RE JBJ Comments

["Robert H" <robertph3 at attbi_com>]

>>The kind of heat that a fluorescent bulb generates isn't
likely to cause fusion of any plastics, metal or glass -- a
55 watt PC gives off much less than 55 watts of heat.  Even
if the plastic melted, the metal end of the bulb and the
glass aren't likely to melt.  conceivably, electrical
aricing between a bulb pin and the socket contact could
weld the two together, but the more likely thing is that
the electrode would erode.<<

Well I don't know if I am using the right terminology or not... fused,
sockets... but none the less when I tried to remove the bulbs from their
holder, the glass tube immediately broke clean from the base, and the base
would not pull free from it's socket or holder, whatever. This happened with
three bright light fixtures, one 48" and two 24" fixtures. It also happened
to two lamps in my six lamp AH Supply configuration over my 100 gallon tank.
This seems to unlikely to be just a coincedence to me. When I asked my JBJ
rep about it, he said it was caused by heat build up in the system.
Brightlights have no fans at all, and I have no fans in my canopy with the
AH lights.

My biggest problem with the rubber lamp holders, connectors or whatever they
are called is inserting the bulbs into them is tricky. I really have to work
at lining up the pins just right and getting the rubber to fit over the base
of the bulb. It doesn't just slide in. The hard plastic snap on connectors
of the JBJ lights are easy. Just line it up with the arrow, gently push and
it locks in easily.

>>I thought mine was great too, until the fan stopped
working, the ballast crapped out, and the plexiglas
cracked into pieces.<<

What did you do, jump up and down on it? :)  I love the plexiglass cover and
how it just slides in through a groove on the side. Brightlights don't even
have a cover. JBJs actually have two fans.

>>Argggh, don't even get me going on my issues with JBJ fixtures. I think
it's
a bad sign when a manufacturer reduces a warranty from one year down to six
months and boy do I wish I would have known about that change prior to
buying several units. That alone would have made me wonder.<<

Well, six month warranty vs one year doesn't really make any difference to
me. I like the low profile, small footprint, and the lightweight aluminum
alloy. My fixture that holds four bulbs takes up less space and weighs half
as much as the Brightlight that only held two bulbs.  It has two power
cords, two fans, and an incredible reflector. I like it!

Robert Paul Hudson
www.aquabotanic.com
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