# Tesco Light Bulb



## jbyrne2007 (Apr 26, 2008)

Hello!!! just bought my viv tonight got it all set up. got an abosolute bargin for a 4 foot glass viv, cabinet and pretty much full set up. The lady who I bought it off gave me a 2 pack of light bulbs which she said she used on her viv.

The box is marked. Tesco Spotlight, R63, Bayonet Cap, 60 Watt. Now it is a different shape than a normal light bulb. Now can I really use this in a reptile vivarium?!?!?! She had snakes cant remember the type.. I intend adult beardies. If you require pics of the box and bulb just ask I really could use your advice on this guys!!

Thanks
Jamie!!!


----------



## the-reptile-mafia (Jan 4, 2008)

i use them just 100 watt ones


----------



## chimpy666 (Jan 2, 2007)

Use 100W, 60w dont pump out enough heat.


----------



## KitsuneAndy (Feb 12, 2008)

chimpy666 said:


> Use 100W, 60w dont pump out enough heat.


I disagree, I've just changed down to 60w as the viv was getting too warm and the light was dimming more than I'd like.

Have put a 60w in there now and temperatures and brightness are a lot more stable, I've just had to raise the height of the basking spot a little.


----------



## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

chimpy666 said:


> Use 100W, 60w dont pump out enough heat.


You cant really comment on the wattage of the bulb as you don't know about the setup, how far from the bulb the rock/branch will be..

But yes, normal household spots are fine, alot cheaper than specific reptile bulbs which are infact, exactly the same thing.


----------



## chimpy666 (Jan 2, 2007)

I think its my setup for my BD I was struggling to get a 100f basking spot with a 60w, never had the blub dimming to much with a 100w bulb

I think its either or really. 

I use a 100w Morrosons Bulb, standard house bulbs work fine for me

Yeh sorry it is very much setup dependant..I do know that lol


----------



## TANGO THE CORN SNAKE (Apr 29, 2008)

*my corn snake*

hello does any one know wot kind of amel my amel corn snake is i dont no if its a het or somthing and can you please tell me what colour female would go nice with him to breed with in a few years time cheers







:mf_dribble:


----------



## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

My only observation is that Tesco bulbs can last as little as 2 minutes!!!!


----------



## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

ian14 said:


> My only observation is that Tesco bulbs can last as little as 2 minutes!!!!


You must have dodgy wires then lol.


----------



## chimpy666 (Jan 2, 2007)

Hey Tango

you have asked the same question in two seperate threads which have no relevence to the topic in hand?

why not create a thread for your problem then it can be dedicated to helpping you in a correct and efficent manner...

Please dont take offence. I am not being sarkey or rude.


----------



## TANGO THE CORN SNAKE (Apr 29, 2008)

*Tango My Amel Corn*

its ok i wasnt afended but thanks for the advice m8 cheers


----------



## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry, in my experience bulbs branded by a certain national supermarket last 30 seconds. Guess I got the manky ones!


----------



## Sprocket (Apr 21, 2008)

Yes, these bulbs can be dodgy, spend a few more pence and get a decent type, especially (not for keeping any sort of animals) the energy saving ones, in my experience they always popped after about a month !!


----------



## grannykins (Oct 9, 2006)

The other consideration is if you want the heat to be on at night, then you need a coloured bulb, as otherwise the reps dont get a night time at all. Unless you just use a heat mat at night, which may not be sufficient depending on set up and rep involved.


----------



## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Tesco light bulbs dont last as long as say the exo terra ones but lets face it they are less than 1/5th of the price. 90p for a tesco light bulb or £5 for one that will last longer, most of the time i would go for the tesco one if i didnt have the money. However i also find exo terra ones also give out heat a bit more evenly as thats what they are designed for, tesco ones are designed as lights.


----------



## mEOw (Dec 28, 2006)

exo terra bulbs dont last very long either though.. in my 4x2x2 beardy vivs i use 100Watt PAR38 bulbs... they have built in parabolic reflectors and outlast most bulbs on the market, they can be picked up for about £2 each on ebay... For smaller vivs i use good quality household bulbs, they easily outlast the exo terra bulbs and are a lot cheaper.. 
Owen


----------



## mEOw (Dec 28, 2006)

Sprocket said:


> Yes, these bulbs can be dodgy, spend a few more pence and get a decent type, especially (not for keeping any sort of animals) the energy saving ones, in my experience they always popped after about a month !!


i use energy saving bulbs for light in a lot of my vivs, do the job well


----------



## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

they all generally are suposed to last a slong as each other, like 1000 hours... they varie from bulb to bulb and small unoticable fluctuations in electrical supply can cause them to break quicker etc.


Maybe tesco is a partic bad brend [as i consider the exo terras to be] so maybe try soem wilkinsons, asda or whatever ... you prolly wont notice a lot of difference.
philips and osram brand bulbs of the same description which soem hardware/electrical stores carry are made a little bit better, although its still prolly hugely vairable on how long they last.


----------



## jbyrne2007 (Apr 26, 2008)

Thank you all for your posts and support  love this forum now.

Cant help but feel iv started a few wars, exo terra uses VS supermarket branded bulbs and this bad branding on tesco spotlight bulbs haha. 

