So I had an issue with some bulbs I had bought from a LFS that is no longer in buisness. I had bought a couple BLV 400W SE bulbs and when I tried to use one it burned for an hour then shifted color and went out. There were some white streaks left in the glass and it would not re light.
I had been trying to contact BLV for a couple weeks with no luch to see if they could replace it and finally got a response from a Ushio Rep in CA today. After submitting so many inquaries to BLV they finally forwarded on to Ushio and I did not expect what I was told.
Turns out BLV has no authorized distributors in the US and they come in on the grey market with no warranty form BLV or Ushio (Ushio owns BLV). The rep from Ushio in the best interest of the company said he would replace the bulb that wasn't working as well as the one I have been using for the last month with new Ushio bulbs. WOW didn't expect that service!
So to recap never buy BLV bulbs as they are manufactured specifiically for Europe and have no warranty in the USA, and Ushio rocks!!!
I had been trying to contact BLV for a couple weeks with no luch to see if they could replace it and finally got a response from a Ushio Rep in CA today. After submitting so many inquaries to BLV they finally forwarded on to Ushio and I did not expect what I was told.
Turns out BLV has no authorized distributors in the US and they come in on the grey market with no warranty form BLV or Ushio (Ushio owns BLV). The rep from Ushio in the best interest of the company said he would replace the bulb that wasn't working as well as the one I have been using for the last month with new Ushio bulbs. WOW didn't expect that service!
So to recap never buy BLV bulbs as they are manufactured specifiically for Europe and have no warranty in the USA, and Ushio rocks!!!