Please check my parts list to build a UV LED light box...it's for Science!

[holeymoley]

Hey guys, 1st time builder here. I just want to check my parts list before I order this stuff. If you know where to get anything cheaper or better, please let me know.

I want to use this 10W UV LED. Mount it on an old CPU heatsink and attach it to a box to photoactivate my cells (I'm a biologist).

I'm not sure how to power it though...
Do I need a resistor?
Can I just buy a DC power supply like this? for the LED and another for the heatsink fan?
Could I use a spare computer power supply to run both just by hooking up molex connectors?

I guess you can see that I have no experience with electrical engineering so any help would be appreciated. :thumbsup:

 

[MrGman]

your UV light source puts out "no UV" See below

ZxPower S10 - 10W High Power UV Led 400-405nm, 10-12v,
PACK OF 1PC


Typical Applications :
Reading lights(car, bus, aircraft), Portable (flashlight, bicycle), Orientation,
Mini-accent, Decorative, Fiber optic alternative, Appliance, Sign and channel letter, Architectural detail, Cove lighting, Automotive exterior (Stop-Tail-turn, CHMSL,Mirror side repeat), Edge-lit signs(Exit, point of sale).
Features

• Highest flux per LED family in the world.
• Very long operating life.
• Lambertian ,Batwing ,Side Emitting or radiation pattern.
• More energy efficient than incandescent and most halogen lamps.
• Low voltage DC operated.
• Cool beam, safe to the touch.
• Fully dimmable.
• No UV. :thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

You need 360 nM to have real UV light. 380 to 395 is what they use in the cheap uv lights that puts out some blue. This "no UV" light isn't UV at all and isn't worth anything.

And you should always use some type of ballast resistor if you are going to connect a chip directly to the powersupply to limit the current should you not set the voltage correctly and as the chip warms up. The value should be in the 0.5 ohm and 2 watt range for something like this.


You can do much better than this chip. I have 380nM UV "P60" Solarforce LED modules to drop in a flashlight that I got at lighthound.com. They run on 3.7 to 4.2V lithium ion batteries (1 each). They do cause fluorescence of glow in the dark type materials and phosphors but do show a little into the blue light spectrum. There are better lights out there you can just outright buy than this thing.

 

[holeymoley]

Sorry, let me give you some more information...
The fluorophore in the protein I'm using is activated at 405nm. So the wavelength is important. I was going to buy a violet laser and use that but I'm afraid of frying the cells.

It sounds like you think this is a low quality emitter. I just don't know where to get authentic ones. I didn't see any on Cutter's site (I could easily have missed it), but if you have a suggestion, please let me know.

As far as the resistor, is this right?