Soon as I get home from work al try the bulb see what temps I can get it at. Everything including the heatmat (for at night) is all set up, just this bulb viasco. I get my beardie on saturday or tomorrow evening so theres still plenty of time to pop to a shop.


----------



## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

just to check...is the bulb a spotlight shape?
like this sort of shape?









i assume so.. if not then the whole thread is talking cross purposes.


----------



## TAXI (Apr 5, 2008)

I get mine from B&Q made by general electric who supply the majority of reptile spots in the u.s & there cheap 2 for £1.20 "HAPPY DAYS": victory:


----------



## jbyrne2007 (Apr 26, 2008)

Yes Dean its that shape


----------



## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

sweet, no probs with any brand you find then dude...its less common to find bayonett fitting ones... im glad i now know tesco sell them, last lot i got were online from lightbulbdirect.


----------



## Sprocket (Apr 21, 2008)

DeanThorpe said:


> sweet, no probs with any brand you find then dude...its less common to find bayonett fitting ones... im glad i now know tesco sell them, last lot i got were online from lightbulbdirect.


Damn, i have the same problem most of the bulbs, even the exo terra etc are all screw cap, i wanted to try one of their infra red types, but they do not seem to produce any bayonet fittings, might replace the fitting in the tank for a screw fitting type .


----------



## Sprocket (Apr 21, 2008)

I find that 60watt is too strong for my viv unreglated (2foot), stat should be here by saturday, was told by shop i did not need one which i now know is wrong :censor:

Thanks to the help from the people on the forum ...


----------



## linda.t (Sep 28, 2007)

i think u will find that most of us use normal spot light bulbs as they are a lot cheaper and last just as long the only trouble i have is getting 100watt in a bc fitting.


----------



## repti-mon (Aug 31, 2007)

i have just bought a few boyonet - screw adapter fittings which you just plug straight into the boyonet fitting so you can attach a crew fit on. works well and cost a couple of quid each from livefoods.co.uk
Mite be worth doing that rather than buying a whole new fitting and wiring it through?


----------



## richard505 (Apr 14, 2008)

I youse normal house hold bulbs! I youse 40 watt but its only a 2 ft viv. just ake sure you have a dimmng thermostat!


----------



## Sprocket (Apr 21, 2008)

repti-mon said:


> i have just bought a few boyonet - screw adapter fittings which you just plug straight into the boyonet fitting so you can attach a crew fit on. works well and cost a couple of quid each from livefoods.co.uk
> Mite be worth doing that rather than buying a whole new fitting and wiring it through?


Hmm, Will save me some work in the long run, thanks, did not know these even existed !


----------



## martin day (May 18, 2006)

you can buy convertors from most diy and rep shops that change bayonet fittings in to the screw instead of buying a new light fitting


----------



## ViRMiN (Aug 6, 2007)

I get my bayonet spots from B&Q, and my screw-ins from Tesco; both are £1.08 for two bulbs. For some reason, my local B&Q only does the screw-ins in 60W not the 100W I'm currently needing, that's why I buy them in separate places.

I'll probably change down when the ambient temps increase... if we get a summer that is!


----------



## Johelian (Nov 25, 2006)

Its worth considering that many incandescent bulbs produce a very yellow colour; it may not even be particularly noticable to our eyes, but the colour temperature of the bulb tends to be a little lower than ideal. Ive noticed this in all of the household spotlights that Im using. The light is also not particularly bright or stimulating, and for reptiles that have quite different vision from our own, they can be quite gloomy and unpleasant. A bit like staying indoors in a dark room with just a lightbulb really - step outside into daylight and immediately you can see the difference, even if the sky is overcast.

Im using a halogen in my lacerta viv, and the light is brighter and whiter at 75W than a 100W spot in my desert ig cage. I will definitely be installing them into my diurnal rep cages, as the light is closer to "natural" colour temperature. Im also thinking of hooking up an energy-saving halogen purely for increased lighting in the cage; Ive seen ones that are only about 20W, but output the equivalent of 100W of light from a "normal" bulb. These are no good for heat, but should definitely amp up the brightness of the cage.


----------



## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

I have used Tesco bulbs and sometimes they are as good as leading brands, other times have blown as soon as put into the fitting!! Stick to Osram, they last for ages! I use bulbs for all of my vivs, old fashioned thiugh it may be, and have never had a problem. Stick to pearl bulbs though, as they aren't so glaringly bright.


----------



## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

I bought 5 x 60W screw ins from Home bargains for 59p the other week.. Bargain


----------



## ViRMiN (Aug 6, 2007)

Well... I said I'd lower the wattages when summer hit, and guess what!? Summer is officially here! Down to 60W bulbs, apart from the collareds who like it really hot anyway! I wish I bought ice lollies when I got my bulbs! :blush:


----------



## DeanThorpe (Apr 9, 2006)

BLOODY HOT LATELY EH?
Yep...looks like i may have to lower a couple of wattages on soem vivs also... saves on the dimming I hate so much.
Wish SES fittings came in the variety of viv friendly designs that es do...cos id liek to switch down from 40 to 25w on a few too.


----------

