Another pink Radium (400W SI)

[jaustin]

Reporting another pink Radium.....that's two for me now. This is the second radium I’ve gotten that burns pink. I've had it on M135, coralvue dimmable (all watt levels), and icecap ballasts. It's pink on all of them. The bulb is burned in for 2 months already...I’m done with Radium.
Burning next to it is a 10 month old radium. It would seem Radium has changed the parts in the bulb as they are totally different now. I'm switching to Ushio 20K and not looking back. Sucks because I’ve been running Radium 400W SI halides for some time now. Love the blue but now it seems they have gone the cheap rout.
Also they DO NOT have any kind of warranty on their bulbs. It's up to the retailer to decide if they will warranty the bulb or not.
Think twice before you buy Radium IMO.
Happy Reefing
Jason

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[tim8111]

I would be happy to look at the bulb for you. I run Radiums in my store and just replaced the ones in my display 2 months ago, I have never had any shift on me. XM shifted all the time.

FWIW, no bulb maker warranties the bulbs except "out of the box" if it burns 1 day, it is yours. I do offer warranties for the most part within a week or two.

I like Ushio bulbs, the are blue in color. But, don't expect anywhere near the PAR you were getting.

Thanks,
Tim

 

[jaustin]

Thanks for the offer but i'm in TX now. It's been pink for some time now but recently it's been getting worse. It would seem that these are a bad batch as some people are not having problems with recent bulb purchases. These were bought 5 months ago. There are numerous people having the same issue on RC.

I'm not needing the crazy par....they are 400W bulbs and my tank is 24" deep. The radium 400W bulb is designed to run 360w anyway and running it at 400 shortens it's life span. I'm looking to run a bulb for 12 months not 7 and with Ushio I can do that.

 

[tim8111]

I understand what you are saying. I get 500 - 700 par at the bottom of my 180 with these bulbs.

Ushio bulbs will last longer than radiums, but 12 months is pushing it, I would change them every 9 months. I change radiums every 6 months.

I hate that you had your money wasted on the bulb, if a lot of people are having troubles, have you thought about emailing radium?

Tim

 

[grouper therapy]

Wow obvious difference for sure!

 

[jaustin]

I may email them, would you happen to have any contact information? So far it's two bulbs that are garbage....a good bit of money.

I've been changing the Radiums every 6 months also. Just gun shy now to drop more money for another bulb when two in a row are pink.

 

[tim8111]

JAustin;568424 wrote: I may email them, would you happen to have any contact information? So far it's two bulbs that are garbage....a good bit of money.

I've been changing the Radiums every 6 months also. Just gun shy now to drop more money for another bulb when two in a row are pink.

I don't have the info handy. I will try to find it for you.

Where did you buy them? Well-Known mailorder, LFS, or ebay? Don't really want a name just a type.

Tim

 

[jaustin]

Name dropping isn't bad at this point. The company is working on exchanging one of the Radiums for me. It's Sunlight Supply. They have been helpful so far. They run Radium bulbs themselves and have been interested in this problem.

 

[mockery]

JAustin sorry to hear this happened to you again.

You mentioned something about a style change and I kinda glad to mentioned a design change. I just got a new 250 and noticed that my old one had this 3 spoke design and the new one has a single wire. I wonder what caused the difference.

 

[smoothie]

I would email the company direct and find out if sunlight is doing as others or is the only purchaser of any quality of bulb from them. A Polo from a Ralph Lauren store is not the same quality as one from TJ Maxx kinda thing. See what they say. From what I have read about their customer service they would be happy to make it right for you.
You live next door to Melev now. Get him on the horn for ya (haha)

 

[william1]

Is this just in the 400 watt bulbs or do you think there changing all of them?

 

[tim8111]

JAustin;568429 wrote: Name dropping isn't bad at this point. The company is working on exchanging one of the Radiums for me. It's Sunlight Supply. They have been helpful so far. They run Radium bulbs themselves and have been interested in this problem.

Sunlight Supply is wholesale only? I have an account with them. They always resolve my problems though.

Tim

 

[jaustin]

I've been in touch with the company out of TN. They seem to be working my issues.

It would seem from the posts on RC that this is a 400W issue only.