Dimming - Increases or Decreases lifespan of bulb?

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I've heard it both ways and I'm tired of trying to search for it anymore.

So, which is it - does it extend the lifespan of a bulb if you dim it with a digital ballast to 50% or does it decrease the lifespan of said bulb?

I know that if you run a 240v bulb in a 120v socket it increases its lifespan by quite a margin, but does it work the same way here?
 
A 240V bulb? What are we talking about here? The bulbs for HID lights are the same--bulbs do not come in 240 and 120V models--it is the ballast that runs at different voltages. Cannot see how running a ballast at 240 or 120 would affect the life of a bulb.

I can see how running super lumens if you want that setting could shorten the life of a bulb, but I don't know for sure. I change my bulbs out about every 6 months or so anyway.
 
The Hemp Goddess said:
A 240V bulb? What are we talking about here?
Click to expand...

Just a regular incandescent bulb.

The Hemp Goddess said:
Cannot see how running a ballast at 240 or 120 would affect the life of a bulb.
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No, it does. If you take a 240v regular incandescent bulb from the UK and run it in the 120v grid in the US, it would run far longer.

The Hemp Goddess said:
I can see how running super lumens if you want that setting could shorten the life of a bulb, but I don't know for sure. I change my bulbs out about every 6 months or so anyway.
Click to expand...

So, the question is whether running it at lower voltage (say 50%) would decrease its lifespan as well.
 
I change my bulbs out about every 6 months. I have not had one that seemed to burn out prematurely on me. If you change your bulbs out regularly, as you should, it probably is not an issue.
 
The Hemp Goddess said:
A 240V bulb? What are we talking about here? The bulbs for HID lights are the same--bulbs do not come in 240 and 120V models--it is the ballast that runs at different voltages. Cannot see how running a ballast at 240 or 120 would affect the life of a bulb.

I can see how running super lumens if you want that setting could shorten the life of a bulb, but I don't know for sure. I change my bulbs out about every 6 months or so anyway.
Click to expand...

I have 400 volt light bulbs........
 
Also spectrum goes to **** when dimming. I would think it would lesson life. What bulbs do you use hemp? I haven't used my hps yet but they say they are 2 year bulbs with 5% loss. Because of the high voltage? They last longer?
 
DankHobbyist said:
I have 400 volt light bulbs........
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LOL--I believe that you have 400 WATT light bulbs--way different than 400 VOLT bulbs.

Dank--I run 1000W HPS lighting. I have both 120V and 240V ballasts and both ballasts use the same bulbs. I personally have never seen bulbs that were rated for different voltage--it is the ballast that uses different voltage, but the bulbs are all the same.

If you have a light meter you can check to see if it they actually only have a 5% loss of lumens after 2 years...but, I would be surprised if they only lost that much. Logically, it would seem that a bulb that was running at a lower wattage and therefore running cooler may actually outlast a bulb you ran at 100% all the time. I really do not know, but I am thinking that the difference is probably minimal and like I said, most of us here change our bulbs out every 6 months or so.
 
THG, does my T5 have little ballasts? Two bulbs are out and have been replaced new ones but they won't light. Is my T5 toast? I have been running it on 3 bulbs.
 
Rosebud said:
THG, does my T5 have little ballasts? Two bulbs are out and have been replaced new ones but they won't light. Is my T5 toast? I have been running it on 3 bulbs.
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yeah theres a ballast inside the fixture that you can replace and have it running again :)
 
Rose, that sounds like a bad ballast. They are relatively easy to replace. I have done quite a few ballast swaps on T-8 fixtures and I found it very easy to do.
 
The Hemp Goddess said:
LOL--I believe that you have 400 WATT light bulbs--way different than 400 VOLT bulbs.

Dank--I run 1000W HPS lighting. I have both 120V and 240V ballasts and both ballasts use the same bulbs. I personally have never seen bulbs that were rated for different voltage--it is the ballast that uses different voltage, but the bulbs are all the same.

If you have a light meter you can check to see if it they actually only have a 5% loss of lumens after 2 years...but, I would be surprised if they only lost that much. Logically, it would seem that a bulb that was running at a lower wattage and therefore running cooler may actually outlast a bulb you ran at 100% all the time. I really do not know, but I am thinking that the difference is probably minimal and like I said, most of us here change our bulbs out every 6 months or so.
Click to expand...


Gavita pro 650/750 e review EL1 & EL2
Watch that video on YouTube.
The DE bulbs are 1year bulbs. The single ended I have is 2yr bulb.
The bulbs are 400volt which is why they last so long less harmonic distortion or something. my plasmas are originally 7 year bulbs.
 
Thanks.

However does this mean that they are capable of running up to 400v. If you are running 120v, isn't that what the light is getting?

Even if bulbs say they are 2 year, 3 years, etc, bulbs, I change them out regularly.
 
You change them out regularly every 2 years. And they run on 110 or 220. He ballast runs them at 400 volts. You need a 400volt ballast for them to work. Gavita is one of the most dependable ballasts on the market. Watch the video it's equipment porn. The good thing is I get the complete package for 350 $ bulb included. For a top ballast light and reflector you can easily spend 400-500$.
 
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