| superdaveumo |
So my S400DD Ushio decided to become just a glowing arc the other night. Won't fire up completely. Just a blue arc that wavers. Not bright at all. I figured the bulb is done (faulty). If you don't think this, please bring on the comments!
Ok, so where can I get the Ushio S400DD (HPS Retrofit) aside from atlantic lightbulb and LL (both are out of stock until Feb)? Is anyone selling one here? I checked Ebay. Want to watch the game this weekend! Hmph. Help!?!??! |
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| v1d9uy |
| out of stock till feb ? **** thats all i have to say |
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| TheBigMastodon |
| I was going to buy one tonight too! |
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| superdaveumo |
| Atlantic Bulb called me and told me they wouldn't be available until into next month. LL has backordered until ??? on their site. I assume it's because Ushio won't have any more until Feb. |
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| snortonnorton |
i must of got the last one. cause i got it from atlanticbulb shipped last week.
sorry guys.. LOL |
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| mbates14 |
| sounds like you are missing sufficient current to the bulb, and it cant sustain the halogen cycle. |
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| milihpen |
Jeese, I'm sure lucky: got mine...this Tuesday? Atlantalightbulbs sent me an email saying they were out of stock, and then two days later they shipped it...kind of strange.
I'm really hoping that Ushio doesn't discontinue this bulb in the next year or so: It seems to be the cheapest, best, and possibly only viable option for retrofitting an HPS ballast. I'm considering buying another bulb for stockpiling, just so that if they do discontinue it, I can get a little more use out of my ballast (which, of course, was only $30, but still). :) |
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| v1d9uy |
| yes yer right .... we should all if possable buy a extra bulb ... while there still making them just incase .... |
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| superdaveumo |
I was talking with a local light bulb company and it seems the Ushio Retrofit has a history of problems. Mainly they die very prematurely. He was saying a customer of his went through 3 in a month! Now, I can say personally that mine has already died. I bought an HPS 400w 2100k 21 CRI bulb to get me to my next solution. Horrible bulb, but bright! Which gets me to my next point, it wasn't my ballast that went bad. Soooo..... Maybe I just got a bad bulb, but with the only source being Ushio and they have one manufacturing plant (in Japan), this seems like a good case of up the creek without a paddle if they do discontinue the bulb. It's got great properties.... but if they aren't available.....
My suggestion for people is to at least look at metal halide bulbs and ballasts. The ballasts aren't any more expensive than HPS ballasts. The bulbs might be a little more. But, at least they are readily available. |
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| snortonnorton |
they say made in Germany. ( i know ushio is a japanese word, i thought it was weird too)
but how can such a high quality bulb, (anything made in germany is good) have a widespread defect?
and they should stand by their name? whoever says their ushio only lasted a certain number of hours should contact the company and they might replace it. |
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| doublejack |
UPDATE: I just got an email from Atlanta Light Bulbs this morning and they were informed by Ushio that the bulb in question is now backordered through April. I upped my order to two so I have a spare on hand. Given the tight supply it seemed like a good idea to me.
But now my project is on hold for a few months, back to my 20" CRT television until then :( And now I don't have an excuse not to get started painting my house:bawling: |
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| v1d9uy |
| ahhh that ******* sucks |
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| milihpen |
| Hopefully these delays are to iron out the kinks that Superdaveumo is mentioning. I sure hope mine lasts long...gonna test it this weekend. |
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| superdaveumo |
| Yeah, every single company I've called has said they are out of stock and won't be available until half-way through Feb - March. So, I am looking to find a good MH bulb and ballast to replace this mess with. MH are everywhere. Retrofits are not. |
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| v1d9uy |
| my prob is i have the ballast already ... and im on a tight budget |
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| diyjunkie |
| Looks like Atlanta Light Bulbs has the retrofit again, mine is on the UPS truck as I type this. |
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| v1d9uy |
| figures... after i buy one lol o well i got a good deal ... |
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| doublejack |
| Indeed, Atlanta has them back in stock. Two should arrive at my home this afternoon, I got the UPS shipping notice yesterday. |
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| snortonnorton |
good, so the bulb is not discontinued.
hey all, i have an idea. let's all post appox. how long the bulbs last casue i want to see if it's true that they die prematurely. i doubt it, i think that guy was lying to get him to by an elctronic MH ballast.
i highly doubt the ushio made in germany has defects. |
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| dnsey |
| quote: | | So my S400DD Ushio decided to become just a glowing arc the other night. Won't fire up completely. Just a blue arc that wavers. Not bright at all. I figured the bulb is done (faulty). |
Have you tried tapping the lamp while it's glowing (gently, with an insulated rod, protecting yourself against possible explosion!)?
For some reason, this sometimes gets them going again, and having struck once they continue to do so.
I'm sure that someone here can say why this happens! |
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| Ben_Tech |
| My S400DD failed within 200 hours. The arc chamber darkened and a bulge formed in the outer glass shell. Needless to say it stopped striking. The lamp was not abused. *shrug* Even worse than commercial projector lamps -- at least they are only $50 each instead of $350, but if they only last 1/7th as long, it's a wash. :xeye: That would come down to luck. |
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