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Fluorescent Mineral Hunting Flashlight (High power 365nm UV)

Lumencraft (Matt)

Flashlight Enthusiast
Vendor
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
3,231
Location
Missouri
EDIT: 1/14/25 The lights are ready!

I have a small batch of these available for those of you who are interested.
These are available exclusively on HERE: amazon
Please know that I take Flashaholic feedback VERY seriously and invite any of you who try it to let me hear your thoughts.
L21B-UV-With-Box-and-Reflection-2k-resolution.png


Something not written on this photo I thought you guys would appreciate, is that this light is RANGE OPTIMIZED. I used flat glass LEDs and Smooth reflectors to extend the range as much as possible, as well as making custom spacers for the reflectors to get exactly perfect focus, which makes a profound difference in how far it can throw.
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------------------------------Original Post-------------------------------
This is something I've been working on for quite a while. It's not ready to sell yet, but I thought I would share some of the details on how the project is going. This won't be a cheap light, I want to be up front about that. There are already a ton of cheap UV lights available, I just wanted to make one that is the very best possible with available tech. IE high power, reliable, sustainable, with good range.

I took a Convoy L21B host and with the help of CPF member Hoop, designed a space maximized heat sink to fit in the head.
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Heat Sink with MCPCB and LEDs (3).jpg
Heat sink Placement inside head (1).jpg

The LEDs were made to my specification for the project (more on that later). In total there's over 20 watts of power.

What got me thinking about this build was primarily fluorescent mineral hunting. So I ranged optimized the light as best I could. Even though it has 4x LEDs, its made to be a thrower. Hence the flat glass emitters and SMO reflectors.
Flashlight with bezel and Lens removed (3).jpg
Flashlight with bezel and Lens removed (5).jpg


Light-with-shadow-and-LED-Glow.png






-The Green stone is a piece of Chalcedony that I stuck in with some other rocks to show an example of how brilliantly it fluoresces compared to it surroundings.
-The Red stone on the ceiling is fluorescing I think because it's covered in some type of fungi.
 

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Interesting. Just to let new members know, Lumencraft (Matt) is the real deal.

Bet that light will do a number on glow in the dark items. Can we shine it on bleached teeth?
You're too kind!

I'm glad you asked. Personally I wouldn't shine this thing anywhere near my face. I'm not puffing the product when I say the intensity of the UV this is putting out is not something to toy with. I wear full wrap around safety goggles when I use this thing even outside in the day time. I've never noticed any ill effects from shining on my hand or skin, but, I have to be really careful with my eyes around UV.

We will be preprogramming them to be single mode ON/OFF when they ship, but if you did want to use them in applications that required a lower power there are re-programmable to have lower modes.
 
You're too kind!

I'm glad you asked. Personally I wouldn't shine this thing anywhere near my face. I'm not puffing the product when I say the intensity of the UV this is putting out is not something to toy with. I wear full wrap around safety goggles when I use this thing even outside in the day time. I've never noticed any ill effects from shining on my hand or skin, but, I have to be really careful with my eyes around UV.

We will be preprogramming them to be single mode ON/OFF when they ship, but if you did want to use them in applications that required a lower power there are re-programmable to have lower modes.
I've been looking for a good UVA thrower for fluorescent mineral collecting. My biggest challenge right now is finding one that has a smooth, evenly distributed beam. All of my current UVA LED lights produce a splotchy beam pattern.
 
I've been looking for a good UVA thrower for fluorescent mineral collecting. My biggest challenge right now is finding one that has a smooth, evenly distributed beam. All of my current UVA LED lights produce a splotchy beam pattern.
Are you just wanting the beam to be "soft" or are you wanting it to be equal brightness from edge to edge? Ie no hot spot in the center.
 
Preferably equal brightness from edge to edge, although anything is better than what I have now.
Using a light with an aspherical lens might be the way to go. When I first started UV years ago I made a light for the automotive industry (for drying primer and clearcoat) where an even beam was the first requirement. Using a single LED makes the most perfect beam, but on wide focus even multiple LEDs will give a similar result. You can see a bit of separation up close, and the "flower" around the outer edges. We used both 365nm and 395nm to achieve fast cure times, and so the light would work with multiple initiators. This is one of the triple LED ones. There is a little more separation around the edges than shows up in this picture, but you get the idea.
Beam-36-inch.png

DB-X3-Main-2k.png


A multiwave light probly won't be necessary for most people, but I have a few of the curing lights left https://shorturl.at/rtCsc
 
Using a light with an aspherical lens might be the way to go. When I first started UV years ago I made a light for the automotive industry (for drying primer and clearcoat) where an even beam was the first requirement. Using a single LED makes the most perfect beam, but on wide focus even multiple LEDs will give a similar result. You can see a bit of separation up close, and the "flower" around the outer edges. We used both 365nm and 395nm to achieve fast cure times, and so the light would work with multiple initiators. This is one of the triple LED ones. There is a little more separation around the edges than shows up in this picture, but you get the idea.
View attachment 68990
View attachment 68991

A multiwave light probly won't be necessary for most people, but I have a few of the curing lights left https://shorturl.at/rtCsc
Thanks Matt. Yes that's a nice evenly distributed beam.
 
Just came across this searching for uv lights...
First and foremost, Matt you are freaking awesome, I get a little giddy knowing I get to talk to someone that I hold in such high regard! (Took a deep breath, whew, lol) Okay, so, I have a question... Have you finished production of this iv light and/or do you have any recommendations for a light that would have simular performance? $260-270 would be towards the too of my price range but I wouldn't hesitate knowing the capability of the maker.
 


Were within a few days of launch. We've completed the first batch lights, there is just one more component I have on the way I want to include with them that was delayed by weather in the mail. It should be here today. If so I the launch will be this week.
 
I have small batch of these lights ready to go. I updated the OP with new information. The ones I have ready to go are available here Amazon.com
I have a question - I looked at the Amazon link and the pics of the LEDs show a yellow phosphor coating on them, as if they're regular phosphor-white LEDs. That can't be right...? 🤔
 
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You are correct.

I hired a team to make most of those images in the listing. They did a pretty good job, but even after several revisions there were still a few details they did not get right. I'm not sure why they didn't just use the photo they took of the LEDs I sent them, but I ran out of time on the project so I decided to live with it. The other images including the exploded view show more accurately what the LEDs look like. Also you can get a pretty clear look from the pictures I snapped on my own in the lower part of the OP.

I appreciate you bringing it up though. Someone else pointed out a typo I had to fix in the title this morning too.
 
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