# Grobeam / Aquabar fittings?



## James D (17 Feb 2014)

I'm going to take the plunge and upgrade my leds, problem is I don't like the mounting systems for the Grobeam / Aquabar lights, as I work for an acrylic fabricators I was planning to make something like the ADA Aquasky fitting.

My problem is I can only find the generic pictures of theses on the web, I need more detailed photos of them showing any screw holes etc or any methods of fixing them before I can decide which light to get.

Can anyone help?

Cheers

James


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## James O (17 Feb 2014)

My GroBeam 500 is 450mm c to c if that helps


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## James O (17 Feb 2014)

I should have said That's c to c of the two fixing holes. They are the two small turrets at the end if the heat sink, built into the black plastic body


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## James D (17 Feb 2014)

Thanks James. So they're on the end or on the top? Could I use the fixing holes to bolt them onto something?

I assume the 600 is the same size as the 500.

Cheers

James D


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## James O (17 Feb 2014)

You should be able to as they are the only fixing on the unit, it must be what they are designed for.  

The plastic rises up with a threaded insert inside.  It's the tallest part of the unit, some 2-3mm higher than the heat sink.  So as long as you can find a threaded bolt long enough and your material can cope with the heat you are good to go


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## James D (17 Feb 2014)

Is this it on the right James? (I spent ages looking for a pic and that's the only one I could find))







One more thing, does the unit get very hot, my current LED hardly generates any heat.


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## James O (17 Feb 2014)

That's the kiddy!  It doesn't get too hot to touch. It'd be the repeated exposure for 6+ hrs a day that might be an issue esp. in a good summer. I'd  expect Perspex to be easily man enough though


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## Ian Holdich (17 Feb 2014)

I'll get some close ups of the aquabar later.


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## James D (17 Feb 2014)

> That's the kiddy! It doesn't get too hot to touch. It'd be the repeated exposure for 6+ hrs a day that might be an issue esp. in a good summer. I'd expect Perspex to be easily man enough though


 
Cheers James, you've been a great help.



> I'll get some close ups of the aquabar later.


 
Thanks Ian, I'd appreciate that, I'm starting to think the aquabar might be a better option - the grobeam might be a bit too black!

Decisions. decisions.


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## James D (18 Feb 2014)

Grobeam 600 ordered!

I figured I can get away with a single Grobeam rather than two Aquabars and those fixings on the top swung it in the end. Time to design a nice fitting now.

Cheers


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## James O (18 Feb 2014)

The spread it pretty wide, almost 180deg.  Of course at the widest angles it's weakest but nonetheless a good spread

Are you going to magic something up out of acrylic?


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## James D (18 Feb 2014)

I'm not sure yet mate, I've got all the equipment and a warehouse full of acrylic I can pilfer so it's likely. I don't really want the top of the led to be visible though (because it's black) so I might try and get some metal work made that can hide it.... kind of like the ADA Solars. Luckily my mate makes bespoke metal work for a living so he might help but failing that I could make the top piece from a solid colour acrylic. I'll have a look at the unit when it arrives and see what's best.

When I've finished I'll post it up for you to see if it's not too crappy!

Cheers.


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## James O (18 Feb 2014)

I think the black plastic would be easily paintable. Maybe white

The fixing would look good in acrylic but the shade/reflector would look super minimalist if it was one piece of curved stainless!  Light-stainless shade-acrylic fixing all bolted through one matching hole to the light maybe?


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## Ian Holdich (18 Feb 2014)

I was just taking some pics...lol


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## James D (18 Feb 2014)

Sorry Ian, I thought you'd forgotten.

I was just looking on ebay and I can buy a sheet of 250 x 500 aluminium for about a fiver, bend it a bit, drill two holes,... Bob's yer uncle!

Maybe some one more familiar can advise me about the metal though, would I be better of with Brushed steel or Aluminium? Or does it just depend on the finish I want? Also what thickness would be advisable? I was looking at about 1mm.

Cheers.


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## James O (18 Feb 2014)

As long as it holds the curve without drooping.  But 1mm should be fine.  Of in doubt go thicker or roll the ends

Aluminium goes powdery white after a while.  If you want to go retro industrial, use steel, paint the inside white and age the outside with a weak vinegar solution to speed up surface rust 

Do you want silver though?  You could add some cool colour by using brass sheet


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## James D (18 Feb 2014)

Cheers James, silver I think, maybe brushed stainless steel would be better?


