# ceramic heat bulb question



## lola (Dec 11, 2007)

Well I've just about got my 'new' 4ft viv ready for occupation, and gave the electrics a trial run this morning..... there was a very hot smell - not too surprising as all the fittings etc are new but everything was working fine - and then I noticed the bottom flat edges of the exo terra 100w ceramic bulb were going kind of dark and lots of tiny craze lines had appeared, it was also *very* hot..... I turned it off quick  Since then I've tested it again but got the same smell... the question is do you think my ceramic bulb is damaged in some way/faulty/knackered???? My other ceramic bulbs don't show any of this crazing or dark discolouring.....


----------



## 170pand (Dec 22, 2008)

is your stat working properly and turning off at temp,,if it is i would say your ceramics faulty,,i,ve never seen it myself but there could b something wrong with element to course this or ceramic could have hairline cracks in,,check your stat,,if its working ok ,then i,d take the ceramic back and tell them its faulty ,they should change it


----------



## lola (Dec 11, 2007)

I thought it was strange - no it's not yet connected to the stat coz that's still in situ in the current viv and will be swapped to this one on the day of the Grand Changeover!!! I was just testing the UV, the spotlight and the ceramic and they all worked fine LOL!!! I think it must be a faulty ceramic and is overheating itself to the point where it could spring a fire..... I bought it some time back and goodness only knows where the receipt is so I think I will just have to bin it and buy a new one.

Thanks for your quick reply


----------



## 15060 (Feb 17, 2008)

ceramics due get incredibly hot compared to a bulb. They can have a funny smell too, with the newness of them.

Have u got it on a thermostat? What is the temperature the viv is reaching??


----------



## lola (Dec 11, 2007)

lola said:


> I thought it was strange - *no it's not yet connected to the stat coz that's still in situ in the current viv and will be swapped to this one on the day of the Grand Changeover!!!* I was just testing the UV, the spotlight and the ceramic and they all worked fine LOL!!! I think it must be a faulty ceramic and is overheating itself to the point where it could spring a fire..... I bought it some time back and goodness only knows where the receipt is so I think I will just have to bin it and buy a new one.
> 
> Thanks for your quick reply


Hi loobylou - they do get flippin hot don't they! yes I agree all new electrics can make a funny smell at first but this was starting to smell like a burning wood smell and like I say the dark discolouring and crazing really worried me coz I've not seen that on any of the others I've got.... since it'll only be switched to come on at night I don't think I should risk the possibility of it starting a fire while I'm asleep so had better look for a replacement


----------



## 15060 (Feb 17, 2008)

I was testing one in a viv the other day, took it out with my tea towel and it burnt almost right thru it!.......That was only 94 deg!

Have u got heat resistant cable and a ceramic bulb holder??


----------

