bulb dimming

[veen]

Would anyone know why my 3 month old hortilux bulb dimmed to near nothing overnight? I replaced it and the new one worked like... well... a new one. How did my bulb die so quick? f.y.i I use a lumatek dig ballast...

Thanks

 

[Microwido]

From what I understand that is simply a defective bulb. A bulb with no defective parts will slowly go out, and or blow its filament completely eventually.

 

[Hawk]

The Hortilux charts I've seen for lamp mortality indicate a certain percentage of lamps will die before they reach their rated life expectancy. I'd expect all HID lamps to be similar in this regard. The chart I have on hand is from the technical bulletin for an Eye Hortilux 400w HPS. About 50% will never reach their full rated lifespan. About 90% will reach at least half their rated lifespan. The chart's resolution isn't fine enough to easily read how many die very early but at least some never make it to 10% of their rated lifespan.

If it's just the one lamp, I'd likely chalk it up to your lamp being one of the few that die very early on--long before their rated lifespan. But if it starts happening with any regularity then I'd start looking for other answers.

$0.02

 

[veen]

well that sounds good to me... I hope it isn't my ballast draining it or anything... has anyone heard of the ballast doing such a thing?