Sealed enclosure lighting question

Rarisden

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Dec 16, 2019
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Ft. Eustis Virginia
Hello,
As I'm setting up my red foots indoor winter enclosure I had a question about UVB lighting. It is a sealed enclosure and I am worried about the effects of condensation on the UVB tube and fixture. Does anyone have any experience with this? Am I worried over nothing? As of right now the humidity is good but there is a lot of condensation on the ceiling of the enclosure. Any advice is welcome. Thank you.
 

Markw84

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You should have no issue with moisture and a decent fluorescent fixture if installed properly. You don't want water dripping onto the ends of the fisture. A good reptile fixture should be sealed from moisture above. Don't mount the fixture directly to the ceiling. Condensation forms when there is a difference in temperature between the surface and the humid air. When we have a closed chamber at 90% humidity in a cooler room, the walls/ceiling/doors of the enclosure will be cooler than the inside humid air. This will cause condensation to form on those surfaces just like on a cold glass of your favorite drink! If the fixtures is hung a few inches from the ceiling of the enclosure, it will stay about the same temp as the air around it. Warmer when on. You also will want to hang it so you can adjust the height to get the proper UV levels anyway.
 

Tom

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Hello,
As I'm setting up my red foots indoor winter enclosure I had a question about UVB lighting. It is a sealed enclosure and I am worried about the effects of condensation on the UVB tube and fixture. Does anyone have any experience with this? Am I worried over nothing? As of right now the humidity is good but there is a lot of condensation on the ceiling of the enclosure. Any advice is welcome. Thank you.
I've been running all the heating and lighting inside closed chambers for decades now. No problems to report.
 

Rarisden

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Joined
Dec 16, 2019
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Location (City and/or State)
Ft. Eustis Virginia
Great. Thank you for the answers. I was going to mount the UVB tube away from the ceiling anyway. I'll go get started now. Thank you again for your input.
 
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