replacing bulbs

How often do you guys replace your HPS bulbs?

Look at the discharge tube, if it has a lot of burn then you know to replace it.

Yeah that reminds me I prolly gotta change mine soon...

Pretty much the above.

Happily running a ipower cheapo 400 hps.

I personally don't see the point of having a schedulen other than after a year replacing it. Its not like without proper par sensors one can tell a decrease, a substantial decrease by looking at the bulb other than seeing the carbon buildup in the bulb

I replace mine once a calender year usually. I use a mix of Ushio and Eye depending on which is on sale at my LHS.

Side note: Do you think air cooling the bulb helps extend the lumen life because of the cooler temperatures on the bulb compared to an enclosed hood?

I do 2 grow cycles with my bulbs and then swap them for new keep the old for emergency back up. I have landed on this as a base method. i do have a light intensity meter so i do double check to see how far degraded the output has come down since original install. When 2 grows are done basically the bulbs seem to be down 15-20% from day one usage so I swap em out. Cheaper bulbs go downhill faster

As I understand it, its the on and off cycles that kill the bulbs. I wonder how long they last if you don't turn them off.

I buy myself bulbs for christmas every year. I see very little variation in yield from crop to crop so I think once a years is good.

Well, I noticed my plants just don't have any good growth much lower than each top cola, during flowering. I'm getting plenty of bud sites in the lower areas during veg, but many of them are forming only the most scraggly, wispy of buds.

Replaced the bulb tonight with a Hilux Gro by Ushio...German made, so it must be good.