Ceramic vs. aluminum clamp light?

[Momomo]

Hi all,

Is there any difference between the black ceramic clamp lamps and the aluminum clamp lamps sold at hardware stores? I already replaced one of my lamps with the aluminum one (it has a plastic socket). And today I woke up to a bang and saw that my daylight bulb went out. I thought it was the bulb at first, but than realized it was the ceramic clamp lamp itself, it was only four months old! The wires inside the ceramic socket got burned, so my BF cut that part off and worked some magic and it works again!! The ceramic ones at the pet store are like 3 times as expensive as the aluminum ones at home depot... Hence my question, does it make any difference which ones I use, in case my lamp goes out again?

Thanks.

 

[Soulwind]

Well, the shape is sometimes a bit different, and the pet store ones are painted black,
and cost 3x as much. That's about it. :mrgreen:

So long as you're getting fixtures with a ceramic base for the high wattage basking light
(for low wattage supplemental lights, even the plastic fixtures are OK, although I always get
the ceramic ones just in case), then the ones from home depot, etc are fine.

Basically, a lamp is a lamp is a lamp.

 

[Momomo]

Thanks , why is the plastic socket bad? can it melt? I actually did put my daylight bulb (150W) into the aluminum lamp with a plastic socket this morning, because initially i thought my ceramic one was done. Now I think it was a stupid move, should have changed it back to the ceramic one before I left. I'll change it up once I get home, the aluminum one says it can handle up to 150W, so I think it should be OK for the day.

 

[Soulwind]

Yeah, with the plastic sockets they can melt if you get them too hot.

Those high wattage basking bulbs (especially if you use Halogen Floodlights/Spotlights
like I do) can get really hot.

It's not common, but for about a dollar more I can get the ceramic sockets
and know for a fact that I won't have melting/fire hazards (from my sockets at least).

 

[halffrozen]

I had been wondering the EXACT same thing.

I got a dimmable ceramic fixture last night for my powersun MVB, and it looks like it can definetly handle more heat for sure, then the plastic ones I got at walmart.

Would a regular plastic one be ok for a clear bulb for higher basking temps?

 

[Momomo]

halffrozen, I will let you know about that when I come home tonight. If my apartment is still not burned down, it should be OK :mrgreen: I know, I know not funny. But seriously, I think that if the same thing that happened to my ceramic lamp today (wires BURNED inside the socket) happened to the one with plastic socket, the outcome would have been different. :? I think I'll stick with the ceramic for higher wattage bulbs.

 

[RuselBro]

Also make sure the Bulb Wattage is not Higher than the Ceramic Socket Wattage, because that will cause it to burn out as well.

I found that out as well, I thought I had a 160W ZooMed Deep Combo Dome, but it was actually the Mini Deep Combo Dome and it was only Rated for 100w >.<

 

[Erok000]

I had been wondering the EXACT same thing.

I got a dimmable ceramic fixture last night for my powersun MVB, and it looks like it can definetly handle more heat for sure, then the plastic ones I got at walmart.

Would a regular plastic one be ok for a clear bulb for higher basking temps?

Im pretty sure you cant dim a MVB. Just FYI. I think a plastic one would be fine for a regular bulb, I mean that is what its made for.

 

[RuselBro]

Yes^ a MVB can not be Dimmed at all. And I would think a Normal Plastic Socket would work for a Normal house Hold bulb, but I'm not sure if the Socket's are made to be used 10+ Hour's a Day? Cause a Normal Bulb does Produce some decent Heat. Idk.