metal chips in my bulb?

[ewegrow]

I was cleaning my bulb (sunmaster neutral delux 1000W MH) and I found some metalic chips/particles that are inside. It still works but is it safe?Anyone had this before?


It's time for me to buy a new bulb, and I am going to by a sunmaster warm delux MH (red output) as it is cheaper than a conversion bulb. But I would like to keep the other for vegging. The bulb has been used for a number of grows. I would be using it for vegging clones for a couple of weeks as well as the two week stretch period (one month total per grow), then switching over to the red spectrum bulb. But I don't want to compromise safety if this bulb is shot...

ewegrow

 

[lemonade]

I've had something like that happen before, but it was a larger piece of metal (2cm long, 1cm wide) that broke off when I accidentally bumped into the bulb with my head.

I didnt even notice it was broken when I bumped it so I continued to use it for 2 months without any problems.

Regardless, I'd advise you to just get a new bulb. Or at the very least run the bulb in a cooltube so if it does happen to explode, the debris will be contained within the tube.

BTW the bulb was an EYE 600 HPS.

 

[Verite]

Ewe prolly wont find a MH bulb mfg that doesnt end up with some metal flakes on the inside.

 

[ewegrow]

yup...I got my answer when I bought the bulb today. I had a look at two bulbs that were running in the store and they both had those chips inside. I never noticed them before.

I just put the new bulb in--I should have switched my bulb sooner, I can actually see a difference in intensity/brightness...probably could have done better on the last few yields. I noticed they were tapering off a bit and the buds were getting on the fluffy side.

lemonade: I've knocked my head a few times too! Not enough head space...Thank God for the cool tube.

Thanks guys,
ewegrow