Radium bulb?

[Rcollick]

I just got a new bulb. It's the first time using one. Does it matter which way the exhaust nipple points?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Metal halide users any idea?

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Exhaust nipple?

 

[KrisReef]

I heard that goes into the catalytic converter, so I suspect it should be pointed up, right?

 

[Rcollick]

Maybe it's not called that. The little bump in the middle of the picture. Can someone tell me what it's called so I don't feel so dumb next time.

 

[Rcollick]

By the way this is the old bulb. Can anyone tell me what kind of bulb it was?

 

[KrisReef]

Plusrite 20K 250 watt metal halide, single ended bulb. Did you modify your fixture?

The bump on the double ended bulb is there from the manufacturing process of the bulb, presumably where they pulled a vacuum and added trace element gasses to provide the spectrum before the bulb was sealed. I've always wished I could watch how one of these bulbs is made in the factory.

And don't let yourself feel dumb about stuff like this bump. I have never heard if it should be inserted up or down, but I have wondered. I think if it was supposed to be in a specific configuration the instructions would indicate that. What they do tell us is to make sure to wear gloves to keep the oils from your hands off the bulb. If you touch the bulb with your hands you are supposed to wipe off oils with alcohol to prevent the bulb from failing. When I first heard that I thought it was a joke, but apparently it is true.

 

[Rcollick]

Plusrite 20K 250 watt metal halide, single ended bulb. Did you modify your fixture?

The bump on the double ended bulb is there from the manufacturing process of the bulb, presumably where they pulled a vacuum and added trace element gasses to provide the spectrum before the bulb was sealed. I've always wished I could watch how one of these bulbs is made in the factory.

And don't let yourself feel dumb about stuff like this bump. I have never heard if it should be inserted up or down, but I have wondered. I think if it was supposed to be in a specific configuration the instructions would indicate that. What they do tell us is to make sure to wear gloves to keep the oils from your hands off the bulb. If you touch the bulb with your hands you are supposed to wipe off oils with alcohol to prevent the bulb from failing. When I first heard that I thought it was a joke, but apparently it is true.

Ok thank you. I didn't modify the fixture. It's a cebu sun running a se bulb. I've never heard of that bulb. Have you?

 

[KrisReef]

They sell them on eBay for aquarium use.

 

[Rcollick]

They sell them on eBay for aquarium use.

Got ya thanks. Hopefully I will see a difference between that and the radium bulb. It's hard to tell with the naked eye.

 

[A. grandis]

I just got a new bulb. It's the first time using one. Does it matter which way the exhaust nipple points?

Not a huge deal, but better if upwards.
I've had some bulbs showing different spectrum if the nipple was less than half way up, while other bulbs did not matter.
Try your best to have it at the top position.

Never used that Plusrite bulb.

 

[jda]

Plusrite are cheap Chinese bulbs made to look like other bulbs. The lack consistency from batch to batch, but some people are willing to live with their issues since they are so cheap.

I never once in my life paid attention to any kind of exhaust nipple. I just screw them in until they are hand-tight. All that it would do is just redirect some of the light, but if you have a good reflector, then it will make it into the tank anyway.

 

[Rcollick]

Plusrite are cheap Chinese bulbs made to look like other bulbs. The lack consistency from batch to batch, but some people are willing to live with their issues since they are so cheap.

I never once in my life paid attention to any kind of exhaust nipple. I just screw them in until they are hand-tight. All that it would do is just redirect some of the light, but if you have a good reflector, then it will make it into the tank anyway.

Thanks for the reply. Hopefully I will notice some difference with the radium bulb. It's running on a luxcore ballast in the super lumens setting.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Plusrite 20K 250 watt metal halide, single ended bulb. Did you modify your fixture?

The bump on the double ended bulb is there from the manufacturing process of the bulb, presumably where they pulled a vacuum and added trace element gasses to provide the spectrum before the bulb was sealed. I've always wished I could watch how one of these bulbs is made in the factory.

And don't let yourself feel dumb about stuff like this bump. I have never heard if it should be inserted up or down, but I have wondered. I think if it was supposed to be in a specific configuration the instructions would indicate that. What they do tell us is to make sure to wear gloves to keep the oils from your hands off the bulb. If you touch the bulb with your hands you are supposed to wipe off oils with alcohol to prevent the bulb from failing. When I first heard that I thought it was a joke, but apparently it is true.

Exactly this, nailed it. Pulse Rite is a good low cost bulb btw but the Radium is a major upgrade especially if you are running it on the proper ballast.

 

[A. grandis]

Dr. Sanjay Joshi wrote back in the day about that:

"When using lamps in the horizontal position, it may be best to orient the lamp so that its exhaust tip (affectionately called the nipple) on the inner arc tube points up."

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/sj/index.php

Cheers.

 

[KrisReef]

I just got a new bulb. It's the first time using one. Does it matter which way the exhaust nipple points?

According to the attached article (Thanks @A. grandis ) the nipple is properly called the "exhaust tip."

That's what I love about this site, learn something everyday without much effort. Someone always knows which way the tip is supposed to be pointed!

R2R is golden.