# Halogen downlight help



## KaotikJezta (Sep 1, 2011)

I want to change my enclosure heating to halogen downlights. I know you can get special reptile ones but my question is, what kind of halogen globe fitting is used for standard downlights (ie: GU10 etc) as there seems to be several different kinds of fittings available in the globes.


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## DazTopEndPythons (Sep 1, 2011)

do halogens put offf enough heat ???


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## KaotikJezta (Sep 1, 2011)

Yes, they put of quite a lot of heat.


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Sep 1, 2011)

There's only really two types : 240V and 12V. However you can also get 20, 30 and 50 W in the 12V as well as different colours. And you can get them in different spread angles and different backings on the bulbs. But these are all bulb differences.


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## Bez84 (Sep 1, 2011)

I use 50w 240v gu10 halogens in all my enclosures they give out plenty of heat and do come in colours at bunnings.. (Think red gu10 where around $8 and normals bout $4)
I used a simple adaptor (less then $2 from ebay) and the adaptor screws into my ceramic sockets and the halogens slot into the adaptor...simple am also using the same thing to switch from fluros to led downlights...
Here are the adaptors...
eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d�r
Only problem i had was on one adaptor the outside plastic split when the inside ceramic on the adaptor expanded... didnt affect the function of it at all and only happened on one..
Here is a pic of it installed in a beardy cage...






As for heat output, that hide is hard resin/plastic if i out it under the light it would get hot enough to fry anything ontop of it...


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## KaotikJezta (Sep 1, 2011)

Just_Plain_Nuts said:


> There's only really two types : 240V and 12V. However you can also get 20, 30 and 50 W in the 12V as well as different colours. And you can get them in different spread angles and different backings on the bulbs. But these are all bulb differences.


The 12 V globes come in all different fitting types though, that's what I am wondering, what king of fitting do standard downlight kits have and are the 12V reptile bulbs the same and where can I get the bulbs from. The standard fittings seem to be either GU10 or GU3.5



Bez84 said:


> I use 50w 240v gu10 halogens in all my enclosures they give out plenty of heat and do come in colours at bunnings.. (Think red gu10 where around $8 and normals bout $4)
> I used a simple adaptor (less then $2 from ebay) and the adaptor screws into my ceramic sockets and the halogens slot into the adaptor...simple am also using the same thing to switch from fluros to led downlights...
> Here are the adaptors...
> eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d�r
> ...


If your switching your fluros obver what happens with UVB


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## Bez84 (Sep 1, 2011)

Only switching fluros to leds in the snake tanks, beardy with still have to have uv fluro..


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## KaotikJezta (Sep 1, 2011)

ahh, ok. Anyway, I think I have it sorted now, so thanks for all the help.


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## Grunter023 (Sep 1, 2011)

Are these cheaper to run than a normal light globe you buy from bunnings/supermarkets for heating? Do they provide a better basking spot? Do they last longer? What is the advantage of changing to these?


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## KaotikJezta (Sep 1, 2011)

There smaller so they look better, they provide more heat and light per watt than normal globes, they are cheaper to run and they last longer.


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## browny (Sep 2, 2011)

just wondering what ya rep's think of the new lighting, not too bright etc for them?


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## KaotikJezta (Sep 2, 2011)

I haven't done it yet, you can get different intensitys. My Beardies have normal halogen globes at the moment and they don't seem bothered by it.


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## mattyg (Sep 2, 2011)

i went to bunnings and for $11 i got a gu10 holder with a metal cage already around it and it came with a 50watt gu10 bulb too. its 240v so i just got my elec mate over to put a cord on it for me and he had it done in a matter of seconds lol. alright for 11bucks


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## Bez84 (Sep 2, 2011)

The halogens direct most of the heat downwards so it makes a hotter basking spot and doesnt light the enclosure up as much as a standard bulb which produces light and heat in all directions..
And yeah they are alot cheaper and last ages 50w halogen is obviously cheaper to run then a 75w- 100w light bulb etc


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## Southside Morelia (Sep 2, 2011)

There not necessarily cheaper to run...a 50w dichroic/halogen downlight uses exactly the same power as a 50w incandescent globe, although there are variables if the halogen is 12v because there are losses through the transformer.
In saying that they do give off more heat compared to a normal incandescent globe, but not necessarily more heat than a incandescent spot...the globes that have a reflective coating to direct the heat/light downwards.

Halogen globes "don't" direct most of the heat downwards at all ONLY if they have a metallic barrier to deflect that heat they produce, as heat rises and the reason why there are heaps of fires in roof spaces caused by halogen/dichroic downlights. 

The problem with the "basking" spot incandescent, is they are branded with popular herp company logos and sold off at 10X the price of what they should. If you shop around you can get them for a couple of bucks. A good buy!
BUT if you want my opinion, a 50w dichroic/halogen IF in the optimum fitting which reflects the heat downwards ....are better than incandescent globes as far as a heat source...but the problem with putting them in that fitting that reflects that "good" heat downwards, has a detrimental affect as there is no air circulation and the globe gets too hot blows more often.....a problem with real fancy downlights.

These are all the facts kiddies, make your own decisions.....BELIEVE IT OR NOT!  

Yes it was a good afternoon having Friday drinks!


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## browny (Sep 2, 2011)

always good to hear from someone "in the know" cheers for the info, I been picking up a fair bit lately just hope my brain can hold onto it all.....

also I'm jealous of everyone saying tgif my week starts on a saturday gotta love 7 day trading


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## Just_Plain_Nuts (Sep 3, 2011)

What Scott said is correct but you can also look for specific ones which have more reflective shielding on the back of the bulb focusing more forward.


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