Powersun 160w questions/opinions??

[Kvoigt]

ok so i got the Zoomed 160w Powersun light for my leopard tort Sonne and ive only had it a cple months...(early dec.) recently it has been flickering a bit more often and or it has an automatic shut off if it gets to hot or moved around to much.. well its been shutting (4x in the last 10ish days)off even when its shouldnt be to hot in there.. ive seen it hit 110* under the basking spot with that light a few times and its never shut off mosly it stays around 103*. last night it shut off when it was at 98* and i waited 15 min like it says to and replugged it in and it was working again.. i just dont understand y it is doing this..i mostly dont like the flickering..kinda freaks me out ..haha its not a reall hard flicker just slightly.. my husband noticed it last night finally and thought i should throw it out there n see what you guys thought? The only thing i can think of is its TO humid in there for the light..i keep it at 60-80% at all times and it is completly enclosed light included.... the last few days i have left his enclosure open during the day (still has 90% humidity hide) to see if that would help... and im not sure yet its the weekend so i spend a lil less time in there... it did flicker this afternoon just a lil bit and his thing was open... sooo now that, this is long and boring lol what do you think i should do? its going to start getting warmer soon i hope and will just b able to get him outside alot ...

 

[Jacob]

I Have a exoterra 125w, and my light does the same thing.
if you have a ceramic hood, and a power sun, i think they automatically shut off after getting too hott.

 

[coreyc]

Sounds like the ballast is starting to go do you still have the receipt so you can return it and get another one ?

 

[slowpoke]

i agree with coreyc , some times they last a year some times they last a few months ...

 

[Kvoigt]

CRAP! no i dnt..i cnt return it..n dont have enuf $$ to go buy a new one just spent all the extra cash i had on things for my hatchling to be.... well maybe i will just keep using it till it does go out. oh and yes i have the ceramic lamp. ... i really hope its not going out that bulb was 50 bucks and i payed that b/c they said they last a long time....i hope it stays warm outsidnow and i can just make sure to take him out everyday and get a basking bulb....

 

[EKLC]

Unplug your fixture, and check the metal strip in the socket which contacts your bulb, sometimes this can get a lil rusty, or bent back and isn't making good contact. MVB's are also pretty sensitive to movement, so if it got banged around in the past, during shipment or otherwise, it might be nearing the end

 

[HtVic]

yeah, maybe its the problem is on the fixture

 

[Kvoigt]

it must be the form of shipping.... my Zilla flourescent tube light just burnt out this am or i think it has i cant get it to turn on and dont have a screw driver that fits to open it and see if its just loose.... grrr its only been a week n a half that ive had this light..... i ordered them both from petmountian.com and they ship from California...alllll the way to south dakota..the mvb shipping took more than 2 weeks and i paid extra for the zilla light and the other stuff with it for faster shipping and still took almost 2 weeks....im sure they were not handled the best in that time.... but what am i suppost to do now.. i can afford to order/shipping another florescent and dont really have the time to wait for it to get here... what type of bulb can i buy like at a wal mart or something thats the biggest store we have here lol and i know they sell flourescents jus duno wich one would be right......this sux..at least my hatchling isnt here yet while this light is out...cause we just got like 4 inches of snow(still falling) ....i wldnt b able to take him outside..

 

[Lilithlee]

My Powersun(I have the lower W) did the same, untill I replaced it but it was coming up on a year and need to be replaced vs dying out. I later found out I bad lamp figured; I have Fluker's Clampes lamps. Whatta do you have?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

What angle do you have the lamp positioned? If it is not directed straight downwards into the enclosure, this can compromise the integrity of the bulb.

 

[Lilithlee]

What angle do you have the lamp positioned? If it is not directed straight downwards into the enclosure, this can compromise the integrity of the bulb.

I took all the hassel out of the positioning of the light on got a stand, that way I knew it was at the right angel I want. But if a light is angel to the enclosers will affect the bulb.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

What angle do you have the lamp positioned? If it is not directed straight downwards into the enclosure, this can compromise the integrity of the bulb.

I took all the hassel out of the positioning of the light on got a stand, that way I knew it was at the right angel I want. But if a light is angel to the enclosers will affect the bulb.

I don't know if this was meant to be a question or not, but I'll elaborate anyway. Upon looking at the instructions and researching these bulbs in general a couple yrs ago, I found that mercury vapor bulbs are designed to positioned pointing straight down into the enclosure (as if the lamp fixture were resting on a screen top). Not angled 45 degrees or whatever. This is for two main reasons:

1.) The animal gets the correct amount of UVA/UVB emissions from the bulb. If positioned at an angle, the emissions are uneven, and some of the intense light from the side of the bulb (anyone who has seen a MVB closely knows what I'm talking about) is exposed. It basically creates an uneven basking area where the reptile does not get the correct amount of UV radiation as well as excess bright light.
2.) Anyone who has these bulbs can attest that they are not small and not exactly light. Keeping the bulb in a direct straight up-n-down position keeps the weight balanced. At an angle, the weight is offset, compromising the integrity of the bulb, usually shortening its lifespan.

So a bulb that is intended to last 8mos to a year, may only last 2-3 months. I've discovered that many keepers who complain about how MVBs don't last, had their bulbs mounted at an angle.

Of course, there are always lemons, and even people who use the bulbs correctly have mentioned them going out prematurely. I've seen this more with the Exo-Terra brand MVBs (Solar-Glo) more than the ZooMed brand (PowerSun).

I personally have no experience with other brands who make MVBs (Zilla, Flukers, T-Rex, etc.)