do we really need uv lamps

[EJ]

I guess you missed the point of electrical current surge.

Incandescent UVB bulbs cannot handle electircal current surges very well. So... unless your house is wired to handle large loads... turning on a space heater, hair dryer... will sometimes cause a surge which the lamp can cut out. There is usually a 5 minute warmup period for the starter in the lamp for it to come back on... if it comes back on at all.

Well If you've got 10 enclosures that comes out to £360. If they blow out on each power surge... it is VERY expensive.

space heaters have no problem with electrical surges.

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

I do not agree with the VERY in that sentence.

I don't call £36 per year fixed costs very expensive. Bearing in mind that the tortoise needs the same wattage of electricity to keep it adequately warm regardless of the source of heat.

Although maybe it' tricky to get the birds, lizard and tortoises all under the one lamp at the same time.

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

I do not agree with the VERY in that sentence.

I don't call £36 per year fixed costs very expensive. Bearing in mind that the tortoise needs the same wattage of electricity to keep it adequately warm regardless of the source of heat.

Although maybe it' tricky to get the birds, lizard and tortoises all under the one lamp at the same time.

I could try stuffing them all in the beardies viv but the carnage that would ensue would cost a fortune in vet bills.
I have ceramic heaters on stats for the tortoises and use daylight basking spots for the light. At a cost of £5 each spot bulb and around £17 for the ceramic heaters that last for years and just a few pounds for supplements, I think the cost is considerably lower. I don't need heat for the parrots, just D3 so why pay for an expensive bulb when supplements are fine?

[Ozric Jonathan]

With regard to power surges, I've seen extension sockets that claim to protect against that, though I don't know if they work. Think they are designed to protect computers etc.

I'm willing to accept that for some folks the cost of uv lighting is an issue.

Some keepers that don't use uvb lighting seem to be saying that they would if it was cheaper.

[EJ]

It's not really a surge as it is a power drop... the opposite... when the circuit is suddenly overloaded.

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

With regard to power surges, I've seen extension sockets that claim to protect against that, though I don't know if they work. Think they are designed to protect computers etc.

I'm willing to accept that for some folks the cost of uv lighting is an issue.

Some keepers that don't use uvb lighting seem to be saying that they would if it was cheaper.

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

With regard to power surges, I've seen extension sockets that claim to protect against that, though I don't know if they work. Think they are designed to protect computers etc.

I'm willing to accept that for some folks the cost of uv lighting is an issue.

Some keepers that don't use uvb lighting seem to be saying that they would if it was cheaper.

I don't think I would change if the bulbs were cheaper. I have witnessed my beardie actively avoiding his UVB light so I assume the constant supply is a problem for him and would be for tortoises too.

[TortBabe]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

With regard to power surges, I've seen extension sockets that claim to protect against that, though I don't know if they work. Think they are designed to protect computers etc.

I'm willing to accept that for some folks the cost of uv lighting is an issue.

Some keepers that don't use uvb lighting seem to be saying that they would if it was cheaper.

I'm a huge fan of power surge protector extension leads, I use them for all my enclosures and tvs/laptops etc, nothing has ever blown since I started using them

[Alan1]

I have a spoonfull of Nutrobal every morning just in case I don't get out

[Levi]

Originally Posted by TortBabe

I'm a huge fan of power surge protector extension leads, I use them for all my enclosures and tvs/laptops etc, nothing has ever blown since I started using them

Totally agree, I use them on everything too.

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by caledonia

I have a spoonfull of Nutrobal every morning just in case I don't get out

That sounds good Alan with the weather the way it is i feel like i could do with a little perk and its leagal

[Levi]

Originally Posted by EJ

It's not really a surge as it is a power drop... the opposite... when the circuit is suddenly overloaded.

I suppose it would help if you had a decent amount of voltage to start with. Having only 110-120V the lights must dim if you use your electric can opener.