Max C-250 - T5 to LED Conversion

nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
@Roy Page and everyone with a RSM 250 considering LEDs

Check this out ! :nessie:

Steves LEDs Review

Here's a bit of insider information for you RSM250 LED fans currently running stock T5's. Our brand new fixture (Glenn has serial #00001) is indeed a super simple drop in fixture - one cable to pass through an existing cable hole in the hood. No drilling, no cutting, no modifying, no technical skill, no frustration, no worry installation. We have a short video for each and every little step of the process, which basically holds your hand through the entire simple installation to eliminate ANY concerns. Did I mention it is more than bright enough to grow every species of coral, clam and anemone from every ocean?

Here's the gist of the instructions:
Steps:
1) Take the hood apart (Showing how to remove the screw plugs without scratching the hood!)
2) Remove the existing wiring
3) Drop in the new fixture and mount it using 5 of the existing screw holes
4) Close up the hood
5) Plug it in
6) Brag to your friends

Want to see how easy step 3 is? Check it out - http://stevesleds.info/drop_in_fixture.gif

We have all hands on deck working on finishing up the manual and videos, it will be released any day now.

Any questions?

Jeff
 
M

mike1970

Active Member
nanoreefing4fun said:
@Roy Page and everyone with a RSM 250 considering LEDs

Check this out ! :nessie:

Steves LEDs Review

Here's a bit of insider information for you RSM250 LED fans currently running stock T5's. Our brand new fixture (Glenn has serial #00001) is indeed a super simple drop in fixture - one cable to pass through an existing cable hole in the hood. No drilling, no cutting, no modifying, no technical skill, no frustration, no worry installation. We have a short video for each and every little step of the process, which basically holds your hand through the entire simple installation to eliminate ANY concerns. Did I mention it is more than bright enough to grow every species of coral, clam and anemone from every ocean?

Here's the gist of the instructions:
Steps:
1) Take the hood apart (Showing how to remove the screw plugs without scratching the hood!)
2) Remove the existing wiring
3) Drop in the new fixture and mount it using 5 of the existing screw holes
4) Close up the hood
5) Plug it in
6) Brag to your friends

Want to see how easy step 3 is? Check it out - http://stevesleds.info/drop_in_fixture.gif

We have all hands on deck working on finishing up the manual and videos, it will be released any day now.

Any questions?

Jeff
Click to expand...
WOW!! this looks so good when will it be available? how much will it cost and what color spectrums?
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Sure Jeff/Steve will announce it soon ... check here too

http://shop.stevesleds.com/Red-Sea-...ofit-100-Compatible-with-C-250-8794102433.htm

extract from ^ page -
Pricing will be determined at the release.

VERSION 5.0 will been released on 7/29/2015! This will be a drop in replacement, no cutting, no drilling, no modifications and 100% stock look of your hood. Just remove your old lighting out of your hood, and drop this LED upgrade fixture in it's place.
 
M

mike1970

Active Member
nanoreefing4fun said:
Sure Jeff/Steve will announce it soon ... check here too

http://shop.stevesleds.com/Red-Sea-...ofit-100-Compatible-with-C-250-8794102433.htm

extract from ^ page -
Pricing will be determined at the release.

VERSION 5.0 will been released on 7/29/2015! This will be a drop in replacement, no cutting, no drilling, no modifications and 100% stock look of your hood. Just remove your old lighting out of your hood, and drop this LED upgrade fixture in it's place.
Click to expand...
7/29/15 THATS TODAY!!!!!!!
 
bazmackem

bazmackem

Active Member
Soooo is there a complete no hassle retrofit for the RSM130!!?? I looked on the site bit it is still asking whether I want to use stock timer, solder etc? PLEASE say there is a complete unit for the 130!!!!!!!
 
StevesLEDs

StevesLEDs

RS Sponsor
We are working on a drop in unit for the RSM130. This aquarium has much less free space in it.

In the mean time, our standard RSM130 is offered as a completely assembled unit. We call it 99% Complete because you still have to plug two plugs together -and this is most easily done once it is mounted into your hood - it is easier to run the cable out the back.

This system currently comes with just two parts. One is the main LED heatsink that mounts to the existing reflector using 4 screws. The other is the driver electronics board, which mounts using only 2 screws. It isn't terribly complicated as it stands, and a "drop-in" fixture would only shave off a few minutes of install time.

The trouble with creating the drop in fixture are the size constraints of that hood.

We sold our RSM130 test aquarium once the current RSM130 LED system was finalized, so if anyone perhaps is willing to send us their RSM130 for a week, we can arrange a discounted LED system fully installed for them. Shoot me an email if interested.

Jeff
 
bazmackem

bazmackem

Active Member
StevesLEDs said:
We are working on a drop in unit for the RSM130. This aquarium has much less free space in it.

In the mean time, our standard RSM130 is offered as a completely assembled unit. We call it 99% Complete because you still have to plug two plugs together -and this is most easily done once it is mounted into your hood - it is easier to run the cable out the back.

