Metal Halide Bulb randomly breaking???

[brizzo]

So today when I got home from work, my 150w hqi wouldn't fire....

Upon further inspection, one end of the bulb is blown out, and the inside tube is cracked in half!!!

Its a corallife 14,000k bulb and only a few weeks old .. I never touched it with my fingers, and it certainly didn't get wet....

Is this a common occurrence ??

(already called j&l about it, but a manager will call tomorrow.)

[spreerider]

most commen reason for this is condensation on the tube that when it fired up became a hot spot,
its not very common from what i have seen, if there is no shield then there is a good chance a tiny speck of water either from a bubble poping or a fish caused it.

[Karen Marlin]

I had the same thing happen with a 10,000 K 250 watt bulb that came with my aqualight canopy....the bulb broke after a couple of months...the company when I phone them replaced the bulb....K

[super7]

at work I had the same thing happen to two bulbs in the same fixture.

[brizzo]

Ah well, I guess it happens. I have to get the bulb replaced on warranty from corallife, not j&l. :( .. Plus side is I bought a Giesemann 14.5K as a replacement and was given a little bit of a deal on it :D Have to wait until friday for delivery

I'll still get the corallife bulb warrantied, and keep it as a spare/backup