Should I Replace My Bulbs?

[Tony Aroma]

I have two bulbs, a Hortilux 400w Metal Ace and a 400 W Hortilux HPS, that I've used for 12 grows. According to my calculations, the Metal Ace has gotten about 12,400 hours of use and the HPS about 9100 hours. They still have a fair amount of life left, but what about usable life? Should I replace them?

 

[MrBungle]

i replace mine every 6 months... when i used em that long i watched every harvest get smaller and smaller til i realized what was wrong..... now I will use an HPS till it burns out on veg cause there is plenty of blue left in an old bulb.. its the reds that die out

 

[rykus]

I get used hortilux from my buddy and run me until they turn on and off.... That said MH got to shit fast for me... 6 months max.... I don't use em really at all now, just old hortilux, cause I can get hundreds for free that test higher than new cheapies.

 

[Tony Aroma]

i replace mine every 6 months... when i used em that long i watched every harvest get smaller and smaller til i realized what was wrong..... now I will use an HPS till it burns out on veg cause there is plenty of blue left in an old bulb.. its the reds that die out

Six months! I've had mine for 6 years: 2 grows per year, 12 grows total. I veg from seed for about 9 weeks, and about 9 weeks average flower time. My yield has remained pretty consistent over that time. I think my veg bulb might be getting a bit dimmer though, as I seem to have to veg them a bit longer to get to the size I want.

 

[OG Tree Grower]

Yes man, change em. After 6 Mts. Of 12/12 they show a significant decline in Lux on a light meter. Light Intensity matters big time. It's one of those things I dont think twice about. Filters and bulbs are changed out as regular maintenance

 

[Bob-Smith]

Dont know the exact numbers, but it doesn't take long for the light output to go way down. 50% down. 2 grows and mine get tossed.

 

[corky1968]

I wouldn't use a bulb longer than a year no matter what under moderate and continuous use.
They lose some of their brightness and considering light is one of the most important pieces
of the puzzle when gardening indoors. Why risk it? I just retire them as spare bulbs should
the new one burn out for whatever reason. Once I buy another new one I trash them.

 

[z-ro]

i don't know anyone thats ever used a hortilux for more than 2 runs, most replace after ever run.

 

[rykus]

Hmmmm well I just got 16.5 lbs of nice and about a lbs of smalls of 24 pink kush under 8 lights.... Bulbs where 3+ years old running 12 hrs daily.

 

[OG Tree Grower]

Rykus- good growers that use 100% of there lighting and have all there ducks in a row might still get good hauls off old bulbs but your crazy not to change them. Buy a light meter and see for your self. I did it years ago and I don't remember the exact numbers but it was a no brainer to change them after 6 Mts of 12/12

 

[Dr.King]

Rykus- good growers that use 100% of there lighting and have all there ducks in a row might still get good hauls off old bulbs but your crazy not to change them. Buy a light meter and see for your self. I did it years ago and I don't remember the exact numbers but it was a no brainer to change them after 6 Mts of 12/12

I have done this. I have been using the same MH/HPS bulbs for over 5 years straight now going almost 24/7. The trick is to clean them off because if you use a scope they become very dirty and once cleaned are just as nice. I use a light meter all the time to check spots in my big tents and it hasn't changed yet... Not being hateful or anything just pointing out my facts. I pull over 2 lbs under my little 400 watt HPS's, hitting 3 lbs each this round being perfectly dialed in now .

 

[OG Tree Grower]

Dude I clean my glass with micro fiber. Light bulbs fade period

 

[rykus]

We tested a bunch of hortilux after a year and they still put out more light than the cheap Philips and other low grades we tested.

Honestly for me, I'm a hippy and I don't want to take a uhaul of plastic and bulbs out of my places, it kills me inside, and I have 100+ bulbs going at all times and another 100+ waiting on government decisions..

If I invest in new lighting at all it will be in a move to 315w CMH , DE 1000w's or even LED. I get all the used bulbs I could ever want free with 6-12 months on them.

My rooms are themselves a very efficient shade and I get very good light saturation, so my yield is unaffected by the lower intensity...

The guy that gives me the bulbs is usually pulling less, so it's a non issue for me. I find clean healthy growth and consistency to be way more important, but you are right... In many systems the light effeciancy is depandant on maximum output(air cooled shades) but I feel a lot of people skip out on common sense to fallow a trend or buy the newest things without thinking how they apply to their system.

