Need a UV flashlight, suggestions?

[Strauss]

Just as the title says, I want to pick up a UV flashlight to add to the collection. I have checked out Inova's version of the X5, and was just wondering what my other options are. I have watched too many CSI episodes, and now I need a UV light myself Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[Planterz]

Price limit?

What are you intending to look at?

The Inova X5 is a good one, as is any that uses a Cree 7090 UV LED. There's a TerraLUX Minimag drop-in that uses the Cree. Pretty much any UV light with the Cree will outthrow any light that uses 5mm LEDs (even clustered ones, which give more of a flood) because of the central LED focused through a reflector. Most other UV lights that use the Cree are fairly expensive ($100+).

The X5 and Cree have the same wavelength (395nm) and both still have a lot of visible purple. However, some other UV applications work better with different wavelengths. This website has an excellent application table that tells you what works best for what. They sell modded Maglites for any application (but since it's specialty equipment, it's kinda pricy) too.

If you're just buying for sh*ts and giggles, any wavelength will do. I have a couple Cree powered LEDs, and they give a cool blacklight effect that is still useful for stain hunting. The really short wavelength lights (360-370nm) have very little visible light, so when you fluoresce something, it's pretty dramatic because nothing else is lit up.

 

[PhantomZ]

i find that the Inova x5 isn't that great, imo. i find it almost useless when tested on Canadian and US bills. i have a light made for me that uses seven 365nm 5mm LEDs (which i find is the best all around use wavelength, at least for my purpose) and it'll fluoresce things up to 15 feet away. it wont throw like the cree would but the different wavelength will make a difference.

http://www.xenopuselectronix.com/xeled/index.html

 

[PARIS]

I have a Inova UV and its a great light, well made and small enough to put
in a pocket
I know what you mean regarding the CSI episodes, interesting how some
lights end up on TV.

 

[cuervo]

Consider the Streamlight Stylus or the Photon light. Both are small and output at a slightly shorter wavelength than the Inovas. I don't have an X5 or Photon, but the X1 is fun for shining around a room and the Streamlight is good for closeup work. I would imagine the Photon to be similar to the Streamlight for "brightness."

Neither the Streamlight or Photon are as solidly made as the Inovas, but they are sufficient to play with. Both work for things like minerals and the counterfeit strips in money. The downside to the Streamlight is the odd batteries.

Going into shorter wavelengths with LEDs gets expensive very quickly as you've probably seen, and you can go down only so low, maybe 350nm. Short wavelengths with non-LEDs gets pricey, too, but usually more things will flouresce at the shorter wavelengths.

I bought my X1 and Stylus from Defense Devices.

 

[scottv]

I have the streamlight stylus 375nM and a big gazzillion LED 3AAA cheapo 395nM ebay "toy"

The stylus is small and quite effective, the AAAAs *are* kind of odd but I couldn't find a short wavelength AAA penlight. If it's dark it'll cause fluorescence across a small room. In daylight t's great for carrying to test materials - if it's UV reactive it just looks like a white beam illuminating the surface, if not there's a dull bluish spot.


The hokey 49 LED 3AAA is overkill bright on low/12 then dims to about equal brightness on high/49. Haven't tried high current batteries. The beam is extreme, would be great for scorpion hunting. Any 12 LED 395nM should be just as effective. It'll cause fluorescence clear across the 60 foot studio.


The 400nM LEDs are purple and relatively ineffective.

Haven't seen the UV Crees. That should be impressive.

 

[Strauss]

Thanks for the links and suggestions everyone. I will be using it to look around my bathroom and stuff like that, looking for stuff thats "not there" to the naked eye. Do you think one of the 6-LED minimag's would work or do I need the extra brightness of the 20+LED Magc/d's?


FYI, I was checking out lights here: http://www.xenopuselectronix.com/xeled/index.html

 

[xenopus]

A lot of the time in the CSI show (and in real life), blue wavelengths and orange barrier filter glasses are used. The advantage is that when looking for organic stains in bedsheets and clothing, if washed with brightening detergents, the evidence is visible. Under UV, the brightners will cause fluorescence in the fabric, reducing or even elliminating the observable organic fluorescence. Be wary, though, like bags at the airport, many orange glasses look the same, but many do not work -- because they do not have sharp enough cutoff at 465nm (which is what we use).

In carpets and bathrooms, however, the UV is preferred -- since barrier glasses aren't needed, except to improve observed contrast. Same is true for hotel rooms around the switches, thermostats, by the window, and on the walls (and headboards, etc).

Piers!

 

[cbdudley]

Can't go wrong with this one for the price:

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1543

Here's another option, but quite a bit more expensive:

http://www.batteryjunction.com/miulvikitwi1.html