What do you guys think about this? Using an MVB with a Refle

[CLee]

Just want some opinions please...

From the research done here: http://www.uvguide.co.uk/mercvapourreflectortests.htm using a polished aluminum dome considerably boosts the UV out put. Seems that something like this fixture would do the trick as it says it is polished aluminum: http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/E...7czoxOiIwIjtzOjg6IlNlYXJjaF95IjtzOjE6IjAiO30=

With the output of something like the Mega Ray SB 100w, do you guys think that using a reflector like that in conjunction with the Mega Ray bulb would produce too much UV, it would seem as though it would increase the working life of the MVB bulb as output’s would be higher. Is this something you guys have tested? I’m curious to see the results if someone else has. I’m wondering if it couldn’t add another month or two to the life span of an MVB bulb. What do you guys think? I just found it kind of interesting.

 

[JeffSimpson]

I guess I don't really see how it would produce more, or how it would extend the life of the bulb. By having the polished surface it will concentrate the UVB into a smaller area (as opposed to spreading out across the enclosure)..... The bulb is going to produce what it's going to produce, and I don't really think there's anything that would change that. :? Maybe a marketing gimmick?

 

[CLee]

Well, what do you guys think?

 

[CLee]

Sorry, I didn't realize you posted. What I meant by increasing life was, with the reflector on a Zoo Med Powersun it said it was putting out 600 uW/cm2 and without one it was putting around 200 uW/cm2. So at maybe 10 months it puts out say 50uW/cm2, with the reflector I would assume that reading would be around maybe 75-100uW/cm2 therefore taking longer to get to the 50uW/cm2 range. I don't actually know about the numbers, I just threw something up there for the example. Do you get what I'm saying or am I just babbling?

 

[MissT]

Well that sounds like it makes sense... (to me anyway :? hehe) I do think most people use a reflector with the MVB's - I dont but only because I couldnt get one that would work with the little guys light fittings.

 

[JeffSimpson]

Sorry, I didn't realize you posted. What I meant by increasing life was, with the reflector on a Zoo Med Powersun it said it was putting out 600 uW/cm2 and without one it was putting around 200 uW/cm2. So at maybe 10 months it puts out say 50uW/cm2, with the reflector I would assume that reading would be around maybe 75-100uW/cm2 therefore taking longer to get to the 50uW/cm2 range. I don't actually know about the numbers, I just threw something up there for the example. Do you get what I'm saying or am I just babbling?

Nope, that's what I was getting at.. uW/Cm2 is microwatts of UV per square centimeter. So instead of producing 200uW/cm2 over a wide area, it's producing 600uW/cm2 over a much smaller area (1/3 of the area it appears, in this case). So you would not be extending the life of the bulb, simple concentrating the UVB on a smaller area of the enclosure.

From the first link you posted:

The reflection from the polished aluminium dome, however, had an extremely noticeable effect upon the readings taken at close range, but not on those taken from further away. This may be because the polished surface, unlike the brushed aluminium, does not diffuse the reflected part of the beam but rather, focuses it to a point just under the dome itself.

 

[CLee]

Oh, I guess that's what happens when I get lazy and don't read the article and only look at the charts. That makes sense, stupid brain, why didn't you think of that?

 

[midwestreptiles]

I was gonna post that quote" In the review it states that UV in a polished dome increases up close but other than that the brushed dome just seems to narrow the beam increasing it in a smaller area. Its funny because zoo meds product description say polished aluminum increases the UVB/UVA output???? Which clearly does not happen.