Inova X5T UV

[Greg]

Hi, I was interested in buying an X5T in UV and was wondering how good it was at detecting bodily fluids and such.

Will it still see them on concrete and other porous materials.

As well, what other uses do you guys use them for?

Thanks.

 

[sotto]

You need to use a spray material like luminol to make body fluids etc fluoresce under UV light.

 

[JJHitt]

Cat pee lights up great... (and you can guess how I found that out). Human urine also lights up without any chemical treatment.

I was under the impression Luminol was specifically for blood.

 

[Aloft]

Greg, I can't vouch for how it works in a forensic setting like your asking about, but I'm quite impressed with the X5T UV. It's the brightest of all the UV LED lights I have. . . not really a surprise since it's a 6 volt light, but nonetheless, it outperforms my other AA, 2AA and 3AA lights handily. BTW, when I say it's the brightest, I mean at making flourescent items flouresce. . . the X5T puts out just a bit of visible purple light.

 

[markdi]

this flashlight is not as small or tough as the x5t uv
but it has shorter wave length leds in it
385 nm vs 400 nm
it emits less visible light and works a lot better

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3101&item=8136016272

 

[MrBenchmark]

The NightCutter 5CSI purports to output light at 375nm:
http://www.lightshipenterprises.net/products.html#pic1
If true, this should be as bright as the X5T UV, but make things fluoresce more brightly.

Another use of one of these lights is hunting for scorpions. I was hiking one night, here in North Texas, and I saw this weird blue glow coming out of the trees ahead of me. I'm thinking "What the ..." So me and my friend stop, turn our lights off, and wait quietly for whatever it is to go by. Well, we see this old couple, carrying a paint bucket and a GIGANTIC fluorescent black light tube. (The weird blue glow was her white pants glowing in the UV light.) So they were scientists from texas A&M, and they were collecting scorpions from the park. They showed them to us - the bucket full of dark wiggly shapes turned into a bucket full of green glowing scorpions under the UV light. They were kind of disappointed - they hadn't found that many. Personally I found the fact that the count of scorpions in the bucket was non-zero to be somewhat troubling...

You can also find some minerals with them, although many require much shorter wavelength UV than can be produced by an LED at this point.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

[ QUOTE ]
markdi said:
this flashlight is not as small or tough as the x5t uv
but it has shorter wave length leds in it
385 nm vs 400 nm
it emits less visible light and works a lot better

[/ QUOTE ]
I have one of these right here if anybody is interested.
If this isn't the exact same flashlight, it's very, very similar.

 

[aussielextsy]

sorry to go offtopic a bit i want to buy a x5t inova non uv do you guys reccomend these? or is somethinhg brighter.

i was told by the guys over at the self defense forums that they are bliding and make a good hammer fist. does any1 know if this is the best u can get

 

[kongfuchicken]

The X5ts are great but maybe not the "best you can get"...

 

[aussielextsy]

what do u think is the brightest and best one u can get

 

[kongfuchicken]

Well details would help (budget, intended use, specific requirements...)
If you are looking for the same size, I'd recommend you to make a search on these: surefire L4, PM6 led, Arc ls (now hard top get), McGizmo's Aleph series.
With the exception for the PM6, these are all unfortunately quite a bit more expensive than the X5t...

 

[aussielextsy]

well price doesnt matter and size well about that size mallish just the brighest for the size u know

 

[kongfuchicken]

The L4 or a 5Watt Aleph should make you happy then...

 

[Sub_Umbra]

I looked at the INOVA X5T UV a few months ago because I was getting a new cat. After reading a few threads I bought an INRETECH 400nm module and put it in a 3D M^G body. About the same total price, but with 20 LEDs instead of only 5 for the INOVA.

For me it would depend on what you were going to use it for. Since size was no problem I chose the INRETECH/M^G combination. I'm very happy with it.

 

[markdi]

overall I think the 385 nm ebay light is the best
I paid a total of about 25 bucks for a 7 led 385 nm light.

 

[INRETECH]

Again, please remember to use caution with these shorter wavelength lights - the human eye is not very sensitive at this wavelength, but can be damaged

As Craig says "We only get one set of eyes, and can't run down to the local 711 for another set"