Advice with light!

[foolsgold]

Ok so ... checked out my 24" bulb and it is 18W... checked the fixture .... and the thing maxes out at 17w... SOOO the question is where the *%&# do I find an 18w+ 24" fixture? So frustrating!
So with what I've learned from you Sean that means my bulb isn't producing the needed uv correct?

 

[Hitman2685]

Omg all this is confusing but I'm trying to make sense of all this for the sake of Dreyko! :study: So I check my fixture and I bought it at an animal store and it has a sticker/label on the back of the fixture and it says (Aquarium Equipment, Model: 36PSDX) (Rated: 120 VAC, 60 Hz, 40w.) Now my Flourest Bulb is the ZooMed 36"/914mm ReptiSun 10.0 UVB F30T/REPT and it states to Replace Yearly. It hasn't been a year and on the left end of the bulb is black all around the bulb and I've looked around online and it says that when it's black then the bulb should be replaced. But now my question is if I keep using the same brand bulb it states that The ReptiSun 36" is a 30Watt, so according to my fixture it's a 40W so it should be fine to produce the exact of UVB rays that my beardie needs right?

 

[foolsgold]

Yes Hitman if it's a 40W fixture and a 30W bulb it will work fine. Everyone on here will tell you to replace the uv bulbs every 6 months because after that the uv production goes way down even if the bulb is still producing light.

 

[Hitman2685]

ok great! Thanks a lot guys!

 

[SeanFred]

I went to my local hardware store up the street that opened its doors in 1955 which is still run by the same family. Whenever I need some obscure item or anything I can't find anywhere else, they just happen to have it! Well, once again, they just happen to have it!

The "Fulham WorkHorse 33 Solid State Electronic Ballast Model: WH33-120-l 64W Max.

And the wiring schematic for my particular configuration, a Lithonia Lighting Industrial 48" T8 Florescent 32W Light Fixture converting it to a single bulb 64W Max 70C Max Reptile Light Fixture. (The Lithonia Lighting fixture is steel so it is UL rated for 70C+)

The best part was, it only cost $31.99. Whenever I need some oddball bazaar item, they have it. Yay! !
Total light fixture cost $50.00 Now that I have a manufacturer and model no, it's easy to find them, http://www.1000bulbs.com/category/fulham-ballasts-workhorse-33/

Since I have to rewire the new ballast, I might as well rewire the whole thing. :study: Now that I have half a clue as to what climate conditions I need in my viv , I can see my current configuration is FUBAR

Once again, I have learned something else I did not know

I hope this helps

 

[foolsgold]

Could you use that same ballast for a 24" bulb? You would not need weaker one correct?

 

[SeanFred]

Yes, it will work.

 

[RCope48]

Ive been reading a lot of your posts, and Im getting ready to start on my viv build, and of course I came across this lighting topic,very interesting, never even thought about this....after snooping around a little, I found this light fixture with a 54w ballast, will this work with one tube? or can I wire it to just run a single bulb? great price I thought!
http://www.contractorlighting.com/4ft-lamp-watt-t5ho-fluorescent-double-channel-strip-120277-p-1476.html?osCsid=d875d5fa2223d5d9f4f9439942f33210

 

[SeanFred]

that is a T5 Fixture, the Reptisun 10.0 is a T8 bulb, it will not work.

 

[RCope48]

Thanks for pointing that out! So what if i just take the current fixture I have and replace the ballast with the one you mentioned, will that work?
http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/2166/BF-WH33120LC.html

 

[SeanFred]

If you replace/rewire the ballast and light receptacle you should be able to use the housing. Check the manufacturer of the ballast, there may be a wiring diagram for the ballast to be wired in a T8HO application. The ballast I listed earlier in this thread works for T5HO, T8, T8HO, T10, and T12 applications depending on which wiring schematic from the manufacturer you use to wire your fixture.