If any other company had released a device like the LEDControl we would give them a pass, but we have much higher expectations of the venerable German company. Looking more or less like a PWM controller, the Eheim LEDControl appears to be an electronic breakout box that users are supposed to wire up themselves.
I’m sure there’s indicators on the wires and which ports to plug them into but come on! Even the cheapest Chinese LED lights and fixtures have waterproof connectors on the most basic connections. Oh and by the way, this controller doesn’t do anything until you plug into a bonafide windows computer. Bluetooth? Wifi? NFC? Keep dreaming.
I’m not sure what’s worse about the Eheim LEDControl, that you’re expected to pay money for what amount to a hobby electronics kit with a sticker slapped on it, or that it’s intended to ‘control’ the Eheim PowerLED strips released in 2014 with the most rudimentary of LEDs. Eheim was headed in such a great direction with their original PowerLED for nano tanks, I can’t help but wonder where they took a wrong turn.
I know readers don’t get that much from a ranting post such as this but if there’s one thing you should take away from it is that you can’t trust some aquarium products just because they have a name brand on them. Eheim has been particularly lax in recent years but there’s plenty of LED lights out there which use diodes and/or designs which are way overdue for a refresh. (looking at you ReefBrite and Tropical Marine Centre LEDs)
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