Replacing HPS Lamp?

[jawnroot]

Have been doing a lot of research on this. In the past, I'd always switch lamps out after about three grows of 12/12, or about 2500 hours. That's only a fraction of a bulb's rated use (8000 hours on the low end).

Some run them a year before replacing (~4500 hours), some go 2, some run them until they blow...and others replace every grow or two. Is there any real standard to go by, or just whenever feels right?

I'm not cheap or anything, but I really hate being wasteful, especially when it comes to toxic shit like HID lamps.

 

[baba G]

I hear you, I used to replace after 3-4 runs, or a year at max. But then I started using MH for veg and would run my hps one extra run due to that.

But on some other rooms I've run bulbs that have been run for a year and have had amazing harvests of super dank...so, i replace em every 4-5 runs just cause I guess...lol

Whenever you feel they aren't as bright as you'd like, replace em or if you notice a yield diff, but personally I've ran older bubls and had stellar yields....also seems like there is a new brand of bulb I wanna test so I replace em.

I agree, I'm far from cheap but I hate wasting resources...

 

[mastacheeser]

oldies and cheapos in the veg and mom room til they blow

new bulbs in the flower room for 4-5 runs

 

[MrSmilehappy]

I generally go 3-4 runs or a year, whichever comes first

 

[qupee]

Check the data sheet for your bulb. Here's one for the Eye Hortilux Super HPS 1000w.

Any bulb worth anything will graph out the available lumens against length of use. For the Eye Hortilux, you can see the x-axis is % of rated life, which is given as 24000 hours.

So, looking at the graph, you can see you still have 90% of your initial lumens up to about 50% of the rated life, or 12000 hours.

You will notice if you look around that the higher priced bulbs like the Hortilux and Ushio will maintain more lumens longer.

Actually, now, looking at that. 12000 hours seems insane. That's 3 years of 12/12. Hmmm. Well, it seemed more reasonable on cheaper bulbs, like 6 months before you were below 90%. I wonder how much Eye is fudging those numbers...

 

[freegrow]

Whenever you feel they aren't as bright as you'd like, replace em or if you notice a yield diff, but personally I've ran older bubls and had stellar yields....also seems like there is a new brand of bulb I wanna test so I replace em.

I agree, I'm far from cheap but I hate wasting resources...

thats it right their ..........if your yeald is not effected ?

if it aint broke LOL............those light meters are good for this
also check your PAR every harvest I got to get one of these
anyone use these ? how well do they work?

 

[ibTheMan]

Heres the best place to get new Bulbs cheap, and yes there the new digital compatible bulbs(even tho the picture aint), ive bought many from him.

 

[mastacheeser]

nice ib, added right to my favorites list

thats dirt cheap

 

[wonderinalice]

I've used eye hps for almost 2 years before.... i never really noticed a "change" in yield... but when you replace the bulb.... it almost seems a diff color... so not sure if the "color" of the bulb changes with use... The old bulb looked like more of a "red-er" color....Newer has a lil more "blue" color. And deff brighter!

 

[KGJ]

Freegrow and Baba G hit it on the head!

 

[oglovinlife18]

the guy at my hydro store told me to even give a month or two for the bulb to break in right