XM bulb discoloration

C

chrisrush

Premium Member
I just unpacked my 2 new 250w 10k XM bulbs that I've had for a few weeks. The socket ends are both discolored. 1 has a shiny finish that extends for about an inch and the other is almost opaque for an inch or so. Is this something that I should be concerned with? My 14k Coralvue doesn't have this discoloration.

Thanks,
Chris
 
Thanks Jerone, I'm going to contact XM to see what they say. I didn't want to fire the bulb before I talked to someone about it. Was the one that you had shiny or opaque?

Chris
 
Here's a picture of the bulbs: Top bulb is my 250w 14k Coralvue w/ ~ 8 months of burn. The next two are the new bulbs w/ the discoloration.

250wbulbs.jpg
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The Middle one looks normal.
That is what mine look like.

I think something is wrong with the 3rd one if it is an xm.
 
Please be sure to update this thread with the final outcome, as it may answer someone else's question in the future.
 
IME,
1) top bulb looks normal
2) middle bulb looks normal for XM. The silver color at the base could be either from the bulb-to-metal base seal, or due to some burn-in process that vaporizes metal (solder?) near the base of the bulb.
3) bottom bulbs looks like a bulb that has leaked air into the once sealed outer glass. Outside air reacts with the heat from the inner bulb to coat the cloudy/whitish film. This is the same as what I saw from the 'bad batch' of XM bulbs from a period of their last year's production. The XM bulbs I had with this film, gave off a yellowish tint light.
Note, that I have also seen this cloudy/whitish film on Ushio bulbs, at the end of their life. I would assume that this is a common fail mechanism for MH SE bulbs, probably at end-of-life.
 
Just as further confirmation, the middle bulb in the picture above looks just like a brand new set of XM bulbs I just got... And after being a bit finicky about firing the first day, are now running fine...
 
I got an email from XM and they said that the middle one is normal and the bottom one looks like it was damaged during shipping (whatever that means). I'm going to contact Andy at MRC since that's where I got the bulbs from.

Thanks for your help.

Chris
 
After exchanging emails from Andy, I figured out that I didn't order the bulbs from him.

I actually ordered the bulbs from Reeftanklighting.com and I'm in the process of emailing them to see what they say about a refund.

Chris
 
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