Got a cooltube, what happens if the bulb blows?

So as the title says, I have a 6" cool tube and a 400wHPS/MH digital switchable setup. I havent decided on what route to go with the for the op(hydro/soil), and the op is still 6 months out in planning. I still gotta get the wifes approval and she wants a freakin hidden room in the house and a thermostat and automatic fire extinguishers and smoke detectors and blah blah blah before I run my shop again. Anyways, I am curious though- what happens to the cool tube if the bulb explodes?

What provokes the bulb to explode rather then burn out?

Any complaints about the cool tube from owners of the tube, not just theorists. I got mine from HTG, its pretty nice if I do say so myself.

Thanks for the input. This is my first post, however ive been trolling for over a year now. First indoor grow was in '08-'09 and it scared the wife, so now Ive been learning the 007 methods of being even sneakier, meanwhile hoping to make another go at it before summer '10.

Thanks guys for any and all input!

since when do bulbs explode?

Bulbs don't just explode man, tell your wife to shut up and stop being paranoid lol
Automatic fire extinguishers? Lol the stoners are supposed to be the paranoid ones not the non smoking wife
Don't spend another second even thinking of a bulb exploding because it will not happen unless you spray water on it or some shit

fdd2blk said:

since when do bulbs explode?

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I've heard of bulbs exploding, actually happened to a buddy of mine. Lil glass shards went everywhere, burning straight through the plants leaves. Don't know what causes 'em to explode, but it does happen.

tom__420 said:

Bulbs don't just explode man, tell your wife to shut up and stop being paranoid lol
Automatic fire extinguishers? Lol the stoners are supposed to be the paranoid ones not the non smoking wife
Don't spend another second even thinking of a bulb exploding because it will not happen unless you spray water on it or some shit

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I have heard, read about bulbs exploading. Especially HPS bulbs. However, I always thought there was more to it then the power from the ballast. So water on the bulb is how it goes boom? Well my tube is covered on both ends with ducting so I think Im clear there.

As far as the wife goes, she smokes too. Problem is she is NOID. Seriously NOID. Hidden room in the house is done, thermostat is wired in too. The auto fire extinguishers have been ordered.

I am willing to comply with the wife. She has a point, even though its a paranoid one.

I suppose it is rediculous, and a bit much. BUT, if you could have a hidden room, with running water, a thermostat, fire resistance and proofed, and pretty much anything else you wanted wouldn't you do it to make the wife happy?

I mean after all, this planning is so I dont end up in prison.

How do you really put a price on your freedom?

SatansGift said:

I've heard of bulbs exploding, actually happened to a buddy of mine. Lil glass shards went everywhere, burning straight through the plants leaves. Don't know what causes 'em to explode, but it does happen.

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Yeah, thats exactly what Ive heard of too. So I was curious if you had a glass cool tube over the bulb would it damage your tube?

And if so then what would be the reasonable amount of time between bulb changes to avoid this from happening.

bulbs are built with a vacuum of air inside them. they "implode" if anything. shards of glass would NOT go flying. it would suck in on itself and fall to the ground in pieces.

if you spray hot glass with water it may shatter. this is entirely different than an "exploding" bulb.

i could be wrong.

Cervantes and anothef guy said wipe dust and oils off the bulb bc it may causes an explosion

thewinghunter said:

Cervantes and anothef guy said wipe dust and oils off the bulb bc it may causes an explosion

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Yes that is the same principle as what I said about water getting on the bulb
Apparently the oil from your fingers can boil on the bulb causing it to break
I always put my HPS bulbs in with a soft rag instead of bare hands

jorge is a tool.

fdd2blk said:

jorge is a tool.

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Ive read a few posts from you MR fade to black(Love metallica) and I get the impression you know what your talking about. Tom too.

So what you guys are saying is that the bulb doesnt explode, like a grenade. It cracks/shatters/implodes due to moisture on the surface of the bulb.

Am I right?




***edit***

What about a testimonial on the Cool Tube? Any of you guys run one? Any complaints? Do you run seperate ventilation for the tube, or do you run the filter/tube on 1 fan?

My room is about 60 cubic feet and my fan 4" inline and is rated at 170CFM, just so its out there. Claims to be 48db but thats a freaking joke! It is a quality fan, not some booster shit either!

Another Q, what about silencing the fan. Any input on that one? My fan is loud, just like Im sure your is. Any suggestions?

fdd2blk said:

jorge is a tool.

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Agreed on jorge being a tool. I have no clue if the glass went flying or just dropped. All I know is that my boys plants got burned and the bulb shattered. Gonna have to ask my buddy about that, now I'm curious if they implode or explode lol.

Yup pretty much, but for water to get on the bulb you would have to be a little crazy haha just spraying water around you room like a mad man
It really isn't something you should worry about until it happens and that is if it happens, hasn't happened to me in all the years I have growing indoors
Just have a spare bulb in case the first bulb fails

the only way i could see a bulb exploding is if there was a flaw in the glass. if it5 was not properly annealed and it gets exposed to excess heat glass can "explode". i slowed down and used my glass blowing part of my brain for a minute.

i have heard of people hood glass breaking more than i have heard of bulbs exploding. though i may have heard of a broken bulb or two along my travels. i vaguely remember one being due to water hitting it.

from what i recall, they do break. so i would take this into account when setting up any room. i don't know of a whole lot to help when it does, but any type of hood or tube will help contain loose pieces.

i think fires usually start from faulty wiring jobs.

tom__420 said:

Yup pretty much, but for water to get on the bulb you would have to be a little crazy haha just spraying water around you room like a mad man
It really isn't something you should worry about until it happens and that is if it happens, hasn't happened to me in all the years I have growing indoors
Just have a spare bulb in case the first bulb fails

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i could see myself foliar feeding. doobie in one hand spray wand in the other. i drop the doobie and bend over to grab it at the same time spraying the lit bulbs.

i could do it.

fdd2blk said:

i could see myself foliar feeding. doobie in one hand spray wand in the other. i drop the doobie and bend over to grab it at the same time spraying the lit bulbs.

i could do it.

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Hahaha, been there but it was an outdoor harvest in Ruche, Oregon. I used to live in N Cali too!

Beutifull part of the country.

Anyways, do you know what kind of fire is caused in this scenario? You know, flour/baking soda for greese, water on combustion that kinda shit.

So whats the best way to put out a fire in your room?

The auto extinguishers my wife bought are a powder. They have like 5lbs of some shit in there to extinguish the fire. I wanted a fire sprinkler system, and have running water in my room so no biggie but she thinks water only makes this kind of fire worse.

Any input?

i wouldn't want water near all the electricity.

i didn't realize they made "auto extinguishers". that's actually pretty cool.

[youtube]STjMZz8gxbA[/youtube]

Tom_420's right - Always use a rag or cloth to install your bulb...do NOT get your oily prints all over the bulb!

I use a cool tube with my 1000W setup, and if anything the cooltube protects the bulb from moisture. If the bulb DID for some reason break, the cooltube would keep the glass from going anywhere close to your plants.

Are you running ducting on both ends of your cooltube? If the glass breaks (which, dude...it wont) then you can just take the ducting off and discard of the broken glass.

the only thing oily prints will do is leave oily marks. they won't cause your bulb to explode.

i could be wrong, again.