Issues with lamp and bulbs blowing

[Staceycat]

Hi everyone

I'm new to the forums and fairly new to the world of beardies! Just wondered if someone could offer me a bit of advice regarding a lighting issue.

I'm currently using Exo-terra 150w tight beam basking spot bulbs in a Lucky Reptile Thermo Socket Plus Reflector lamp (takes up to 300w).
The lamp is turned on once in the morning and then turned off once in the evening, and I don't mist my beardie anywhere near the enclosure. I seem to be having a lot of trouble with the lamp/bulbs though.

I've been turning it off in the evening with no probs, bulb is fine, then it's switched on in the morning but both the bulb and fuse are blown. In the past month, I've used 3 bulbs, bought from different shops.

I've spoken with different pet shops and they've all said bulbs should not blow that quick, yet the pet shop I got the lamp from seems to think it's normal for them to blow quick? I had one blow on Saturday, put a new one in, turned it on this morning and all was fine, an hour later I found they'd blown again :S

Is this most likely a lamp issue?

 

[Bill]

There has been issue with then try a standard bulb and see how it works that will check your fixture ...

 

[Staceycat]

Thanks for the reply

I was expecting a call from the petshop this morning anyway, but after the bulb blew I rang them up to I rant as this is the second lamp that we've had issues with (the first one had a dodgy wire). They replaced the lamp for us and a bulb, though they said it was most likely a problem with our electrics (despite never having an issue with the socket/extension being used) and if we have any problems again then they won't be able to help cus apparantely the bulbs/lamps are never faulty. Tsk.

Think I'll be looking into different bulbs anyway, since I've read household bulbs will do the job just as well

 

[Staceycat]

We've literally got the lamp on top of the enclosure, so the lamp was straight out of the box and plugged into the socket, so no need to fiddle with any wiring. The lamp came with a 3amp fuse, as stated on the plug, and the first time it blew, the petshop just replaced the fuse.

Never had any problems with the socket before, had an ordinary lamp plugged in there before we got our beardie and never had a problem. Highly doubt there is a problem with our electrics, I've got other things plugged in there and they're fine.

I'm from the UK btw, and the bulbs were purchased from two different petshops in two different cities, so a bad batch would be unlikely I reckon.

To be honest, I'm thinking its this petshop selling dodgy, overpriced goods. The first lamp we were given was a different brandand the wire was all loose, making the bulb go on and off, but they never blew. Took it back and they accepted it was faulty.
The beardies they have in store have only uv lights, no basking lights and the temps are low