New Zoo Med 10.0 T8 readings

[summoner12]

These readings are from some lamps Zoo Med sent me. They are not the market product, just demo lamps.

The lamps tested here are F38. Meaning they are 38Watt lamps. Most fixtures you'll find in the US are F32... meaning 32Watt. I have tested the lamps in an F32 fixture for the demonstration.

Running a F38 lamp in a F32 fixture means the lamp is under driven i.e. not as bright. With a normal lamp that wouldn't mean much to a consumer. To those of us who are operating UVB lamps, this does mean something. It means the full UVB output potential of the F38 lamp is not reached, resulting in lower UVB readings. I do not have an F38 fixture to compare my readings to, so i don't know how much of a difference there is.

This fixture can be purchased at Home Depot for just under $20. It comes with a cord and switch installed and even some chain to hang the fixture. I think I grabbed the wrong box. The reflector on the display model seemed to have a nice shiny silver reflector.... the fixture in my box has a dull painted silver reflector. This isn't THAT big of a deal because I use aluminum foil as a reflector, but I wanted to test the fixtures reflector against a home made foil reflector.

Base line on the fixture with the 'reflector' it came with.

• 12":55μW/cm²
• 10":73μW/cm²
• 8":99μW/cm²
• 6":132μW/cm²
• 4:"182μW/cm²
• 1/4":654μW/cm²

 

[bbqandtinyb]

So do you think the output would be significantly greater on a fixture made for those lamps? I've never seen a 38w fixture though, where would one even come by those? 10.0 is pretty strong though.... Are you gonna post some readings with the homemade reflector?

Oh. And nice nails Kev.... manicure much?

 

[KevinA]

If these lamps were put in an older fixture, say a T12(dont remeber the correct labling) or the 1.5" tube fixtures the readings would be even higher as they put out 40W on a 4 foot bulb.

Something to think about. I had a guy call me the other day cause his cham was closing his eyes and dark. I asked him what lighting he was using. He said he just bought a Reptisun 10.0. a week ago or so I then asked how far away, he said 3-4 inches on a new bulb looks like the cham was getting his eyes burned as I thought.

Oh and nice nails Kevin, go out tonight?

 

[summoner12]

If these lamps were put in an older fixture, say a T12(dont remeber the correct labling) or the 1.5" tube fixtures the readings would be even higher as they put out 40W on a 4 foot bulb.

This would depend on the type of ballast the T12 fixture has in it. T8s work much better on a electric ballast, not the magnetic ballast most low end/cost fixtures have.

I put one of these lamps into one of my T12 fixtures and it started 'snaking' which is not good. The lamp will have a short life.

I HIGHLY recomend people not take switching your fixture over to the correct ballast for the lamps in use. I can imagine we'll be seeing a LOT of 'can I use these in a 'normal' fixture?' questions. The answer should be: no. The lamp is designed for a specific type of ballast, so it should be driven by that ballast.

Something to think about. I had a guy call me the other day cause his cham was closing his eyes and dark. I asked him what lighting he was using. He said he just bought a Reptisun 10.0. a week ago or so I then asked how far away, he said 3-4 inches on a new bulb looks like the cham was getting his eyes burned as I thought.

Sorry to hear 10.0 lamps shouldn't be taken lightly. I purchase 10.0 lamps for my free ranges, not cages.

Oh and nice nails Kevin, go out tonight?

No I stayed in tonight but tomorrow..... look out!

 

[summoner12]

Round two: foil

Here is the second installment of readings.

I am using kitchen aluminum foil in this test. I am using the dull side. Dave Weldon has told me this reflects better than the 'reflective' side of the foil. I have not tried a comparison test myself.... I will put it on the list.

• 20": 57μW/cm²
• 12": 97μW/cm²
• 10": 121μW/cm²
• 8": 152μW/cm²
• 6": 183μW/cm²
• 4": 259μW/cm²
• 1/4": 667μW/cm²

 

[summoner12]

Round three, no reflector

The third installment...

The idea with this test was to see what the lamps output will be with no reflective material behind the lamps. I used two black undershirts to cover the reflector of the fixture.

• 20": 26μW/cm²
• 12": 42μW/cm²
• 10": 50μW/cm²
• 8": 71μW/cm²
• 6": 112μW/cm²
• 4": 140μW/cm²
• 1/4": 649μW/cm²

 

[summoner12]

The readings

Here are the readings in one post.

