**Mega Ray Issues** / Megaray RECALL

[Born4spd]

We have gone through at least 8 100W MV bulbs from Reptile UV. They last a month or 2 and then we have to call them to replace the bulb. They have been replacing them until recently when they ignore our emails and we get hung up on after they say "we will call you back" and never take our number. This is NO WAY to run a buisness IMO. We are done with them and their crappy bulbs. I suggest everyone call the BBB and file complaints and then move on to a better bulb company. We are. Does anyone have a recommendation? We are currently running 2 60W incandescent bulbs as well as one long flouresent UV tube the runs the length of our 95 gallon tank. We do dust crickets with calcium once a week.

That sounds like a terrible headache, hopefully my replacement bulb will not do as yours did.

 

[kenn]

I've had two replacement bulbs in 2011. Both lasted less than a month. Getting in touch with them for a replacement is essentially impossible. What are my other options for a bulb? I was using the 100W self-ballasted.

 

[Aragon]

We have a Reptisun 10.0 long bulb for our 95 gallon tank. We are thinking of getting the T-Rex active also. Yeah, we are done with the "Megaray"...turned out to be Craparay.

 

[Screamin99]

It saddens me to see the Mega Ray still fighting issues like this (if they are even trying anymore) When I first got my dragon I used the 100W SB bulb and had nothing but stellar results with my juvenile. He grew very fast and his appetite was nothing short of great.

Its a shame that they couldn't have this problem fixed by now as it seems like this has been an ongoing problem for quite some time now. If they had the problems fixed and worked out to were they caused no issues with our reptiles then I would certainly go back to using on.

I tried to Solar Glo and it was almost like using the Mega Ray with all of the flaking bottom problems and the eye closing and loss of appetite. Oh well, the repti sun 10 seems to be doing decent enough now.

 

[MikeN]

Just thought to quote myself from my ER thread. Anyway, I found a pretty nice local store here with quite a bunch of MVB's that I had never heard of:
Solar-Brite (100W and 160W)
Nature Zone "High Noon"
Rep Pro "Spot Lamp" (a 60W MVB!)
and an Arcadia D3, which I know is a good bulb, except they only have the compact fluorescent version of it.

Wonder if anyone knows what/how good all these are.

 

[BadCon]

I used a Rep-Pro years ago when I first got my female dragon (and didn't know any better about bulbs). The bulb lasted exactly 6 months, and gave out plenty of heat. She seemed to do extremely well under it, and was happy and healthy. Of course this was the 100w flood bulb, and it was so long ago that I honestly couldn't say whether the current crop of bulbs were acceptable or not. From my readings later on, I found out that RepPro had a moderate reputation...they are made in china and the quality control was pretty average. Though they weren't regarded as dangerous...
However I can tell you that a spot MVB is pretty much worthless unless its placed very far away or you're using it for a tiny reptile. You'll need a flood bulb for an adult beardy at normal basking distances if you expect the UVB gradient to be workable for a larger reptile.

 

[lilacdragon]

Hi, guys.

Solar-Brite (100W and 160W)
Nature Zone "High Noon"
Rep Pro "Spot Lamp" (a 60W MVB!)
and an Arcadia D3, which I know is a good bulb, except they only have the compact fluorescent version of it.

I just checked my test files and I tested one of the 100watt R30-size Solar Brites in 2006. (I'm afraid I haven't tested any since then - but they look the same as mine, in a recent picture Beardie Osk sent me on a link)

The one I tested did indeed run at 100 watts (unlike some brands of Chinese "60w" and "100w" bulbs, which are actually 160 - 200 watts!) produced quite safe UVB in the right wavelengths, and didn't decay too badly in the first 100 hours - ending up with UVI 3.0 at 12", which is nice.
Unfortunately I didn't test it for longer than 100hrs so I'm not sure how long the UVB will last. It should be fine for at least 6 months, though; the initial decay was quite normal in amount and that bodes well for a reasonable lifespan.
My only major reservation is that these are clear-faced "spot" lamps, so like all clear-faced reflectors, they produce very narrow beams. You'll see a very bright, small spot about 3" across, and this area is where almost all the UVB is to be found.

Although this is not ideal, it certainly was not a bad little bulb. These days "ideal" (a safe UVB output of about UVI 3 - 4 in a wide basking zone at least 6" - 8" across, to get the whole beardie's body inside it) is almost nowhere to be found in the USA market.

The Nature Zone "High Noon" MVB is one I've never heard of, and a quick Google search revealed only pictures of the High Noon Compact Lamp range... Chinese. So I don't know anything about that one.

