# Can the ceiling of a vivarium burn from ceramic bulb?



## fourdown (Oct 3, 2008)

yo all.

Just a thought that i have been having.

Can the ceiling of the vivarium get so hot from a ceramic bulb that it could burn?
the way i have it set up at the moment is a ceramic bulb holder (the fairly cheap ones) screwed into the ceiling then the bulb screwed into it.

It's just there isn't much clearance in height between the bulb and the ceiling really is there. SO could this be quite dangerous? Or is it deigned so the heat is just directed straight down and not above?

If it is dangerous what do you guys do? could you screw the fitting into a ceramic tile then the tile into the ceiling??

Questions questions!

cheers

Ben

:devil: (fed up of moving house!)


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## fourdown (Oct 3, 2008)

typo!!



fourdown said:


> Or is it designed so the heat is just directed straight down and not above?


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## Jim2109 (Mar 30, 2009)

my ceiling reaches in excess of 50 degsC on the OUTER surface (i keep a RUB full of breeding locusts on top of to recycle the heat lol). id imagine inside it could be as hot as 80-100. but thats less than water boiling temperature. youre not going to actually burn anything (in terms of flames). worse case scenario is that melamine deforms. but it wont melt. on bare wood you might experience some burnt colouration over time. but it will never set fire to it. the heat is mostly directed downwards.


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## carpetman (Dec 24, 2008)

when i have used a tile i drill the tile, drill the viv and then glue the tile on with silicon before attching the fitting.

as previously mentioned, it will ruin the melamine over time and then the wood will start to swell!


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## fourdown (Oct 3, 2008)

nice one, so using a tile is ok then?
I thought it could conduct heat even more.

SWEEEET!

is it a special drill bit for the tile? 


Cheers for the replies!


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## Leliel (Mar 1, 2009)

yes you do need a special tile drill bit, you can get them from screwfix. drill slowly with lots of water, and suspend the til in the air, but support it well and don't apply too much pressure. (used to be a kitchen/bathroom fitter)

and yes, you can burn a viv using a bulb. i did. i had it mounted through a vent at the top, and over about 3 months i noticed a discolouration get larger and larger above the bulb (so on the ceiling, next to the side of the bulb) which when poked revealed itself to be nearly half a cm thick! i drilled a hole through the burnt bit, and now the bulb is suspended there with no problems and no burning.


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