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## James O (18 Feb 2014)

You'll have no issues with stainless.  If you like the idea of brass for the outside, you can line it with sticky back foil inside


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## James D (19 Feb 2014)

I took a drawing of my 'light shade' up to a local metal worker to get a quote and he's only charging £15 cash, I would have paid almost that for the Stainless steel alone off ebay so I snapped his and off.... hopefully it'll turn out nice - I'll find out on friday.


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## James D (19 Feb 2014)

As I was typing my Grobeam 600 arrived...... Bad news for me, the fittings are different to the 500, those fixing holes aren't on there anymore.


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## James O (19 Feb 2014)

Oh bummocks! 

What's the fixing arrangement now? Let me guess, some proprietary, impossible to use wonder system?


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## James D (19 Feb 2014)

It's just got those crappy black plastic brackets that slide onto the heatsink now. One or two bodged solutions spring to mind but it's annoying, it would have been a lot neater with those older fixings.


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## James O (19 Feb 2014)

I dont know if you can return them, but I think there are brand new 500's still out there.  

Charterhouse have them.....AquaRay GroBeam 500 Lighting Strip | Charterhouse Aquatics


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## James D (19 Feb 2014)

Crisis averted...... can you believe I had these fittings actually sitting on my desk! It'll be slightly off-centre but never mind.


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## James O (19 Feb 2014)

Happy coincidences - got to love them!

How will you fix your shade?


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## James D (19 Feb 2014)

There are two holes in the top of the shade (450mm apart) so it will bolt into those those metal fittings. Actually I just measured the light and the heat sink is only 440mm long so I'll have to bring the holes in 20mm or so.


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## James D (20 Feb 2014)

Change of plan for anyone who's interested, I thought I might need a bit more light so I made these brackets so I have the choice of using my old LED in there as well if I want, whichever one I use will bolt onto my metal shade using the two fixing holes.....


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## James O (20 Feb 2014)

Ooooooooooooooooh look at you 

Very nice mate


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## James D (24 Feb 2014)

I've got this finished now and it works a treat! I haven't got any photos because my measurements were slightly out (blame the coving on my celing ) and it's hanging 40mm to the right of where it should be. I'll adjust it tonight and take some photos.


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## James O (24 Feb 2014)

Place the ceiling fittings closer together and then, further down use a spacer between the wires to push them apart


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## James D (24 Feb 2014)

I screwed a piece of wood to the ceiling (which is in the right place) to hang the cables, from for extra strength. I just need to move the cables across a bit, it's not a problem, just a bit embarrassing.


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## James O (24 Feb 2014)

Nah mate that's not embarrassing.  

I worked out the plans so well for my last speaker build, optimised sheet cut list etc.  it was a proper ball ache for the timber merchant to cut.  Once cut, I loaded up the car and.......oh balls!!!!  I only had one speaker cut out.......


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## James D (27 Feb 2014)

Here it is..... I just need to remake the end pieces to fit a bit more snug.


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## James O (27 Feb 2014)

Very nice and the scape is really angular & minimalist

Btw where are all your fish? 

(Not to cross threads but have a look at black/purple harlequins)

Oh oh I zoomed in and there's a columbian tetra heading for cover in the left hand corner


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## James D (27 Feb 2014)

Cheers James

Are you joking about the Harlequins!?! I had five of the little beauties until I swapped them for those stupid Tetras, I think the one you can see is the bully.


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## James O (27 Feb 2014)

Oops my bad   Poor suggestion

Trimar.co.uk do cpd at £25 per 10. They also have white cloud mountain minnow at £6 for 4. They are well regarded postal company.


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## James D (27 Feb 2014)

I wasn't sure if I'd mentioned the Harlequins to you or not.

Those CPDs are a good call, shame I'm fully stocked - even if they are invisible fish!


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## James O (27 Feb 2014)

(Little devil whispers into ear) 'the columbian tetra gets 5-6cm but CPDs are only 2-3cm.  Plus the tetras are deep bodied.........you could get 25-30 CPDs ........just saying........and they really bounce around........' 

Maybe the are columbian drug mules are are hiding from the authorities?  I'm sure it's been tried


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