In short, actual testing and learning about grow room construction and plant growth is cheaper, much less wasteful, and more productive...

When prices start to hit <1000$ a lbs we will see about effeciancy...

 

[OG Tree Grower]

No doubt they are brighter than cheapie bulbs. My super hps seem to hold up very well too but regardless they get tossed. When you get hundreds of bulbs for free it's pretty hard to argue with that. And to each his own, you obviously know what your doing but your situation is unique. Most people should be replacing bulbs , exceptions like yours or someone running 50 watts per square foot, without co2 may get away without seriously diminished harvests as light is not there limiting factor but for most of us it is

 

[Dr.King]

No doubt they are brighter than cheapie bulbs. My super hps seem to hold up very well too but regardless they get tossed. When you get hundreds of bulbs for free it's pretty hard to argue with that. And to each his own, you obviously know what your doing but your situation is unique. Most people should be replacing bulbs , exceptions like yours or someone running 50 watts per square foot, without co2 may get away without seriously diminished harvests as light is not there limiting factor but for most of us it is

IMO if you dial your system and nutrients in right watts per square foot hardly matters. People still don't believe I'm harvesting 2-3 lbs a run under a single 400 watt system but it can be done. That 400 watts covers a 5' x 5' x 7' tent. Trick is having mass air flow around the bulb and all my tops. Then the tops can get within 8 inches without burning easily and double scrog the top 3 foot of the tent. I use the Co2 bags from ebay which work pretty well an only cost $25's. As you said to each their own. Just trying to point out some helpful tips to help fellow growers .

 

[OG Tree Grower]

Ok buddy- first you tell me you did do the Lux test and it's the same , obviously a lie unless you have special gasses in your light bulb that no other manufacturer has found that keeps them running bright as new for ever? Then you tell me watts per square foot or light intensity doesn't matter LOL - a very stupid measurement since we grow on m3 not m2 , anyways light sure does matter, it's a key piece- it's one of the 5 things you do have to Dial in. your 5x5x7 tent is full of fluffy bud no matter what you do cause you only have a 400w light covering it. The fact u say most people don't believe you is because they have grown weed before and know your numbers arnt real or your weighing every price of fluff you grew down there as sellable bud. I can't even reply to this anymore.

 

[Dr.King]

Ok buddy- first you tell me you did do the Lux test and it's the same , obviously a lie unless you have special gasses in your light bulb that no other manufacturer has found that keeps them running bright as new for ever? Then you tell me watts per square foot or light intensity doesn't matter LOL - a very stupid measurement since we grow on m3 not m2 , anyways light sure does matter, it's a key piece- it's one of the 5 things you do have to Dial in. your 5x5x7 tent is full of fluffy bud no matter what you do cause you only have a 400w light covering it. The fact u say most people don't believe you is because they have grown weed before and know your numbers arnt real or your weighing every price of fluff you grew down there as sellable bud. I can't even reply to this anymore.

Lol nice wall of text. I was just trying to help my bads. I got photos of all my buds in my Albums and have a thread on my Tents showing my weight. Believe it or not they are nice, solid and is the best in my town. Been to a bunch of cannabis dispensaries and I have to say my home grown is better then most of anything they had which is sad. Not being cocky it's just funny when people see my grow in real life and are like damn... Can't wait for next year so I can blow the lid off the outdoor season finally and I can't wait to grow some 20-30 footers .

 

[OG Tree Grower]

I'm optimistic, but I'm also realistic, buds get fluffy when they get to far away from a light source. You know it, I know it and anyone else that reads this knows that. It's not my style to argue numbers tho so I apologize for that. Take care

 

[blueberryshark]

I believe the standard is ever 6 months ..... thats if they are used for six months

 

[dazzerx2000]

I use super HPS for 12 months with super lumen switch activated as they are the flagship of the standard hps bulbs built to last and their price reflects this.

Metal halides on the other hand die very early its a more complicated process producing blue light over red/yellow light, I still use my halides for 12 months thought even though after 6 months there pretty much shagged but plants require less light/light intensity in veg over flower, making the half dead halides seemingly give the same performance. The halides I use have come along way from the first gen types and also are more blue in better kelvin spectrum's now as well

I never use cheap bulbs just a big waste of time in my opinion.