MH Bulb Question

[E.intheC]

I just bought a used light system. It's a 250 watt DE Metal Halide with a PFO reflector, Ice Cap electronic ballast, and a used (seller states 3 months old) Ushio bulb.

Problem is; when I fire up the bulb, it fires quickly but to be blunt, it isn't very bright. My current setup with 250 SE halides is much brighter.

I know that when a MH bulb ages the PAR goes down, but if you were to look straight at the bulb, would it get dimmer over time?

I hope I'm making sense. (And hope it's not the ballast or reflector, as a bulb is much cheaper to replace.)

Personally, I feel it's because the bulb is much older than the three months the seller stated.

Thanks for opinions and suggestions.

Eric

 

[Solace Aquatics LLC]

Do you have access to a PAR meter?

 

[E.intheC]

No, I don't unfortunately.

 

[noodleman]

what bulbs are you comparing?

 

[E.intheC]

The PFO fixture has a DE Ushio 14,000K bulb, and the other fixture is one SE 10,000K Hamilton and one SE 20,000K Radium. I am aware that the fixture I'm using now is 2 bulbs, but I'm looking at them each one at a time. (And also looking directly at the bulbs, kind of).

I've seen DE Phoenix and they were much brighter than this bulb is as well.

I want to add that although the current fixture is using magnetic ballasts, and I'm aware magnetic ballasts typically make the bulbs burn brighter, the Phoenix was run on an electronic ballast, and again was brighter than this bulb.

I've read a few times that the Ushio bulbs aren't the brightest, but nothing concrete.

 

[prattreef]

A 250W DE Ushio 14k should look pretty darn bright.

 

[junglebase]

Even a 150 watt DE bulb will be bright...