UVB bulbs: Coil vs. Tube

Nicholasdeaan

Nicholasdeaan

Avid Member
I've noticed most people on here prefer the tube lights over the coil due to the fact that they cover a larger area. But when it comes to health issues, there seems to be quite a bit of talk about the coils causing eye problems and such. Is there any truth to this? I use the coils and haven't seen any signs of unhealthfullness pointing towards them. Just trying to get a view of the field since there's a broad spectrum of choices.
 
Nicholasdeaan said:
I've noticed most people on here prefer the tube lights over the coil due to the fact that they cover a larger area. But when it comes to health issues, there seems to be quite a bit of talk about the coils causing eye problems and such. Is there any truth to this? I use the coils and haven't seen any signs of unhealthfullness pointing towards them. Just trying to get a view of the field since there's a broad spectrum of choices.
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Not sure. What I do know is that I prefer the coil, as it is smaller and I can fit more on the cage.
 
Coil bulbs are often defective. They produce UVC instead of UVB and cause burns on the skin and burns in their cornea and cause blindness. If you luckily gave gotten a good coil bulb, then I guess it wouldn't be an issue. But personally I have experience with defective coil bulbs and the damage it caused to a number of my reptiles to never trust a coil bulb again. But it's all personal choice and how much you are willing to gamble I guess.
 
Kinyonga, That's the same website I found more than 6 years ago when I was trying to find out why my monitors all starting to close their eyes and refuse to open them after I used the coiled UVB bulbs on them. One of my baby timor gotten a burn lesion on his shoulder after long basking exposure to the UVB at close range. He almost lost his vision as well.
 
Nicholasdeaan said:
@Alb123 How long did these symptoms take to physically see?
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Depends on the distance of the exposure I guess, but I'd say within the first 12 hours I guess. My savannah monitor and timor monitors both exhibited the symptoms the following day after initial basking exposure at about 6 inches away (they like to climb the basking branches). The skin burns happened at a closer distance I assume because I saw the timor monitor climbing up the side of the enclosure close to the bulb with its neck area about 3 inches away for I assume at least 10 hours after I got home from work. Because the bulb produces no noticeable heat, they don't know when to move away. It's not a conventional heat like a regular white light, it's like a radiation burn In a way. The wavelengths of the UVC causes the damage.
 
It was a common issue in the past, but not a lot of people knew about it. Even in reptile shops that sells the bulbs. But back in the days, many in the reptile community began to discuss about the coiled bulb and what it has done to their skinks, bearded, turtles, etc..and personally, 3 of my monitors to make the personal choice to never trust the coiled UVB again. But it's my personal choice, I hope I don't sway anyone who are dead set on a coiled bulb. Just want them to know the possible consequences.
 
That's interesting. I haven't seen any signs of harm yet. So perhaps I found one that is safe. I also almost prefer the coils because they're more compact and they have the choice of getting out of the light if so desired.
 
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Just reread most of the Site I linked to and some of the bulbs with glass that doesn't block the UVC did produce some down as low as 270 nm (thus in the UVC range)...sorry it's been so long since I read most of the Site that I didn't remember the range changes the phosphors caused.
 
They don't need to get out of UVB light, it doesn't produce heat and if you have a large enough cage and one with enough foliage, I wouldn't be worried about them escaping it. They need as much UVB exposure if they live inside as possible, screens block UVB rays a lot, and artificial UVB is nowhere near as good as natural UVB. So I would get the larger light and expose them to as much as you could. Coils still need to be replaced every 6 months so it's quite possible that your next bulb could possibly be defective. I also do not like exo-terra UVB bulbs because they aren't nearly as strong of an UVB output as arcadia or even zoomed. Zoomed bulbs you also tend to have less eye troubles with. Most exo-terra lighting products are crud, their basking light in my experience burn out very quickly, their hoods are more likely to be faulty, and their UVB output is crud and the bulb itself is more dangerous than most compacts. Anyway it's your choice, but if it's a money issue... I would have never gotten a chameleon in the first place.
 
Ok sorry, didn't mean to sound... abrasive? I am just used to hearing about things costing to much XD
 
Andee said:
They don't need to get out of UVB light, it doesn't produce heat and if you have a large enough cage and one with enough foliage, I wouldn't be worried about them escaping it. They need as much UVB exposure if they live inside as possible, screens block UVB rays a lot, and artificial UVB is nowhere near as good as natural UVB. So I would get the larger light and expose them to as much as you could. Coils still need to be replaced every 6 months so it's quite possible that your next bulb could possibly be defective. I also do not like exo-terra UVB bulbs because they aren't nearly as strong of an UVB output as arcadia or even zoomed. Zoomed bulbs you also tend to have less eye troubles with. Most exo-terra lighting products are crud, their basking light in my experience burn out very quickly, their hoods are more likely to be faulty, and their UVB output is crud and the bulb itself is more dangerous than most compacts. Anyway it's your choice, but if it's a money issue... I would have never gotten a chameleon in the first place.
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Actually if I'm not mistaken I believe it was the Zoomed CFL's that had the problem not the Exo Tera. I know it was the one that was more elongated not circular. Not that I endorse either one of these
products more than the other, just didn't want them to get the wrong rap.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor-cases.htm
 
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I have been using a Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB 13Watt mini compact fluorescent I haven,t noticed anything but am I harming my cham by using this I thought the issues with these bulbs was a addressed and fixed years ago is this still a thing?
 
JGuinan007 said:
I have been using a Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB 13Watt mini compact fluorescent I haven,t noticed anything but am I harming my cham by using this I thought the issues with these bulbs was a addressed and fixed years ago is this still a thing?
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Yah I think the linier tubs are best, but this was addressed, and as far as I know they don't have the same issues. The article I linked was back in 2007. I would still keep an eye on your cham though you never know, but if you haven't had any issues yet you should be fine.
 
Yeah I'd think any health issues would show by now. Then again there could always be long term health problems that could kick in after a few years. I may go with the tube lighting just to be on the safe side. Still sitting on the fence about it.
 
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