Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill strip?

Just trying to find a standard production, no mods, UV LED flashlight that will fluoresce a $100 bill. It would be good if it worked in something other than complete darkness too. What wavelength am I looking at, 365nM or less?

TIA,
-LT

My UV Arc AAA does a fair job. Better still is a small CF built for this very use (checking bills) I bought some time ago for $15 or so. It even has a small bulb for flashlight use. Don't recall where, of course.

Doug Owen

I've got an Arc, Photon and CC sqeeze light and none light up a $100 bill; 20s no prob but not a 100.

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Lunal_Tic said:
I've got an Arc, Photon and CC sqeeze light and none light up a $100 bill; 20s no prob but not a 100.

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Now I gotta admit I don't have 'a C note' to test this on, just twenties.....however, if you send me a couple to test, I'll be happy to report the results.....

Ya gotta wonder, if common UV lights don't do it, why is our Gov fooling with it (that is how's a shop owner to use it)?

Doug Owen

I believe that most bill readers are tubes not LEDs also I've not seen one that was small and bomb proof as a LED setup would be. Most are not too mobile.

The search continues . . .

The lowest wavelength LED production light is made by Xenopus Electronix. They have a 365nm LED light and a couple of forensic lights that have multiple wavelengths including 365nm. I would call them (or PM xenopus) and ask them to visually test the unit out on a $100 US bill.

The next lowest production LED I know of is LRI Photon Microlights. It has a wavelength of 370nm and BUT it's not low enough to fluoresce a $100 US bill.

The pass-filter I made works great and it's just a slip on filter. I wouldn't even call it a mod. I'm sure you've read about my findings on that. Unfortunately, it's not LED based and requires a high powered MagHID or other 500 lumen or greater maglite.

Xenopus Electronix looks like your only option for production LED UV light with the lowest wavelength. If there was an LED light that can do it (if its possible) then this would be the only one.

Jeff

I haven't seen a $100.00 bill in at least a couple of years, otherwise I'd try it and report my findings here. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

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xpitxbullx said:
The lowest wavelength LED production light is made by Xenopus Electronix. .... and ask them to visually test the unit out on a $100 US bill.


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Thanx -- although I would actually have to have a $100 bill to test this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I've asked my wife to get a new one out from the bank if she goes there today, so if I score I'll try one tonight next to a $20 (I'm sure she has $20's in her purse...)

Piers!

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Is the $100 supposed to be particularly difficult to fluoresce? The security thread is supposed to glow red under UV, with the short wavelength UVED light I have, I wouldn't expect it to be a problem, but I don't have one on hand either. The last series was in 2001; but I wouldn't think wear and tear would be significant on these, since they generally don't change hands that frequently.
They haven't come out with a redesign for the new colorful bills for the $100's yet- can't get used to those; they just look kinda bogus to me.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Thanks for the info. As far as I can tell only fluorecent tube type readers seem to work well but they are not very portable. I've seen, a long time ago, a hand held unit with about a 5" tube but with the tube exposed I don't imagine that it was very rugged. I didn't even know the 100 was supposed to glow RED until mentioned here so you can see I've got no experience with them lighting up.

Wingerr, Yep I think the Monopoly money is going to be weird. I still have problems with the last revision.

-LT

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Wouldn't making the bill difficult to verify be counter productive? I thought it was supposed to be a fairly obvious sort of a checking system...

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Xsavior,

It is easy with a device that is specifically made to check money; handheld is a different story. I'm looking for something to take to markets, money changers etc. when I travel.

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

I have 6 black light sources. I have only 1 100 dollar bill.

None of them worked on the 100 dollar bill. All of them worked on the $50 and $20 bills.

I have 1 ARC AAA uv, 1 home made with 385nm led, two coin cell that look like they are around 400 nm and one that's closer to visible light. I also have a florescent tube type black light.

I did not even get a trace of flourescing on the "uv strip" though the rest of it glowed about the same as my other bills.

Now I'm afraid to take it to a bank /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Daniel

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Check this site HERE

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Daniel - I did pretty much the same , but I didn't think of trying more than one hundred dollar bill. You can see the stripe on the bill, but it certainly doesn't light up. The $50s light up like they have lights built in.

I used: ARC AAA, coin cell, Inova X5, 13w U tube (light color), 4w tube (light color), and ?18w dark tube. I use the tubes in my work to cure UV resins. The dark tube worked the best on the $100, but I'd hardly call it definitive, at least not like the $20s and $50s.

I just tried 5 more $100s - none of them show any obvious marks under UV.

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

rdshores,

I just sent an email to those folks for more specs. Thanks for the info.

-LT

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

I just did it over again after doing a search to know what I was looking for. The $100s have a faint pink/orange stripe on the left of the face. An older $100 bill has no security thread (at least that I can see).
$50s are yellow, $20s are green, $5s are blue. The info I found says that $10s are red, but I find them to be pink/orange/cantelope color.

The newer designed bills ($50s and $20s) have very bright security threads, the older ones are much lighter.

My ARC AAA produces the truest color, but is difficult to see the $100.

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Do you have an older Arc or newer one? I understand they had different LEDs.

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

MiniHID with $40 pass filter cap. (I suck at taking pictures)



That my best UV light at the moment with pass filter of <360nm. It fluoresces a $100 better than the picture shows. All other bills light up like a christmas tree.

Jeff

Re: Production UV LED lite fluoresce $100 bill str

Damn! The bank wouldn't give me a $100! Just kidding, my wife didn't get to go to the bank yesterday. I'll try to get one today and see what happens.

I don't even know who's face is on the $100! Who can say without looking it up?

Piers!