The package says "One 20w halogen bulb..**EDIT..bah, they run too hot!!!**

[MichaelD]

*EDIT*

Well, on the way home yesterday, I stopped at HomeDepot and picked up a 3-light kit. Got it home, hooked it up on my kitchen counter. Damn, those things are bright...damn near seared the retinas clean off the backs of my eyeballs! :Q

I let them run for about a minute. Shut them off. Went to the bathroom, came back and picked one up...how hot could it be? Got news fer'ya. It was FRICKIN' HOT!!!!! *ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuchhhhhhhhhhhhh!* So, after running my hand under cold water for a few minutes, I came to the conclusion that I'd have to prevent the snake from coming in contact with the lights...I could build wire "cages" to go over them (chicken wire) but that would look tacky and take a lot of time.

So, what I'm going to do is return the halogens so much for that bright idea. And get a 3 or 4-foot flourescent fixture and make a "trim piece" out of wood that fits around 3 sides of the fixture (front/left/right) to hide it from view when you're looking into the cage from the front.

Not what I had intended on doing, but it'll work and still look pretty decent.

Don't know if anyone really gives a hoot about it...just thought I'd report back.


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm purchasing some puck-style (think hockey puck) halogen lights for my new snake cage. Home Depot sells a kit. Comes with the lights/wiring/transformer. They have 3 and 5-light kits.

I'm wondering which set to get. If the 5-lite set is too bright, I'll have to buy/wire a dimmer in there...extra work. But if the 3-lite set isn't bright enough, then it's too late b/c the holes are already drilled.

What I'd like to do is open up a 3-lite set there in the store and plug the damn thing in. Think they'll let me do that? I could "just do it" and risk getting banned from my local Home Depot. :Q

Thoughts?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

In a snakes cage you're going for heat as well. Stay away from halogens. Also, 20W is equal to 50W in lighting capacity. Halogens put out alot more light than incandecants at the same wattage, the bulbs typically are fragile and they get quite hot (the heat is concentrared).

Summary: Use halogens for light, incandecants to make a snake happy.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

I have a 26W florescent bulb that says it's comparable to a 75W incandescent bulb...I'd say it's about right.

 

[Viper GTS]

In a snakes cage you're going for heat as well. Stay away from halogens. Also, 20W is equal to 50W in lighting capacity. Halogens put out alot more light than incandecants at the same wattage, the bulbs typically are fragile and they get quite hot (the heat is concentrared).

Exactly what I was going to ask, I thought the point was heat not light.

Viper GTS

 

[yakko]

<< I have a 26W florescent bulb that says it's comparable to a 75W incandescent bulb...I'd say it's about right. >>

For light yes but not heat which snakes need.

 

[MichaelD]

<< In a snakes cage you're going for heat as well. Stay away from halogens. Also, 20W is equal to 50W in lighting capacity. Halogens put out alot more light than incandecants at the same wattage, the bulbs typically are fragile and they get quite hot (the heat is concentrared).

Summary: Use halogens for light, incandecants to make a snake happy. >>



Good point, Demon-Xanth. I understand. But, I already have a Kane heat mat on a thermostat for heat. This is a BIG cage. 84x30x30 (43 cubic feet!). These are low-wattage halogens. The transformer takes them down to 12volts. If there's more rationale behind not using halogens, I'd really like to hear it. (Seriously; I'm not being sarcastic.)

 

[Ameesh]

I'd tell the home depot people, im sure they wouldnt have aproblem with you trying them out.

i think halogen is they way to go you wont have to change them oftern either, what kind of snakes do you have?

 

[MichaelD]

Hi Ameesh,

I have three snakes, total.

1. Female BCI (Boa Constrictor Imperator...aka "petstore boa" (Columbian Redtail) 4 years old/7 feet/approx 15 pounds of muscle
2. Female Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Epicrates Cencria Cencria) 3 years old/5 feet/2 pounds, maybe
3. Male Royal Python (Ball Python) 5 years old/4 feet/about 3 pounds (he's a runt, but he's healthy )

Right now, they are all in tanks w/under tank heatpads. The two boas have waaaaay outgrown their current homes, which is why I've built this new cage. The BRB will be going into the 80 gal tank being vacated by the big boa.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Other than thier tendancy to be fragile, they work pretty darn good for lighting.

 

[MichaelD]

Bump for anyone who cares. See original post.

 

[Doggiedog]

Halogens also give off alot of UV light too which isn't good. That is why alot of those lights aren't used directly but off of ceilings and things.