is there a way to tell the age of a Radium halide bulb?

trmiv · 12/30/2015, 11:09 PM

I recently went back to my halide setup. I have two radium bulbs, one purchased in 2013 and used over a year and another purchased in March of 2015 and used a few months. The problem is I forgot to mark them when I took the new one out and now I have no clue which is which. Is there any way to tell? The only difference I see is one is marked v9 after the made in germany, and the other is marked z8. I assumed the z8 one was the newer one, but I honestly have no idea. The only other difference is the v9 one the bulb part inside is hazy on the ends, where on the z8 one it's totally clear.

chilli_reef · 12/31/2015, 07:59 AM

Just buy new if your in doubt.

AZRippster · 12/31/2015, 08:01 AM

Do you have access to a PAR meter? The one purchased in 2013 and used over a year should be putting out much less.

shifty51008 · 12/31/2015, 08:02 AM

Without a par meter i dont think you can tell just by looking at them

jayball · 12/31/2015, 09:01 AM

Do the bulbs yellow/warm as time goes on?

Without access to a PAR/Spectral meter what if you fired one bulb and let it warm up than snapped a photo with all the house lights off, then swapped them and did the same. While you would not be able to tell by just looking at them running perhaps you would with side by side pictures on a computer screen.

Just an idea, no idea if it would work.

AZRippster · 12/31/2015, 09:09 AM

Maybe, but it would be subjective. Radium has an English website. Maybe you can email them the codes on lamps and ask which is the newer lamp? Just an idea as well. You could explain your situation.

trmiv · 12/31/2015, 12:19 PM

Yea no par meter. I'll just have to buy a new one and keep these as backups. Teach me to not mark things

Bpb · 01/01/2016, 03:00 AM

The bulb arc actually turns clear as it ages. When they're brand new the bulb arc will be black from the phosphor coating

trmiv · 01/01/2016, 12:22 PM

Hmmm that could be it then. I remember when I got my last builb noticing the haze on the inside. One of them still has quite a bit, the other is totally clear. I guess the hazy one must be the newer one. Thanks.

12/30/2015, 11:09 PM	#1
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	is there a way to tell the age of a Radium halide bulb? I recently went back to my halide setup. I have two radium bulbs, one purchased in 2013 and used over a year and another purchased in March of 2015 and used a few months. The problem is I forgot to mark them when I took the new one out and now I have no clue which is which. Is there any way to tell? The only difference I see is one is marked v9 after the made in germany, and the other is marked z8. I assumed the z8 one was the newer one, but I honestly have no idea. The only other difference is the v9 one the bulb part inside is hazy on the ends, where on the z8 one it's totally clear. __________________ Current tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 Deluxe, Avast Marine Pegleg 180 skimmer, Gyre 150, Eheim 1262 return

12/31/2015, 07:59 AM	#2
chilli_reef Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Chillicothe Ohio Posts: 468	Just buy new if your in doubt. __________________ "But did you die !" Current Tank Info: 75g nondrilled reef.

12/31/2015, 08:02 AM	#4
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	Without a par meter i dont think you can tell just by looking at them __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

12/31/2015, 12:19 PM	#7
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	Yea no par meter. I'll just have to buy a new one and keep these as backups. Teach me to not mark things __________________ Current tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 Deluxe, Avast Marine Pegleg 180 skimmer, Gyre 150, Eheim 1262 return

01/01/2016, 12:22 PM	#9
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	Hmmm that could be it then. I remember when I got my last builb noticing the haze on the inside. One of them still has quite a bit, the other is totally clear. I guess the hazy one must be the newer one. Thanks. __________________ Current tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 Deluxe, Avast Marine Pegleg 180 skimmer, Gyre 150, Eheim 1262 return

12/31/2015, 08:01 AM	#3
AZRippster Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut Join Date: May 2012 Location: Sierra Vista, AZ Posts: 1,127	Do you have access to a PAR meter? The one purchased in 2013 and used over a year should be putting out much less.

12/31/2015, 09:01 AM	#5
jayball Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,671	Do the bulbs yellow/warm as time goes on? Without access to a PAR/Spectral meter what if you fired one bulb and let it warm up than snapped a photo with all the house lights off, then swapped them and did the same. While you would not be able to tell by just looking at them running perhaps you would with side by side pictures on a computer screen. Just an idea, no idea if it would work.

12/31/2015, 09:09 AM	#6
AZRippster Diver & Reef Aquarium Nut Join Date: May 2012 Location: Sierra Vista, AZ Posts: 1,127	Maybe, but it would be subjective. Radium has an English website. Maybe you can email them the codes on lamps and ask which is the newer lamp? Just an idea as well. You could explain your situation.

01/01/2016, 03:00 AM	#8
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	The bulb arc actually turns clear as it ages. When they're brand new the bulb arc will be black from the phosphor coating