metal halide bulb

[bigmoe21]

hello
i have a DE 250w halide..if it looks burnt on one side does that technically mean its no good anymore?..or can i do what im thinking and just flip it around?..how do i get it out? ur not suppose to touch them right?
thanks
if pic needed let me know

[bigmoe21]

nvm i saw that you cant flip it..so does the way the bulb looks burnt mean i need a new one? thanks for any responses

[MissT]

does it still fire? how old is it?

[bigmoe21]

it still fires..im not sure exactly how old it is..i bought it used from don-n-sa and he said it was about 6 months old and that was about 2 months ago

[MissT]

What's the brand and spectrum of the bulb?
might be about time to get a new one anyways

[bigmoe21]

its hamilton 14k

[envy]

european mh lamps every 14-18 months us mh lamps every 9-12 months thats straight out of the hamilton web site hope that helps.

[ErikH]

european mh lamps every 14-18 months us mh lamps every 9-12 months thats straight out of the hamilton web site hope that helps.

I wonder if that's due to the voltage?

[envy]

this is from dr foster & smith
metal halide bulbs used with electronic ballasts can last from 18 to 24 months without significant loss in spectrum or intensity while bulbs in a similar system with magnetic ballasts will require replacing after 10-12 months of operation
Most American-made metal halide bulbs are probe-start bulbs while most European-made metal halide bulbs are pulse-start bulbs. Double-ended or HQI (Mercury Quartz Iodide) bulbs require HQI fixture and ballasts to work. Since many metal halide systems are system-specific, the easiest way to ensure bulb compatibility and proper operation is to pair metal halide bulbs of the appropriate wattage with a ballast and light fixture from the same manufacturer.

[bigmoe21]

thanks for the info andrew...man guess i'll just ride it out til the corals tell me its time to change i guess? :confused: thanks for all the responses though

[envy]

i would' do that by the time the corals tell you its time it might be to late to bring them back to health. unless you have a lux meter than great but if you don't try to change them out within the next couple of months. especially if you have sps or some harder to keep lps

[aquasport24]

Buy a new bulb and save the old one for spare.

[alton]

European lamps are just better quality. Of the lamps I have used, only the Reeflux are Pulse Start. XM and others are Probe Start. Pulse start lamps and electronic ballast work better together. I have had Coral Vue DE Lamps go bad in 8 months and lost half of my SPS because of it. If anyone else knows of any other Pulse start lamps please let me know? A meter is the best way to check lamp life.

[envy]

there is a difference in bulb life based on brand. this info is going for the hamilton brand bulbs. as far as xm and coral vue you have to check there site to see when bulbs have to be changed out.