This system currently comes with just two parts. One is the main LED heatsink that mounts to the existing reflector using 4 screws. The other is the driver electronics board, which mounts using only 2 screws. It isn't terribly complicated as it stands, and a "drop-in" fixture would only shave off a few minutes of install time.

The trouble with creating the drop in fixture are the size constraints of that hood.

We sold our RSM130 test aquarium once the current RSM130 LED system was finalized, so if anyone perhaps is willing to send us their RSM130 for a week, we can arrange a discounted LED system fully installed for them. Shoot me an email if interested.

Jeff
Click to expand...
Right, just reading installs etc it seemed a big job even for the 99% kit, but that doesn't sound too bad! Thanks for the reply, any idea of an overall cost for the 99% with typhoon to the uk? Would be great if one day you guys could have a representative over here!!

Cheers for the info Jeff (ps my copepod tank seems to be doing ok from the other thread!!)

Thanks
Baz
 
dgilbert2

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
Based on my c130 recent import experience I reckon you are looking at around £750 with delivery for a RSM250 99%, import duty and tax.
 
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bazmackem

bazmackem

Active Member
dgilbert2 said:
Based on my c130 recent import experience I reckon you are looking at around £750 with delivery, import duty and tax.
Click to expand...
Cheers david,
I thought yours was around £410 mark, or was that the kit that needed more work doing to it rather than the 99% ready kit?

With not knowing how much longer I will keep this tank before I upgrade (wife dependant!) I may just go for some aquarays for now, then go for these if I get a 250.
 
dgilbert2

dgilbert2

Well-Known Member
Sorry for the confusion Baz, your right, mine was around £410 for the RSM130 99% kit. Have clarified my post above which is referring to the RSM 250.
 
S

seantang83

New Member
Roy Page said:
After a lot of reading and thinking, I have decided to swap out the T5 lights for an LED system.
I really want a system that can be installed quickly and include a new controller that can fit in the hood in a workmanlike manner.
I don't want wires draped around the hood and a controller which is positioned in some hidden and hard to program spot.

I have downloaded the instructions for a complete system from "Steve's LED's" and I am totally unimpressed.
Only a couple of poor photos, no diagrams, just endless worded instructions not giving a clear idea of what you are getting, where it fits or what the finished result looks like.

Does a real high quality, well engineered, Max C-250 LED conversion kit exist?
Click to expand...


Hi Roy,

I have been following this thread about upgrading the RSM c250 and also seen your YouTube channel which is fantastic by the way. I was wondering if you have had any luck with the upgrade yourself? (T5 to led) I know there has been mentions of Stevesleds however this seems to be in the states only? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've had the c250 for a year now and although I love it I don't like the t5 lighting. Kind of looking for a simple as possible fix or easy plug and play solutions.

Hope to hear soon.

Sean
 
Roy Page

Roy Page

Active Member
seantang83 said:
Hi Roy,

I have been following this thread about upgrading the RSM c250 and also seen your YouTube channel which is fantastic by the way. I was wondering if you have had any luck with the upgrade yourself? (T5 to led) I know there has been mentions of Stevesleds however this seems to be in the states only? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've had the c250 for a year now and although I love it I don't like the t5 lighting. Kind of looking for a simple as possible fix or easy plug and play solutions.

Hope to hear soon.

Sean
Click to expand...
Hello Sean,

Thanks for the compliment!

No, I have not made any significant progress on replacing my C-250 T5's with an LED system.
I really want to say goodbye to my T5's.

I thought that Steve's LEDs was going to take me up on an offer to install their new 'complete system' and produce a video of the install to add to my YouTube channel, but they have not responded to my recent PM contacts on this site.
I have reviewed their new instructions but it is sounds like a lot of work and they still don't have good instructions with clear photographs.
On the positive side, Steve's has produced some animated GIF files to show each step, but a clear install video is what is needed.

My suggestion is that an LED supplier does a proper and complete 'Core Exchange Hood Scheme'.
They take a standard C-250 or 250 hood, remove the T5's, fit their LED system in it and ship it out, you ship your old hood back to them in the box the unit arrived and your old hood is the "core" ready for them to replace the old T5 system with an LED system. Wouldn't that be nice!

I do this kind of Core Exchange in my machinery business so know how to make it work really well.
Great for the customers and for the business.

Wouldn't it be nice just to unpack the arriving converted hood, pop it in place and ship your old T5 hood back in the box it arrived in. So simple to take a hood off, put another on and plug in the cable.

Seems that no-one can see the market that truly exists.
Maybe I should start a LED conversion business based on a Core Exchange Hood Scheme ... lol
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
I think the problem with the core hood exchange idea is that people were making Steves buy them a whole new hood if they found so much as a scratch on it. They were losing money on liability issues (or thought they were).

To SeanTang, I think the Steves install is as easy as LEDs get at the moment if you want to keep your hood. I didn't think it was that bad, but I more than understand being intimidated by having to do anything to your hood. I know I was.

I'm slowly being forced to learn every inch of my aquarium and my preference would have been to assume it all worked by magic. ;). Fortunately, it's not really that hard.
 
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