400W MH bulb?

[Borderjumper]

I just changed out my 400W bulb today and jeeze did it balloon out over time.

Is this normal?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y240/Carrida/IMG_0350.jpg

[Aquattro]

I'm thinkin' no...:)

[Zack33]

i have 400s over my tank, and i would have to say that is not normal.....what brand of bulb is that? what brand are you using now?

[Borderjumper]

This is an AC bulb. I do want to point out the bulb is well used..:redface:
like 16 months. I know me bad:mrgreen:

[Zack33]

personnaly i do not think that is an excuse, i have used mine for 2 years next week :twised: i use 20k XM's and i highly recommened them, I know i am not the only one who has used them that long and still has had good results.... check out carl swaby's (i think i spelt ur last name wrong carl) tank tour video on, www.reefvideos.com it is the 2nd last video in the chart:) he has a gorgoues tank (p.s. he is the owner of fragfactory)

HTH,
Zack

[Aquattro]

Shelley, those are the bulbs I run, they do not get puffy like that :) I'd remove it before something bad happens :)

[Borderjumper]

Yup I changed it out today. Im usually pretty good about changing my bulbs out at or even before 12 months. Ive never run a bulb to 16months before and was just kinda curious if they distort with use.

Ive got another that is right at 12 months that Im going to change out tomorrow.. curiuos to see if if bubbled out too, as its the identicle fixture.

[Jack]

Yeah, not normal.

[michika]

Definitely not normal at all! I ran 400w and mine never had something like that happen. You may want to forward your photo onto the manufacturer, just as an FYI for them.

[Bryan]

Not normal at all ...never seen that before

[spreerider]

must have gotten too hot, do you have airflow in your hood?

[banditpowdercoat]

Run way to hot. Do you have a fan on your light? They bubble from heat, the glass getting soft. MH runs at about 50PSI inside the bulb, so when you get it ti hot, the glass softens and it bubbles. That can be real dangerous, if the bulb explodes, shooting hot glass, sometimes up to 2200F everywhere.

[Borderjumper]

I have 3 Sfiligoi Infinity XR6 Pendants. These are high end fixtures that are designed to run fanless. Ive had them for a few years and a couple of bulb changes each, and this is the first bulb thats bubbled. I just changed out my other pendant today, and the old bulb looked totally normal.

I will be watching the new bulbs more closely. Heat would be the only reason the glass bubbled, but I would think if it were from the fixture overheating it would have bubbled over the length of the bulb. This looks more like the
"innerds" are much closer to the glass on one side of the tube that on the other. And it bubbled right in the middle of the filiment ( I dont know what its called) where its closest to the glass.