MH Bulb Life Studies

J

jklnbrg

Ok, I have searched and searched and find only anecdotal evidence for MH bulb life. Does anyone know where I can find info about usage time and spectrum shift in MH bulbs? Are some more prone to shift after a set usage?
I always hear that bulbs should be replaced after a year. Is there evidence?

Thanks!

John
 
@Rick wrote:
http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/ said:
(I've read through that link before and just did again. Mostly I scanned it before)
The comparisons page is:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/sbj4/aquarium/articles/MetalHalideLamps3.htm

On that specific page the author does do comparisons between new and used lamps but the results are inconclusive for most.

For Iwasaki 6500 K lamps the author writes: "The important point here is that even after as long as two years of use the lamps were within 20 percent of each other. One could infer from this that these lamps could easily be used beyond the one-year period."

For the other lamps it seems to be both yes and no to uses over a year.

Seems that usage past a year is manufacturer specific.

Thanks for pointing out the data again.

John
Click to expand...
 
Matt,
You'll see I changed my post after doing a closer look at one of the reports so what you quoted is no longer what I said. :)

John
 
The basic answer is there is no conclusive research on it.

Sanjay has done a little and all his data (granted it's less than 10 points) shows that there is very little spectrum shift over time with MH but they do lose intensity over time with being ~60% after 18 months or so. There is no doubt they lose intensity and after a year seems to be the pint it accelerates but there just isn't any good data out there yet.

There is no reason you couldn't borrow or buy a light meter and see how your particular bulbs react intensity wise over time though! I really think hobbyists should take a more active role in this kind of research. It's very simple and needed but everybody is waiting for Sanjay or Dana Riddle or someone to do it!
 
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