Little scare

[martin82531]

Always have a spare of the item you choose to heat your tanks. When I have a bulb burn out I replace it with my spare and then buy a new spare. It's a real pain when something burns out after hours on a holiday. Even if you go with a che you need a spare bulb or che.

A che will last longer. I have one that has been going since June. However they are not to be used with a regular heat fixture. Using a regular dome fixture causes the heat to back up and cook the che which drastically shortens the life of one. This is what is meant to be used with a che. Both stores have them and they are around $20.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Wire-C...+light+fixture

Another thing to think about is how you use your heat source. If you only turn it on when its cool or just alittle bit now and then the che might not be your best choice. They take awhile to heat up and cool down. They do not start heating as fast as a bulb and are really meant for steady use.

Martin, it would be better to give the op more info about a suggestion like this. Without explaining it more you could waste the op's time and money on something that may not be right for the situation. I like che but I still run some setups with bulbs because they are just not right for every heating situation.

Interesting - I have never heard of heat backup with a CHE bulb. I was under the impression as long as the socket was made of ceramic this would be considered an appropriate dome to use with a CHE.

I took a closer look at my dome and it does have 3 holes towards the top, I assume to prevent excessive heat build up.

The suggestion I gave was based on the OP's concern of the durability of the heat bulb they were using. You do bring up some good points about the fixture though, want to make sure you have a fixture that is designed for a CHE.


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