Arcadia D3 UV Basking Lamp Lifespan
 

What is the lifepspan of a Arcadia D3 UV Basking lamp?

Mine is still working but I want to know how long until the UV isnt as strong enough and it needs replacing?

Thanks :)

I am only a novice tort keeper. But I have tried all these expensive bulbs, some costing £10 and the like and lucky if they lasted a few weeks. Got fed up forking out this kind of money every few weeks. So for years now, I have used just normal 100w bulbs set at a certain height in their house. The hottest part of the house is 110, and the other end the coolest about 60. You at least do not mind parting with £1 every few weeks if need be. These specialist reptile bulbs are a rip off.

The D3 basking lamp is UV potent for 12 months guaranteed. So change every 12 months

John

When you say UV potent for up to a year, exactly how much UVB should you be reading?? What UVB should you be getting from a 100w and a 160w combi while maintaining a basking temp of 33c?

What do you use to measure it! M.v is a nightmare to use a meter under :-(

John I'm using the 6.2 solarmeter, the reason I ask is I have just bought a 100w and 160w to experiment with them, to see how the temps and UVB are.
To maintain a basking temp of 33c the 100w has to be hanging 7 inches from the top of there shell the UVB is 254
The 160w is 15 inches from the top of there shell to maintain 33c the UVB is 117.
I intend to take the reading every other day to see what the UVB does.
I don't rate combi bulbs as I think the UVB drops very quickly even after a few weeks.
My T5s are still giving out over 125uvb at 12 inches above there shell and they are between 18-24 months old. I have just replaced these tubes and they are all over 200uvb now.
Thanks
Andy

Hi Andy/ John. Sorry for butting in but I've had a bit of a go with these without keeping an accurate record of it. Like Andy I have a 6.2 solarmeter. I found the 100 watt was not powerful enough on the heat aspect. I believe this lamp must have been made to fit inside vivs or similar and it might be a bit tough on this lamp to expect it to perform over an open table.

The Arcadia 160 Watt I used several of and found this to be more stable and longer lasting than any 160 watt combis which I'd used previously. Having tried a few different ones the arcadia was better, but the others might have improved since.

I have basically switched to the T5 system with additional halogen lamps for heat as like you I find the T5 to be a very good product.

If your tortoises are getting over 200 uW/cm2 this might be too much especially if it is 12hours a day. What I do is to lower the tubes a bit after the uv has dropped off a bit.

Hi Jonathan,

I bought these just to experiment with them, on other forums so many new tortoise keepers are buying the 100w combi bulbs and I have explained that they are no use as I don't rate them at all especially as a heat bulb, the only one I have recommended is the 160w, but because of the ones I have had In the past the UV drops dramatically over a few weeks, hopefully this problem has been sorted and proves me wrong!!
As for my T5s they have never let me down.
I also have in my outside enclosures the mega ray Zoo combi and this is by far the best combi I have had so far, when new the UV at 24' inches was over 600uvb and I have found that my adult females would only bask under these when they had a choice of basking spots.
Yesterday I swapped one for a new arcadia 160w and they have not went near it choosing to go under the lamp that is reading 350uvb. That's 350uvb after 6 months of use.

Hi Andy

we're agreed then about the 100 watt combi lamps! Maybe they do have their uses in the right situation.

My own experience with the Arcadia 160 watt lamps was quite positive but for me anyway this kind of lamp has been overtaken by the T5 technology. I couldn't give you any details but I certainly had 160 watt arcadias in use that were still putting out almost as much uvb after a year compared to when they were new.

I had seen the MegaRay Zoo lamp a while ago and I think it was more expensive then. At the current price you certainly get a lot of uvb for your money. I haven't tried one.

The Osram Vitalux 300 watt is a great lamp but too much power for most hobby keepers. The amazing thing about this one is that the design is very old and yet the lamp is very reliable and stable in use. But it can't be used at anything like 3 feet as the heat and uvb would be far too much. You really need quite a bit of space to use it in. My current set-up doesn't allow for it.

I'll be interested to hear how you get on. You might be surprised by the 160 watt arcadia in terms in uvb output over time.