Clouddancer
Newly Enlightened
Can anyone here lead me to a source for a 200-350nm ("B" range) UV LED drop in for a Mini Maglight? The purpose is for "charging" a strontium based luminescent graphic film as the dial face background of a hand mounted altimeter used frequently for freefall parachuting (skydiving) night jumps. I have just tried and had to return the only model Lighthound carries, a 380nm 12 led that's too weak. Xenopus carries the same thing at four times the price and only 9 led. Xenopus does offer a higer frequency version but far more expensive than justified for this application. The problem is duration of the luminescence, not intial brightness, in this case reasonably visible for a minimum of 30 minutes is needed. The manufacturer of the film used by the manufacturer of the altimeter said it was strontium based and "305" (nm) was best, though I'm not sure how accurate that is since I haven't seen any UV sources rated at exactly 305nm. Fact is, strontium aluminate base used now specifically for duration priority of luminescence, responds to frequency, the higher the more response and therefore duration. I've looked at a several LED supplier's product lines that include UV but am swamped as to finding something practical. The UV source must be able to charge the dialface on the ground rather than just before use in the plane becuase it would potentially interfere with night vision. So bottom line ideal would be something small but powerful in terms of not only high frequency but light output (Cree?) that I could just switch out with the LED drop in I'm using now in a Mini Maglight I have (a 3 LED setup as a single two leg plug-in). The other options I've seen, high frequency UV tube devices, are prohibitively expensive. But from what I've seen as an amatuer at this, I get the feeling a simple "drop-in" is acutally out there somewhere.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
