particular UV led opinions /?

[techwg]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=300104622196&rd=1&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=280110658456&rd=1&rd=1

I bought these just to test some things. i cant seem to find any shortwave led's in england... Any ideas how i can obtain elcheapo half deacent shortwave flashlights?

 

[techwg]

any things?

 

[wykeite]

I wouldn't particularly go for either, the wavelength isn't specified but is probably 400-405 nm which is barely uv. They will make flourescent paints and plastics light up but not much else.

To be really useful in CSI mode you want to be a bit further out of the visible spectrum at about 365 nm, with yellow barrier goggles or further up the spectrum at about 465 nm aka Royal Blue with orange barrier.

That said it really depends what application you intend to use it for as different substances flouresce at different wavelengths:naughty:

 

[Luminescene]

Have you seen this

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

It uses a 1watt CREE UV at 395nm and fits into a minimaglite

 

[wykeite]

Have you seen this

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

It uses a 1watt CREE UV at 395nm and fits into a minimaglite

I bought one of the quite a while ago before I really had a good look at the applications I would be using uv for. Silly me:huh: , if I'd had look at the applications matrix on Xenopus Electronix excellent site before committing I'd have saved some money. It's not an exhaustive chart but it does give you a lot of information. Look under the 395 nm heading not the 395 xLamp and you'll see just how good or bad the TLE5 UV will perform as to what it is good at or not, it's a very limited application wavelength in flashlight form.

The second though not insurmountable problem with this drop in is that if you follow the instructions to the letter it's going to make for a very unstable and fragile minimag head. It will only grip by something like half a thread. The potting compound on the back needs to be flattened and the excess removed from between the contact pins. This will gain a bit more thread. Then you remove the top bit of the pill that says "DO NOT REMOVE" (We of course can because we is ejucated inginears), but leave the batteries in to make life easy. Insert your flattened Terralux unit. Make sure it lights, that's the good bit in the instructions. If it doesn't follow the next step in the instructions then throw the instructions away. The next thing to do is to remove the tail cap to conserve your batteries as it's now a bit difficult to switch off. Replace the existing reflector with the included item or mod your own, then screw the head down until it meets the Terralux unit, dont force it! Holding your minimag erect and with your thumb over the open end gently shake it up and down. This will seat the -ve contact against the body and ensure the TLE5 is well seated into the pill. You will also notice that (1) You've got a lot more thread use and (2) With the end cap in you can't turn it off! Buy a Terralux or Kroll clicky, it's only a couple bucks.

I'm ambivalent about the Nite-Ize IQ switch, I have a use for a simple multifunction switch like that but it's a beam killer on my TLE-5EX more so than on my TLE-5, anyone got an opinion on the Nite-Ize ordinary clickie?

So techwg, what do you want it for?

If it's just for fun go for the HK cheapie, ideal for doormen and quick currency checks, just dont believe what you read on that auction site, I bought a 380 nm 9 LED flashlight at $6. No way is that in 380 range, in fact I think it's way over 400. It does however make some bits of banknotes flouresce and will show up uv inks. The batteries in the UK cost more than the light . Great donor body for down the line experiments.

Thanks to Xenopus for the applications matrix. Exceptional value considering the workmanship involved.

 

[Luminescene]

Thanks for the info Wykeite, Xenopus looks like an excellent site. I have used a Terralux white dropin and had no trouble with the thread, prehaps the UV and its reflector are different?

 

[wykeite]

Thanks for the info Wykeite, Xenopus looks like an excellent site. I have used a Terralux white dropin and had no trouble with the thread, prehaps the UV and its reflector are different?

What can I say? Only my own experiences, don't get me wrong, the upgrades are good. I'm happy with them but withthat little bit of hand finishing they're much better. I'm quite happy to do that given that it would apply an unacceptable extra cost if a mass producer would remove all flash etc.

The terralux white drop ins are great, I've just got the latest TLE 5EX, it's a beaut. You have to consider that the element was made for the minimag, the minimag wasn't made for this. At the moment it is the mag used as a host rather than any great leaps forward by mag.

 

[ampdude]

Thanks for the info Wykeite, Xenopus looks like an excellent site. I have used a Terralux white dropin and had no trouble with the thread, prehaps the UV and its reflector are different?

I've used the Terralux UV drop-in myself in a Minimag.

I also have no idea what the heck he's talking about..

 

[Westlicht]

A 1 watt CREE UV dropin has breathed new life into to my old minimag. Works great! but the beam could be smoother. Has anyone tried the mcr-18 reflector with the TLE-5UV ? Is there any improvement in the beam? Thow?

 

[LEDite]

techwg;

I've built and sold a couple hundred UV lights over the last a couple of years.

I started with eight 5mm 395nm LED powered by a lithium ion 1350 mah battery.

Then I tried 20 to 49 of the 5mm 380nm LEDs powered by 1800 mah lithium batteries.

