Hanging lights ideas

[RonHays]

Ok yall I'm looking for some ideas on hanging heat lamps\lights over our new enclosure. We have vaulted ceilings and not entirely sure how to go about doing that. We have pics of the new enclosure in another thread here entitled "Newest enclosure" by shayee. Any advice\help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[coreyc]

I would get a few light stands then you can adjust them how you need them

 

[yagyujubei]

Easy, just make a light bar.(Goal post) 2-2x4 about 4" screwed to ends (vertically), and one for across the top. Then you can mount your lights anywhere you want. Cost? About $5.00.

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Correction: 4' end uprights

 

[RonHays]

I like the sound of the light bar idea. I just don't want to take anything away from the look of the enclosure.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I like the sound of the light bar idea. I just don't want to take anything away from the look of the enclosure.

Seriously?!

 

[Fernando]

I like the sound of the light bar idea. I just don't want to take anything away from the look of the enclosure.

Seriously?!

lol I felt that way too. I live in an apartment and my wife likes to decorate like we live in Ikea...When we first bought an enclosure for Andy we thought of how it would look FIRST rather than the health and safety of it in general....long story short... My "tortoise corner" is a TOTAL MESS!!! haha my wife hates it but I love it. I've got all I need and I made sure it was safe and he's getting what HE needs.

 

[Yvonne G]

I cut a piece of plywood that is the length and width of the habitat (for the bottom), then I cut two 2x4's, one for each end. I made a mistake and cut them a little too short, but it worked out ok. I would have liked them to be three or four inches taller. Then I took those metal braces that are in the shape of an "L" and stood the 2x4 up on the end of the plywood and screwed them together using the metal "L". Then I took a 1x1, cut to the length between the 2x4's and screwed it to the tops of the 2x4's.

 

[Mao Senpai]

You can use some stands that'll hold the lamp up.... it worked well for me.

 

[Cfr200]

I used some 2x2s and a piece of 1/2 conduit. Then I attached the lights with key rings and chain so I could adjust them up and down. I should have stained or painted the wood but I was too lazy. Plus I used some plant hangers to hang my CHEs over some of their hides. I could have hung the CHEs from bar but wanted them closer to the hides, in the winter. I found this method to be very stable and easy to do. I think the total cost was under 10 bucks.

 

[jaizei]

What about something like this? Just make the vertical pieces longer.

 

[Yvonne G]

What about something like this? Just make the vertical pieces longer.

Hi Jaizei:

Welcome to the forum!! May we know your name and where you are?

That PVC light stand would work, and can be made pretty cheap. Thanks for the link.

 

[mike1011]

I like the lite bar idea, but whatever you do please make sure the lite cannot fall especially into the enclosure where something WILL catch on fire from it!

 

[RonHays]

Thanks for your help everyone. Now I have a good idea on how I'm going to hang my lights.

 

[Cameron]

the racks are a good idea, there is also another idea you could look into. you could cut a piece of plywood, like 8" wide or so and span it across the width of the table. attach each end the walls on the table. take a hole saw and cut an 2" hole in it. take a ceramic "keyless" fixture (you can get it at lowes or home depot for like $3) and attach it to the underside of the plywood "shelf" where the hole is cut. all it is, is a simple screw-in type light socket, kind of like what you probably have in your garage. you can then hardwire the keyless fixture into an extension cord or similar cord and plug into a standard wall receptacle. then just screw in the light bulb/lamp that you want to use into that. you can also do the same thing with a small flourescent tube fixture. i did that to my redfoot enclosure and it workes really well. i am at work right now and will try and get you some pics to help illistrate what i am talking about tomorrow.



***EDIT*** found some on my photobucket account. used on my snake cage, but same principle....

I added the lamp guard for the snakes, the keyless fixture is what the bulb is screwed into (obviously).

 

[RonHays]

Ok I have a question. We just bought 3 lamps to hang and on the paperwork inside, it says not for use with ceramic heat emitters. Why is that? I don't see where it would hurt anything. I mean heat lights generate a lot of heat themselves.

 

[coreyc]

What kind did you get ? I know the Zoo Med mini combo deep dome fixture says the same I emailed themthis is what I got back




Thank you for contacting us. the Mini Deep Dome fixture does not provide enough ventilation to be used with a Ceramic Heat Emitter. Heat Emitters can operate at 400 degrees or more and if that heat is not allowed to escape the dome, it can build up in the base and cause problems in the wires. Please let me know if you have any further questions.



Kind regards,

 

[RonHays]

What kind did you get ? I know the Zoo Med mini combo deep dome fixture says the same I emailed themthis is what I got back




Thank you for contacting us. the Mini Deep Dome fixture does not provide enough ventilation to be used with a Ceramic Heat Emitter. Heat Emitters can operate at 400 degrees or more and if that heat is not allowed to escape the dome, it can build up in the base and cause problems in the wires. Please let me know if you have any further questions.



Kind regards,

Yeah mine will be ventilated so I'm not too worried about it. But yeah I got the zoo med dual but the bulbs for that will be a heat lamp and a UVB light. The zoo med single will have the emitter in it. It should be fine. Thanks for the info.

 

[Madkins007]

I use a 'Light Bar' in the Tortarium- 3 pieces of aluminum angle iron bolted together and painted black. The actual lamps hang from chain and S-hooks

Here is a link to a photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/madkins007/5027660430/in/set-72157624738958833/

You do need to use ventilated, heat-resistant domes for ceramic heat emitters. Ideally, you'll also use a dome big enough that there is a big gap between the edges of the emitter and the dome, and deep enough for the emitter to actually be well 'inside' the dome. This way, the heat trying to emit to the side and up has a better chance of being reflected back down.

(Also, just FYI- white is a better reflector than aluminum, and polished aluminum is better than 'raw'.)

 

[Balboa]

What kind did you get ? I know the Zoo Med mini combo deep dome fixture says the same I emailed themthis is what I got back




Thank you for contacting us. the Mini Deep Dome fixture does not provide enough ventilation to be used with a Ceramic Heat Emitter. Heat Emitters can operate at 400 degrees or more and if that heat is not allowed to escape the dome, it can build up in the base and cause problems in the wires. Please let me know if you have any further questions.



Kind regards,

Yeah mine will be ventilated so I'm not too worried about it. But yeah I got the zoo med dual but the bulbs for that will be a heat lamp and a UVB light. The zoo med single will have the emitter in it. It should be fine. Thanks for the info.

We see this all the time, 99% of the heat emitters out there are incorrectly installed.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I wish people would stop doing it. Its only a matter of time until somebody burns their house down.

A couple of the major causes for house fires are lamps and portable heating. With torts these get combined into one.

The only fixture UL Listed for use with CHEs are the open wire basket types that you can't even find in most cases (folks don't want them, they're "ugly")

I'd also like to see people stop hanging their lights by the cords, please use chain.

 

[RonHays]

Madkins007 thanks for the help. I'm on my way to the pet store to get the right fixture for my CHE. Balboa I appreciate your insight but you don't have to be so rude about it. I'm not an expert on this and that's why I'm on here to get helpful advice.