# High pitch whine on TMC LED tiles



## greenink (7 Jan 2014)

Hello

I have three TMC Grobeam 1500 tiles controlled with the 8-way controller. 

When I dim at anything below 100% these emit a high pitch whine that drives me nuts. Not loud loud, but definitely there and noticeable. Much louder than an Eheim filter, for example. 

Is there something wrong with my tiles? (Seems unlikely as happens with all three of them!) Or does everyone else just put up with this. 

I'm definitely not alone in this:
TMC AquaRay GroBeam 1500 Ultima LED Tile Review | Tropical Fish Site

Thanks!


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## Richard Dowling (7 Jan 2014)

fishgeek said:


> dave  i understand the claims made by seachem that trace elements etc are not removed by purgen
> 
> it seems to my inexperienced mind that if plants utilise ammonium or nitrite nitrate and we have a chemical resin that removes those then the two processes seem competive to me
> 
> ...



Mine is a 1000ND and I don't have the 8 way controller, just the two.

I have no noise whatsoever (as you know)


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## Richard Dowling (7 Jan 2014)

Have you tried bypassing the controller to see if the light is the problem or whether its controller plus light?

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (7 Jan 2014)

The noise is normal. Absolutely insanely subconsciously annoying.
If ever your feeling irritated, it's because that noise is driving you round the bend. 
I was tempted to send mine back for a refund.


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## Richard Dowling (7 Jan 2014)

Nathaniel Whiteside said:


> The noise is normal. Absolutely insanely subconsciously annoying.
> If ever your feeling irritated, it's because that noise is driving you round the bend.
> I was tempted to send mine back for a refund.



Is your model the 1500 aswell then, I'm guessing its not 1000 like mine?

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (7 Jan 2014)

Richard Dowling said:


> Is your model the 1500 aswell then, I'm guessing its not 1000 like mine?
> 
> Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk



I've had both models, the 1000ND seemed fine. But the 1500 was the one that drove me mad.

I could hear mine whilst watching tv.


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## kirk (7 Jan 2014)

Thanks you've put me off buying any  shouldnt be driving people mad for the money they cost


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## Richard Dowling (7 Jan 2014)

kirk said:


> Thanks you've put me off buying any  shouldnt be driving people mad for the money they cost



So far the 1000nd is a God send due to its ability to increase and decrease light intensity. I can't defend the 1500 and its whining but I can defend the silent 1000

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk


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## RossMartin (7 Jan 2014)

I had the same problem with my 1500HD. I spoke to TMC who can swap the component out that makes the noise. They did it for me free of charge and now it is perfect, no noise what so ever!!! They also upgraded the cover so the light spreads better!

Apparently all new lights that are produced have this fix already so its just luck whether you get a new one or an old one!


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## kirk (7 Jan 2014)

There workshop is going to be flat out now


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## Richard Dowling (7 Jan 2014)

So it should be!

Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk


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## RossMartin (7 Jan 2014)

Richard Dowling said:


> So it should be!
> 
> Sent from my XT890 using Tapatalk


 
Agreed!! However they were very good about it. I was very annoyed that a £150 item i had brought to have on 6 hours a day whilst i was at home worked in a way that meant i wouldn't have it on at all!

I believe the component is a resistor that is used when the light is not on 100%. It took them a couple of days to do it, but you will have to post it to them. I was fortunate enough that i drive past TMC to get to my office so i was able, after a bit of badgering, to pop it in.


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## greenink (7 Jan 2014)

Ok I'll send them back. Is so bloody irritating!


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## oliverpool (10 Jan 2014)

Does anyone know where and which capacitor to replace or remove? I purchased a couple from someone 2nd hand and I was hoping to DIY this myself.


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## Bradleyh91 (15 Jan 2014)

greenink said:


> Ok I'll send them back. Is so bloody irritating!



Have you had any luck with this?


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## greenink (15 Jan 2014)

They've said is fine to do. Just haven't done it yet.


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## Bradleyh91 (15 Jan 2014)

Ah right did they give you a timescale? And also have you got stuff in the tank?


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## greenink (16 Jan 2014)

That's the problem!


