Unfortunate News regarding Solar Glo MVB

[Drache613]

Hello,

I will have to check their site out, it has been a few weeks since I looked at their lights on there.

Tracie

 

[sweetiepie9]

Hi Tracie,

We just took in two foster beardies, whose power suns for over a year old. Because we didn't have alot of $ to spend on lighting, but they needed something right away we bought two 125W Solar Glos for them. I know we need to get a meter to determine if these will work. We've been thinking of replacing the other power suns with Reptisun 10.0, but we're still looking for a fixture so the tubes will be inside the tanks. We don't want to put tops on the tanks, as it weakens the UVB by so much.

Thanks for the warning, I'll let Roger know in the morning.

Deb

 

[boxers]

I would wait for just a bit longer on the Megaray, as they are trying to get their new bulbs out in the next couple of months.

Oh dear, I thought they had fixed the problem already? I've been keeping an eye on this post for a couple weeks and I was just about to order one, but stopped by here to doublecheck first. Good thing I did apparently.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Yes, I would personally wait for their official announcement that their lights have gone back to their old specs before purchasing a Megaray. I have talked to quite a few people who have attempted to use the modified lights & have had some problems with their dragons' eyes. So, to me, it isn't worth it.
They should hopefully be back to full operation with their new lights, real soon.

Tracie

 

[chuey]

Tracie,
This is Ashes fiance. Just as an update we spoke with Zoo Med's Hagen lighting division about two weeks ago. Conclusions 1) they are doing their own tests getting samples from East Coast/West Coast, Europe etc... and cross referencing purchase orders to identify if its a batch issue.

He noted the original manufacturing change (the Hagen/Zoo Med rep) raises and breeds Rock Iguanas was from feedback from users who wanted a sturdier lightbulb. So they made the glass thicker and filament/ballast thicker thinking that it would last longer. He checked out his own bulbs but they were all within spec. He had to throw out his own results because he purchased those bulbs 12 months ago.

The bulbs will get independently tested in addition ZooMed is monitoring this post (I sent them the link). They most likely will not comment but they are monitoring the post. The lighting rep for ZooMed as a breeder also understands that once a bulb gets the nod from a particular reptile community, the reputation of the bulb goes viral and EVERYONE uses that brand. With this in mind they are doing their best to investigate the situation and make appropriate changes.

The original intention though was to make the bulbs stronger and less fragile for people who have large reptiles that could potentially break the bulbs.

As a stop gap btw since we have a UVB meter, I don't know about Ash but when I'm feeding the reps I'll give them Calcium with D3 at least once a week just as a supplement.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Don't you mean Exoterra? Zoomed doesn't manufacture the Solar Glo products. Hagen makes Exoterra Solar Glo MVB's.
Frances has told me that they have changed their specs several times when she was trying to do testing on various bulbs, making it very difficult to keep up with the testing on their new lights. I hope that they will begin to standardize their lights. We did really like the spread of the light spectrum of the new Solar Glo 125watt & the aesthetic looks of the bulb, overall, it was nice looking actually & appeared sturdy. However, after testing them with both the Solarmeter 6.2 & the 6.5, they really could only be considered a basking bulb at best which was disappointing.
Thanks for the update for me.

Tracie

 

[chuey]

Correct, we have tried so many bulbs at this point I'm confusing myself!

 

[sweetiepie9]

Hi Tracie,

I'm sorry to hear that, too, as Roger bought two Solar Glo's for Didi and Loiosh. We're not sure how strong the UVB in these bulbs, they're both 125W, but they're both working somewhat. Loiosh have become more active and Didi is just more hyper. So I think they must be getting some UVB. They get about an hour natural sunlight daily right now, & I don't know how much that ishelping with being more active. We want to get a meter, too, We have 7 lights to check. Do you know where I'd find a good meter?

