Need help with finding a UV LED Flashlight

hi

looking for a pretty cheap yet reliable led uv flashlight that can off aa's or aaa's or cr123's

also, if someone can explain what are differences between 380 to 385 nm uv to 390-395 or higher(i assume it's the wavelength and different used for diff things) but dunno much else


thanx

I have an Inova X5 in UV, and it is great. I use it primarily to check for multi legged nasties around the house.

http://batteryjunction.com/inx5ulviliti.html

I've had great luck with a TerraLux TLE-5 UV in a MiniMag host. Almost everyone has a Mag lying around and it runs on cheap alkaline AA's. Cheap and reliable.. though I doubt it would withstand the abuse the X5 could.

I recommend you check out : http://www.unitednuclear.com/lights.htm

He has everything from penlights on up to 6 volt monster lantern with 108 390nm LEDs, plus a plate that will replace a standard 3D flashlight (I'm assuming MegLite) bulb.

Oh, he sells them in IR too, just in case you feel like blinding someone wearing night-vision gear.

Not cheap, but I think the guy has them custom made.

Here's all you need right here on Lighthound. I have the one in the top left corner. Plenty of UV light...much more than the X5 puts out.

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=UV&Page=1

Peak LED Solutions are selling 360nm_and_350nm_UV LED_flashlights_in_AAA,_AA_and_CR123A_sizes.

Why is it that no one rates the output?

I'd like a 390-400nm blacklight for work (industrial inspection), but I need to know ratings before buying. Even a big company like Inova responded to a question of mine saying they don't know the output.

I need something that will put out close to 1000mW/cm^2 at about 4-6" with minimal light above/below 390-400nm.

Guess I'm stuck with a 8" mercury lamp. I can't get my head into tight spaces with that in my way.

can anyonen explain the difference in the nm's? ie should i get 380 to 390nm flashlight or 390-400nm flashlight? or something else

than x

ptolemy said:

can anyonen explain the difference in the nm's? ie should i get 380 to 390nm flashlight or 390-400nm flashlight? or something else

than x

Click to expand...

Please see this chart here

This is the spectrum of light (a small portion of electromagnetic radiation). Visible light (visible to humans) is what you see between red and violet. Long wavelength infrared is still light, but we can't see it without aid. Ultraviolet is short wavelength radiation and ranges from just below 400 nanometers to smaller than 170 nanometers. the difference between 380-90 and 390-400 is relatively insignificant. Some materials fluoresce better at specific wavelengths. For instance, the fluorescent dye used in nondestructive inspection (what I do) is ideally illuminated at 390nm.
With that said, there will most likely be "spillover" into other frequencies which is why we can "see" blacklight. You WILL get other wavelengths regardless of which "dominant" wavelength the light is rated at.

If you're trying to illuminate currency proofmarks, scorpions, "biological materials" or whatever, you will have to find out what wavelength causes fluorescence in that particular subject.

You are not allowed to hotlink here.

DM51 said:

You are not allowed to hotlink here.

Click to expand...

It has been editted. Thanks for the heads up.

Funny this thread should come up. I wanted a UV light but never got round to getting one but a couple of weeks ago I was ordering some bits from dealextreme and happened to come across their UV leds so I ordered the 1w and a pack of 20 5mm. I had the head and body of a Fenix P1 that had a duff driver and no reflector. I put the 1w in it along with a nuwai 310H driver and an old L2P reflector.
Anyway I found this on my disk can't remember where I got it from or how long ago.

Darksky said:

Funny this thread should come up. I wanted a UV light but never got round to getting one but a couple of weeks ago I was ordering some bits from dealextreme and happened to come across their UV leds so I ordered the 1w and a pack of 20 5mm. I had the head and body of a Fenix P1 that had a duff driver and no reflector. I put the 1w in it along with a nuwai 310H driver and an old L2P reflector.
Anyway I found this on my disk can't remember where I got it from or how long ago.

Click to expand...

thanx form the chart, exactly what i needed

i dont need a pro light, i'll grab something decent off ebay

thanx:>

I use mine to check IDs. I've tried everything from 365-410nm. Most effective for the particularly troublesome California IDs (besides fluorescent) is my cheapie Ebay 9 LED @ 380nm light.
-Winston

i got this ebay item# 220135685787

hopefully it's not terrible

There is this lite floating around on Ebay, usually under


The Most Poweful UV Flashlight 51 LED 380 385 NM 3 AA

I don't know about most powerful. Lots of flood, no throw whatsover.

Best of all, it runs on 3AA cells.

Price about $25. Typical low end Chinese goods but it does work.

Cool chart by the way.

ptolemy;

I've been building rechargable lithium-ion UV lights for several years for urine detection in carpet.

I started with 20-5mm 395 nm Leds.

Then I went to 1 Watt Cree UV Leds.

Then I went to 49 380 nm Leds.

Then I went to two 1 Watt Cree UV Leds.

Now, I am using 2.5 Watt 395 nm Cree UV Leds along with a 2400mah Sanyo Li-Ion battery.

I make a shirt pocket rectangular model (aspherical lens) and a HAIII flashlight model with a more focused beam.

It is a question of power vs. specific frequency for your application.

I have found for most applications I have tried, power seems to win. :thumbsup:

Larry Cobb

gearbox said:

Why is it that no one rates the output?

I'd like a 390-400nm blacklight for work (industrial inspection), but I need to know ratings before buying. Even a big company like Inova responded to a question of mine saying they don't know the output.

I need something that will put out close to 1000mW/cm^2 at about 4-6" with minimal light above/below 390-400nm.

Guess I'm stuck with a 8" mercury lamp. I can't get my head into tight spaces with that in my way.

Click to expand...

We have lanterns at 395nm and 365nm. The 365nm lanterns exceed the requirement for 1000uW/cm2 at 15 inches, and the 395nm lanterns are about 10X that power as I recall.

Feel free to ask more questions
Cheers,
Piers

Darksky said:

Funny this thread should come up. I wanted a UV light but never got round to getting one but a couple of weeks ago I was ordering some bits from dealextreme and happened to come across their UV leds so I ordered the 1w and a pack of 20 5mm. I had the head and body of a Fenix P1 that had a duff driver and no reflector. I put the 1w in it along with a nuwai 310H driver and an old L2P reflector.
Anyway I found this on my disk can't remember where I got it from or how long ago.

Click to expand...

That is our spreadsheet with our title and URL, and copyright removed. Here's the link to the PDF file:

http://www.xenopuselectronix.com/xeled/PDF/XeApplications.pdf

Cheers,
Piers!