# I am absolutely sick of this!



## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

:censor:

I have no idea what to do now, I am so hacked off, I know im going to start with an absolutely seething email to Hagen (Exo Terra).

I have had ongoing problems with Hagens electrical items, my light unit on my Fluval Edge fish tank broke and was replaced 7 times! They replaced it each time with no complaint, they kept telling me it was my fault, something i was doing wrong, something external like power surges...

And then problems started with my ExoTerra light units! Reptiles - Products

I have now gone through 6-7 units AGAIN! (i actually gave up with the tank light unti, it was an apalling design and kept rusting).

-I have used different size lamp clamps, some normal ones (they didnt list them so not sure if still in circuit) and the glow ones (in link).

-I have tried them with their own ExoTerra bulbs, Arcadia Bulbs, Lucky Reptile (i think?) bulbs and ProRep cheap as chips bulbs.

-I have the lamp suspended over my chameleons vivarium as it says in instructions.

-I have a surge protector in place just in case as Hagen blamed that...

-They also blamed the electrics at my house... though i have had this problem whilst i have lived in three different places!

-I have tried them with both 3 and 5 amp fuses (they come with 3 but bulbs occasionally last 2 weeks if im lucky with 5 amps)


I just got a new bulb today, put it in, turned it on... turned around to leave the room only for it to go **ping** and there we have it.. bulbs gone again...

This is the problem im having now, the first three light units themselves broke, but the rest of them, they just wont work with Reptile Bulbs! The bulbs at their longest last 2-3 weeks and at worst... work 3 seconds... (this is for both fuses, different houses and units...)...

And yet the curious thing is that household bulbs work fine! I have a 60W in there now for the time being and this bulb has been in and out as my backup for months now.. but it is ***nowhere*** near good enough.

I *need* a 100W tight angle bulb, nothing else works for this set up, it has to be a tight beam bulb to creat the right temps in the basking spot and no heat the lower level of the tank so my cham can stay cool when he wants...

Its so hard to find a household bulb that fits the bill...

Im going to write off Hagen electrics as shoddy but after spending over £200 on bulbs and fuses and petrol driving back and forwards to get new bulbs and light units this year! 

I will probably get an Arcadia light unit in the end but they are so expensive, i just cant afford it at the moment  and i really like the 'glow' reflector light unit as it means it cools down a lot slower and there is less shock with the lights suddenly going out for my cham, he has done much better with this light unit...

:devil: I cant believe im having so many problems... I have done everything i can! The company can only shrug their shoulders and say they "just dont know" any more and keep replacing the light units and make me keep putting them up with them breaking on me. I cant even remember where i got the original light unit! I've had them swapped over (very kindly as it wasnt their problem at all!) at other shops, ironically, Pets at Home was the most helpfull, they just gave me a new light unit (and it was an upgrade) even though i didnt buy one from them in the first place, i did help them out with a few things but nothing that made me feel like i deserved to be given stuff, was very kind gesture.

I could go and cry  and now i need to order a new UV as thats about to go soon too... there goes another £25 

Im getting to a point where i think im never going to keep reps that need lighting ever again!


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

Never had a problem with their units but I've not had much luck with their bulbs either. Used to buy their MVB's. Had one last 2 weeks, longest was 5 months. Had a night time bulb that only lasted a few weeks as well. I use household bulbs for my basking spots, mainly GU10 halogens. I still use them with the exo terra clamp lamps, just add an ES to GU10 adapter.

In what way was the light unit on the Edge breaking? I was considering buying an edge.


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## garynmeryl (Mar 19, 2009)

Hi, must admit to having endless problems with the hood light units for exo terras, with bulbs and fuses constantly blowing and difficulties with bulbs needing to be tightened to such an extent in order for them to work that I have had a number of them break in my hands. Probably not the kind of advice you want but I have gone back to strip lighting with starters and ceramic bulb holders.


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## Moogloo (Mar 15, 2010)

Its just depressing... i thought... well i feel awful now... but i decided to try once more and got an exo terra bulb, just so i can send the broken bulb back to them as i haven any of the old ones and i knw from past experience that Hagen like to try blaming other companies bulbs on their faulty light units...

Got the bulb in, turned my back and it just went BANG! This was 15minutes after unscrewing the household bulb, i even made sure i used latex gloves incase it was because i was touching the bulbs or something...

But now George fell off his branch in shock and knocked himself about on his other branches and he is hiding at the bottom  i feel really mean now!

Hagen cant even be bothered to reply to me now...


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