Solarmeter 6.2 inquiry

[ReptiGeek]

Hey guys,
Title says it all. If I'm going to be spending hundreds of dollars on UVB light bulbs every year, I would rather save a couple bucks in the long run (ya I don't think this whole Cham-addiction is curable). I'm going to start putting aside a few bucks every day (from not buy Tim Hortons for lunch at work) that will be put towards purchasing a Solarmeter 6.2. I was wondering where everyone buys them from? As you can imagine, money is a factor in this case and I am really just trying to find the some-what affordable place Just two days ago I was researching where to buy them from at the cheapest price and I saw one for $177USD (is that decent?), but I have already forgotten the place I saw that ad at.
Side note, if anyone has one for sale (used, new, don't matter) I would be happy to buy it off of you instead! Just PM me.
Thanks for reading!

 

[pigglett79]

If you are planning to use it on any metal halide bulbs (such as Sunrays etc.) you will want the 6.5. I found light your reptiles to have a good price on them.

 

[ReptiGeek]

If you are planning to use it on any metal halide bulbs (such as Sunrays etc.) you will want the 6.5. I found light your reptiles to have a good price on them.

Perfect, thank you! I'm getting SunRay's so that is VERY helpful.

(btw, I've always wondered this: Is it Rachelle or Steven that is generally on CF? Your profile says both and I have seen people refer to this account using both names, so I have alway just stuck with Pigglett =P)


***EDIT***
Would the 6.5 still work with regular fluorescent UVB tubes and CFL's?

 

[pigglett79]

Perfect, thank you! I'm getting SunRay's so that is VERY helpful.

(btw, I've always wondered this: Is it Rachelle or Steven that is generally on CF? Your profile says both and I have seen people refer to this account using both names, so I have alway just stuck with Pigglett =P)


***EDIT***
Would the 6.5 still work with regular fluorescent UVB tubes and CFL's?

Haha, its always Rachelle. I added his name because he helped me set it up initially. 6.5 works on both, you just need the 6.5 if you are going to use metal halides.

 

[ReptiGeek]

Haha, its always Rachelle. I added his name because he helped me set it up initially. 6.5 works on both, you just need the 6.5 if you are going to use metal halides.

I saw someone reading the Sunray with a 6.2, seemed like accurate readings? Is there a reason it has to be a 6.5? Solarmeter says it's for outdoor use.

 

[Psychobunny]

You need to ask Todd at Light Your Reptiles about this, he is the expert

I have a 6.5 model, but only have the fluorescent UV tubes by Arcadia.

I got a big surprise when I compared the HO T5 Arcadia with the Reptisun.

Measuring through the cage screen, and at 8'', the Arcadia had twice the
UV output, and was visably much brighter.

Needless to say, all my Reptisuns are now replaced with Arcadia and in storage.

 

[pigglett79]

I saw someone reading the Sunray with a 6.2, seemed like accurate readings? Is there a reason it has to be a 6.5? Solarmeter says it's for outdoor use.

In talking with other experienced members I was told the following;

Index 6.5 is the only choice when dealing with metal halides. UVB 6.2 doesn't tell anything useful, what it comes to halides and mercury lamps.

Also scroll down this thread and you will see more info.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/6-2-6-5-solarmeter-103134/

Hope this helps. After all of the discussing and reading I did, I felt that 6.5 was necessary if I was plannign to use bulbs other than regular UVb tubes.

Edit: Here is a quote I found on another forum, it was an answer someone got from solarmeter.com when they asked about the different meters.

"Most people just use the 6.2. It reads out a larger number easier to check lamps when new and replace when down 30% from new. Some people also use the 6.5 to make sure the UV Index is not "too much" at basking position... because a few years ago some lamps were sold that had a lot of short wave UVB and thus the UVI was higher than they would experience in nature. Such lamps can also cause eye damage. But most have been removed from market - or so I've been told.

Either meter can be used for lamp aging tests. The 6.5 is closer to D3 action spectrum.. but might read tiny number to some low wattage fluorescents. All of them are now the version for both sun and lamps.

Forget about the 6.4 meter. It is for humans not reptiles."