Thanks for keeping us up to date
Deb

 

[Drache613]

Hello Deb,

Well, there have been "some" good Solar Glo's out because I have a friend in Canada who tested her brand new Solar Glo & she purchased it only a few months ago. It was testing 110uW/cm2 which is pretty acceptable. She was pretty excited about that. Mine did not fare near that. So, it is obviously some type of problem with batches or inconsistent manufacturing, I just don't know.
I hope that they figure it out soon though, they were very nice bulbs.

I know, it is confusing with all of the different brands, etc.

Tracie

 

[ashesc212]

Hi all,

So, in this saga of miserable MVBs, I've had ANOTHER bad experience with a Powersun! I got a chuckwalla at the reptile fair in NY and set him up with a tube light but then I ordered a Powersun just to give them a shot. I received the Powersun from PetMountain last week. At first it was putting out 100 uw/cm2 but now it is putting out 0 at the desired distance!!!!! It's been a week! 6,000 hours? I don't think so! Anyway, the code on that light is H60.

I went to a local brick and mortar store and saw that they had a Fluker's MVB that must have recently come onto the market. Additionally, they had a T-Rex in a new style box. I grabbed them both and are testing them out now.

-Ash

 

[fresnowitte]

Ashley I recently asked Frances about that bulb this is the conversation that we had....

Hello Frances,

I hope all is going well with you and yours.

I have a bulb question for you...
I had this bulb brought to my attention I'd never seen it before. :?
Have you heard anything about this one? http://www.flukerfarms.com/sunspotmercuryvaporbulb.aspx

Hi, Barbara.

No, it's a new one on me...

It looks identical to both the new T-Rex UV Heat Economy 160W and the Big Apple Sunforce. But that doesn't mean anything.... these are standard Chinese bulbs and I think there are several companies making them.

The output varies a lot.

Take care

Frances

I look forward in reading what results you get Ashley. Though I won't be going back to MVB's anytime soon.

Good luck!

 

[lizardgrrl]

Hi all,


I went to a local brick and mortar store and saw that they had a Fluker's MVB that must have recently come onto the market. Additionally, they had a T-Rex in a new style box. I grabbed them both and are testing them out now.

-Ash

I've been seeing the Fluker lights for at least a year and a half in stores here and online, and have asked about them but never got any response, as no one has tested them. Their tube lights are called Reptasun, awfully close to Reptisun, don't you think? I haven't heard anything on them either, as far as the quality of the bulbs, and I won't take a chance with them, as I can't afford to buy anything I can't use, right now.

I am hoping we get an all clear on the Solar Glo or Mega-Ray bulbs soon, as they had both worked very well for me, once upon a time. :roll: The Solar Glos I saw yesterday were in a silver and black box, very different from the black, yellow, orange and reds of the older box design.

 

[chuey]

Fluker lights we've had them on at 10 hours a day roughly for two days so far the numbers are looking good around 200 uw/cm2 with a little decay. We'll get exact numbers and distances to everyone tonight. We also have the new Mega Ray 100 watt UVB that we're going to test out. We havn't installed it yet, its in new packaging.

 

[ashesc212]

Fluker lights we've had them on at 10 hours a day roughly for two days so far the numbers are looking good around 200 uw/cm2 with a little decay. We'll get exact numbers and distances to everyone tonight. We also have the new Mega Ray 100 watt UVB that we're going to test out. We havn't installed it yet, its in new packaging.

Chuey, we need more time to let them burn in before we give out numbers. We actually bought the new T-Rex, not the MegaRay

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Definitely let us know readings on the Flukers MVB, & the new T-rex MVB too. So, the Megaray has the new one out now? I didn't think that they had released them yet....

Be careful with the chinese made bulbs though. Most are made improperly with the wrong type of glass & phosphor mixture. Chuey, if the Flukers lights continue with good uW/cm2, would you mind sending me one of them to test the UV index as well? I have the 6.5 & the 6.2. Chinese lights make me very nervous. A good uW/cm2 means nothing if the UV index is too high.

Thanks everyone, for helping with testing.

Tracie