Tired of buying red-heat bulbs? Me too. Here's my solution.

Discussion in 'Enclosures, Heating & Lighting' started by nuggular, Apr 25, 2006.

  1. pigger93

    pigger93 Member

    Messages:
    362
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    what about floor heaters?
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  3. VaBeachFamily

    VaBeachFamily Member

    Messages:
    482
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    Now we need to find out how to make a cheap UV light.... cause we are getting two baby Sandfire beardies in about a month and a half or so, and those things are about 50-70 bucks each
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  5. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Member

    Messages:
    485
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    So this really works huh? It seems like it's too good to be true. I really hate the red glare from the bulb over my ball's tank. Maybe I will try this when it's time for a new bulb. Please, anyone that tries this keep this thread updated with any problems/discoveries you come across. Hopefully this will work for the long haul!
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  7. VaBeachFamily

    VaBeachFamily Member

    Messages:
    482
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    LOL Frog, i was thinking the same thing. I will keep mine until they burn out and then I will try this if people keep updating how its going.... :D do they even make regular light bulbs in 100 or 125 watts? Because thats what I use in my cage
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  9. jimbobroy

    jimbobroy New Member

    Messages:
    211
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    I took a 75watt and it worked good but the problem is it takes like 6 cotes to keep the light in. But after that it get hot enough to fry an egg!
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

    Messages:
    5,483
     
  11. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Member

    Messages:
    485
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    I just tried this today. So far it seems to be working. I'm crossing my fingers!
     
  12. VaBeachFamily

    VaBeachFamily Member

    Messages:
    482
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    Hm, someone should post details/pics of exact products

    how can you test to know if the vapors are safe?
     
  13. Ryan1990

    Ryan1990 Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,190
    Re: RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    Well during the day its not bright enough (beardies love BRIGHT WHITE light, like the sun and associate with heat) and unlike snakes and geckos beardies can see red light meaning that it will keep your beardie awake during the night ;)
     
  14. hornedfrog

    hornedfrog Member

    Messages:
    485
    RE: Re: RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    Well, I don't have pictures but I can tell you how I did it. I bought Rust-oleum Specialty High Heat spray paint. It is in a green can with a black top. It says on the front "Resists Heat Up To 1200*F". I also bought a package of regular household bulbs (mine were 60W). I cut holes in a piece of foam that were big enough to insert the bottoms of the bulbs into. I made sure to stick them in far enough to cover all of the silver part of the bulb. Then I simply sprayed light coats of the paint onto the bulbs, rotating the bulbs between every coat to ensure even coverage. Like jimbobroy said, it took at least 6 coats, but each coat dries relatively quickly. As far as the harmfulness of the vapors, the back of the can says "may emit smoke and harmless odor at first". I did notice this with my bulbs but the smell was gone within an hour. So far they are working great and there is no more annoying red glare coming from my reptile room. Plus I saved a bunch of money. This was such a great idea! I can't believe no one thought of it sooner.
     
  15. earlgreylee

    earlgreylee New Member

    Messages:
    63
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    congrats on the idea, and i hope it works, but for some reason i just feel a little skeptical. i use ceramic heaters on all but my gecko, and use a black light buld for it. the room does the most of the heating job, and ive never had a problem with the ceramic other than the intial cost of 15-30 bucks.
     
  16. VaBeachFamily

    VaBeachFamily Member

    Messages:
    482
    Im still skeptical... only with the fumes, because my cages are pretty enclosed..... not like a reg. tank with a screen lid
     
  17. ArchimedesArtifex

    ArchimedesArtifex Member

    Messages:
    282
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    That star idea is actually pretty nifty. If you were to use it during the day and scratch a few lines in it, it would add a sort of sunlight filtering through the trees effect.
     
  18. jimbobroy

    jimbobroy New Member

    Messages:
    211
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    I would not use it inside the cage.like if you have a vison cage. But on top of a fish tank is fine.
     
  19. boverholt

    boverholt New Member

    Messages:
    42
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    I tried this with a pack of 4 - 100watt bulbs from wal-mart. The ones that come in the blue package 100 watt soft white. I painted them with 1200 degree grille paint, I plugged them in to let the piant burn off a little bit. At first they smoked some, not bad though then they seemed fine. I thought all was good so I went down to the basement to get them and three of the four had burned out. Any suggestions? Maybe I did something wrong. I just wondered before I try this again. I won't be out much $ if I do and I still have a lot of paint. Maybe it was just a fluke. What do you think?
     
  20. dna_splice

    dna_splice Member

    Messages:
    363
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    dude. awesome idea! the only thing is, i would be afraid that the bulb might get too hot, and melt the glass, b/c the light/heats gets traped inside even more than usual. and some of the bulbs arre really thin glass. =

    hopefully it all works out, and u can copywrite the idea and make millions?... juss remember one thing.. dna_splice is ur best friend =]
     
  21. boverholt

    boverholt New Member

    Messages:
    42
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    Come on now, such a novel idea and noone else has tried it!?!?!?!?!?! Has anyone else gotten any results on this experiment???
     
  22. DaCubs

    DaCubs Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    4,313
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    Novel idea? By that do you mean the other people in this thread that have done the same thing you did?
    Painting lightbulbs that weren't meant to be painted always comes with this risk. They can no longer disappate the enormous heat they generate as well as they were designed to, which leads to higher temps at the filament. Higher temps = quicker burning.
    It looks like it's worked for most people, though. Maybe you need better lightbulbs next time.
     
  23. Herpdude_24

    Herpdude_24 Member

    Messages:
    291
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    But DaCubs, do you think that ppl would've conquered that by hooking up it to a rheostat or thermostat and cranking it down some?
     
  24. boverholt

    boverholt New Member

    Messages:
    42
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    That was my thought or, rheostat, since I have been an electrician for 8 years now and know all about lights. I also thought that perhaps a 240 volt bulb in a 120 volt socket may do the trick as well. Maybe even covering the bulb with aluminum foil and just painting the top would do the trick. As for the disipation of the large amount of heat emitted from the fillament, I really do not know what to say. Yes, the heat does need to dissipate and obviously that did not work with the bulbs that I tried. I have now tried different brands, different wattages but have not tried the rheostat or different voltage lightbulbs, nor have I tried the aluminum foil idea yet. As you can see there are many ways that one may attempt to save money on heat bulbs. Sorry that I asked I was hoping that one of the MANY people that it DID work for would be able to give me some advice as to what worked for them. Perhaps everyone else just assumed that a rheostat had to be hooked up to the light but I highly doubt that.

    So has anyone painted a certain brand and wattage lightbulb with grille paint and had it work for them and not burn out, please???????
     
  25. Herpdude_24

    Herpdude_24 Member

    Messages:
    291
    RE: Re: solution to red-heat bulbs

    How long do these last? I read at reptilesupply that their CHE's last 5 yrs...and only $20-30 bucks. Is it worth going through the trouble and risk for these bulbs? Dont be offended, i thnk that this is a great idea, but i dont have time for it. Which get hotter, a CHE or these bulbs?
     

Share This Page