Interpet T5 Compacts

[Ste_J]

here is a pic of mine i take it this is the new version

Thats still up for debate and I guess it will be until I get my new one direct from Interpet.

Once again though afaik the ONLY units to have this issue have been the 55W versions - Just want to make sure that we dont get people worried about their - 55W units.


Just out of a matter of interest which side is that? as in was that the side directly under the hood or was it the water facing side?

Mine went like that on the hood side - would make sense though with the heat build up.

Ste

 

[hunterm8]

yep i think it was hood side

 

[houndour]

That picture looks like my 55W one. Altho mine hasnt cracked yet. Mine is worse on the water side.

 

[simonbrown403]

I think some one should forward this thread to interpets customer service because its certainly not putting them in good light at the moment (excuse the pun )

 

[Ste_J]

I think some one should forward this thread to interpets customer service because its certainly not putting them in good light at the moment (excuse the pun )

Did tell them that we had started a bit of a chat about the issue! might wait till they send me the new unit then forward details with my thank you mail

 

[Ste_J]

Well Interpet came through with the change of unit for me this morning after sending out a 36W mid week by mistake. Only phoned on Monday so the resolution time was spot on

The new unit is exactly the same as the old one right down to the type of ballast used, guess this means that there's a chance this will be going back in 6 months along with my double!

Oh well now got 165W over my tank and the plants are starting to pearl a bit more than they were doing on 110W so all is good

Also got me some Fleet enema this morning after ordering via my Chemist last night - It gave the women in there something to giggle about and my wife looked very worried when I waved it at her 2 bottles for under the price of a couple of bottles of coke - bargin


So if anybody else has problems with their Interpet units and I haven't already sent a PM please feel free to get in touch if you need their contact details. Sending a mail to them can be quite slow so the best route is via the phone and once it gets answered they are very friendly - Lovely lady there who likes to draw pictures of the issue whilst you talk. First class customer service

Ste

 

[Ste_J]

Oh joy


Just checked my rubber housing on the Interpet double and guess what - It's started to melt already! Thats all of One weeks worth of operation @ 10hrs per day. Worst part of this is that the heat has got to the point where the hood has started to show signs of burning..... This is not a good sign

Heat appears to be greater on one side and the tube itself has started to show signs of burning on the ceramic - from past experience this will result in the glass tube snapping off completely.

So the question has to be is it something that I am doing wrong? I have not bothered with reflectors until today so the clips are screwed straight into the hood, this leaves the tube sitting just of the hood surface. I have thought of raising the tube off the surface by way of adding some form of packing beit plastic trunking or wood.

But the bigger picture here is do I really want to keep these things running when all they seem to do is burn the rubber housings and snap tubes for fun! The tube that has developed the burning on the ceramic has now died.

Will have to drop my supplier a mail to see what they suggest although having just sent my old 55W unit back to interpet in the new double 55's box I am without the original packaging


Any thoughts?

 

[simonbrown403]

Carnt you get a refund, complain to trading standards if they wont, as they are selling a product that is not fit fo the purpose it was designed fore.

 

[Ste_J]

Carnt you get a refund, complain to trading standards if they wont, as they are selling a product that is not fit fo the purpose it was designed fore.

I'll be speaking to interpet on Monday about it as so far they have been very helpfull. I find it hard to believe that they could make a unit that runs soooo hot. Have now bought some small drainage pipe clips to fit into the hood for the tubes to attach to, having just looked at how they will fit I shall have to ditch my DIY reflectors and go with the arcadia ones in stead ensuring that the rubber is out of the reflection area. Just got a new tube as well to replace my 1 week old burnt out tube

At this rate I'll have to make another Hood as this one will be warped to hell and back with all that heat under it...

 

[zig]

Carnt you get a refund, complain to trading standards if they wont, as they are selling a product that is not fit fo the purpose it was designed fore.

I'll be speaking to interpet on Monday about it as so far they have been very helpfull. I find it hard to believe that they could make a unit that runs soooo hot. Have now bought some small drainage pipe clips to fit into the hood for the tubes to attach to, having just looked at how they will fit I shall have to ditch my DIY reflectors and go with the arcadia ones in stead ensuring that the rubber is out of the reflection area. Just got a new tube as well to replace my 1 week old burnt out tube

At this rate I'll have to make another Hood as this one will be warped to hell and back with all that heat under it...

sorry for your troubles Ste but im in exactly same position it would nearly be enough to turn you off planted tanks, its definatly enough to turn me off Interpet products for life.

Anyway i need to consider alternatives so i was wondering if anybody is useing the ASL T5 Compact Lighting Units, they are double the price of the Interpet units but if they worked without overheating issues i wouldnt care at this stage, this is the unit im talking about, it fits inside an existing hood so it might not work for everybody, you also have to buy the tubes seperatly.

ASL Compact Lighting Unit

 

[RYO]

Mmmm wonder if the ASL system is easier to fit than the interpet tubes, those plastic holders have got to be the lamest idea going.

 

[simonbrown403]

They seam reasonably priced for ballast and reflectors and the tubes arnt to expensive.

 

[Ste_J]

Zig, I was looking at those myself and it does seem worth biting the bullet on the price if they don't over heat and start to burn your hood! Thank god that my hood is made from pine as I reckon if it had of been a plastic one then this thing would have melted it away!

Can't afford to buy one of the ASL units without getting a refund from my supplier so am going to have to see what they and interpet say next week. Unless a certain retailer happens to be reading this post puts 1 & 1 together



Got some pipe clips to fit into my hood now which hopefully should perform a short term fix although long term I can't say that I would be happy using the current 55W unit - Would cost far too much in replacement tubes!!!!!!

Zig were you thinking of using the Interpet tubes that you have in one of the ASL setups? I dont think that the fault is with the Interpet tubes but the Unit itself, my latest tube has started to burn the ceramic end point aready but this is within the rubber surround.

 

[zig]

Zig were you thinking of using the Interpet tubes that you have in one of the ASL setups? I dont think that the fault is with the Interpet tubes but the Unit itself, my latest tube has started to burn the ceramic end point aready but this is within the rubber surround.

I was going to try the ASL tubes, i have 2 of them here ATM brand new unused waiting for a fitting that wont mess them up, i have a daylight version @ 7100k and an 8000k version, its just the fitting i need, i have a brand new double Interpet convertagear here as well, i foolishly bought it thinking different tubes would make a difference to the heat issue, but i sincerely doubt it, so i am going to try and get a refund and buy the above mentioned unit if i can find a bit more info on it from other users, so at the moment im due 1 refund and probably another one on the way, not to mention the grief and hassle all of this has caused.

I think what i will do is put a thread in the Hardware section of the site asking if anyone else has owned the ASL unit and have they had any issues with it, maybe some of the salty people may have used them.

 

[Ste_J]

Been browsing the wicked wide web and I believe that the unit we are looking for is based around a 2G11 4 pin tube Like these

Just got to find a suitable ballast now and I'll give it a try

Think I may be onto something Here