Lighting

[monny1369]

Hey guys, do you think you could tell me the difference in clear, coated and frosted bulbs, and also what current and base is? Also, which one should i get? thanks!

 

[CooperDragon]

Clear bulbs provide a bright light while frosted bulbs diffuse the light a bit and make it softer. Coatings can range from coloring to intercepting certain wavelengths. Neodymium for example intercepts yellow so the light looks cooler/more blue. For a basking light you're best off without coatings. You want a bright white light so go with a clear bulb. I've had good luck using PAR38 halogen flood lights from the hardware store. They are nice and bright and they produce adequate heat. You may need to try some different wattages to get the heat just right but once you have it set it's pretty easy to maintain.

The base of the bulb is the type of connection it uses I believe. Some bulbs have a skinner connection like the ones in a candelabra. Most standard bulbs are E26 and will screw into most standard fixtures. This is what you want.

Current is the amount of energy that flows through a circuit or light. It's usually measured in amps. The power is measured in volts. For light bulbs you want to pay more attention to the wattage. This measures the power drawn by the bulb and usually correlates to it's output/power. More wattage is often brighter and produces more heat.

 

[monny1369]

thanks very much! very helpful and detailed!

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Enclosures