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## oliverpool (17 Jan 2014)

I decided to remove the 2 caps myself. and the noise is now gone!  I just hate that buzzing sound.  It reminds me of the old days when florescence lights became popular and most of them buzz once they get a little older.  I am glad this problem is no longer that common.


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## Alastair (17 Jan 2014)

Im getting this problem on all 4 of my 1500s. Quite frustrating when im sat looking at the tank


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## greenink (17 Jan 2014)

oliverpool said:


> I decided to remove the 2 caps myself. and the noise is now gone! I just hate that buzzing sound. It reminds me of the old days when florescence lights became popular and most of them buzz once they get a little older. I am glad this problem is no longer that common.


 

what exactly did you do? was it easy?


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## Daryl Cromie (17 Jan 2014)

I am slo getting this high pitched noise. What caps need to be removed to stop this noise? can someone plz help before i go crazy


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## Bradleyh91 (19 Jan 2014)

Has anyone got any pictures or instructions on what to remove?


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## greenink (19 Jan 2014)

My three are wrapped up and ready to be posted (recorded and insured!) on Monday morning. Will let you know how long they take to come back...


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## greenink (25 Jan 2014)

Been a week, heard nothing so far. Will give them a call on Monday.


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## Bradleyh91 (30 Jan 2014)

Any news on your lights yet mate?


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## greenink (1 Feb 2014)

Nothing yet. Am a bit pissed off.


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## Bradleyh91 (1 Feb 2014)

Ye can imagine how have you lit the tank?


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## greenink (4 Feb 2014)

Hooray! Arrived very nicely packaged back today. Will put back up tonight. Plants seem to have weathered very low light for a couple of weeks.


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## Bradleyh91 (5 Feb 2014)

How are the lights??


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## greenink (8 Feb 2014)

So much better now fixed. Running at 65% for seven hours about 5cm from surface with hour ramp up and down. Totally silent. Can now actually experiment with lighting levels without wanting to smash them with a hammer. 

Interesting that in two weeks with very reduced lighting basically nothing grew, but nothing apart from HC suffered at all, and algae on stones pretty much disappeared. So need to find a happy medium. 

Thank you TMC for sorting and posting back... Could not be happier. Pic of tank to follow.


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## Bradleyh91 (9 Feb 2014)

Do you know what they did and to which TMC branch you sent them too?


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## Alastair (9 Feb 2014)

Bradleyh91 said:


> Do you know what they did and to which TMC branch you sent them too?


If youve purchased some yourself just take them to where you got them and they should take care of all that for you.  Theyll go to which ever depot is closest.


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## greenink (12 Feb 2014)

I posted them direct


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## Bradleyh91 (12 Apr 2014)

greenink said:


> I posted them direct



Could you post a pic of your tiles control gear so I could see what the removed if possible? Cheers


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## X3NiTH (14 Apr 2014)

This thread was a pure gold when I searched on these tiles. Knowing about the whine and that it can be rectified. When I phoned them up to get the whine sorted out I was warned that it voids warranty on the unprotected LEDs. When you search these tile second hand on eBay you see a lot of them with two LEDs out, so it's a definite risk to the unit to get rid of the whine. But that whine, my goodness, you can't sit next to it, anywhere between 1%-99% intensity and it will drive you mad.

The whine is only heard when the unit is dimmed therefore in my eyes (ears?) it rendered my 8-way controller not fit for use. Post modification, no whine at any intensity. I only wish there was a protective method for those LEDs that didn't introduce whine even if it added a little more expense to the unit.

This is an image post modification, unit is above my tank currently and running hence the bad photo.
The banding in the image is caused by the unit being dimmed, so photographers take note that shutter speeds need to correspond to the incidence of flicker if shooting below the lights 100% intensity to compensate for the rapid on/off cycles the LEDs produce to give the appearance of being dimmed.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/13847667824_9d53d3411f_c.jpg

It might be worth posting a pic of an in modified unit to show comparison.

Hope this is useful!


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## Bradleyh91 (14 Apr 2014)

X3NiTH said:


> Hope this is useful!



