bulb or ballast problem?

[DMK]

my MH bulbs are overdue for being changed. they're 18 month old geiseman megachrome 14.5K 250W, run off of a PFO dual HQI ballast. in past few weeks i've noticed 1 bulb either take up to 20 min after other comes on, before it lights up, or out of nowhere 1 bulb just shuts off and then comes back on within a few minutes. is this a sign of old bulbs ready to go or a ballast problem? all equipment only 3 years old, and it good shape, kept clean and dry and free of salt. i hope it's just a sign of old bulbs.

 

[DMK]

anyone...:rollface: ?

 

[Zaphod]

IMO I would say it is the bulb. But I have only had MH for less than a year but typicly people change bulbs after 12 months. It just makes more sense the bulb is more fragile and suseptible to damage.

 

[supertech3]

You could try swapping the bulbs to opposite sockets to see if the bulb acts the same in the other socket? But you still need new bulbs!