when do you change your HID bulb?

Ok guys I have a 400w winghood HPS made by HTG the bulb is the original that was bought with the whole system in 2010. It's been used 6-9 months which only adds up to like 5,000 hours or less. My question is, do bulbs go bad after X number of years or just after being used 20,000 hours. What's your thoughts? Looking at upgrading to a hortilux super HPS.

The longer you use it the more lumens it loses if I remember correctly. Pretty sure the spectrum doesn't change, just the output. I will be switching mine after every grow just to be certain it isn't losing power, and to also to keep me from worrying about one blowing and hot glass catching the house on fire lol. $50 light for a couple thousand of green... Why not

Too many factors determine its life. Environment, amount of use, and I believe that even the amount of times its turned off/on will determine its life. I've got a hortilux super hps and a mh bulb. The mh doesn't get used because the super hps does great from the beginning to the end of the growing season. Get one and you'll be set. Don't be fooled by one over $100 because you can get them cheaper than $70 if you look a little.

Great question. I haven't thought about bulb rotation, but I'm starting my first perpetual this year so I should probably start thinking about it.

*waits for more responses*

mr2shim said:

Click to expand...

It's pretty easy to track. Write the date on the box when you pull the bulb and when you put it back. Multiply the days by operating hours and that's your consumption. Use mr2shims chart above and you will never run a bulb past it's peak performance.

Most manufacturers including their life hours on the box or website. Maybe I'm just too organized, but I didn't want to buy bulbs every year when I don't run a grow all the time. Bulbs are too expensive to replace prematurely.

mr2shim said:

Click to expand...

Yes, this is what I see. 100 days is 1200 hrs at 12x12. I also burned some 24x7 in veg with a 500 w CFL.

So, from this chart it is easy to see, the reason you CAN see the difference. I just wrote about this in my journal.

At 5000 hr, you are only 80% and I could see that. I just noticed as I setting up for bud...wait, I am not suppose to be able to see that element! It is suppose to cause me to squint, and the "need sunglasses" feeling at 1000w. So, maybe with the lower watts it is more difficult but, you should be able to notice a difference at 5000 hr.

And for HPS specifically, the good spectrum for flowering deteriorates first and by 5000 hr, it's about gone.

Still plenty of light for a street lamp or something, but low juice for flowers.

So, my indication is when i don't squint. Woops.

So you guys go by burning hours... should I take into account the fact that it's been sitting around for years? manufactured in 2009 so pretty much a 4 year old bulb

Don't confuse the guy a 100 days is 2400, a hundred days at 12 on is 1200, and you should

"NEVER EVER I REPEAT EVER IF YOU VALUE YOUR SIGHT, NEVER EVER EVER LOOK AT THE SUN, OR YOUR HID BULBS WHILE THEY ARE ON"

LED lights are classified somewhere between lasers and HID bulbs, if you look at them over time you will sustain a cumulative injury, which means you damage your eye a little bit each time you look at them, and when your 50 your sight will be Fucked.

Peacxe

wonderous said:

So you guys go by burning hours... should I take into account the fact that it's been sitting around for years? manufactured in 2009 so pretty much a 4 year old bulb

Click to expand...

Nope, only burning hours are relevent