Wattage Issue

[Reira Evenstar]

So I just discovered the MVB I'm using is 160 Watts, which I knew, but what I didn't know was the lamp fixture I'm using (it's a double) supports only up to 100 Watts per dome. How much trouble am I in here? Am I going to start a fire?

 

[Neal]

Perhaps someone better than me could give you more thorough guidance, but if I were in your position I would stop using the dome immediate and either buy a smaller wattage MVB or buy a fixture that is rated to operate a 160w bulb.

I'd like to think that those guidelines are there for a reason. You either have a risk of starting a fire or your equipment not functioning as designed, or both. Probably both.

 

[Reira Evenstar]

Yea, I'm just going to go to the pet store tomorrow and fix this issue...best thing to do. I know just what I need to get (and I can return the old lamp fixture). Get a big dome for the 160 watt bulb and a wire cage for the CHE.

 

[Yvonne G]

I really don't like those double dome fixtures. I like to have day heat on one end (or in the middle) and night heat on the other, so a double fixture just doesn't do it for me.

Be sure to get a dome with a large bell - 10 or 12" - and with a ceramic base (not Bakelite).

I don't ever buy anything larger than 100 watts. That has always worked well for me.

 

[Glomerulus]

For the MVB look into grabbing a ceramic brooder lamp. If you live in the country they can be very affordable at farm supply stores. I grabbed one the other day that is rated for 300 watts. It was around $10.

 

[naturalman91]

just go to a hardware store like lowes/home depot and get a dome fixture with a ceramic socket they're rated up to like 660w and they're cheaper then petstores

 

[Tom]

Yea, I'm just going to go to the pet store tomorrow and fix this issue...best thing to do. I know just what I need to get (and I can return the old lamp fixture). Get a big dome for the 160 watt bulb and a wire cage for the CHE.

Stop going to the pet store. The stuff they sell is usually overpriced and useless, like your double dome fixture, plus they usually give terrible tortoise advice.

Start thinking about the hardware store for your pet supplies. Cheaper and better. Like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-300-Watt-Incandescent-Brooder-Clamp-Light-HD-303PDQ/204684496
Take of the guard wires, and don't use the clamp. Hang it from over head.

 

[Reira Evenstar]

Well I went ahead and fixed my issue days ago...got the huge zoomed done rated fit my bulb and then a wire cage for the CHE. I usually buy off amazon if the price is lowest and I certainly don't ask for advice from a pet store luckily this big box store was running a store wide discount so I did good and quickly fixed issue. We actually don't have good hardware stores here :-/ or nurseries for that matter. It's been frustrating.

 

[Reira Evenstar]

But thanks for all the advice! I was worried and went to fix it ASAP. Was concerned about fire although it probably wasn't that much of a hazard. Probably worse for the bulb.

 

[saginawhxc]

No, you were originally right when you recognized it as more of a fire threat. Wattage is a measurement of volts multiplied by amps, and that wattage rating of the dome is a rating for how much the dome itself can handle. Speaking honestly you could theoretically have used that dome forever and not had a problem, but it is very dangerous and I would never recommend it. Basically you are pulling too much power through something rated for less and it results in temperature increases, sometimes to the point of mechanical failure of the fixture and/or fire.

 

[Sterant]

I was a board member of the Tortoise Trust USA back in the late 90's and early 2000's and was exposed to all kinds of tortoise related disasters, but the ones that always scared me the most were electrical issues causing, or potentially causing, fires in peoples homes.....not to mention killing or severely hurting tortoises. The idea that my tortoise hobby could result in a fire in my home is gut wrenching to think about. (Raccoons raiding tortoise collections was another terrible one).

You should take the use of lights, heat emitters, heaters and any other electrical device very seriously. The most common cause of issues arose from keepers putting electrical fixtures and wires in reach of their tortoises. Sometimes this was beginners not realizing that tortoises can sometimes get vertical when climbing on each other or up the sides of the enclosure and they would impact hot bulbs. Others had fixtures fall into the enclosure due to improper mounting. Many substrates are really efficient fire starters.

Make sure everything is mounted well out of reach of tortoises and cannot break free even if someone mistakenly pulls on or leans on a fixture. Kids and dogs/cats have a tendency to do that. Overbuild everything. And of course, make sure your bulbs and elements are within the recommended wattage for your fixture. Also make sure your circuit breakers are properly sized for the load of your enclosures.