No reflector:

• 20": 26μW/cm²
• 12": 42μW/cm²
• 10": 50μW/cm²
• 8": 71μW/cm²
• 6": 112μW/cm²
• 4": 140μW/cm²
• 1/4": 649μW/cm²

Reflector that came with the fixture:

• 12":55μW/cm²
• 10":73μW/cm²
• 8":99μW/cm²
• 6":132μW/cm²
• 4:"182μW/cm²
• 1/4":654μW/cm²

Home made reflector using aluminum foil:

• 20": 57μW/cm²
• 12": 97μW/cm²
• 10": 121μW/cm²
• 8": 152μW/cm²
• 6": 183μW/cm²
• 4": 259μW/cm²
• 1/4": 667μW/cm²

 

[Dean Pulcini]

Your readings will be considerably less with a screen or mesh between the bulb and solar meter.

 

[luckykarma]

ahum. I'm the one who did the research on the dull side of the foil. But Dave is the one who told me to use foil in the first place.

Thanks for the heavy lifting on the readings!

 

[summoner12]

ahum. I'm the one who did the research on the dull side of the foil. But Dave is the one who told me to use foil in the first place.

Thanks for the heavy lifting on the readings!

OOOOH I thought he told you about it.... Sorry Gary!

I'll try and do some more pics and see the difference.... but I am feeling lazy and my nails aren't painted right now... so..... I gotta wait.

 

[summoner12]

Your readings will be considerably less with a screen or mesh between the bulb and solar meter.

Screen will be the next run of tests. But the reason for not testing the screen first is that these lamps are intended to be used in a free range, at my home. I don't think people should use 10.0 over a screen cage regardless of how tall it is.... UNLESS for some reason you can't make the basking spot within 6-8" of the top of the cage. But that shouldn't be an issue for most people.

Since my two adult Melleri are in free ranges I need the amount of output these lamps are capable of in order to reach the chams at their basking spots.

 

[Todnedo]

what does noonday sun register on your meter?

 

[summoner12]

what does noonday sun register on your meter?

I don't think I have tried it outside yet, why do you ask?

 

[Todnedo]

I want to compare the readings to have a base number of uv.

 

[KevinA]

This page has a chart of readings from around the world of noon time sun uv radiation. They were taken in December though.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/uvinnature.htm

 

[summoner12]

I want to compare the readings to have a base number of uv.

for different areas of the world? or to see if my meter and your meter are getting the same type of readings?

You and I are at different parts of the world and since I am farther south I prolly get more UV this time of year than you do.

But ill try and remember to take a reading tomorrow.

 

[PardalisGirl]

Love the nails

I do love the nail color! LOL...I was going to mention it before you did. Thanks for posting this. I'm going to look at this thread again tomorrow when I am awake. Not enough sleep this week. My brain is too tired to absorb anything other than the nail color tonight

 

[withlime]

I'm so happy everyone enjoys my nails hahaha

 

[summoner12]

Solar Meter

At the last SBCK meeting (last week) Dave Weldon and I compared our two meters to these lamps. We both got the same readings on our meters. Pretty cool considering Dave has had his meter a lot longer than I have. I am not saying a meter should deteriate, although I think they can because of the lense on the meter can become damaged over time from use and exposure to UV. There can be the difference in battery life effecting the reading, but it doesn't seem to matter since my battery is new and his is older. Just a good product is what I am getting at.

Just as an update to the use of these lamps in my free range. Henry seems to LOVE them. His old lights had very low output at his level in the range. Something like 12μW/cm² at 16" out of a T12 10.0 lamp with some age to it. I would not have caught this if it weren't for Dave loaning me his meter. I thought I was providing enough UVB.

Right now I have one T8 10.0 and one grow light in the fixture tested in this thread with the same aluminum foil reflector. He gets about 32μW/cm² at 16". What I find neat is that he was basking to the UVB lamp yesterday. I have never seen him do this before. Today as I type this he is basking under a heat lamp but still within range of the UVB and soaking up both rays. This is very good news to me because I think he has suffered some mild MBD. He is also having joint issues. Not sure if this is old age, diet, UV exposure... but with the new lighting he is seeming to be in much better 'spirits' I guess you can say. moving around a bit more and basking more, functions he hasn't really done a lot of in the past.

 

[Pure]

Any word on when these will be available?