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My UVB lamps does not start - what is the problem?
Posted:
June 05, 2022
If a UV lamp does not ignite, there can be different causes. The lamp itself or the electronic ballast may be defective or the contacts in the ceramic socket may conduct poorly. Then the complicated troubleshooting begins.
A short background with practical tips:
Modern metal halide lamps require an electronic ballast for operation. This device sends a strong current surge of over 4500 volts into the lamp so that the gas mixture ignites. This high ignition voltage is particularly necessary with new lamps - older burned-in lamps are often not that demanding. It can therefore happen that an old lamp starts without problems and a new one does not. One therefore believes that the lamp is defective - unfortunately often a false conclusion.
Therefore you should always check the contacts in the socket first.
- Are the contacts tight enough?
- Are the contacts clean and not corroded?
- Is the lamp screwed tight enough into the socket?
The humidity in the terrarium is often very high and there may be a lot of dust or dirt in the air over the years. This can affect the contacts. Unfortunately, small manufacturing differences in the lamps cannot be prevented. Some ignite more easily, some require very firm contact.
If the lamp is screwed in tightly, the socket is clean, the contacts are in perfect contact - and the lamp still does not ignite - then the lamp is unfortunately really defective. In this case there is of course a manufacturer's guarantee and a replacement lamp will be sent. That goes without saying at Reptiles Expert.