Lighting Apollo UFO; Burnt Diode? IR?

[Saint Skinny]

howdy doody rowdy booties?
I took down my Apollo Horticulture 135w UFO for a cleaning. I noticed that there are 2 diodes that are looking discolored and it looks like they’re causing some yellowing on the lens beneath them.
I’m wondering if they may be IR diodes? Or just regular diodes that have been screwed up?

In the past I’ve considered using the drivers from the UFO to build a COB setup, so if there’s any danger or harm that can come from using the UFO as-is then I can always upcycle it for a project like that.

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

Its a burnt diode. I bet a dollar if you pull it apart there will be missing thermal paste there. My light did the same and when i converted to cob i found only half the board had paste.

 

[AutoWonders]

My light did the same and when i converted to cob i found only half the board had paste.

That rankles my ire. Jesus, how did they miss so much? Must be their super high quality control....not!

 

[Saint Skinny]

Its a burnt diode. I bet a dollar if you pull it apart there will be missing thermal paste there. My light did the same and when i converted to cob i found only half the board had paste.

do you know if there's any danger in continuing to use it like that? I wont keep running it like that forever, I'm planning on converting it, but until I can afford a new COB chip I'd like to use it in my small tent. was yours an Apollo Hort, too?

That rankles my ire. Jesus, how did they miss so much? Must be their super high quality control....not!

Well the good news is that I got the UFO for free when I was buying another ballast and 300w LED from the same guy. So at the very least I got my moneys worth :smoking:

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

It's fine but without thermal paste it will continue to burn diodes

 

[STILLSMOKIN]

You could take it apart and redo it. Thermal paste is cheap.