How long can I use this bulb?

How long do you think I can use this bulb before there is a loss in yield?

  • Get a new bulb now

  • 1 more flowering cycle

  • 2 more flowering cycles

  • 3 more flowering cycles

  • Use the bulb until it won't fire anymore


Results are only viewable after voting.

Johnei

Well-Known Member
Hey Rollitup crew,
I'd appreciate your opinon here.

I've got a 1000 Hortilux HPS with 4 flowering cycles on it. (~60days x 4)
I know the concensus amongst most growers is to change the bulb approximately every year,
but I'm wondering how much longer do you think I can use this bulb before I see a loss in yield?

I'm a HPS man all the way, I have no plans to get LED so please don't suggest. :lol:

Thanks.
 

CriticalCheeze

Well-Known Member
I cast get a new bulb, but realistically you have used about 3000 hours on the bulb, if only 12/12 for flower, bulbs typically have 10,000 hr life. but intensity etc will drop
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
buy a par light meter. you'd be surprised how long some brands keep their business compared to others. I've see some go a couple years with minimal loss and others wasted after a couple cycles.

you could keep on using an old one. when your yield diminishes you can blame the light.
 

TacoMac

Well-Known Member
Hey Rollitup crew,
I'd appreciate your opinon here.

I've got a 1000 Hortilux HPS with 4 flowering cycles on it. (~60days x 4)
I know the concensus amongst most growers is to change the bulb approximately every year,
but I'm wondering how much longer do you think I can use this bulb before I see a loss in yield?

I'm a HPS man all the way, I have no plans to get LED so please don't suggest. :lol:

Thanks.
People are stupid in general because of two things:
  1. They never read the directions.
  2. They believe all kinds of completely unfounded bullshit they read on the internet.
That said, the life expectancy of bulbs is NOT how long they last before they blow out completely. It's the USABLE LIFE of the bulb. In other words, when your Hortilux bulb says that it's life expectancy is 24,000 hours, that means you actually get 24,000 hours of good, solid spectrum results. After that, it will begin to fall off rather sharply and should be replaced whether it's still burning or not.

If you're running the typical 12/12 lighting schedule on that bulb, then it's still pretty much brand new. 12 hours x 60 days is only 720 hours. Times 4 that means you've got a grand total of 2880 hours on that bulb.

Dude, that is BARELY 10% of it's life expectancy. You've got TONS of life left in that bulb.

Even if you wanted to get REALLY anal about it and change it half way through its life (which is totally unnecessary) you're still barely 1/4 of the way through its life.
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
People are stupid in general because of two things:
  1. They never read the directions.
  2. They believe all kinds of completely unfounded bullshit they read on the internet.
That said, the life expectancy of bulbs is NOT how long they last before they blow out completely. It's the USABLE LIFE of the bulb. In other words, when your Hortilux bulb says that it's life expectancy is 24,000 hours, that means you actually get 24,000 hours of good, solid spectrum results. After that, it will begin to fall off rather sharply and should be replaced whether it's still burning or not.

If you're running the typical 12/12 lighting schedule on that bulb, then it's still pretty much brand new. 12 hours x 60 days is only 720 hours. Times 4 that means you've got a grand total of 2880 hours on that bulb.

Dude, that is BARELY 10% of it's life expectancy. You've got TONS of life left in that bulb.

Even if you wanted to get REALLY anal about it and change it half way through its life (which is totally unnecessary) you're still barely 1/4 of the way through its life.

Hortilux recommends changing the Super hps at 9 months for best results. 1 year for average results (which I am not interested in). That is when the lumen loss has occurred.

The 20000 hours is to failure and was for old uses like street lamps they don't matter as much.

You are the one that said read the directions. ;-)
 

jarvild

Well-Known Member
But that's based on the bulb being used 24 hours per day, EVERY SINGLE DAY, NON-STOP. That's not what he's doing. He's using the bulb 12 hours a day for 2 months, then it's not burning at all for a month or two more, then another two months.
A continuous running bulb suffers less stress than a bulb that's fired every 12 hours for one. The ignition cycle is what puts the most stress on the bulbs.
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
I found my lumateks chewed up bulbs faster than my quantums. also badass bulbs, as crazy nice as I liked them, lasted a very short period before bulb failure in both types of ballasts. I replaced all mine with quantums for the generator ready, fans, dimmable and years of quiet trouble free operation. could never say that of lumateks or mags
 

ipeeinpools

Well-Known Member
Hey Rollitup crew,
I'd appreciate your opinon here.

I've got a 1000 Hortilux HPS with 4 flowering cycles on it. (~60days x 4)
I know the concensus amongst most growers is to change the bulb approximately every year,
but I'm wondering how much longer do you think I can use this bulb before I see a loss in yield?

