Last summer I bought 4 Weston 60 watt uv bulbs. Initailly the bulbs were putting out 300-400 mW/CMsq at 10". I set 3 of them up in my indoor rhino loft and gave one to a friend. The one I gave out went bad in about 2 weeks. I just took some readings on the various lights in the rhino loft which are all on timers running for about 12 hours/day. There are 10 basking areas, readings ranged form 45 on a zoomed florescent to 7 for a weston bulb. Of the 4 Weston bulbs purchased, only 1 is living up to the reports of these bulbs having high uv output and good longevity, it's reading was 33 at 10" distance. It should be noted that the iggs can rest 6" away from the zoomed florescent that measured 45, and that at 10" it would have had a significantly lower read-out. A Zoomed 160watt PowerSun mecury vapor bulb had a reading of 27 at 10" for 2/3's of the cost the weston bulb.
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Disappointing uv from weston 60 watt bulbs in rhino loft.
Replies (5)
Test the ESU Desert bulb 7.0. I have been using these for years, but was told from Zoo Med that these bulbs are not 7.0 and that the Zoo Med Iguana 5.0 and Reptisun 5.0 Bulbs still have a higher reading. I hope so, because I just ordered 20 of these bulbs from Zoo Med. Oh, and thanks Tom for the Marion pellets.
Tell me cycluracornuta, where do you buy this UV testing instrument, and how much? I would like to get one of these.
If you are in a hurry to get it -- as I was 4 months ago -- it will run you around 200, express mail. If you can wait, I think you can sign up to get one on the newly created uv meter owners forum on yahoo. When they have enough people, they buy lots, and it costs around 125 /meter. I'm not really sure on this as I have'nt fully inquired. There is also a database of members readings linked to the the site which should eventually become a valuable reference.
Last September's issue of the IIS had a good article on UV lights that referenced the Solarmeter (model 6.2). If your IIS membership expired, you need to renew. Since the Binns got involved, it has become an excellent publication.
Below is the link for the yahoo uv meter group, and the ultraviolet radiometer. You need to own one.
Enjoy.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UVB_Meter_Owners/
http://www.solarmeter.com
PS: know any good granite contractors in Long Island,NY, We're planning a re-model for the kitchen.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UVB_Meter_Owners/
I only know of a good granite and tile guy in California (lol).
Sorry I do not own any. I have heard that the reason the Zoomed florescents are so expensive is that they are manufactured to a higher spec., thus some of the other bulbs may have higher initial uv, but are less consistent and fizzle out faster. Now that the radiometer is available, it is interesting to compare Bulbs.
