Bad luck with basking lights

[Lelalu]

Hi all,
I've been lurking on here for a while. I got my first tortoise beginning of October. She is an Ibera Greek and about 4 months old. I'm completely smitten and already see myself becoming a "tortoise lady".

I've been having major bad luck with basking lights. I've been using the Exo Terra 75W Intense basking spot light bulbs. When they work, they've been great. My first bulb died within 4 weeks, this second one died in less than 2 months. What is going on? I'm using a ceramic based fixture, it's hanging over the tank, in an area that isn't disturbed except for the occasional nudge from my border collie. I'm using a Zoo med programmable power strip. The reptisun bulb I'm using for UVB is on the same power strip and also hanging right over the tank, and I've had absolutely no problems with that bulb.

Is there something I should try to change? Get a different brand of bulb? Any suggestions???

 

[theelectraco]

How long are they on? How are they placed ( at an angle with a clamp? Flat?) Are you touching the bulbs? I use the Zoo Med intense basking bulb. I have only had my tort for less than two months but I havent had any problems. You will get the most life out of then if you dont touch the bulb itself ( use a glove) and if they are set flat, and not at an angle. Using the clamp usually results in them being angled.

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If left on 12 hrs a day they should be lasting 4-6 months depending on the hour lifetime.

 

[wellington]

Make sure the fixture your are using excepts the wattage of the bulb. That's all I can think of that would make them blow so soon.

 

[Lelalu]

The bulb/fixture is hanging flat from the little zoo med hanger thing, not angled at all. It's on for about 12 hours a day give or take a little bit. I don't touch the bulbs at all after I put them in. I'll double check the fixture to make sure it accepts the wattage, but I'm pretty sure it does. I guess I'll give the zoo med bulbs a shot and see if I have any better luck with them...

 

[LLLReptile]

The bulb/fixture is hanging flat from the little zoo med hanger thing, not angled at all. It's on for about 12 hours a day give or take a little bit. I don't touch the bulbs at all after I put them in. I'll double check the fixture to make sure it accepts the wattage, but I'm pretty sure it does. I guess I'll give the zoo med bulbs a shot and see if I have any better luck with them...

Definitely try the ZooMed bulbs. We use them in our stores, and they typically last quite a while. I have several of my own and on average, they last at least 6 months, with most lasting a year or more. The biggest issue I see with most bulbs is that if you move them while they're hot, or jostle them at all, they burn out much much faster than if they're kept stationary. Since yours are in a lamp stand (I'm guessing that's what you're using to hang the fixture?), that shouldn't be an issue, so it could just be brand.

Lastly, try plugging your fixture into a surge protector if you haven't already. I was trying to determine why some folks have much more trouble with bulb life than others, and turns out after reading on GE's website, the small fluctuations in household electricity that happen normally can sometimes significantly shorten bulb life. For a lot of my customers, just plugging the fixture into a surge protector helped out immensely. Oh! And unplug your fixture, then look in the base of the ceramic part. There should be a little copper tab thing. Pull that out a bit so that it makes a good, solid connection with your bulb. And again, MAKE SURE ITS UNPLUGGED WHEN YOU DO THIS. A poor connection between bulb and fixture will also shorten bulb life, and pulling that tab out a bit so that the bulb firmly pushes it down fixes that problem nicely.

I hope some of that helps!

-Jen

 

[Lelalu]

Thank you for the tips Jen, I will take a look at the copper tab. Can I plug the zoo med programmable power strip into a surge protector?

Yes, a lamp stand is what I'm using, and I've heard before not to jostle them or they will burn out quicker - I have the tank and lamp stand under a side table so that there is very very little chance it will be bothered.

I checked the fixture and it says it's good for up to 150W so that isn't the problem. Although I did get the fixture from craigslist so I can't say there isn't some other thing wrong with it.

Also, what kind of gloves do you mean, theelectraco? Rubber gloves or like winter gloves?

Thank you everyone, I will do pretty much anything to not have to buy a new bulb 6 times a year...

 

[theelectraco]

Latex gloves

 

[wellington]

The bulb/fixture is hanging flat from the little zoo med hanger thing, not angled at all. It's on for about 12 hours a day give or take a little bit. I don't touch the bulbs at all after I put them in. I'll double check the fixture to make sure it accepts the wattage, but I'm pretty sure it does. I guess I'll give the zoo med bulbs a shot and see if I have any better luck with them...

Definitely try the ZooMed bulbs. We use them in our stores, and they typically last quite a while. I have several of my own and on average, they last at least 6 months, with most lasting a year or more. The biggest issue I see with most bulbs is that if you move them while they're hot, or jostle them at all, they burn out much much faster than if they're kept stationary. Since yours are in a lamp stand (I'm guessing that's what you're using to hang the fixture?), that shouldn't be an issue, so it could just be brand.

Lastly, try plugging your fixture into a surge protector if you haven't already. I was trying to determine why some folks have much more trouble with bulb life than others, and turns out after reading on GE's website, the small fluctuations in household electricity that happen normally can sometimes significantly shorten bulb life. For a lot of my customers, just plugging the fixture into a surge protector helped out immensely. Oh! And unplug your fixture, then look in the base of the ceramic part. There should be a little copper tab thing. Pull that out a bit so that it makes a good, solid connection with your bulb. And again, MAKE SURE ITS UNPLUGGED WHEN YOU DO THIS. A poor connection between bulb and fixture will also shorten bulb life, and pulling that tab out a bit so that the bulb firmly pushes it down fixes that problem nicely.

I hope some of that helps!

-Jen

Great tips. You should post a thread with these tips. It would be a good one to keep in the faves. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Vegasarah]

Any kind of gloves work, I actually just use a cloth. The oils from your hands damage the bulb, I think that's what he as getting at.

 

[gregcalverley0327]

You can use normal house bulbs as well I use 100 watt ones to help heat up te enclosure