bulb problem

[roachpunk]

im getting REALLY tired of buying $7 bulbs every week. I buy those basking spot lamps reptile bulbs from zoomed (the ones in the whie boxes with reptiles on all four sides.) and they stop working about a week or 2 later. I go to turn on a light and I hear a pop and its broke, this is getting really expensive, wat do i do? wat bulbs do u all use?
[addsig]

[Fatboymike]

I get Mine at Home Depot, they say on the box that they are good for reptiles
they are a bit brighter than the zoomed bulbs but I dont think that's a problem
seeing that it is infrared. Oh by the way it says they are good for 5000 hours
on the box. This is the first one I put in after going through bulbs at an
alarming rate and so far so good it's been 2 months now

Mike
[addsig]

[SteveP]

Check the wattage on both the bulbs and the fixture. If the fixture isn't rated for the wattage of bulb your using that could be the problem. Even if the fixture is rated for 250 w and you only put in a 75 w bulb, it'll shorten the life dramatically, so you want to be at least somewhat close to the rated wattage. You particularly don't want the bulb to be greatly higher in wattage than the fixture will handle. I've used ZooMeds in the past and had them last a long time, but the fixture and bulb gotta be compatable. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

_________________
Nature...the original Master Planned Community!

[Ed_r]

Just FYI when you replace the bulbs are you touching the area thats shines the light with your fingers? I know in automotive bulbs if you touch them on the glass surface with your fingers, the oil from your fingertips collects on the bulb. The oil gets hot and causes the bulb to fail prematurely. I use Zoomed bulbs too, and noticed that they do have the shortest lifespan of all the bulbs I have used, but mine usually last 5-6 months. In comparison I have had the same CHEs for 3 years of constant use, and they are fine still. Definately worth the money if your stricly using the bulb for heat.

NOTE with CHEs they get incredibly hot!!! I have actually had instances where I have taken the CHEs out and replaced them with bulbs. After installing the bulbs they burnt up the light fixture. It seems the CHEs melt the contacts to the CHE and when you remove them it breaks the fixture. They seem to weld themselves to the contacts.
[addsig]

	Ceramic Heat Emitter Ceramic Heat Emitter: A porcelain heating device that screws into a standard porcelain incandescent socket

[roachpunk]

>>I get Mine at Home Depot, they say on the box that they are good for reptiles
>>they are a bit brighter than the zoomed bulbs but I dont think that's a problem
>>seeing that it is infrared. Oh by the way it says they are good for 5000 hours
>> on the box. This is the first one I put in after going through bulbs at an
>>alarming rate and so far so good it's been 2 months now
>>
>>Mike


thanx 4 the replies evry1. I, way too poor to be spendin $25 on bulbs tho. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] whats the box look like/called. I went all up and down and never found anything that said great for reptiles, i did see these plant lights that say "mimics natural sunlight" would that work?
[addsig]

[SteveP]

If you're using the bulb just for heat, you don't need the cost of a grow light. If you need it for a reptile requiring UV (i.e., lizards) they won't work because they don't supply any UV rays, despite claiming 'mimicing natural sunlight'.

660 watts!!! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] Holy cow Batman, that'd cook a Tyrannosaurus in short order!!! What Ed r said is true, particularly for very high watt bulbs. If you touch them with your fingers make sure you wipe off your finger prints (i.e., skin oils). Learned that the hard way years ago with a projector bulb!!! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[RoYaL_619]

yea, i just replced my zoomed bulb. i bought about a week ago. in the past few month i prob. replaced 10 or so bulb getting costly. i went to home dopot couldn't find the right one. whats the name and brand of the bulbs you got at home dopot. i only found one that was 250 watts. to much for what i need? [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]
[addsig]

[morti]

I generally use common, ordinary household lightbulbs for all of my reptile lighting needs. None of the "Reptile Bulbs" that you can find out there actually provide uv except for the Really expensive UV bulbs, and I only use them for species that require UV like my bearded dragon.

And as far as the wattage goes, get a higher wattage bulb (100-150 should do it) and put it on a dimmer switch. That way you can more accurately control the heat.

Have fun!

-Morti.
[addsig]

[onewyr1180]

Here is a little light class.

The only lights that are sensitive to the oil on your had ar halogen bulbs the oil creats a consentrated hot spot causing the bulb to fail. Normal incandecent bulbs does not matter.

Now as far as fixture and bulb wattage goes.

If the fixture says rated for 250 watts you can still use a 60 watt bulb in that fixture. Were you run into problems is when you put a 75 watt bulb into a fixture rated for 60 watts.

all the wattage rating on fixture means is that the contacts and the material are only capable of handling the heat from a bulb that is no more than the rating on the fixture.

there you go.

class dismissed

[Diablo]

i use Pearlco ceramic bulbs from www.beanfarm.com . and use an 18" flourecent light from W-mart. it was like 7 buck for the fixture and bulb.

[Ace]

also use a ceramic fixture, they burn out bulbs less and are less of a fire hazard.

[onewyr1180]

the link you posted didn't work

[onewyr1180]

another thing that causes bulbs to burnout quicker is turning off and on. the filament in a bulb gets week every time you turn a bulb on and off the constant heating up and cooling down is what causes them to burn out. I use infrared bulbs 24/7 and a 24 inch flouresent on a timer for acctual light . flouresent lights can withstand the constant on/off better than an incandesent

[Diablo]

Originally Posted by onewyr1180

the link you posted didn't work

Works Now

[CheshireCat]

W