Can't get basking temp right...

lizcrespo93

Member
When Camilo had a reptile brand heat bulb he was in the low 90s, and given the advice that it should be less than 85 degrees I got him a 60 watt equivalent incandescent bulb and the temp was reading 80. Then I got a 100 watt bulb to see if I could raise the temp a bit and it was making it way to hot. So now i'm back on a 60 watt lightbulb and it is reading in the 70s!! I am so frustrated I can't get the right temperature! Can someone give some brand names of the bulbs you use to heat your chams? Or any tips on getting the temp just right? Thanks
 
When Camilo had a reptile brand heat bulb he was in the low 90s, and given the advice that it should be less than 85 degrees I got him a 60 watt equivalent incandescent bulb and the temp was reading 80. Then I got a 100 watt bulb to see if I could raise the temp a bit and it was making it way to hot. So now i'm back on a 60 watt lightbulb and it is reading in the 70s!! I am so frustrated I can't get the right temperature! Can someone give some brand names of the bulbs you use to heat your chams? Or any tips on getting the temp just right? Thanks
Can’t you get like a 75 watt or something?? You can just use a normal incandescent bulb tbh. I’m sure you can order the right watt of a normal bulb online.
 
Yeah sounds like you need to be in the middle. Make sure the incandescent your buying are not energy efficient. These actually are reduced in wattage. For example it will say 60 watt but uses 43 watts. I have found that the light is as bright as a 60 but the heat output is that of a 40 watt.

I use these and love them. I can not get incandescent in CA.

Screen Shot 2020-08-24 at 3.44.35 PM.png
 
Yeah sounds like you need to be in the middle. Make sure the incandescent your buying are not energy efficient. These actually are reduced in wattage. For example it will say 60 watt but uses 43 watts. I have found that the light is as bright as a 60 but the heat output is that of a 40 watt.

I use these and love them. I can not get incandescent in CA.

View attachment 275539
Florida is the same. Everything is LED now ?
 
Yeah sounds like you need to be in the middle. Make sure the incandescent your buying are not energy efficient. These actually are reduced in wattage. For example it will say 60 watt but uses 43 watts. I have found that the light is as bright as a 60 but the heat output is that of a 40 watt.

I use these and love them. I can not get incandescent in CA.

View attachment 275539
That's what my problem seems to be. It only uses 40 watts of the supposed 60 because it is energy saving. but i went out and got a probe digital thermometer and the temp seems to be steady at 85 so it seems my gun was giving a wrong reading. I will leave it as is and will continue to monitor the temps. Thank you!
 
That's what my problem seems to be. It only uses 40 watts of the supposed 60 because it is energy saving. but i went out and got a probe digital thermometer and the temp seems to be steady at 85 so it seems my gun was giving a wrong reading. I will leave it as is and will continue to monitor the temps. Thank you!
Ohhh yeah temp guns are no bueno for ambient air temps they only measure the surface temp of things. :eek: I did not realize that what how you were taking the temp sorry hun.
 
When Camilo had a reptile brand heat bulb he was in the low 90s, and given the advice that it should be less than 85 degrees I got him a 60 watt equivalent incandescent bulb and the temp was reading 80. Then I got a 100 watt bulb to see if I could raise the temp a bit and it was making it way to hot. So now i'm back on a 60 watt lightbulb and it is reading in the 70s!! I am so frustrated I can't get the right temperature! Can someone give some brand names of the bulbs you use to heat your chams? Or any tips on getting the temp just right? Thanks

There are two basic variables in establishing basking areas:
  1. Source (bulb) output (wattage)
  2. Distance from bulb to basking site
Have you tried lowering the 60 watt or raising the 100 watt?

If the bulb is in a dome fixture or any aim-able fixture, angling it (instead of directly overhead) can help adjust basking temps and provide a gradient (warm side/cool side) to basking sites as well.
 
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