PowerSun MVB Issues

[Drache613]

Hello All,

Please read the following BEFORE posting regarding PowerSun MVB lighting issues:


viewtopic.php?f=6&t=105419

That is the Official Research Thread which all cases need to go to that pertain to eye & health problems due to the Zoomed Powersun MVB 100 & 160 watt bulbs.

If anyone has had their bearded dragon under a new Powersun 100 or 160 watt & has had recent health or eye problems or complications, that you believed to have been caused by this MVB, please contact me. Frances would like for willing participants/volunteers to send her their Powersun so she can test them please. It would really help out. Here is a recent thread answering some concerns of mine on the UVB discussion board:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/UVB_Meter_Owners/message/6614

Here is the initial earlier report by Frances Baines regarding the initial detection of the problems:

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/mercvapourfloods.htm#zoomedpowersun

How can you help? There are a couple of ways that you can help us. This is requested directly from Frances Baines:

"They can help in two ways.
Firstly, they can keep a diary of exactly what happened to their beardie,
with dates and details like what lamp they bought, how far above their
beardie's head it was placed, how soon they saw symptoms, what symptoms
there were.... and how long the beardie was exposed to the lamp before they
turned it off, and how the recovery progressed. All their posts on the forum
are useful, too, in this respect..
Photos of the set-up that caused the problem - showing the lamp - are really
helpful, as are the tragic pictures of the beardie with his eyes closed in
pain. I'll need to email them privately to get their written permission to
use their material, and to send them a copy of the Case Report I'll prepare,
so they can check it out and okay it.

Secondly, they can send me the lamp. It does cost maybe $15 - 20 sent by
regular USPS Airmail (by far the best way, in terms of time, money and
care - couriers are horrendously expensive and very rough with the parcels)
so not everyone will want to spend that... but I really do need at least one
BAD lamp that's caused a problem, to prove that the output from these is
hazardous. If people want to send me a lamp, again I'll need to email them
privately, to give them my address and instructions on how best to pack and
post the lamp to me."


Thank you for your assistance.

Tracie

 

[ErinMeetsMachine]

great, i've been using a powersun.

 

[Drache613]

Hello Erin,

Well, fortunately not all of the PowerSuns are bad. There have been some recent batches that have been causing problems. If you are using one & thus far have not had any problems, it is fine then.

Tracie

 

[ErinMeetsMachine]

ok good, thanks.

 

[Goonie]

Tracie, would you know if there's any possible health concern if it's being used for an aquatic turtle?

What does the new package look like for the 100W? Just so I can be sure that what I have is the good bulb and not the harmful one.

 

[Zemanski]

yes, they affect any reptile, or any other animal under them

 

[Drache613]

Hello Gina,

Well, unfortunately, there is no difference in packaging so there is no way to determine the difference between the good or the bad lights. If you buy one, you take a chance, I hate to say.

Yes, turtles are extremely sensitive to bad lighting, their eyes are prone to damage being as they have more surface space to be damaged.
There are a number of cases in which turtles were greatly affected & some have passed away due to the past bad lighting problems.


Tracie

 

[Goonie]

According to their Nov'08 report,

The new 100W lamps are in boxes with a new design, but the box for the 160W version is unchanged.

That's why I asked what the new package looked like.

What would be a good replacement for the PowerSun 100W??

 

[Drache613]

Hello Gina,

Yes, they have a new design, but there have apparently been some that have been bad, in the regular kind of boxes, too. I am just not sure, as there are numerous reports at the moment. So, I am trying to cover all bases...ugh.
A good replacement for the PowerSun would be the T-rex active UV heat, or the Megaray. The Exo terra Solar Glo has done pretty well on the initial tests, too & it is a lower output Mercury Vapor Bulb, a little closer to the PowerSun output, only slightly higher.
I have not personally or physically seen the new boxes though. The light looks a little different also.
I am not sure why it is just the 100 watts though, but luckily it is not both wattages. I think some of the problems with the older versions were just poor quality more than the incorrect phosphor though.
I will see if I can round up some pictures for you.



Tracie

 

[Chunka]

Is this why Petco is now putting their Powersun's on Clearance??? From 99.00 to 41.00??

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Hm, well that is a good question~! They could have put them on clearance simply because they are getting the new bulbs in, I am not sure. I am going to post pictures of the new boxes of the Powersun as compared to the old Powersun..
However, to answer Vicky's question regarding telling the difference with the packaging for the lights when deciding on whether or not the bulb is good or not, well I have some frustrating news. We are trying to get some answers so I will continue to update. Frances is trying to find out for us, but she is not positive that the launch of the new bulbs coincided with the new packaging or not. So, what that means is that there could be "old" bulbs in the newly packaged boxes, we are not sure. We simply do not know at the moment whether or not ALL of the "new" boxes hold just "new" bulbs or if it is a mixture of "old" & "new" just depending on the order in which they were put out, or what they had in stock at the time of packaging.
Sorry that is all of the information that I have at the moment, but will let you know anything else when I find it out.

Here is a picture of the "OLD BOX":

http://www.reptilesupply.com/images/puv-11.jpg


Here is a picture of the "NEW BOX":

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=109&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=1&SearchContext=YTo3OntzOjg6IlNlYXJjaElEIjtzOjE6IjEiO3M6MTA6IkRhdGFiYXNlSUQiO3M6MToiMiI7czo3OiJLZXl3b3JkIjtzOjIwOiJMaWdodGluZyBBY2Nlc3NvcmllcyI7czoxNToiUHJvZHVjdENhdGVnb3J5IjtzOjg6IkxpZ2h0aW5nIjtzOjc6IkhlYWRpbmciO3M6OToiVGVycmFyaXVtIjtzOjg6IlNlYXJjaF94IjtzOjE6IjAiO3M6ODoiU2VhcmNoX3kiO3M6MToiMCI7fQ==


Hope that helps, temporarily.

Tracie

 

[Chunka]

I'll be following this closely, thank you for the research. Petco in Rhode Island is using the new packaging I have not seen the old packaging in any stores to my knowelege thus far in RI.

 

[Goonie]

The new packaging is what I'd been receiving via an online pet store. It'd been six months and there hadn't been any noticeable changes to Buddy's eyes.
Could I assume that I got lucky and got the "old" bulbs?

Also, is there a noticeable difference (to the untrained eye) to the bulbs themselves? For example, the amount of white to the bulb itself?

the white phosphor coating on the inside of the lamp face has been thinned

 

[Drache613]

Hello Vicky,

Well, if Buddy's eyes have not been affected in the least, you can assume that you got lucky & have the older version of the light. I am fairly confident that you would have seen some type of problems early on as everyone else has seen thus far. So, you DO have a "new" box then? When you said packaging I just thought the bulb would look alot different & the box would just say upgraded or something but did not know the picture would look completely different. I am glad that you have gotten lucky!
I will let you know what I find out from Frances soon.
The bulb will appear a little more "clear" yes, & it may be slightly more rounded than the older version. I will see if I can get more details. This IS very frustrating I realize.

Chunka, please let me know if you have any other concerns or hear of any problems up there in Rhode Island. Thanks for keeping your eyes open.


Tracie

 

[gregnnn]

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