Powersun uv?

[coldsweat97527]

Just wanted to see what everyone thinks about useing a 160w "powersun UV" as lighting for my chams i have talked to a couple people that suggest them and i currently have one over my girlfriends panther cage and he seems to be ok with it. from what i have read it is supposed to produce all the lighting they need and last for up to a year? and to make it even better a year warranty seems like a good deal cause from what i understand most other lights only last about 6 months.. any imput is appreciated

Thank You

Jamie

 

[Thompson]

I was told to not use them. They give out to much uvb. Just stick with the safe and well known 5.0 uvb bulb.

 

[hun73r]

I use one on my panther cage for a couple of reasons:

1. The light produced by the 5.0 tube bulb was not providing enough light throughout the cage for my plants to thrive.

2. My cham was not eating well and did not seem to be as active as I thought he should be.

Many people on the forum warn against these bulbs for producing too much UVB but the research I have done just does not match up to that. They Mercury Vapor UVB bulbs are used very successfully by commercial breeders and zoos around the nation.

You might want to consider a little lower wattage due to the heat that is produced. I am using a 125 watt on a 48"x24"x24" enclosure and my basking spot with the lamp about 15" about the screen is about 87-89 degrees depending on ambient temperature.

You can get a lot of information on them from reptileuv.com and reptileuvinfo.com including graphs for light distance and UV output at those distances.

 

[Carlton]

Just wanted to see what everyone thinks about useing a 160w "powersun UV" as lighting for my chams i have talked to a couple people that suggest them and i currently have one over my girlfriends panther cage and he seems to be ok with it. from what i have read it is supposed to produce all the lighting they need and last for up to a year? and to make it even better a year warranty seems like a good deal cause from what i understand most other lights only last about 6 months.. any imput is appreciated

Thank You

Jamie

They may well produce good light and a source of UV, but there are other concerns. If you are keeping montane species or very young chams the bulbs can produce too much heat which could burn, irritate eyes, or dry out the cage quickly, the light intensity can be a bit much for montanes, and the bulbs have been known to explode if they are hit with water spray from misting. I think there are accounts of the bulbs being a bit fussy and not lasting as long as manufacturer claims.

 

[Dave Weldon]

... i currently have one over my girlfriends panther cage and he seems to be ok with it...

Howdy Jamie,

It sounds like your particular Powersun might be working within a range where it is safe and effective. You'll know more about its actual status for producing proper levels of UVB if you are able to obtain (buy/borrow) a Solarmeter 6.2 UVB meter to insure that it is neither producing too much or too little UVB due to manufacturing inconsistencies or even just being mispositioned. How's the heat level? A 160W Powersun can produce quite a bit of heat at a distance that might be appropriate for proper UVB levels .

A Reptisun 5.0 linear tube will be your safest bet.

Here is more info on the subject: http://www.chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html

 

[morpheon]

Dave pretty much said it all.

The two major concerns about Mercury Vapor bulbs (MVB) are related to heat (usually too much) and UVB production. What is suggested is to buy a solarmeter 6.2 UVB meter. This way, you can make sure your bulb is at the right distance for good UVB exposure, and still have a good idea when it's time to get a new bulb (or get it replaced)!

As far as MVBs, i suggest MegaRay's MVB. So far, i have nothing but good things to say on them. The quality of the lamps, and the customer service is top notch. I even had a broken bulb within a week, and the owner of the business answered my email on january 1st within a few hours! This is hard to beat!

 

[coldsweat97527]

Hey thank you everyone for your help on this issue its porducing a 90 degree basking area about 10 inches away from his branches.. as for the Solarmeter 6.2 UVB meter ill have to work on buyin one. that is the best one to get? or atleast the most useful? i hadnt heard of a uvb meter till i started reading the fourms and all the ones i have looked at are around $200 (dont remember the brand name right now)

Thanks

Howdy Jamie,

It sounds like your particular Powersun might be working within a range where it is safe and effective. You'll know more about its actual status for producing proper levels of UVB if you are able to obtain (buy/borrow) a Solarmeter 6.2 UVB meter to insure that it is neither producing too much or too little UVB due to manufacturing inconsistencies or even just being mispositioned. How's the heat level? A 160W Powersun can produce quite a bit of heat at a distance that might be appropriate for proper UVB levels .

A Reptisun 5.0 linear tube will be your safest bet.

Here is more info on the subject: http://www.chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html

 

[Thompson]

Hey thank you everyone for your help on this issue its porducing a 90 degree basking area about 10 inches away from his branches.. as for the Solarmeter 6.2 UVB meter ill have to work on buyin one. that is the best one to get? or atleast the most useful? i hadnt heard of a uvb meter till i started reading the fourms and all the ones i have looked at are around $200 (dont remember the brand name right now)

Thanks

I'm guessing you have a panther based off your avatar picture. If so, 90 is to hot. Raise the bulb up higher so the basking spot will reach 85 degrees.

 

[coldsweat97527]

yeah i got a panther.. had it at 90 based on what the guy at the reptile shop told me.. cause i had it at 85 and he was havin some shedding problems (a piece of skin stuck above his eye) and i took him to the shop i got him at and the guy told me it was cause he was to cold

I'm guessing you have a panther based off your avatar picture. If so, 90 is to hot. Raise the bulb up higher so the basking spot will reach 85 degrees.

 

[morpheon]

It is Ok to higher a little the temperature and to lower humidity and misting on shedding periods, but once the shedding is over, you have to go back to your initial setting!

The Solarmeter 6.2 is definately the best UVB reader for the average people. If you can afford something that is $600 or higher, then i don't know! The main reason why the 6.2 Solarmeter is the best is because it has been made expressly to work for reptiles. In this case, the meter is much more accurable in the UV area that a reptile usually need. Above and under that UV area, the meter becomes less accurate.

 

[Carlton]

yeah i got a panther.. had it at 90 based on what the guy at the reptile shop told me.. cause i had it at 85 and he was havin some shedding problems (a piece of skin stuck above his eye) and i took him to the shop i got him at and the guy told me it was cause he was to cold

Trouble shedding because he's too cold??? Now that's a first. Sometimes old unshed skin takes longer to fall off of areas on the cham that don't flex much (such as casques, rostrals and forehead crests, dorsal spines).

 

[coldsweat97527]

yeah like i said the reptile shop here in town is way lame and the guy is a jack@$$ but its where i got my panther and i love him and just want the best for him

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

Here's a decent price ($162) on the Solarmeter 6.2 unit: http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/uv-meter.html

If you don't have one, get an infrared "temp gun". They can be found for as little as $10 (D:S of 1:1) but a $25 one will do a better job (D:S of 6:1).