Identifying DE bulb wear

febisfebi

Well-Known Member
Attention, all Double End Users.
If anyone has used a DE Lamp for long enough to see wear, I need to hear from you ASAP!

I need to know if there Is this a way to tell how much life is left in a DE bulb by looking at it, if your not sure of the hours?
Do the DE arc tubes start to turn grey and then black at each end, as they age, like single end hps lamps do?

I have an opportunity to buy a DE Ushio bulb for next to nothing, because the place that is selling it has no way of knowing whether its new, lightly used, or what, as it was a trade in,

This particular bulb has a totally white arc tube. Looks pristine! I would venture to say that it could be brand new.
I really cant see any difference between the arc tube on this bulb, and my brand new Philips GreenPower.

I am simply wondering whether a DE bulb can still look this way after some use, or even extended, due to the long lamp life, and new improved bulb/ballast tech.

I have bought lots of used SE Hortilux lamps for $0-15 depending on how the arc tubes look, and have had great success, with them, as most are hardly used. I have only ever had one bulb burn out, and it was one I got for free.
The DE bulb will not be quite so cheap, So the risk factor is higher, but should still save me 50% at least, if not 70-80% off retail, even considering they are on sale at a different local store for $90 or $100 after tax until the end of the year.

I have only been using my first DE setup for a short time, so I have no way of finding this out myself other than waiting to see how these bulbs age over time.

Thank you, and Merry Christmas all!!
 
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