UVB TUBE LIGHT?

TaylorTortoise

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Hello,
Do the UVB 10.0 tubes produce heat like regular bulbs? This came about my mind and I am curious 0_o
I know the uvb tubes are much better than coil because coil can emit uvc instead of uvb and burn reptile/s skin,eyes, etc.
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
Hello,
Do the UVB 10.0 tubes produce heat like regular bulbs? This came about my mind and I am curious 0_o
I know the uvb tubes are much better than coil because coil can emit uvc instead of uvb and burn reptile/s skin,eyes, etc.
Fluorescent tubes do emit some heat. Not at all as much as an incandescent light bulb, and more than an LED, which emits very little heat at all. But a fluorescent tube will emit enough heat to heat a well insulated closed chamber. It is not enough heat to create the correct basking zone for a tortoise, so additional incandescent bulb is needed for that purpose.

The % of UVB the bulb is emitting is not going to make a difference in heat. 6% vs 10% or 12%. However, the T8 bulbs run cooler than the T5 HO bulbs. A T8 optimally burns at about 100° while a T5 is in the 125° range. So in a closed chamber I find a T5 will produce about 2x the difference in overall heat than a T8.
 

TaylorTortoise

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Fluorescent tubes do emit some heat. Not at all as much as an incandescent light bulb, and more than an LED, which emits very little heat at all. But a fluorescent tube will emit enough heat to heat a well insulated closed chamber. It is not enough heat to create the correct basking zone for a tortoise, so additional incandescent bulb is needed for that purpose.

The % of UVB the bulb is emitting is not going to make a difference in heat. 6% vs 10% or 12%. However, the T8 bulbs run cooler than the T5 HO bulbs. A T8 optimally burns at about 100° while a T5 is in the 125° range. So in a closed chamber I find a T5 will produce about 2x the difference in overall heat than a T8.
so a 10.0 uvb tube light will emit some heat but not as nearly as much as a coil bulb?
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
so a 10.0 uvb tube light will emit some heat but not as nearly as much as a coil bulb?
Coil bulbs are useless for tortoises. Not enough UVB to be of any help at any reasonable distance for a tortoise. Also, off-brand foreign made can actually be emitting some UVC.

But to answer your question about heat, they would put out less heat than a T8
 

TaylorTortoise

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Coil bulbs are useless for tortoises. Not enough UVB to be of any help at any reasonable distance for a tortoise. Also, off-brand foreign made can actually be emitting some UVC.

But to answer your question about heat, they would put out less heat than a T8
What is a T8?
 

TaylorTortoise

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Coil bulbs are useless for tortoises. Not enough UVB to be of any help at any reasonable distance for a tortoise. Also, off-brand foreign made can actually be emitting some UVC.

But to answer your question about heat, they would put out less heat than a T8
Why is it that coil bulbs do not produce enough but uvb tubes do?
 

TaylorTortoise

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2020
Messages
1,461
Location (City and/or State)
Abington
Any suggestions on how high a 10.0 tube needs to be from enclosure top?
it will be for a hatchling. Or is a 5.0 tube recommended. My enclosure is a raised garden table bed. About 10 inches high from the substrate to the top.
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
What is a T8?
Fluorescent tubes that you generally see available now are either T8 OR T5 tubes. There used to be T12 tubes, but those are mostly obsolete now. The T8 is a simple designation indicating the type and size of bulb. The "T" stands for Tube style bulb. The number is based upon the diameter of the tube. The number is 1/8s of an inch. So a T8 bulb is a long tube style bulb that is 1" in diameter.
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
Why is it that coil bulbs do not produce enough but uvb tubes do?
Thet are made differently but use the same basic technology. The wattage does a lot to control the amount of energy used in the tube. A coil tube is using less energy and putting out less energy. The shape of the coil also leave less surface area emitting light and UV in the desired direction. A long, straight tube is more efficient for the basking zone we want.
 

New Posts

Top