can reap PAR benefits..note "slight"..
Or extend diode life by slight decrease in voltage..

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...qE4Kds1dZw==&gclid=CNfslpv4-8gCFUU7gQodHnMD0w
14.25-16.5V.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...qE4Kds1dZw==&gclid=CNfslpv4-8gCFUU7gQodHnMD0w

@150W can run multiple finnex's depending on size..



you can get "standard" 15V ps quite cheap.
https://www.onlinecomponents.com/me...ift_ck=3F8AFD70-4DEA-44B5-9D14-8B8AE7FC2453cs


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## bcbishop (Dec 7, 2013)

jeffkrol said:


> Sorry.. AFAIAC chinese power supplies are "consumable" part..
> 
> 
> Verify voltage and output.. Replace it w/ a decent or cheap ps..
> ...


Voltage output on the not working unit is under 13 volts and unstable.
Voltage of the good unit is a stable 15 volts.

I don't feel like it is right to have to purchase a $50 power supply to revive a two year old LED fixture.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Well, I understand your point.. but then my point is you don't "have to" buy a $50 power supply...
Snip a few wires and attach to a $15 Meanwell..
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mean-Well/RS-15-15/?qs=xvTjQbhLFHJ8cpvehWSGIg==

$7.70..............15V 15W.. Snip a few wires.. screw on..


Bad caps, blown transformer, water getting in, over heated MOSFETS.. All failure points..

to be honest, the biggest annoyance to me is the 15V design.. Harder to scavenge a power supply..

YMMV..


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## bcbishop (Dec 7, 2013)

So Howard At Finnex gave me some help! He told me to try replacing the C9 Capacitor on the board.
I did that and boom it's fixed! Finally a real fix for these lights that people are having the same issue with.
I went out and bought some more of these for $0.79ea!
The capacitor is a 10uF 50v bottom exit capacitor.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

jeffkrol said:


> Bad caps


Yep.. glad it was that simple.. didn't look it from the bottom of the board though.
Couple of the "big-uns" look a bit swollen as well..

They may be next..Personally if you went though that, consider replacing all electrolytics at this point..

Actually the one above and to the right of your red circle image looks to be leaking from the base and top is getting domed..

Look up capacitor plague..


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## bcbishop (Dec 7, 2013)

A little alcohol clean to remove the flux residue and she's as good as new!


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## furnfins (Dec 30, 2011)

I know this post is from last year but I have a question. I just bought this light, didn't think I needed anything with all the bells and whistles. 
Have you or anyone have a problem with the light feeling hot? I put it on the tank and plugged it in. My first time with LED's does the housing get warm-hot?
Thinking now I should have just gotten the Fluval 3.0..


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

125F feels "really warm" hot but well within most LED tolerances.. 
Cooler is always better..


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## nbr1rodeoclown (Feb 6, 2015)

furnfins said:


> Have you or anyone have a problem with the light feeling hot?


yeah they get warm. they wont singe you or anything, but they're deffinately hot to the touch.


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## fishguy1978 (Mar 20, 2020)

I have 2 Finnex 48in LED Fugeray or planted+ I bought used that are in need of power supplies. I have looked at the Mouser links and am considering purchase of a 150w ps since I have 4 fixtures that I could run off one supply. Is the connection process as simple as strip and connect? Link below of what I am considering.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MEAN-WELL/UHP-200A-45?qs=BZBei1rCqCDWjBPJei1gbQ==


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## Joe Dickinson (Dec 11, 2021)

I know this is an older thread, but I just wanted to give a shout of thanks to bcbishop! His experience inspired me to fix my daughter's 36" Finnex light, which had the same problem, flashing red lights. The price of the capacitor has gone up to about a buck and a half, but still better than buying a whole new transformer. The light now works like new, and her plants are happy again.


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