Arc and Inova UV Lights Dangerous?

Are the UV lights that Arc and Inova sell any more dangerous than the Black lights that are used in clubs and amusement parks?

Is the frequency in the UVA, or the more dangerous UVB range?

They have warning(s) to not look directly at the light, but my question is: if the light is used for counterfeit bill detection and similar indirect exposure do you still require UV eye protection?

Ooh, I'd like to know too - just got a UV head to play around with... Please let us know soon!

Dan

I don't think these are any more dangerous than those "blacklite" tubes that you see at some clubs. The reason for the warning labels is that you can put the LED right up to your eye and get much, much more exposure to longwave UVA radiation than you can by having a "blacklite" tube on the ceiling.

I don't know what's in the Inova, but I'm pretty sure the Arc uses a 395-400nm near-UV LED, who's output is on the very upper end of the UVA band, right between violet and UV.

Using one as a "money detector" light should pose no risk to you. Any UV radiation emitted by the flashlight is scattered by the money you're checking, so very little actually reaches your eyes.

Only if you take the flashlight and put it right up to your eye and turn it on would there be any risk whatsoever.

Ahhhhhhh, thanks Craig - just checking money and stuff /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Dan

Thanks Craig,

I was doing a little research in the meantime that said roughly the same thing you did. The longwave UV produced by these lights is relatively harmless.

One person said looking directly into the UV LED was not a smart thing to do, but not really any worse than looking directly at any other LED. I do not think I will test his theory, but it doesn't sound like special UV glasses are required.

I didn't know that even regular glasses actually do a pretty good job at blocking UVB.

[ QUOTE ]
FlashlightOCD said:
I didn't know that even regular glasses actually do a pretty good job at blocking UVB.

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Really? Well, I feel much better after looking at this thread. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Dan