Zetlight UFO ZE-8000 – our test
As usual we have done a test thanks to the probe by Seneye Reef system that we have reviewed some times ago: its software has been updated lately and it allows the survey of lux, PAR and PUR.
We did 5 measurements, all of them at the middle of the ceiling light. In uniformity with the other measurements we’ve done, we stand 20 cm far from the ceiling light. We measured the maximum power of the ceiling light and then the maximum power of each one of the led channels, then again the maximum absorbed power and the cos(fi).
As you can see in the chart these are the obtained measurements:
- PAR: 791
- Lux: 29.193
- PUR: 74%
And now the channels individually:
| Channel | PAR | LUX | PUR | Power Consumption | |
| Channel A | 391 | 14437 | 65% | 47.94 w | |
| Channel B | 556 | 20524 | 82% | 53.41 w | |
| Channel C | 60 | 2239 | 89% | 8.29 w | |
| Channel D | 60 | 2230 | 59% | 10.4 w | |
| All channels |
791 | 29193 | 74% | 91.5 w |
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It’s easy to notice, from the chart, that the second channel has the biggest amount of PAR and Lux, followed by the first one.
I don’t know if you have noticed that the channels express, individually, greater power than all together. It seems that the chip can’t push all the leds at their best, or it subtracts power from a channel and gives it to another, like the AquaIllumination HD.
Power consumption
We did the survey of the instant consumption with the RCE PM600 which can measure the Cos(fi) (or power factor). The result is already given n watt.
So the calculation of the maximum absorbed power is 91.50 watt.
It’s pretty much the same declared value of 96 w (-4.6%) which can be due to a different fan rotation.
Comparative with other ceiling lights on the market
We will consider the previous measurements done upon comparable ceiling lights. In particular the Philips CoralCare (article), the GNC 466 (review) and the Maxspect Ethereal (article). The Philips registered 1.496 PAR e 55.230 Lux, the GNC 696 PAR and 25.697 Lux while the Ethereal 689 PAR and 25.440 Lux. The Zetlight UFO has a less light distribution in comparison with all the other ceiling lights, so at the same conditions it will have a less coverage.
Considering these values we can assume that we have really good results for what concerns Lux and Watt, but remember that we’re talking about a ceiling light with a single cluster, with a concentration of leds in the same part.
| Ceiling light | PAR | LUX | Watt | Price | Lux/watt | euro per watt |
| GNC 466 | 696 | 25.697 | 120 | 1.400 euro | 214 | 11,7 |
| Philips CoralCare | 1.496 | 55.230 | 190 | 749 euro | 291 | 3,9 |
| Maxspect Ethereal | 689 | 25.440 | 130 | 500 euro | 196 | 3,8 |
| Zetlight UFO ZE-8000 |
791 | 29.193 | 91,5 | 500 euro | 319 | 5,5 |
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So the value of lux per watt are superior to the Philips CoralCare, but the return will be optimal just in the middle. We think that the optimal coverage would be a 40×40 cm for hard corals SPS.
Instead the comparison between a Radion G2 PRO, here our review, and the most recent Radion that we tried, has revealed a value of 2117 PAR, 78049 Lux and 72% PUR in the middle of the ceiling light. We have very high values because Radion are Cluster ceiling lights, with an high value in the middle of the ceiling light and a fast shifting all around. And compared with ceiling lights with a more distributed concentration we have different results: for example, a Zetlight UFO is reduced to one third compared with a two generations older Radion.
Keeping costs
The Zetlight UFO ZE-8000 costs 500 euro.
The absorbed power is 91.5 watt, so we have relationship cost/watt about 5.5 euro per watt. Here’s a chart with the values of other ceiling lights:
| Ceiling light | Price | Consumption | Euro/watt | |
| Maxspect Ethereal | 500 euro | 126 watt | 4.0 euro per watt | Test |
| Philips Coralcare | 749 euro | 190 watt | 3.9 euro per watt | Test |
| Radion XR30w G2 PRO |
790 euro | 170 watt | 4.7 euro per watt | Review |
| Radion XR30w G4 PRO | 915 euro | 190 watt | 4.8 euro per watt | Article |
| OceanLed Sunrise 600 | 870 euro | 180 watt | 4.8 euro per watt | Test |
| Radion XR30w G2 | 690 euro | 140 watt | 4.9 euro per watt | Review |
| Radion XR30w G4 | 760 euro | 150 watt | 5.1 euro per watt | Article |
| Zetlight UFO ZE-8000 | 500 euro | 91,5 watt | 5.5 euro per watt | |
| CEAB Slide & Led | 2700 euro | 275 watt | 9.8 euro per watt | Review |
| Sicce GNC 466 | 1592 euro | 120 watt | 13.3 euro per watt | Review |
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The ceiling light is really well built, its shape is very particular and it’s slight. The price per watt is not the best of the category, but it has an high number of lux thanks to the concentrated cluster. It’s very easy to be set up and in a future article you will see how we would program it.
