# Arcadia ceramic lamp bracket burnt/blown out



## Loz91 (May 6, 2018)

Hi everyone ive got a rather worrying problem. Long story short for the last 2 years due to housing issues i had not been able to keep my blue tongued skink and he was put in the care of a friend. I have just got him back with me and found a rather unnerving falt. My freind has done a great job with him for a complete novice and reported to me when collecting him that he thought something may be wrong with my light fitting as he was having to replace heat bulbs every few weeks and that the last one had just gone aswell. 
I went out and got a new bulb the next day and put it in. And nothing. So checked and removed my stats and still no. It wasnt untill i got my torch in the tank up close that i noticed that the sides of the fitting had discolored lines and the sticker on the fitting above was black and apeared burnt. I have obviously unpluged it and wont be testing again whilst in situ. But does it look like he may have just put to big a bulb and it's burned it or has something happened and its almost caught fire. He had been using 40w bulbs like i did but i found it to be one from a hardwear shop rather than a specific basking bulb. 
I have changed the fuse and it is now turning on but im still reluctant to use it. Is it a risk, has it happened because he has just used a normal spotlight in it or is it just something that will discolour after almost 5 years use. Have attached photos for people's opinions.
Please excuse the need for cleaning out i thought moving him and changing bedding and smells might be a bit to much stress for 1 day. I will however be cleaning the dirty protest he has managed to leave me already. Happy to have you home too Eddy haha. 

Any advice will be greatly appreciated 

Thanks


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## Loz91 (May 6, 2018)

Sorry the pictures didn't seem to add to the first post


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## Loz91 (May 6, 2018)

Second photo


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

This is a simple case, you are using unreflected lamps that emit heat and light all around the lamp. These have simply burnt the paper and paint and will risk over heating the wiring around the ceramic lamp holder.

This will stop if you use standard reptile heating lamps with internal reflectors and place the lamp facing directly downwards as they should be.

You only need one over the basking point also. All heat and light should be placed over one area only to create usable areas of light and shade.


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