Next came the 1 watt Cree UV 395 nm LEDs with 2200 mah lithium batteries.

Now, I build Cree 2.5 watt 395 nm LED lights with aspherical lenses & 2400 mah Lithium batteries.

Each light worked a little better for fluorescing the the common items such as urine, scorpions and UV dyes.

The 380 nm worked well, but didn't have the brute power that Flashaholics have come to enjoy.

The 2.5 watt UV Crees are the leader in my testing.

Larry Cobb

 

[PhotonWrangler]

There's a 2.5 watt Cree UV LED?

 

[wykeite]

I've used the Terralux UV drop-in myself in a Minimag.

I also have no idea what the heck he's talking about..

I've done 3 Terralux drop-ins and all seemed to me to be hanging on the last bit of thread, when I did the first as per the included instructions I just didn't feel that it was right. I searched this forum to see if others had the same problem and it appeared everyone was happy. It must just be down to my personal preference. It does though stand to reason that if you raise the height of the switch and lamp unit by about a quarter of an inch you're going to lose the corresponding amount of thread.

I overcame my perceived problem as described and I also think that despite despite the excellent build quality of the minimag body the switching is pants and screams out for the tailcap switch, but that's just MHO. In the end end you're happy, I'm happy and so it seems are most others .

 

[Ken_McE]

>i cant seem to find any shortwave led's in england...
>Any ideas how i can obtain elcheapo half deacent
>shortwave flashlights?

Are you willing to mod?

 

[wykeite]

>i cant seem to find any shortwave led's in england...
>Any ideas how i can obtain elcheapo half deacent
>shortwave flashlights?

Are you willing to mod?

What do you call shortwave? 360 - 400 nm has various names, one of which is longwave UV even though it is at the shortwave end of the spectrum .

 

[techwg]

>i cant seem to find any shortwave led's in england...

>Any ideas how i can obtain elcheapo half deacent
>shortwave flashlights?

Are you willing to mod?

I dont have any electrical skills really, i have soldered before and thats about the limit. I dont know about resistors and capacitors and other related things. I would be willing to modify something if its as easy as disassemble, desolder this and replace with this and reassemble. but from my experuience with flashlights, they are usually a sealed unit and i dont have the will to start boiling flashlights to release the epoxy or glue holding them together

I just want something really cool and semi-powerful that i can illuminate critters of any kind that "can" be immuninated with one and other things that glow under UV. My friend said normal blacklight is rubbish, and he uses something that looks the same but he says its always been classified as "Alternative light source" but as far as i can see from pics, its a blacklight that i think must have lower nm than normal cheapo. Very hard to find led's in england and the ones you do find are like 400nm which from the little amount here i read i think its not good enough. i tried ebaying in england for something with lower nm but i simply cant find anything. The one im getting from hongkong that takes 3xaaa is the lowest i have seen thats available to me, and i think from memory that is like 395nm. Im about ready to pull my hair out trying to findsomething that will satisfy my requirements.

Your thoughts?

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Unfortunately for shortwave UV, you really need to go with a fluorescent-based lamp at this time. Longwave (360-400nm) UV is good for illuminating scorpions, some urine stains and day-glo paint, but shortwave fluoresces things that a longwave UV lamp simply can't touch. While there is a shortwave UV LED out there somewhere, I don't think it's commercially available, and even when it becomes available, the output is going to be pretty weak compared to a fluorescent.

I collect fluorescent minerals and I have a dual-wavelength fluorescent lamp. Even though I'm an LED fanatic, there are some things that are just better handled by "legacy" technologies for now.

 

[techwg]

oh dear, well can you explain the difference in "glowage" of certain materials? Does shortwave illuminate everything that longwave? or does longwave do some that shortwave cant i mean i am slightly confused.
With the links i supplied above, what do you expect they can be used for? and how effective do you suppose they may be.
Thanks

 

[PhotonWrangler]

The majority of fluorescent minerals will glow under shortwave UV. There are a few that glow under longwave only, and some that glow different colors under longwave and shortwave. If you're looking for fluorescent minerals, and you can only buy one light, get a shortwave. You won't be disappointed.

 

[techwg]

well my main usage would not be minerals really, more it would be insects, and critters in general and any other "weird" things that i see. but i dont want a tube light im a little offput of incandecant bulbs that can break or expire. I love led but all i want is like 365nm that people say will illuminate most everything pretty much. But 365 is not shortwave although this i think is my holy grail for getting the best out of both worlds. Uk is crap for purchasing anything cool.. Any ideas on how i can find a place that will sell to the UK that i can get a semi powerful light that will be enough to light a distance of 6ft ?

 

[techwg]

Also, the inova X5 i have a normal X5 and i am not impressed by it, so what would i expect with a X5 UV it i bought one? i guess with it being 400nm its probably about worthless from what i hear you need lower wavelength.. ?