Will UV LEDs damage typical automotive plastic??

Hi folks!
Need to ask those who have experimented with 5mm UV LEDs about their effects on typical black plastic of a car's dashboard.

Noticed I had a bulb burn out in my Honda's instrument panel.
It's lit from behind by incan mini bulbs and the gauges glow a cyan color.
But the needles, and some lettering aren't backlit. These are illuminated by 2 front-mounted dim incans filtered to provide white light.

Since I must rip apart the dash to replace said bad bulb....
I might as well replace all of them with white LEDs in one shot.

But what I would like to try, is use UV LEDs to substitute the front bulbs.
The needles and lettering are white, I'd like to get them to glow like white when exposed to black-light.
What I'd like to know is if UV LEDs can provide this, and if it's safe for parts and people....the UV LEDs will be mounted behind a clear plastic panel.

LEDShoppe.com sells UV LEDs, typical of what I may use.

TIA!!

Mounted behind the plastic you should be fine.

bump...

I would guess that night-time driving with UV LEDs on will bombard the plastic with less UV than what penetrates the windshield during the day... :thinking:

It's hard to imagine a few 5mm leds doing any harm.

Ken_McE said:

It's hard to imagine a few 5mm leds doing any harm.

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Not necessarily, as the car glass does a good job of filtering out most UV rays. Plus the gauges are behind a sheet of plastic as well.

My concern is a constant source of UV shining directly on the surface of the intrument cluster. The needles, gauge lettering etc. Will the appearance get damaged, discolored...can the UV deteriorate them, crack the lettering, etc.

I guess I'll simply have to break new ground.

One would think that the sun's UV rays would be far more damaging than a couple of teeny-weeny LEDS! Lol

xiaowenzu, he does have a point about the car windows normally blocking UV. Or perhaps he has an extra-nice car.


WNG, the Armor All people -

http://www.armorall.com/

Used to have a clear spray on product that they sold as a UV blocker, for vinyl car parts. I think you should be able a get a UV blocker spray and dab or spray it on everything near the LEDs that you don't want to glow. You could also get LEDs that are close to violet, the 395 nm ones you see on ebay, and their output would be largely in the violet range. I have also seen Royal Blue LEDs that make things glow.

The UV A range (315 to 400 NM) causes polymer damage. The polymer stability is based on seversl factors like the monomer used, molecular weight and impurities present. Most auto parts are stabilized to prevent the degradation of the plastic in the harsh auto enviroment. This is usually done through a combination of ultrviolet absorbers (UVA) and free radicle terminators (Hinderd Amine light Stabilizers). The commonly used test specs for qualifying plastic parts are pretty rigid. The automobile interior is also exposed to thermal sources that cause thermal auto oxidation in addition to the photooxidation going on.

Considering the extra output of these bulbs would be negligable to the overall enviroment it is exposed to everyday.

If the UV from sun compares to getting hit by a softball, then your UV LEDs is like a wiffle ball.

Dont put any armourall products on that clear plastic over the cluster,as it will destroy/fog it up... Learned that the hard way years ago... :/

Russ

Russell52 said:

Dont put any armourall products on that clear plastic over the cluster,as it will destroy/fog it up... Learned that the hard way years ago... :/

Russ

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Worse yet, don't put armorall on tire treads to make 'em look cool and jet fockin' black. Learn from some idiot kid on IS300.net

Handlobraesing said:

Worse yet, don't put armorall on tire treads to make 'em look cool and jet fockin' black. Learn from some idiot kid on IS300.net

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Lol I am guessing he wrecked out