I'm a HPS man all the way, I have no plans to get LED so please don't suggest. :lol:

Thanks.
Par meter, like chem said...see where your bulbs are sitting at. you'll also get a little longer life out of hortilux bulbs by using hortilux ballasts.
 

Johnei

Well-Known Member
buy a par light meter. you'd be surprised how long some brands keep their business compared to others. I've see some go a couple years with minimal loss and others wasted after a couple cycles.

you could keep on using an old one. when your yield diminishes you can blame the light.
Yeah, it's the light's fault! HAHA;)
I hear what you're saying, I need to find a decent one cheap off the net somewhere, Hydro shops here want few hundred+ for the ones they have, and fuck that! Hook me up, got any links maybe?
Thanks for the input brotha.

I'd say get a new one and keep that one as a backup
This is an option yes, good idea. Always good if things fail after store hours and the hydro shop is also really far from me.
Thanks man!

Some growers use the older bulbs in the veg room where they will still grow fine.
Fo'sure man, this is good idea I appreciate it. I've just scaled down starting growing again after a couple year disapearing act, I'm sick of buying herb, don't wanna pay for it anymore, all the inconsistances from batch to batch and having to meet stupid people for it.. grrrr and this shit is medicine to me.. so new place, new genetics, smaller setup(old equip) and only using a 400w for veg(1K for flower) so wouldn't be using the HPS 1K for veg for what I'm doing and the space I have here, but still good idea. I used to veg mother/veg room with 1KHPS + 1KMH all the time and I would always use whatever oldass HPS I had around, even regular shitty Philips. Thanks man.

A continuous running bulb suffers less stress than a bulb that's fired every 12 hours for one. The ignition cycle is what puts the most stress on the bulbs.
Absolutely, and it's a magnetic monster, so probably even more stress, like the highest stress from all types of equip out there. Yeah.. good point. I'm thinking now to just get new bulb for MAXIMUM harvest my first harvest back at it after years, and not fuck around.. keep old bulb for emergency backup as the GrowGorilla suggested.
Thanks for your input here.

I found my lumateks chewed up bulbs faster than my quantums. also badass bulbs, as crazy nice as I liked them, lasted a very short period before bulb failure in both types of ballasts. I replaced all mine with quantums for the generator ready, fans, dimmable and years of quiet trouble free operation. could never say that of lumateks or mags
Yeah I use bigass old monster magnetic ballasts, I should probably just get new bulb. And new digi ballasts but I'm not ready for the digi.
Thanks for your input man!

someday, if you switch to COB led,, you will never have to change your bulbs,,,, ah the good life
Can you suggest a LED setup for floweing that will have the same intensity and penetration as a 1000w HPS Hortilux that doesn't cost $1500 plus plus? I am interested, I'm not being facetious.
And I understand about the LED spectrum being fantastic in comparison and less wattage and heat to do the same job, but is there anything equivilant that doesn't cost so much? The penetration is my second main factor after cost. I just can't afford those numbers, but I am interested in LED, just don't want mediocore, would want the best, so I dunno.. Any idea? I don't think it exists.


Thanks everybody I really appreciate all of your input!!
I was just gonna fire up and use my Hortilux I have already, but you all changed my mind. I figure the cost of the new bulb will pay for itself in just that much higher yield if ya know what I mean, and the fact I use mag ballasts, whatever specs and ideas of timing to change bulbs is out there, I think I have to decrease those estimates. My mags are beasts, lol, probably fuckin destroying bulbs. Need a par meter.. yeah.. but still getting a new bulb. My grow shows on here gotta be top top right, no old bulb excuses. HAHA... cya.. Thank you very much.

:joint:


(BUBBLES!! tickle tickle.. par meter, check. Eventually, when I can afford it, or find a good one for cheap.)
 

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Can you suggest a LED setup for floweing that will have the same intensity and penetration as a 1000w HPS Hortilux that doesn't cost $1500 plus plus?
why does everybody cheapo out on things,, spend the money and switch to the DARK SIDE of the force,, lol
 

Johnei

Well-Known Member
Spend 2000 dollars on a light like it's nothin, chump change, yeah, when I have several ballasts of all kinds at my disposal. I'd rather buy a shitbox to drive around. :bigjoint:
why does everybody cheapo out on things,, spend the money and switch to the DARK SIDE of the force,, lol
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
someday, if you switch to COB led,, you will never have to change your bulbs,,,, ah the good life

I keep reading people say they last forever. They do not. I believe most cobs last 30,000 hours with little lumen depreciation. And this is if they really last that long.

That is just under 7 years at 12/12.

And the drivers have to go that long with no problems too.

I also am reading cmh gives higher quality as a single light source. From the university of Utah.

Only opinions still out there on cobs. They are not considered true horticultural lighting by big lighting companies. They are working on color specific combinations of multi light led's and they are actually the future of horticulture.

Phillips already has them. There will be plenty more soon.
 
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