Alcohol and bulbs ???

Discussion in 'First Time Marijuana Growers' started by Numbnutts, Mar 2, 2013.

  1. #1 Numbnutts, Mar 2, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 2, 2013
    What do you guys think. I have hps bulbs and I know greasy hands can fuck em hard core so is it ok to wipe em down with alcohol? ISO 70% or is there some sort if film on them that breaks down thanks in a mace guys.

    Unless your advice makes my bulbs blow up. Lol JK thanks
     
  2. After messing with my hps bulbs, cleaning fiddling replacing..I always wipe them down with alcohol and a kitchen tissue, just to remove greasy fingerprints, that the glass can absorb the oils, weaken glass, is done by movie makers for the same reason, while you are at it, wipe a smear of Vaseline on the screw end, just to ensure you can get it out again in months to come.

    "V"
     
  3. I've been wiping my bulbs down with ISO for years. It's the way to go to remove finger oils from the bulb's surface.

    wak
     
  4. I clean my bulb and the cooltube once a week with iso and a paper towel. lots of dust builds up on there and blocks some light.

    mj:smoking:
     
  5. Awesome thanks guys. I noticed when I went into the room to start everything there was a good bit of dust everywhere so I cleaned everything except the bulbs I thought maybe if the hands can break down whatever film is on em I thought maybe alcohol would too ..
    Thanks guys now I can go finish by cleaning the bulbs. We use alcohol to wipe everything at my work I just never wiped bulbs down before
     
  6. Its glass, use anything you would use on normal glass that leaves no residue and you will be fine. ISO alcohol is fine. Windex is fine.

    The only reason to wipe a bulb is if its dirty, the grease on your hands does not hamper the light going through so no need to fiddle if its just for that.

    If people tell you not to touch the bulbs they are talking quartz based not glass. With glass your fine :) Our HPS's should all be glass bulbs.

    My HPS bulb does not have a coating, atleast not stated on the package. Just glass. What kind of film does your bulb have on it?
     

  7. Honestly I don't think there's any film on it so to speak. I just was thinking about how when I make iso it breaks all that shit down and people are always saying never get greasy hands on the bulb. So I just assumed alcohol being harsher than greasy hands might mess it up. Thanks for the reply I figured I was being paranoid but just wanted to be safe since these bulbs cost more than the light fixtures running them lol
     
  8. If you google for information about hand oil and HPS bulbs and all that you can find out some neat info :) Most people are completly misinformed when it comes to what will break glass down. I know I was :p

    And I know what you mean :( 110 dollar bulb costs more than the whole kit (ballast, wiring and all that did)
     
  9. Ya know, my dad worked at a power plant for 35 years and he told me that wiping down HPS or MH bulbs isn't necessary. As stated before, it's important to clean with quartz glass, but not regular glass bulbs.

    I don't wipe mine down after I put them in, and I never have any issues. I think it's suggested due to a misconception more than anything.

    I've actually accidentally let some parachord sit on a bulb and melt onto the bulb and there weren't any problems. Shit was hard to get off, but didn't make the bulb break or anything.

    I think the main concept that makes glass bulbs break is uneven heating. If you've got something on the bulb that makes one area of the glass warm significantly slower than the rest, the thermal expansion could cause the glass to break.
     
  10. From the man himself p179 (Cervantas) Marijuana Horticulture Bible, and from what most growers would describe as ''common sense'' lol
     

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  11. This is why I clean mine, electricity is expensive

    mj:smoking:
     

  12. Well that settles that. Alcohol it is. I always figured its ok but didn't want to chic it without some input.
     

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