Do Adjust A Wings lose reflectivity over time?

[Billyboat]

I have a question for those who run open hoods in their rooms with high humidity....

Does the metal the AAw's are made of lose some reflectivity over the years...oxidation, dirt, and just overall ware and tare?

They have been in use for 3 years..

Reason I ask is because I am thinking about converting to the gavita/double ended bulbs in the wings, and I don't wanna spend 20k of new equipment only to be losing out on the hoods that should have been replaced as well.

Thanks

 

[squiggly]

Nothing that can't be cleaned off.

By the time you receive the wings, they already have a thin oxide layer (assuming they are aluminum) coating any bare metal surface. This actually protects from from corrosion as aluminum oxides are very unreactive.

Clean them, they are still as reflective as before.

 

[Billyboat]

Nothing that can't be cleaned off.

By the time you receive the wings, they already have a thin oxide layer (assuming they are aluminum) coating any bare metal surface. This actually protects from from corrosion as aluminum oxides are very unreactive.

Clean them, they are still as reflective as before.

Thanks brotha...I'll grab some streak free windex and clean away!

 

[squiggly]

Scratches/dents can affect directionality of reflection and might reduce efficiency, but they won't reduce total reflection. The only concern here is potential hotspots--but I can't imagine you've got scratches big enough to make an appreciable difference.

 

[sixstring]

The boys at gavita claim that most reflectors lose there effectiveness after a year I think they said, as much as 5%.thats one of the features with their fixtures, replaceable inserts.cleaning helps but new is better ime with my cooltube wings.

 

[fishwhistle]

The boys at gavita claim that most reflectors lose there effectiveness after a year I think they said, as much as 5%.thats one of the features with their fixtures, replaceable inserts.cleaning helps but new is better ime with my cooltube wings.

I thought it was more like 10% a year and the only thing i would use to clean them would be a clean dry cloth like you use on glasses.

 

[sixstring]

I think you might be right bro,10% sounds familiar now :)

 

[Billyboat]

Interesting....I wonder if all reflectors lose their reflectivity then?

 

[fishwhistle]

If you watch craigslist you will see stacks of awings for sale at times but no ballasts,lol.
Billy,i beleive that all reflectors do oxidize and lose reflectivity over time and remember something like 60% of light from an awing is reflected light so it can be significant,no wonder barebulb vert is so efficient as far as light lost.Im pretty sure gavita/epap is on the right track with replacing reflectors once every year or so and i doubt anyone elses reflector material is any better but i may be wrong.

 

[Billyboat]

If you watch craigslist you will see stacks of awings for sale at times but no ballasts,lol.
Billy,i beleive that all reflectors do oxidize and lose reflectivity over time and remember something like 60% of light from an awing is reflected light so it can be significant,no wonder barebulb vert is so efficient as far as light lost.Im pretty sure gavita/epap is on the right track with replacing reflectors once every year or so and i doubt anyone elses reflector material is any better but i may be wrong.

Yea I actually have seen those CL ads as well.

Well looks like it's going be time for new hoods as well.

I would go with the complete systems but I don't want that ballast heat in the rooms...

 

[squiggly]

Well, it depends on the material they're using. If it's aluminum, you're not going to get oxidation that feeds deeper and deeper into the metal. The outside layer of oxide keeps the inside from corrosion. If they're using some alloy or composite material, it very well could lose its reflectivity.

 

[Billyboat]

I have access to a par meter, would that tell me if one of my hoods is reflecting less light?

 

[squiggly]

I have access to a par meter, would that tell me if one of my hoods is reflecting less light?

In a particular direction, yes--but not overall.

 

[fishwhistle]

I think the awings have some sort of coating over the aluminum squigs but hell if i know what it is if it is there.Im basing my thinking on what gavita has published and also having used awings and replaced them and the new ones seem alot brighter,I know not very scientific at all and these companies make money every time they sell a reflector so hard to trust them,lol.
To my way of thinking though if there is ANY oxidation at all you are losing light,i guess its just a matter of how much,2 or 3% might not make much of a difference but 10% could be huge,I tried to find wazzup's post on replacing the reflectors to link to but i have not located it yet.
Maybe since @GOD has graced us with his presence again he will chime in as hes the awing king and the reason i switched to them,ohnestly i might switch back to them again if i cant figure my gavita issues out,while not perfect they are what ive had my best success using.

 

[rick ratlin]

Thanks brotha...I'll grab some streak free windex and clean away!

Do not use windex. Only pure water and a lint free microfiber towel. At least that's what the instructions said.

 

[Billyboat]

Do not use windex. Only pure water and a lint free microfiber towel. At least that's what the instructions said.

Appreciate the info!

 

[squiggly]

I think the awings have some sort of coating over the aluminum squigs but hell if i know what it is if it is there.Im basing my thinking on what gavita has published and also having used awings and replaced them and the new ones seem alot brighter,I know not very scientific at all and these companies make money every time they sell a reflector so hard to trust them,lol.
To my way of thinking though if there is ANY oxidation at all you are losing light,i guess its just a matter of how much,2 or 3% might not make much of a difference but 10% could be huge,I tried to find wazzup's post on replacing the reflectors to link to but i have not located it yet.
Maybe since @GOD has graced us with his presence again he will chime in as hes the awing king and the reason i switched to them,ohnestly i might switch back to them again if i cant figure my gavita issues out,while not perfect they are what ive had my best success using.

Well, if there's a coating then you may be right. If it's just aluminum, it comes with an oxide layer--so you can't be "losing" light from that.

Most metals form an oxide layer on their outside. Where it concerns aluminum the layer is extremely thing, and that's why it's one of the more reflective metals--but its impossible to avoid an oxide layer. Oxides that form mostly form spontaneously and quickly. As in less than 5 minutes after the thing comes out of the forge.

It's hard to prevent that being as we live in an oxygen rich environment.

 

[fishwhistle]

Gotcha,that makes perfect sense squigs,maybe thats why they coat them to slow down that process?.Heres a quote from their website,
''Adjust-A-Wings are made from exotic materials of the highest quality, including glass coated flexible aluminium (95% reflective) and colour bonded spring steel (indestructible)''.
I wonder if the gavita/epap reflectors are coated also or for that matter all aluminum reflectors.

 

[squiggly]

Gotcha,that makes perfect sense squigs,maybe thats why they coat them to slow down that process?.Heres a quote from their website,
''Adjust-A-Wings are made from exotic materials of the highest quality, including glass coated flexible aluminium (95% reflective) and colour bonded spring steel (indestructible)''.
I wonder if the gavita/epap reflectors are coated also or for that matter all aluminum reflectors.

Seems to me if they've gone to that extent you legitimately don't need to replace them for quite a long time. I'll look in to it further and get back. Got a big round of medical testing coming up here but I'll get on it afterward.

 

[KarmaPharms]

The boys at gavita claim that most reflectors lose there effectiveness after a year I think they said, as much as 5%.thats one of the features with their fixtures, replaceable inserts.cleaning helps but new is better ime with my cooltube wings.

Real A-just-Wings are coated with titanium oxide and will not loose their reflective sheen even after 25 years, at least that's what they say. I use them and if used correctly will increase yields and save on electric