How long your UV light works before the bulb quits!

[Smaug]

I just used some of my savings to buy clothes and school supplies for 6 kids in the Philippines, would you like to see the pictures?

I use my money to take care of my family and people close to me.

 

[sissy]

Had mine now 3 years and if it does break I am only out 30 dollars not 300 dollars .If you maintain and take care of things they will take care of whatever need they are used for .I bought a house for a needy family here in VA and they pay me 200 dollars a month and don't have to make payment for Christmas and May which is tax time .No interest and no profit to me .A hand up and they have not missed a payment and it has been around 5 years now and they will soon be paid up .They are giving back also by helping the elderly neighbors mow there grass and fix things .I also give to gods pit crew who helps disaster areas here in the U.S. .Besides taking food to my local animal shelter .We all give and take what we can and if buying a 30 dollar uv helps me save money to help others so be it .My fish are not complaining .For a house now maybe that is a whole story in itself .I just know my water tests are good and the self flushing filter and bladder tank I installed are working great .But we are not really talking about a house uv .I think if you change it once a year you are fine and don't touch the bulb itself .It says that on every one of my bulb box's .Use the plastic wrapper on the bulb to install and discard wrapper after .I guess it really depends on how long you use it .

 

[Smaug]

Quality units have a longer useful life then the cheap junk that's flooding the market nowadays. The unit I have for household use has been effective for over 2 years sometimes. Of course I'm going by results of actual bacterial checks as I get my incoming well water tested. I have had the same results for the one I used to have for my pond as well,after 2 years I could tell by the green water returning it was time to change. My pond has apparently matured enough to not need one anymore though.

There ya go Meyer.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Geez, a lot of discussion about the quality of UV units, but no discussion on what the OP asked. "How long does a UV lamp last?"

Did you not read this?

I've been using the same cheap Chinese Jebao UV unit for going on 4 years now with no problems.

I guess about the only thing I can add to that is that I don't have it turned on all the time. Maybe 1 to 2 months out of the year max in the spring and late fall. Obviously keeping the light turned on all the time will reduce it's life span.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I use my money to take care of my family and people close to me.

Me too.

 

[sissy]

Not sure but what my box's say DO NOT TOUCH BULB , is true or not but they put it in big letters on each box

 

[Smaug]

Oils from your touch can cause the gas to fail in that area from high temps.

 

[Smaug]

Well Randy maybe I'll get one of your charity children as an exchange student this year. Brazilian this past school year and a Thai the year before that. Charity begins at home and we do it by being charitable within our own home.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Well Randy maybe I'll get one of your charity children as an exchange student this year. Brazilian this past school year and a Thai the year before that. Charity begins at home and we do it by being charitable within our own home.

Excellent !

 

[Smaug]

I meant to say "glass to fail in that area" not gas.

 

[mgmine]

Good explanation in the difference between uv light bulbs.
http://www.uvsterilizerreview.com/2013/10/actual-uv-c-emission-from-uv-bulb.html

 

[Mucky_Waters]

The basic issue of this discussion of UV quality seems to circle around the lower cost medium pressure bulbs which have a broader UV wavelength vs higher cost low pressure bulbs which have a narrower wavelength. It seems low Pressure lamps emit one single wavelength (254nm), whereas Medium Pressure lamps emit a broad band of wavelengths all over the germicidal UV areas (200 - 415 nm). So which is better?
Here is an article supporting the use of medium pressure units over low pressure units.
Medium Pressure UV Lamps Give More for Less

Personally I can only attest to the fact that my inexpensive medium pressure unit works great for what I use it for, making the water clear. Since it works so well for what I'm using it for, I have to ask what would be the point of spending 3 or 4 times more for another type of UV unit?