MVB Issues...

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
Hey guys! Hope your all having a nice day.
So I purchased an MVB instead of getting separate bulbs, as this has been repeatedly recommended to me.

I'm actually really happy with the bulb, the quality is great and I'm not sure if I'm benefitting from the UVB myself haha but I certainly feel less seasonally affected! (We have long, dark winters here in England & it can be depressing!)

My issue is the 80W lamp I purchased does not seem to be getting hot enough.
I have it fitted about 10 inches (if that!) from the top of LD's enclosure. At first, I thought it was cooling down throughout the day, as others seemed to have that issue online. Now though, after using my digital thermometer to investigate properly, I can see it's not reaching the 100-110F temps that LD needs and enjoys! (She basked under the 100W normal bulb a lot more!)

Anyways, has anyone had this issue before with the Arcadia MVB? Or any MVB's?
I want to buy the 100W MVB but it's not cheap & if it gets too hot, then it's useless to me =\

G :)
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,405
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Lights are different in the UK??? I've never heard of an 80watt mercury vapor bulb. Smallest I've heard of is 100 watt. I'm wondering if what you bought was really a mercury vapor bulb. Can we see a picture?
 

jaizei

Unknown Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
9,056
Location (City and/or State)
Earth
Lights are different in the UK??? I've never heard of an 80watt mercury vapor bulb. Smallest I've heard of is 100 watt. I'm wondering if what you bought was really a mercury vapor bulb. Can we see a picture?

Arcadia makes an 80W; there's also a 70W Mega-ray. Those are the only ones I would really trust. Most other MVB below 100w are questionable.
 

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
Hi @Yvonne G
- they must be, I don't know why I opted for the 80W to be honest, do you think it would be worth getting the 100W instead? They cost us £40/$60, which isn't much but I don't want to buy purchase another one if it produces less than 100-110W heat :) ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1450228375.584284.jpg
 

jaizei

Unknown Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
9,056
Location (City and/or State)
Earth
Hey guys! Hope your all having a nice day.
So I purchased an MVB instead of getting separate bulbs, as this has been repeatedly recommended to me.

I'm actually really happy with the bulb, the quality is great and I'm not sure if I'm benefitting from the UVB myself haha but I certainly feel less seasonally affected! (We have long, dark winters here in England & it can be depressing!)

My issue is the 80W lamp I purchased does not seem to be getting hot enough.
I have it fitted about 10 inches (if that!) from the top of LD's enclosure. At first, I thought it was cooling down throughout the day, as others seemed to have that issue online. Now though, after using my digital thermometer to investigate properly, I can see it's not reaching the 100-110F temps that LD needs and enjoys! (She basked under the 100W normal bulb a lot more!)

Anyways, has anyone had this issue before with the Arcadia MVB? Or any MVB's?
I want to buy the 100W MVB but it's not cheap & if it gets too hot, then it's useless to me =\

G :)

That is one of the shortcomings of MVB; you sometimes have to compromise on either UVB or heat. Another option, instead of switching to a 100W and potentially being too hot would be to add another heat source.
 

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
That is one of the shortcomings of MVB; you sometimes have to compromise on either UVB or heat. Another option, instead of switching to a 100W and potentially being too hot would be to add another heat source.
I wondered if that was the case with UVB/combined bulbs. I've always had separate bulbs, this is my first time using an MVB. That's a good idea; I'm going to be buying a CHE & thermostat sometime within the next month. I may have to use the CHE alongside the MVB to get 100-110F & then turn the MVB off at night.
 

SarahChelonoidis

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Messages
1,895
Location (City and/or State)
Toronto, Canada
You said 10 inches from the top of the enclosure? As in 10 inches above the enclosure? You're likely too far away. How from from the substrate is it? Is their a covering between the bulb and the enclosure? Is their a covering over the bulb & the enclosure (the best way to keep heat in)?
 

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
You said 10 inches from the top of the enclosure? As in 10 inches above the enclosure? You're likely too far away. How from from the substrate is it? Is their a covering between the bulb and the enclosure? Is their a covering over the bulb & the enclosure (the best way to keep heat in)?

I have just got the tape measure out :) 9 inches from the bulb to the substrate.
As you can see from this photo, Dorothy is in an open enclosure. I was told when I joined a couple of weeks ago, that covering the sides & top would keep heat and humidity in.

Since then I have tried almost every material I can get my hands on and haven't had much luck. So I have decided to buy a closed chamber in the new year (which will be much bigger than the 4x2 enclosure she is in now!) and I have already started planning an outdoor enclosure for the Summer. I think I may buy a shed for her & fence off half of the garden.

In the mean time though, I'm aware ambient heat will escape & so I'm keeping my central heating on pretty much 24/7. I would expect though (based on experience keeping Russian's in open top enclosures years ago) that the temperature on the substrate directly under the bulb should be reaching maximum. It's just not achieving the level of heat in that spot that I expected =\
 

SarahChelonoidis

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Messages
1,895
Location (City and/or State)
Toronto, Canada
Enclosing the habitat will help substantially. In the mean time, if you can't increase the ambient temperature more, a hotter wattage bulb is needed. 9" is awfully close as is.
 