More than useful just what I needed removed the two capacitors and low and behold silence it's so nice, this has been driving me crazy. I can now enjoy sitting in front of my tank  thanks for the photo much appreciated!!


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## John P Coates (17 Aug 2014)

Pleased I never bought TMC's stuff. Did anyone ever measure the frequency (in kHz) of the whine? Perhaps the guy that was testing them was tuned into his iPad instead!


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## Rich3119 (8 Oct 2014)

X3NiTH said:


> This thread was a pure gold when I searched on these tiles. Knowing about the whine and that it can be rectified. When I phoned them up to get the whine sorted out I was warned that it voids warranty on the unprotected LEDs. When you search these tile second hand on eBay you see a lot of them with two LEDs out, so it's a definite risk to the unit to get rid of the whine. But that whine, my goodness, you can't sit next to it, anywhere between 1%-99% intensity and it will drive you mad.
> 
> The whine is only heard when the unit is dimmed therefore in my eyes (ears?) it rendered my 8-way controller not fit for use. Post modification, no whine at any intensity. I only wish there was a protective method for those LEDs that didn't introduce whine even if it added a little more expense to the unit.
> 
> ...



X3NiTH can I just ask if you still have all of your LED's working after making this change, I believe TMC are saying that this is the only fix for the buzzing and from what I see in your picture you have removed the capacitors from C5 & C2 am i right ?

I have just purchased one of these tiles and I have the buzzing noise, for me its quite faint but I know its there and after googling it I found all the others that have the same issues. 

Its quite annoying but i'll do a DIY fix on C2 & C5 if it works well enough, I assume you just pulled them off the circuit board  ?


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## X3NiTH (8 Oct 2014)

I sent my tile back to TMC and they carried out the modification. At present all LEDs are functional (probably jinxed it by saying that), I'm running it at low intensity 20% in the centre and 30% on the perimeter, 9 hour photoperiod on the perimeter, 8 hour in the centre, includes 30 minute ramp time on both channels, the tile is powered using the 8-way controller.

Warning, modification to the unit will void the warranty, If DIY'ing do not pull the capacitor off, it needs careful de-soldering. 

Send it back to TMC and they will modify it for you, although modification still voids the warranty.


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## terry82517 (8 Oct 2014)

Ric3119 I took the caps out of my two yesterday took literally 5 mins each. 
Just snip through the cap with wire cutters, don't pull, they kind of just cleanly pop off. Really easy, only what tmc would do if you sent it away.  No more whining 

Edit: cutting with wire cutters is what a member in here told me
Plus I  confirmed with tmc, I send you the email they sent me.


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## X3NiTH (8 Oct 2014)

That would do it, but, TMC will de-solder carefully, if they make a mistake they are in a position to fix it, if you muck it up its hard cheese!


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## Rich3119 (8 Oct 2014)

terry82517 said:


> Ric3119 I took the caps out of my two yesterday took literally 5 mins each.
> Just snip through the cap with wire cutters, don't pull, they kind of just cleanly pop off. Really easy, only what tmc would do if you sent it away.  No more whining
> 
> Edit: cutting with wire cutters is what a member in here told me
> Plus I  confirmed with tmc, I send you the email they sent me.



Thanks for this reply Terry - I'll call TMC first but I feel your DIY way will save all postage and its the same result. If they say don't for a technical reason then i'll listen but I have a soldering iron and i've done delicate soldering before so im sure its a straight forward task. I just need to speak to TMC to confirm position C2 & C5 before I do anything.


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## terry82517 (8 Oct 2014)

Iv private messaged you the email and pictures tmc sent me rich. 
Could be wrong but it does look/read like all they do is snip, but yea if something went wrong it would be better if they did it wrong. 
But it really is easy, only took small amount of pressure with the cutters for the caps to pop clean off.


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## Rich3119 (8 Oct 2014)

Thank you both X3NiTH and Terry for your PM's ... much appreciated and a great help


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## terry82517 (8 Oct 2014)

No worries, Let us know how you get on.


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## Marcelo (4 Feb 2020)

Hi, I just stumble on this post as I have the same issue.
Anyone could share what capacitors do I need to replace from the board? I live in Brazil so sending to TMC not an option.
regards


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