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View Full Version : how can you tell bulb brand??? and if it's new or used? Halide questions


Blitz99
08/17/2006, 05:07 PM
i bought 2 bulbs on ebay that were "20K XM and NEW"

how can you tell if a bulb is new or not? how can you tell the brand of bulb you received?

i'm questioning the newness because the part that burns is frosted white and has some red stuff in there, just like my used up ones...

also, i believe i see a rusty like substance around the base where it connects with the glass.

Maxxumless
08/17/2006, 05:17 PM
That’s a good question which I’ve wondered about myself since most (IME) manufactures or resellers ‘burn in’ their bulbs to test them. Besides a lux meter I really don’t know. I’ve compared my old ones with new ones and in most cases they are identical (burned spots). However, I don’t recall my newer bulbs ever coming with ‘red’ stuff in them. There have been a few times where there is chipped glass inside the bulb but it never seemed to matter. Frosted glass, well all my bulbs came that way but never the whole inside. It usually only was on the bottom portion (that is supposed to point into the tank).

However, all my bulbs had some form of ID on them but I have only purchased bulbs from major vendors. The XM’s I have seen (never used though) all had wattage and K on them and if memory serves nothing else.

Blitz99
08/17/2006, 05:31 PM
thank you for that last bit of info.. i got ripped... i'm actually going to philly so this dude is in trouble, i'm taking my money out of his f-ing ***.

i cant afford this, i work for a non profit and make jack... need to save for everything i get and i just got ripped big time!

just dave
08/17/2006, 05:46 PM
Look at this post (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=904919) and when you scroll down you'll see a picture of three bulbs. The XM is on the right. Now from experience I know the writing on XM bulbs comes off pretty easily. I've wiped it off (sometimes just some of it comes off) when wiping someones paw prints off a bulb after they got finished looking at it. It always comes off when I periodically clean bulbs that have been in operation but this shouldn't be an issue in your case.

Blitz99
08/17/2006, 06:04 PM
thats the guy who i believe ripped me off!!!

i'd love to be wrong, but i dont believe i am.

Blitz99
08/17/2006, 06:38 PM
i'm certainly not wrong... in april craig bought lamps from greatdel on ebay... i've bought the same lamps from greatdel... craig then sold them as XM bulbs. greatdel claims to have never sold "XM" brand bulbs, but did in fact sell to craig. i have his phone number and am trying to get in touch... i'm not terribly happy right now.