Dimmable heat bulb

BeardeddragonDino · May 31, 2020

I just got a new 5x2x2 tank for my bearded dragon that is made of pvc, and I purchased a 50 watt halogen for it. However, I could only get the basking spot to 90 degrees, so I’m thinking I need to buy a different bulb. It needs to be dimmable so I can hook it up to the thermostat, but I’m having trouble finding one that is specifically said to be dimmable. Any suggestions?

Draven88 · May 31, 2020

I am actually surprised that you aren't hitting temperatures with that bulb. In my 4x2x2 enclosures I am using a 40 watt halogen flood that puts the basking spot at about 107 with a falling of gradient as you move away from the center. If you could post some pics of the setup it may make suggestions easier.

Here is a larger halogen that states its dimmable, but i have no experience with the bulb to say if its ideal.

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Halo...ture_three_browse-bin:3594187011&s=hi&sr=1-60

BeardeddragonDino · May 31, 2020

Draven88":1pm7lrx6 said:
I am actually surprised that you aren't hitting temperatures with that bulb. In my 4x2x2 enclosures I am using a 40 watt halogen flood that puts the basking spot at about 107 with a falling of gradient as you move away from the center. If you could post some pics of the setup it may make suggestions easier.

Here is a larger halogen that states its dimmable, but i have no experience with the bulb to say if its ideal.

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Halo...ture_three_browse-bin:3594187011&s=hi&sr=1-60

The bulb I got is made by Arcadia, do you use one specifically made for reptiles or not?

Draven88 · May 31, 2020

For a basking light I just use a indoor/outdoor halogen 38 watt floodlight made by GE. You want to avoid any that are colored, there are some that are blue tinted that look brighter to us but had the opposite effect for a beardie. Just the plain white light ones work well. Unless you are going for something like an MVB it doesn't have to be branded for reptiles, just in a good visible light spectrum and capable of maintaining the right basking temps.

CooperDragon · May 31, 2020

How far is your bulb from the basking surface? I've had good luck using GE 80w PAR38 halogen flood lights. They are dimmable and I use them with a thermostat. That wattage needed really does vary between enclosures quite a bit so it takes some trial and error at first. Once you find something that works with your setup I'd pick up a bunch of them to have on hand because once set it should continue working well for you. I've been testing some photography halogens which dim well but are inconsistent with output and quality and require a good wide dome fixture. Verdict pending on those.

SHBailey · Jun 1, 2020

I use dimmer switches on all my heat lamps, but they don't work with the UV tubes. My heat lamps are just plain old 100 Watt (or lower, for the cool end) incandescent light bulbs with domed shaped reflectors clamped on to a light rack that my husband built, and I turn the dimmer switches up and down to get the desired temperature. This probably wouldn't work with a thermostat though -- I suppose they have the dimmer switch built in. I have to be the human thermostat with my setup.

Dimmable heat bulb

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