The Rep Pro "Spot Lamp" (a 60W MVB!) is another lamp I tested at the end of 2006. It says "60 watts" but IT IS NOT A 60W LAMP, it runs at around 160 watts!!! with a start-up surge of 200watts. This is why these lamps seem to be very hot - they are! The Chinese have apparently admitted that they cannot make a self-ballasted 60-watt MVB, but they will put 160watt or 200watt lamps into boxes and label them with whatever the company asks for - 60w, 70w, 100w.... (this is not the only company to sell 160w lamps with low wattage labels. Big Apple SunForce bulbs are also like that...)
However, the Rep Pro I tested had been used for 350 hrs when I got it, (about a month's normal 10-12hrs/day of use) and it was giving me only UVI 1.0 at 12"... and the weirdest beam shape I've ever seen! It was like a donut ring... right under the lamp there was a little bright spot of UVB, then a ring with almost no UVB at all, then a ring of UVB of fairly low strength, about 18" from the centre of the beam. I can't say I'd find any use for it, myself, to be honest....

The Arcadia D3 Compact Reptile Lamp is their medium-strength compact lamp, equivalent to the ZooMed Reptisun 5.0. It's got a good safe spectrum, like all Arcadia lamps but for a beardie, personally I wouldn't choose a "5%" fluorescent lamp, and I wouldn't choose a compact, even one with a good spectrum, because the basking zone from a compact is always so small, not ideal for our big lizards.

Of course, the lamps I tested in 2006 may be completely different in UVB output from the ones on sale now. But unless someone sends me samples (to the UK) I can't tell you more... :|

Best wishes
Frances

 

[Drache613]

Hello All,

I can give feedback on the Solar Brites, to an extent.
I started using some in 2010, with success, actually which was quite surprising. I have dominantly used the Solar Brite R30's which are a little smaller than the traditional MVB's & will fit in the smaller dome light fixtures.
The UVB to UVI is excellent & around 25 or so to 1. I can give specific readings, if you would like but I will need to check my notes.
The initial bulbs lasted around 8 or 9 months.
They also have an R40 as well which is the standard MVB size of bulb that also puts out a good spectrum. I am using one of those.
However, I just re-ordered some R30's but one did not come on, one had zero UVB & the other one was very poor UVB, under 60.
So, I am exchanging them for R40's to see if I have better luck with them.
All of their bulbs are super clear glass though, but some don't have exact spotlights, either & seem to shine off to the side on some accounts.
The Nature Zone is a light put out by the same company as the Solar Brite is, which is Bulborama. They are the same light, but made for the Nature Zone company. They will sell those when they are out of stock of the Solar Brite stock online.

I too, am extremely frustrated with the lighting right now. It is difficult to know what to do. I find it very hard to believe that no one can find quality glass to manufacture these lights.


Tracie

 

[Aragon]

Miracle of miracles...I just got a replacement MegaRay in the mail!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!!!

 

[lilacdragon]

Great info, Tracie ... please post your results with the R40 Solar Brites when they arrive!
I'm very disappointed to hear that all 3 of your new R30s were not much good. It would have been so nice to have another reasonable MVB to tell people about....

Good news Aragon... likewise please let us know how it performs!

Frances

 

[Drache613]

Hello Frances,

I definitely will!
I was disappointed with the last R30 batch as well, since my first batch over a year ago was pretty good. Hopefully, I will be receiving them next week.

Tracie

 

[kenn]

I realize that Mega-Ray has some "issues" but I don't believe airing your personal issues with running your business is really in the best interest of the company OR the customers. I was kind of appalled to find that some of the soap opera playing out at MegaRay is posted right on the front page of their site which otherwise is very professional. IMO, whatever dignity this company has remaining is gone with those posts on the page.

In the end, their inability to deliver over the last couple of years (particularly the last year) has pretty much destroyed the business for the forseeable future. Until they fix their problems, they should completely suspend operations/new sales and deal with their issues until they can effectively run the business.

I truly and thoroughly gave up on MegaRay. After my last bulb lasted ONE WEEK (a replacement that took 6 months to arrive), I tossed it in the trash and went with a dual bulb solution -- Reptisun 10.0 and a 100w heat lamp. My dragon seems to be fine and I have a bulb I can order just about anywhere, anytime. I had already given away my fixtures for tube lighting and was rather irritated at having to spend money to get another hood, but its done and I won't be looking back. Ever.

 

[Aragon]

Well I think my replacement MegaRay took a poop...this is just rediculous.

 

[Stath]

Really hope mega-ray gets there act together soon, in the meantime does anyone know if the MVB's offered directly from Westron (http://www.westronlighting.com/wreptile.htm), they offer a 50w 70w and 150w Metal Halide, externally ballasted and a little pricey but would make for a great bulb if what the company has to say is correct.
Follow this link http://www.luckyreptile.com/html/seiten/support_download.php?id=33&lang=en for a spec manual, scroll down for the table in english.

Cheers, Christos

 

[kenn]

The Westron site is certainly an interesting read but they don't use the word "warranty" anywhere that I can find in any of the links. I wonder if, after 30 days, you are "on your own"....