Do HPS Bulbs Age When NOT Used?

I have a 400-watt HPS bulb around here somewhere. It was only used for a relatively short time (I'd estimate less than 200 hours - but certainly less than 400). At that point, I shut down and packed it away. That was several years ago.

Can I reasonably expect this bulb to perform as well as it would have if the time had not passed and, instead of using it again now, I'd simply fired it up the very next day?

I know that there's degradation from use. But what about a bulb that has minimal hours but was then stored for, IDK, four years afterwards? Would it perform the same as it did when I put it away?
 
It depends on the storage method and envoirment. I'm going to go on a limb and say it shouldn't effect the performance too much if it was well taken care of but I'd still get a meter and measure the output.
 
If I could afford a decent (or even a crappy) light meter, lol, I'd just go buy a new bulb.

Your opinion is the same as mine. I'll hang onto the bulb and - cautiously - assume it's still worth using (thanks!).
 
No problem. Sorry it wasn't a more "scientific" answer.

I usually keep a log of how long my equipment runs that way I have some expectation of it's performance.

I'd try hooking it up and running it for a few hours and see what it looks like.
 
I'm sure it looks fine to the naked eye. By the time we notice such things, the performance has dropped off markedly.

I was very good about taking notes. But when I got paranoid (and, years before, when a soon-to-be-ex spouse asked me to quit growing), I destroyed all the records/data shortly after giving away everything I owned that had anything to do with cannabis. (BtW, don't ever do that, lol!)
 
I have a 400-watt HPS bulb around here somewhere. It was only used for a relatively short time (I'd estimate less than 200 hours - but certainly less than 400). At that point, I shut down and packed it away. That was several years ago.

Can I reasonably expect this bulb to perform as well as it would have if the time had not passed and, instead of using it again now, I'd simply fired it up the very next day?

I know that there's degradation from use. But what about a bulb that has minimal hours but was then stored for, IDK, four years afterwards? Would it perform the same as it did when I put it away?

I'm trying to think what might age an HPS bulb when it's turned off. Leaky seals? Electrode corrosion? Anything I can think up seems absolutely trivial compared to the conditions in an operating bulb. I don't know for certain, but I'd be willing to be that you could leave an HPS bulb on a shelf for 100 years in a cool, dry place and it would light right up at the same intensity as when you turned it off.
 
Again, that matches my opinion. Thanks.

No... dissenting opinions, anyone?
 
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