Want to shop for a UV light? Here are Some Things to Consider

UV black lights are used for lighting in different industries, including the art and scientific industries. UV black lights are ideal for observing objects’ fluorescence using as little light as possible. UV lights emit UV-A radiation with a combination of little light. While using UV black lights, it is important to note that to be safe; you should not look directly into the UV LED light even when it does appear to be bright. If you are considering shopping for a black light, here are a few things you should look out for.

Which Backlight is the best?

UV backlights are available either as fluorescent lamps or LED lights. LED backlight has some advantages as compared to the fluorescent one due to the advanced technology, which may include:

• They have higher efficiency than the fluorescent light
• UV LED lights have longer lifetimes, and they do not burn out compared to fluorescent lights. A typical UV LED light lasts for over twenty-five thousand hours, while the fluorescent one lasts only five thousand hours.
• UV LED lights do not contain any harmful properties like mercury present in fluorescent lights, which require handling which extreme card to prevent it from breaking.

A known advantage that fluorescent light has over UV light is it is cheaper; therefore, might be ideal for someone who is working on a tight budget and if you want to buy a light for a short time.

The amount of UV you might need

The brightness of a black light may not be a good determinant of how much UV you might need since it is not visible directly. The most accurate way to measure the amount of UV emitted by light is by checking the units of energy of the UV, which are primarily known as Watts. For about 100 sq ft area, 1watt of UV light would be enough to create a strong fluorescence effect.

The wavelength of the UV you might need

Different wavelengths may create different fluorescence effects. To experience the most fluorescence effect, a wavelength of 365nm would offer the strongest amount of energy. For the LED UV light, the wavelength determines the price because of the greater the wavelength, the higher the price. Your budget would therefore determine how many wavelengths would work for you at that particular time.

Type of UV light you should use.

Black lights come in different sizes and shapes; below are a few examples that you can choose from:

UV LED strip light

The UV strip light is a flexible light that can be cut into one-inch strips in length used on photo boxes and display cabinets. They operate on a 12 V DC voltage hence has a lower risk of fire.

Rigid UV LED light

The rigid LED light is used in more permanent places. Unlike the strip light, the rigid LED light is available in lengths 1ft, 2ft, and 4ft. The rigid black light is ideal for cabinets, shelves and trusses installations since they contain straight and flat surfaces.