Help HPS Bulb Dying, 6th week flower

I just realized today that my bulb was extremely dim when it came on.. was fine yesterday, I guess it's life is about over...

How much is the dim light or the possibility of it going out going to effect the plants during this light cycle until I can get a new bulb tomorrow? Should I just treat it like a cloudy or stormy day? Only thing I can think of is throwing the MH in there...

let it cool down for a bitthat may work

smartbadguy said:

let it cool down for a bitthat may work

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Yeah tried that, still very dim

i say dont thow your mh it puts off diffrent lumens not sure but i figure it would effect the plant or the thc i would just treat it as a cloudy day and get one first thing in the morning buy two if you can afford it so you dont have this stress again.

I'd throw something (CFL or anything) else in there with the HPS in case it dies. Don't wanna fuck up your photoperiod.

GOODTIMES09 said:

i say dont thow your mh it puts off diffrent lumens not sure but i figure it would effect the plant or the thc i would just treat it as a cloudy day and get one first thing in the morning buy two if you can afford it so you dont have this stress again.

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The MH bulb would not affect the THC level in a negative way. The difference is the plants would not be getting as much of the light spectrum they need most while in flower so depending on how dim the bulb actually is he might not be any worse off leaving the dim bulb in especially since he is only talking about one day but if it would be several days I would say switch back to the MH until a new bulb could be bought. Some people use nothing but a MH and some use nothing but a HPS so one will work for both jobs but it will just not do it as well.

Every year I buy new 400w MH & 430w HPS so I don't have to panic.
I also save the old bulbs in case something bad happens.
Just a little tip... peace!

Brick Top said:

The MH bulb would not affect the THC level in a negative way. The difference is the plants would not be getting as much of the light spectrum they need most while in flower so depending on how dim the bulb actually is he might not be any worse off leaving the dim bulb in especially since he is only talking about one day but if it would be several days I would say switch back to the MH until a new bulb could be bought. Some people use nothing but a MH and some use nothing but a HPS so one will work for both jobs but it will just not do it as well.

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Well at the canopy my light meter went from about 1100fc to 200 if I can't get one tomorrow, I'll throw the MH back in... ARGH!

I probably would have had another one, I didn't expect to lose the bulb during the 3rd grow... I know better now...

Thats unfortunate. Mine takes a few minutes to warm up, but sounds like your bulb is out

dbo24242 said:

Thats unfortunate. Mine takes a few minutes to warm up, but sounds like your bulb is out

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yeah now I am just weirded out, it's just flickered back to being as bright or brighter than I've ever seen it... it wouldn't do that if it were dying would it?!

ettubrutus said:

yeah now I am just weirded out, it's just flickered back to being as bright or brighter than I've ever seen it... it wouldn't do that if it were dying would it?!

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Wow! that's strange, I would pull that bulb, when cool. Down in the socket there is a little tab that makes contact with the center of the bulb. Make sure it is clean, use a pencil eraser to clean the contact. And of course the ballast should be un-plugged from the wall!!! Put your finger down in there and lift it up a little. If you still have a problem after replacing the bulb, you may have a ballast issue.

yeah now I am just weirded out, it's just flickered back to being as bright or brighter than I've ever seen it... it wouldn't do that if it were dying would it?!

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yeah like a seagul taking one last trip out to sea ^

i feel your pain though, i just lost my 600w HPS bulb 1 week into flowering, they're under the 400w MH untill i get a new blub

side note, good ol quality stuff from HTGSupply