How to clean Philips X-tremeVison HID bulb (1 Viewer)

[kcjaz]

So I got my I'm Philips X-tremeVision (better name might be X-tremeCost), bulbs in the mail today, and like any eager little boy on Christmas morning, I ripped open the package, pulled out the bulb to behold the wonder of a $100 light bulb. Then I realized I was holding the class part with my fingers which is a no no (oil/salt from fingers will cause uneven heating and potentially shorten the life of the bulb). I'm sure I am not to only dumb-a$$ to do have done this. I also wonder, how big of a deal this really is. I assume I can just carefully clean the bulb with rubbing alcohol and let it get bone dry before I install it. Any advice or experience on this?

 

[bloc]

I assume I can just carefully clean the bulb with rubbing alcohol and let it get bone dry before I install it.

Yes. The higher the isopropyl percentage the better.

Even if it doesn't destroy the bulb the skin oils can burn on the surface leaving dark marks that are very difficult to get off.

A long time ago I had a halogen bulb pop from handling, and while a HID lamp is much thicker glass, it is also much higher temperature.