mega-ray timespan?

[danny662boy]

how long does a mega-ray stay sufficient/beneficial for??

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

MegaRays along with all other mvb's should be changed every 12 months.

 

[FATBOYDADRAGON]

The first one i had lasted 14 months
The second one lasted 10 months.
I stand to be corrected but i think because of the decay rate of the mega-ray
they will continue to provide uvb until they burn out.
I have heard of some people using these bulbs for 18 months.
Just my 2 cents

 

[BubbasDaddy]

Depending on the mega-ray bulb you have some last 6 months and some last 1 year, I use EB 60 watt kits. You shouldn't exceed these limits unless you have a UVB meter and you know for a fact that your particular bulb is producing enough UVB. Refer to reptileuv.com (click on products in the top left) for life spans and specs on their bulbs, don't forget to make sure your looking at the right bulb; self-ballasted or externally-ballasted. YOUR BULB COULD STILL BE WORKING AFTER THE WARRANTY IS UP BUT NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH UVB!!!

 

[danny662boy]

i have the 100 watt. and i got it in may

 

[diamc]

Is it the SB or EB?

 

[danny662boy]

self-ballasted, its screwed into a deep dome

 

[diamc]

I have the exact same one and was told by Bob from reptileuv that it should last 12 to 18 months although I plan on changing it after 12 mos.

 

[danny662boy]

alright cool, thats what i figured... but to b quite honest, i havent seen any difference with this bulb as opposed to having a lightbulb and a uvb tube.. it doesnt really make my guy "active" or increase his appetite

 

[BubbasDaddy]

Well the Mega-Ray SB 100 watt has a 6 month warranty so you should replace it soon unless you have a UVB meter. The Mega-Ray EB 60 watts have a 1 year warranty. Maybe Bob misunderstood you he is a very busy man.

 

[danny662boy]

i was thinkin bout it .. and prolly will order another

 

[BubbasDaddy]

Good, I'm glad to see there are still some responsible beardie owners out there. About the not seeing any changes after using a MVB, it might take a while. After about 6 months I started to see the colors on mine slowly get lighter and brighter. And there more active it just takes time. Also make sure your light is set up correctly, right angle and distance.

 

[danny662boy]

ya i know... its just more convient having one bulb do the work as opposed to having one for heat and one for uvb... and it's set perfectly, i have a lamp stand for the deep dome.. which is like an inch and half off the screen... and its at about 13" from the basking spot. for a temp of about 107-108.. at the hottest it gets to be at about 111. but the distance is within the limit on the bulb..

 

[diamc]

Actually, Bob did say that you can get 12 to 18 mos from the SB and I just found this info on the site:

Most people with UVB meters
are getting 18+ months use out of our EB bulbs. How often do I need to replace my SB Mega-Ray bulbs?

The warranty on the SB Mega-Ray® is 6 months but you will get great UVB from the bulb for at least a year or more. If you do not have a meter to test the bulb, we recommend replacing after a year.

It does mention the UVB meters but he did say that it should last a good 12 months. It is true that the UV output does slowly decline but I feel the Megaray and T-Rex both have a slower decline rate.

 

[BubbasDaddy]

Danny662boy: try and not use mesh or screens between the basking spots and and MVB bulbs. They reduce the amount of UVB that reach the basking spot.

Diamc: Yes that is correct I just like to stress that the warranty is that short for a reason, if you don't have a UVB meter just be careful you are taking a risk.