Zoo Med Combo Lamp Blowing Bulbs

Anyone have one of these? http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Combo-.../dp/B005KPMCPG

We use it for our ambient temps and it's a piece of junk already.. Just blew a brand new red/night bulb. :mad:

I have a really hard time believing that the fixture is to blame, they don't really do anything but hold the bulb in place. My guess is that the bulb was bad or you had a power surge.

I have a few zoo-Med single lamp domes and haven't had any issues with them.

Well I just put in this new red bulb because the old red bulb blew 3 days ago.. That's why assume it's the fixture. The only power surge is being turned on and off once a day with the toggle switch on the cord.

Do you move the fixture around a lot?

I really can't see anything that could be wrong with the fixture that could cause it to prematurely kill bulbs.

Like Aaron said it's probably the bulb. Keep your receipt if your going to buy pet bulbs as they are hit or miss, touchy anyway. You can use a black bulb from home depot or a bulb dealer on Amazon as long the wattage you need is there. The deep domes help focus the heat, don't give up on them yet. Old school timers help too.

I touched one of the screens on top of my cage one night with the very tip of a 150w bulb I had installed 30 seconds before. Quickest $11 I ever spent (on a utility item).The surge took out the dimmer built in to the cord (Flukers I think). The next day became my first deep dome unit.

The biggest problem is how they are handled, not by you but even before it is placed on the shelf;)

Your fixture cannot blow a bulb, house fuse/breaker yes.:gj:

I have one the first time i pluged it in it blew the breakers. The second time it made a popping sound and one of the switches wont work now. Pos in my book.

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Originally Posted by amps daddy

I have one the first time i pluged it in it blew the breakers. The second time it made a popping sound and one of the switches wont work now. Pos in my book.

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That would be a short in the fixture. Still not going to blow the bulb.
BTW If it trips the breaker once you probably dont want to plug it in a second time;)

Yeah now its a 40 dollar dust collector. I know some about electrial work. By no means am i a master electrican. Should have been ther when i grabbed both clips on my pluged in flexwatt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by amps daddy

Yeah now its a 40 dollar dust collector. I know some about electrial work. By no means am i a master electrican. Should have been ther when i grabbed both clips on my pluged in flexwatt

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I would have helped you out with the flex-a-watt............................................................ after I got up off the floor and the pains in my chest stopped, I would have helped you :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Depending on the fixture, you might be able to fix it. I buy almost all the "broken" ones I can get. As long as they are not really broken and crushed they are usually easy to repair.:gj:

Personally I would get something with a dimmer verse an on off switch, that way you can control the heat output. Here is one suggestion.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o05_s01_i01

There are a few reasons why a bulb may blow prematurely, especially in a specific fixture. Make sure to check in the base of your fixture (WHILE IT IS UNPLUGGED) to make sure the copper connector inside the ceramic base is sticking out far enough to make a good connection with your bulb. Try not to screw in your bulbs too tight (or too loose), and check that the top of the fixture is properly connected as well. I have found a handful of fixtures where the wire leading in to the top of the fixture is loose or not quite in there firmly, and that can cause bulbs to blow early as well.

-Jen