I remember from a former podcast Rob explaining the importance of cleaning the glass cover for the bulbs on metal halide fixtures. I use a mogul based single ended bulb without a glass cover. I was wondering whether or not people with these fixtures clean their bulbs from salt creep as well? If so, how do you go about cleaning your bulbs? And how much do you think not cleaning bulbs would effect your light output if you have a slight salt creep film on your bulbs?

any build up or water spots on the lights should be wiped off.
simply by using a damp paper towel while the lights are cool, and do some time before they fire up so there is time for them to dry off.

Wow, I sound like a braniac for asking something I already knew. Rob, I just have never owned MH bulbs and did not know if you should be careful when handling. Some halogen bulbs can pop if you get any oils on them. The oil stays on the bulb and when the bulb is fired up hot, it pops.

Wow, I sound like a braniac for asking something I already knew. Rob, I just have never owned MH bulbs and did not know if you should be careful when handling. Some halogen bulbs can pop if you get any oils on them. The oil stays on the bulb and when the bulb is fired up hot, it pops.
yep, thats true.
however i do not know if skin oils will damage MH bulbs.
i NEVER touch my bulbs, when working with them, or replacing them i always use gloves, or paper towel... better to be safe than sorry :)

yep, thats true.
however i do not know if skin oils will damage MH bulbs.
i NEVER touch my bulbs, when working with them, or replacing them i always use gloves, or paper towel... better to be safe than sorry :)

Skin oils will damage MH bulbs, the oil gets hot and makes the bulb glass cover crack or explode. It takes a decent amount of oil for this to happen, but it can happen. A friend of mine did it to his MH bulbs when starting out in the hobby. It definitely wasn't ME, it was my FRIEND.

Cleaning off the MH bulbs will also increase your PAR, not a lot, but if you clean them every couple of weeks then you'll keep the PAR at the maximum you can.

I always clean mine in the morning several hours before they turn on. I use a small amount of windex (sprayed on the paper towel FAR away from the tank) and just wipe them clean. After learning from my experience, I mean my FRIEND's experience, with oil from your hands, it is a good thing to not touch them with your hands.

Brian

brain, thanks for confirming this with your "FRIENDS" experience ;)

brain, thanks for confirming this with your "FRIENDS" experience ;)

I'll be sure to let him know that you appreciate his experience :D

Brian

I'm glad that we can all learn from your FRIEND's experience.

aren't FRIENDS great.. :)

I'm glad that we can all learn from your FRIEND's experience.

Well, my friend says he is just doing what a naturally helpful guy would do :D

Brian

Well, my friend dropped her cell phone out of the pocket of her hoodie and it nearly went into a bin of dirty SW tonight. :doh: The moral of this story is that you should not have an unsecured electronic device around open containers of water.

If you can't learn from your friends, who can you learn from? :rolleyes:

Well, my friend dropped her cell phone out of the pocket of her hoodie and it nearly went into a bin of dirty SW tonight. :doh: The moral of this story is that you should not have an unsecured electronic device around open containers of water.
lmao...
yeah, my FRIEND has nearly dont this multiple times with Phones and iPods..lol

my Friend really needs to be a bit more carefull

suggest an eco-glove for your friends! make light work of cleaning! without leaving micro fragments of paper clinging to the bulb!

suggest an eco-glove for your friends! make light work of cleaning! without leaving micro fragments of paper clinging to the bulb!

Boy, way to bring us back on topic :rolleyes: Seriously, what is an eco-glove? I did a google search and they look like biking gloves.

Brian

yeah, i'll get back to on the name, i though it was eco-glove. you can buy them in the supermarket! most expensive rag your likely to buy in ones life time, but hey> thats racing!

theres are whole range, u have ones for washing the car, ones for the stove, wood, glass, bathrom ect ect, they designed gloves that work well without the need for extra products for cleaning! i beleve water is all thats need in most cases.
the good thing is if you deciede to use them for cleaning your bulb, there never any risk of themal spots

I use eco-spit and eco-paper-towels.

and i found a way to store that eco spit>>> hows business partner, your quota is lower today!:p

http://www.ecoprotection.fr/images/pompier_eco.jpg