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Thread: Lighting fixtures

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    73

    Default Lighting fixtures

    Ok I know the bulbs I want to use I think. But I have no clue on what fixtures to get. The more I look the more confused I get. I read somewhere the fixture should support twice the wattage of the bulb, but is that for any type of lighting or certain ones? One of my bigget issues is that room gets so hot in the summer that i need to try to limit heat caused by lighting inside Bobby's enclosure. I really don't want to cook him. If needed I'll be adding heat sources in the winter. As it is I'll be putting in some ventilation fans for summer.

    I'm looking at three types of lighting to be set up on timers.

    Metal halide UVB external balast from reptileuv for my main basking area. My second choice is the 60Watt MVB EB for the UVB. My problem, I have never used external ballast and don't know what fixture to get for the lights. how to connect fixture to ballast and all that. The Metal Halide I'm looking at is the 70 watt par38 comes with the bulb and ballast but no fixture? I know I'll need something with a ceramic base but beyond that I'm clueless on wattage wiring and all that.

    I'm gonna want 2 4' full spectrum lights for the main lighting. I don't need uvb on these as that is taken care of with the metal halide or MVB in the main basking area. This is more to brighten up the the enclosure. I'll be mounting them on the inside top of the enclosure so can't have the vents on the top of them. This linear type lighting confuses me again because of wattage and bulb sizes, does it matter if they're covered or not. I've seen plant light fixtures that look like they would work but again I feel lost on this. I've been seeing T12 bulbs T8, T5. If i'm understanding correct the T12 is an older style? Sounds like they are bigger bulbs as well.

    I'll want a non uvb basking area and a uvb basking area. Looking at compact flourescent type lighting for both and possibly heat projectors for them as well.

    It would be much easier if you could get the bulbs you want to come with fixtures. Maybe I'm missing something though and making this a lot harder than it should be.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    1,444

    Default

    You should read ReptileUV's webpage for the Metal Halide bulbs carefully. http://www.reptileuv.com/megaray-metal-halide-uvb.php If you have any questions as to how to use them you should contact them directly. This sounds like a very powerful and possibly dangerous bulb if used improperly.
    1.1 Blue Tegus, 1.1 Cuban Rock Iguanas
    1.1 Bearded Dragons, 0.1 Veiled Chameleon
    0.1 Columbian Boa, 1.0 Ball Python, 0.0.1 Corn

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    73

    Default

    Yeah I talked to Bob there at ReptileUV and got the distances, heat issues, positioning and all that figured out. We got interrupted before I could ask about the fixtures for them. I'll probably call back. While reading the research info on it I noticed it may need a special fixture to handle the metal halide. But since they don't sell fixtures I'm not sure if he'll reccomend anything. One of my problems is trying to find the fixtures online. Unfortunately I'm not able to do the physical shopping around for them.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    new jersey
    Posts
    55

    Default

    I had a custom enclosure built and i am using the megaray bulbs. lowes or home depot sells the ceramic fixture for about $1.98 each. I put 2 fixtures front to back for the megaray and a 36 inch fixture on the cooler side for light. it is almost too much light. total cost of my fixtures were $18.00 plus bulbs.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    73

    Default

    How large is your enclosure, ageber?
    I'm looking at external ballast bulbs due to possible heat issues in the summer where I live. I've heard they run a little cooler than the self ballasted. I want to try to control the heat with other heat sources. I may stick with the MVB just because I'm a little more sure of the fixtures, still not sure on the wiring yet.

    The part that worries me about the metal halide is the vague (to me) information on the fixture for it.

    "The lamp can be used in any suitable lamp holder with a heatresistant ceramic fixture rated as suitable for a metal halide lamp; in practice this means a lamp holder with good terminal connections and fairly short lead, as these lamps require an
    extremely high voltage starting pulse from the ballast."

    Since I know next to nothing about electricity and wiring I'm not completely sure what I'm looking for.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

    Default

    I would call reptileuv and ask for suggestions. My Power Suns are in ceramic fixtures...that's all I know, lol! But that's a totally different ballgame.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    73

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by laurarfl View Post
    But that's a totally different ballgame.
    Thats what I thought when I started looking into it. If I go with the MVB all I need is the ceramic fixture.

    Either way I still need to figure out how the fixture connects to the ballast. Is it a regular plug like into the wall or a special one? For that I'll definitely be calling them again. I'm just putting it off for a bit while I work on the rest of the cage.

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