changing bulbs,dont forget!

[944s2]

hiya all, my last harvest was down in yield in comparison to usual yields, my alarm bells went off around 3 weeks before harvest when i realized how near my bulbs were to the canopy and i had no lamp burn[i was really pushing it] although i use an ajusta-wing with a light spreader the plants were extra close to the lamps and looking at the thickness of the buds compared to usual bud size,i realized something was up, plants all looked well flushed etc,it was a strain i have grown many times before and quality did not suffer but i changed bulbs asap and the difference in my new grow with the same strain as before is massive, small basic things like regular lamp changes often get surpassed when growing month after month and year after year [imho] a quick easy "kick up the butt" from my plants and all is well, how long would people use a sunmaster 600w dual spectrum bulb before changing to a new lamp? cheers and peace 944s2

 

[Camo Thumb]

id say 6 to 9 months at 12/12 max

 

[303hydro]

id say 6 to 9 months at 12/12 max

i second that.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

944s2

I know I error on the side of caution but I run Cycle A, change bulbs and run Cycle B. The bulb from Cycle A is there in case of emergency.

On Cycle C the bulb is switched out again. The bulb from Cycle A is donated to a clinic that help MMJ growers with limited funds and the bulb from Cycle B is now the emergency bulb.

And so on and so on. I probably switch the bulbs out way too much but I have very little money spent on commercial potting soils, 'nutes' and other fixes offered at garden stores so it's not a big deal. I figure it costs me about $.80 per day to run new(er) bulbs.

YMMV

CC

 

[Sam the Caveman]

Another thing that will help for those with magnetic ballasts is to change the capacitor out. They wear out over time.

 

[Iron_Lion]

I noticed on my last grow a severe drop off in bud density and size, then it hit me like a lighting bolt it was time for a new bulb.

I have a lumatek with super lumens and I think it really beats the shit out of the bulbs. From now on I wont run a bulb any longer than 3-4 months, I might even go every grow if I can get a case cheap enough. I buy the cheapest bulbs so I dont care about throwing them out after 1 use, the bud quality is worth the 50 bucks.

 

[Bullfrog44]

I like to change bulbs every 2 to 3 cycles max. I also like to alternate my bulbs, every other bulb is new, then the others are 1 cycle old. I use digital.

 

[areUkind]

starting to think i should go get some new lights...

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Can you throw hps in the landfill?

 

[Iron_Lion]

Can you throw hps in the landfill?

You are not supposed to break them or throw them in the trash, Im pretty sure they contain mercury. They are supposed to be recycled, but honestly it is a real pain in the ass trying to recycle them. It would be a great service if hydro shops offered this, and maybe a couple dollar discount off a new one. I try to be as earth friendly as possible but HPS and florescent tubes and cfl lamps are really bad for the environment, sadly there is no way around this for the indoor grower.

 

[Harinama]

but digital bulbs (ie. sunpulse) are supposed to last 20,000 hrs with a very small degradation in light intensity until the very end..?

at 12/12, even 10k hrs(1/2 of rated life), would put it at over 2 yrs!

I'm a little over a year in on my sunpulse bulbs and they are still producing very well. I might start thinking about replacement however sometime soon i guess.

 

[ganjasuiteseat]

Can you throw hps in the landfill?

yes but the the real Q is can i throw the land fill in the hps?lol peace

 

[Darkstarlive]

I ditch the HPS after every 3rd run.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

I'm with darkstar. 3 runs or 90 days, whichever comes first.

 

[Scrappy4]

I switched out my bulb today. I also ordered some new bulbs to try in 600 watts. The digi lux MH and the lumetek high par HPS. Nice to have a MH in 600 for once.

I wonder if buying and using a light meter to monitor bulb performance mightily be a good idea........scrappy

 

[mad librettist]

Jesus Scrappy, you love gadgets don't you? Seriously though, I'm with you. I just switched out my reflector for a blockbuster, and it doesn't feel like the same light at all, even though it is. But i have no way to check exactly what is different.

 

[Stress_test]

I too am with Darkstar and DB, I always donate my bulbs at 90 days or 3rd run.

but digital bulbs (ie. sunpulse) are supposed to last 20,000 hrs with a very small degradation in light intensity until the very end..?

at 12/12, even 10k hrs(1/2 of rated life), would put it at over 2 yrs!

I'm a little over a year in on my sunpulse bulbs and they are still producing very well. I might start thinking about replacement however sometime soon i guess.

Even tho the bulbs still light up they do deteriorate rather quickly and don't put out like they do when new.
I have looked at pictures of my rooms and seen the difference between new and over used bulbs. You don't realize it day to day because it degrades gradually, but you'll see it immediately when you turn on a new bulb.

 

[Abja Roots]

3 runs. I would switch them out every run if there was some way to recycle them.

Reminds me that it's time to buy new bulbs.

It's the same reason I don't run Drain to waste. Don't really want to be dumping my resi's into the water supply. Just one final drain at the end and it's usually half strength by that point.

 

[944s2]

Another thing that will help for those with magnetic ballasts is to change the capacitor out. They wear out over time.

+1 sam, thats next on the list, ballasts coming just over two years, will be swopping over to digitial ballasts, thanks for the responses all, safe growing... regards and peace 944s2

 

[Bobby Stainless]

I've got to get some new CMH 400s and A couple new 1000 HPS.