Alaskamike

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2014
Messages
1,742
Location (City and/or State)
South Florida
Just my ramblings but .....
There are 2 issues with heat in an enclosure , overall air temps, and basking spot. Right now you clearly understand heat escape. And 80 w UVB would easily keep your temps in proper range if you enclose the table. Even plastic wrap can work for this.

I would caution against trying to achieve your basking and ambient temps with a 100w bulb , especially since your distance to top of substrata is only 9". IMO 12"-14" is safer , and even then keeping high humidity ( again need closed chamber ) will help mitigate for the drying out of caprice from the lamp.

Good fortune with your baby. !
 

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
Just my ramblings but .....
There are 2 issues with heat in an enclosure , overall air temps, and basking spot. Right now you clearly understand heat escape. And 80 w UVB would easily keep your temps in proper range if you enclose the table. Even plastic wrap can work for this.

I would caution against trying to achieve your basking and ambient temps with a 100w bulb , especially since your distance to top of substrata is only 9". IMO 12"-14" is safer , and even then keeping high humidity ( again need closed chamber ) will help mitigate for the drying out of caprice from the lamp.

Good fortune with your baby. !

Thank you Mike, I appreciate all opinions and I will take yours into consideration when I upgrade to a closed chamber in the new year. I'm hoping that will fix most of the issues I'm currently having. I will put the bulb up higher too as I don't want to take any risks.
:) G.
 

Anyfoot

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
6,309
Location (City and/or State)
UK Sheffield
Thank you Mike, I appreciate all opinions and I will take yours into consideration when I upgrade to a closed chamber in the new year. I'm hoping that will fix most of the issues I'm currently having. I will put the bulb up higher too as I don't want to take any risks.
:) G.
Can you try it with a shade to direct your heat down instead of everywhere. I used 1 of those bulbs when I first started and had no probs. Or could you use a CHE on a stat along side of that.
Just thoughts. Merry Xmas.
 

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
Can you try it with a shade to direct your heat down instead of everywhere. I used 1 of those bulbs when I first started and had no probs. Or could you use a CHE on a stat along side of that.
Just thoughts. Merry Xmas.

Hey, thank you for your reply :)
I've ordered a second bulb and shade. Hopefully I should now get a gradient temperature of 85 across the enclosure with 105-110 basking :)

Merry Christmas! =D
 

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
Omg, It's been so long since I kept tortoises that I feel like such a beginner again... This is my first African tortoise so I guess I can hide behind 'beginner mistakes' while Lady Dorothy munches on her grass without a care in the world lol. ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1450566904.507378.jpg

I have just measured the temperature with my digital thermometer at shell level, and it's reading 95F. Even though the substrate (moist Orchid Bark) is reading 85F... How did I do this? Using good old fashioned English improvising... (A chocolate box)

So, do I even need a second bulb?
 

Pearly

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1451245703.283660.jpg this is how I "sealed off" the heat/humidity ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1451245751.447219.jpg lamp shade edge is 10-12 inches away from substrate (hills and valleys there, it's not flat) and separate UVB and heat sources have worked very well for me. Until I did closed chamber keeping consistent temps/humidity was a challenge though
 

GeorgeUK

Active Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2015
Messages
153
Location (City and/or State)
United Kingdom
That looks great! I'm planning on something very similar, I'm just waiting for some clear plastic sheeting to arrive that is a lot thicker than the sheeting I already tried.
The MVB is putting out about 95-100 at shell height so I decided against a second bulb.
Ultimately Lady D will be in a closed chamber, it's just a case of getting the plans right, and the size.
I'm keeping her open top enclosure as humid as possible for now :)
 

Lyn W

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
23,497
Location (City and/or State)
UK
Hey guys! Hope your all having a nice day.
So I purchased an MVB instead of getting separate bulbs, as this has been repeatedly recommended to me.

I'm actually really happy with the bulb, the quality is great and I'm not sure if I'm benefitting from the UVB myself haha but I certainly feel less seasonally affected! (We have long, dark winters here in England & it can be depressing!)

My issue is the 80W lamp I purchased does not seem to be getting hot enough.
I have it fitted about 10 inches (if that!) from the top of LD's enclosure. At first, I thought it was cooling down throughout the day, as others seemed to have that issue online. Now though, after using my digital thermometer to investigate properly, I can see it's not reaching the 100-110F temps that LD needs and enjoys! (She basked under the 100W normal bulb a lot more!)

Anyways, has anyone had this issue before with the Arcadia MVB? Or any MVB's?
I want to buy the 100W MVB but it's not cheap & if it gets too hot, then it's useless to me =\

G :)
Hi George - Aldi sometime do rolls of foiled insulation (can't remember exactly what its called) but you could just cover the top with some aluminium foil for now to see how that affects temps and experiment with some of the sides too - but you don't want to turn it into an oven and cook her so check temps carefully!! I use a wide dome shade with my 80w as I read here that deep domes could cause the bulbs to overheat and burn out quickly. I bought mine from The Range £25.
 
Last edited:
Top