yellow XM

[cheeks69]

Hey Matt I got the same exact response from Jason:

"Sometimes you get used to the color and it appears to be not as “white” as before. Your eyes plays tricks on you."

I told him they were brand new and I had read on the boards about the problems with yellow XM's so in his behalf he has contacted hellolights and told them to send me new ones immediately and hellolights has sent me an e-mail confirming so hopefully the replacements will be here soon and I will not have any more problems.

I have the reeffanatic ballast and on those the XM's actually beat the Iwasaki's in PAR so that's why I ordered them

 

[mattseattle]

i guess jason @ xm doesn't want to admit that they have a quality control issue with their bulbs. i thought the eyes play tricks on you excuse was a poor excuse. i know what white lights look like on my tank. i mailed the 2 bulbs back to them with delivery confirmation. i will see what type of turn around they give me as this will determine if i ever purchase from them again.

 

[cheeks69]

He wanted me to send him the bulb also but I told him that my coralvue was too old and I couldn't risk an extended period of time with an old bulb, I'm sure this was going to drag on forever

 

[mattseattle]

well keep me up to date on what happens with your bulbs and i will do the same.

i was anxious to try out the new xm 15ks but after this experience i think i'll pass on XM for a while.

 

[cheeks69]

well keep me up to date

I will hopefully this one will be ok :|

 

[Ed Hahn]

Hey Guys,
I guess I got lucky, knock on wood. I just added two 250 watt XM 10K bulbs. My bulbs are pretty nice bright white/blue.
I am not doubting there are bad bulbs. But mine were good.
Ed

 

[mattseattle]

hey Ed,

Yeah, mine was a nice white/blue for about 2 months then it yellowed. Just keep an eye on it.

 

[cheeks69]

The first pic is the XM and the second is the coralvue12k you can't really tell how yellow the bulb is but it's quite noticeable.

 

[SueT]

I was lucky my first time around with the XM's too. Both fired up and burned into the nice crisp, white color and that lasted for the 12.5 months I let them burn. Then I got bit in the ........ with my second pair.

Robert, that first pic doesn't to me look as yellow as mine did when they went out...maybe it's my eyes playing a trick. :badgrin:

 

[cheeks69]

Do you have a pic Sue ? From the pic it doesn't look very yellow but it is quite noticeable especially when you go from 12k to this

 

[SueT]

Robert, no, sorry I don't have any pics. I'm sure it was like day and night difference to you with this lighting. Mine was so noticable cause I was using 2 lamps over my 120g and one side was beautiful and the other looked horrible. I'd say exactly what it looked like but it's fairly gross.

 

[cheeks69]

I'd say exactly what it looked like but it's fairly gross

:lol: I know what you mean :exclaim:

Sue on your website are the pics are all under the xm 10 k ?

 

[SueT]

Those are old pics and are actually of iwasaki's.

Once I get everything moved and settled in I am going to get some new pics taken...finally. Those will be 10k and hopefully white.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Sue,
I am seeing a difference in my lighting. The Xm Bulb with Hamilton ballast is a bit yellow. I may owe you a appoligy. I am use to blue bulbs though. I am a little confused and wonder I can return the one. Its hard to tell with 400 Radium and other XM with HQI ballast.

 

[mattseattle]

hey Ed - so the XM on the HQI ballast is not yellowish? have you tried switching the XM bulbs? or is one 250 and one 400?

 

[Elmo18]

Ed you did not clarify if you were comparing RADIUMS with 10k XMs on HQI ballast or the 20k XMs....

and this would help with Matt's question after your post....

- Elmo

 

[Ed Hahn]

Matt,
Both of my XM10K bulbs are on 250 watt ballast, one HQI, the other a regular Hamilton Ballast. The 400 watter is a Radium bulb. They all are about a week old.
Ed

 

[mattseattle]

and the XM 10k on the HQI is a nice white/blue and the one on the hamilton ballast is a yellow color? have you tried switching them to see if it's a bulb issue or a ballast issue?

i was running my xm 10k's on a standard pfo ballast and after 2 months they went from white/blue to a yellow almost like a 6.5k. i sent them back last week. jason said they would be performing tests on them monday to see if it was my eyes playing tricks on me or if it was a bulb issue.

 

[SueT]

I seem to be over the hump... Both of mine are still cranking a nice crisp, white/blue and looking good.

Ed, I don't know why you'd say that??

 

[Ed Hahn]

I seem to be over the hump... Both of mine are still cranking a nice crisp, white/blue and looking good.

Ed, I don't know why you'd say that??

Sue,
I thought you said you got bad bulbs earlier, I am sorry. Did your bulbs correct themself later?
Ed