Hsandovaljr
Established Member
I don’t have a meter. Should I replace my uvb light in 6 months ?
Uvb
- Thread starter Hsandovaljr
- Start date
Chameleoking
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes. You should replace every 6months.
Chameleoking
Chameleon Enthusiast
Some say good up to a year but from experience they seem to only last about 6 months.
You can check a UV light this way.
You can check a UV light this way.
- UV lights naturally irradiate color on the violet spectrum, but this is naked to the human eye. The only way to see this violet color is to hold something up to it that lacks pigment. A white sock or a piece of paper would suffice.
Watch the item. If it turns a violet shade, the UV light bulb is functioning. If it remains primarily white, the UV light bulb might be defective. If you are unsure, transfer the bulb to another light fixture and try the same test again. If it still fails, the light bulb is not good.
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
One year is fine.
Both major brands of linear T5 UVB are rated and warrantied for 1 year.
When these bulbs go, it's not like flipping a switch (Monday they're fine and Tuesday they're not).
They should work within parameters for one year, and slowly diminish after that period. I have a Reptisun that's 2 years old, and still puts out full strength.
You can also increase effective lifespan by running them less than 12 hrs./day.
The amount of atmosphere near dawn & dusk filter out most UVB, while the most is received at noon. I have my timers set to turn on the UVB at one hour after the other lights, and turn off one hour before the other lights. This "saves" 2 hrs. per day, or 2 months out of 12 (in a year).
If your chameleon will be getting natural sunlight during part of the year, the amount of artificial supplemental UVB can be reduced by even more.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/1686139/?q=hours+of+uvb&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance
Both major brands of linear T5 UVB are rated and warrantied for 1 year.
When these bulbs go, it's not like flipping a switch (Monday they're fine and Tuesday they're not).
They should work within parameters for one year, and slowly diminish after that period. I have a Reptisun that's 2 years old, and still puts out full strength.
You can also increase effective lifespan by running them less than 12 hrs./day.
The amount of atmosphere near dawn & dusk filter out most UVB, while the most is received at noon. I have my timers set to turn on the UVB at one hour after the other lights, and turn off one hour before the other lights. This "saves" 2 hrs. per day, or 2 months out of 12 (in a year).
If your chameleon will be getting natural sunlight during part of the year, the amount of artificial supplemental UVB can be reduced by even more.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/1686139/?q=hours+of+uvb&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance
