Help, MH shifting color

[speedstar]

Any ideas on if my ballast is failing or the bulb is going out, If watching the tank the brightness shifts on occasion as well as the color temp.

Thanks for you ideas

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Def look at the bulb after it’s burned a while.
Look at the ends and also the conectors for burns from bad connections. Also dirt and carbon from use.

Past that I would have to suspect the ballast.

 

[jda]

It is most likely the bulb. There is a chance that it could be the ballast, but if they fire, then they usually keep firing.

What kind of bulb is it? I have extra that are near end of life that I can mail you if it is 250w SE or DE.... just to test and see.

EDIT: I have seen cheap Chinese bulbs just shift color right before your eyes as you were watching them - similar to the color shift as they start up. This was on some older bulbs, but it was so freaky that I had to go to a friend's house and see.

 

[speedstar]

It is most likely the bulb. There is a chance that it could be the ballast, but if they fire, then they usually keep firing.

What kind of bulb is it? I have extra that are near end of life that I can mail you if it is 250w SE or DE.... just to test and see.

EDIT: I have seen cheap Chinese bulbs just shift color right before your eyes as you were watching them - similar to the color shift as they start up. This was on some older bulbs, but it was so freaky that I had to go to a friend's house and see.

This is what I am seeing not as crazy of a shift but I can see brighter blue then dimmer blue, i was very surprising to me. This is a phoenix 14K bulb 250w DE, I don't how many hours were on it but it is old I left the hobby for about 10 years but kept a bunch of equipment and recently got back in.

 

[speedstar]

I really wish the XM 250w DE's were still readily available as I loved the 20K almost UV pop.

 

[jda]

XM is out of business. If you get lucky, you can find them on eBay sometimes.

 

[jda]

There are a pair of them on eBay right now for $120.

 

[speedstar]

There are a pair of them on eBay right now for $120.

I had been watching them, going back and forth on if I want to have them to only loose them again or to go 14K MH / T5 combo to get the pop in the 400 range.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[jda]

I find 14k phoenix to pop a bit better, but less blue in the overall look (windex look). Even if you lose them later, you can get a year with what you like.

Good luck.