Lighting/Electric Bill

[jcarlsen]

So I've been reading different posts on this forum and different articles about lighting, and the one thing I haven't seen mentioned a lot is how this affects peoples' energy bills.

So my question is, what is your preferred source of lighting, have you switched from something, and what doesn't use the most electricity?

I'm basically trying to figure out what would be the best lighting to give an adult chameleon (when I finally get one and it comes of age) that is also the most efficient with electric consumption?


Thank you!

 

[Lazy Boy]

I use a 60w basking bulb, a 23w 6500k CFL and a 24" reptisun 5.0 they are 17w. So all my lights are 100w you are way over thinking it.

 

[jcarlsen]

I use a 60w basking bulb, a 23w 6500k CFL and a 24" reptisun 5.0 they are 17w. So all my lights are 100w you are way over thinking it.

Sounds good. Any opinion or experience with a Mercury Vapor Bulb? The idea of condensing everything at the top into one fixture is tempting...

 

[Mike Fisher]

I switch to all LED basking bulbs in the summer when mine don't need a bunch of extra heat. I keep montane. Still, my rack setup uses 1000+ watts. So, yeah, like running a space heater for 12 hours a day. About a $75 a month hit. Once babies start hatching it will double that. In the 90's I had a setup that used over 10,000 watts. The DEA showed up in the middle of the night and decided to tear the door off. All they had to do was knock first for the free tour.

 

[Mike Fisher]

Sounds good. Any opinion or experience with a Mercury Vapor Bulb? The idea of condensing everything at the top into one fixture is tempting...

Metal halides were popular for awhile. There are better choices today. T5HO for full spectrum.

 

[xephyr17]

I switch to all LED basking bulbs in the summer when mine don't need a bunch of extra heat. I keep montane. Still, my rack setup uses 1000+ watts. So, yeah, like running a space heater for 12 hours a day. About a $75 a month hit. Once babies start hatching it will double that. In the 90's I had a setup that used over 10,000 watts. The DEA showed up in the middle of the night and decided to tear the door off. All they had to do was knock first for the free tour.

I didn't think LED's would give off that much heat.

What'd they do--shut you down?? Lol

 

[jcarlsen]

I switch to all LED basking bulbs in the summer when mine don't need a bunch of extra heat. I keep montane. Still, my rack setup uses 1000+ watts. So, yeah, like running a space heater for 12 hours a day. About a $75 a month hit. Once babies start hatching it will double that. In the 90's I had a setup that used over 10,000 watts. The DEA showed up in the middle of the night and decided to tear the door off. All they had to do was knock first for the free tour.

Holy crap! Hank Schrader and the chameleon patrol…hah

 

[Mike Fisher]

I didn't think LED's would give off that much heat.

Yes, that is the point. The species I keep need to stay cool in the summer.

What'd they do--shut you down?? Lol

When you use that much electricity, the power company flags you for investigation. The police then surveillance you and when they see full spectrum lighting and greenery through the basement windows, they get the DEA involved. If the evidence is enough to convince a judge to issue a search warrant, they break down your door.

 

[junglefries]

I have ten T5 Ho dual bi-linear 36" 39w hoods, two 48" T8 dual bi-linear hoods, two T5 36" 21w dual bi-linear hoods, 16 basking bulbs @ 25w each. One 18" T8 bulb on a turtle tank. Various lights used here and there for babies when needed. Electric bill is $94-104 every month, depending on A/C unit. The T5 HO makes all the difference in the world.

 

[junglefries]

When you use that much electricity, the power company flags you for investigation. The police then surveillance you and when they see full spectrum lighting and greenery through the basement windows, they get the DEA involved. If the evidence is enough to convince a judge to issue a search warrant, they break down your door.

Apparently, breeding Burmese pythons can bring 'em also. Anyone, who knows me, knows that I am the world's biggest cave dweller. No one EVER comes to my house, heck, I don't even keep my doorbell plugged in. A little recon, could have saved them some embaressment. They still tore my house apart. Found a whopping $1.00 . A whole single dollar bill. Probably paid for the whole investigation. What proud parents they must have.

 

[Mike Fisher]

They still tore my house apart. Found a whopping $1.00 . A whole single dollar bill. Probably paid for the whole investigation. What proud parents they must have.

Not sure why they would be looking for money in your case. In mine, the DEA was looking for a grow room, which is the obvious conclusion they come to when you use that much electricity. All they found was a bunch of reptiles. If they would have checked with the state business registry, it would have saved them a lot of trouble. At that time, "Mike Fisher Reptiles" had been a registered business for many years at that address.

 

[Mike Fisher]

I'm basically trying to figure out what would be the best lighting to give an adult chameleon (when I finally get one and it comes of age) that is also the most efficient with electric consumption?


Thank you!

To get back to this, LED is the most efficient, but gives off no UVB and also does not give off enough heat for basking for most species. But if all you need is some extra lumens, it does a great job.

T5HO is pretty much the preferred choice for full spectrum UVB and is way more efficient than the old T12 shop light tubes. Make sure you get a fixture with a good reflector and it is even more efficient. Look those up at www.lightyourreptiles.com The quality of the lights and fixtures is really good.

For basking, no way around the old inefficient incandescent. It is exactly what is needed because the inefficiency creates heat, which is what you need in a basking bulb. One thing that helps is to put a dimmer ahead of the bulb so that you can dial in the amount of heat needed. It also will extend the life of the bulb even if you only dim it down say 10%, that bulb will last much longer. So get a higher wattage bulb than you need and run it dim and it will last a long time.

Good luck.