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UltravioletPhotography

Blak Ray 100 AP + Extension cord?


Damon

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I just got one of these off Ebay after seeing it mentioned here and crikey this thing is amazing.

I want to walk around my yard at night to try it all kinds of plants but the cord is short. I have an ~ 50ft. very thick commercial extension cord that I could use to get me around a bit.

Is it ok to use such an extension cord with this device? I have done some searches but have not found an answer. I realize they were not meant to go gallivanting around with but am wondering nonetheless.

 

Also, can I just wear clear common polycarbonate lenses when using this? (the Blak Ray is longwave (365nm) I keep coming across UV protection glasses on Amazon etc. but don't know if they are "special", marketing B.S. or just poly. What is best? What do you use?

 

 

-Damon

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The cord can be as long as you have got, the lamp used such a tiny amount of electricity.

If you want to get more mobile, a 12 volt battery & an inverter will get you as far as you can go ;)

 

I'll leave the eye protection to the experts......but is it that hard to cover-up ?

Col

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enricosavazzi

Polycarbonate as a material, even without any added pigments, transmits VIS very well and blocks UV. As long as you know the lenses of your protective equipment are made from polycarbonate, it is a safe material to use with UV. There are also other good transparent materials that protect from UV, but polycarbonate is cheap, and there is no need for anything more sophisticated.

 

The design of the UV protective equipment, on the other hand, does matter a lot. Polycarbonate lenses mounted in ordinary reading glasses or sunglasses frames are an insufficient protection, because a lot of UV can hit the eyes from the sides.

If you want good protection of the eyes but don't care to cover the rest of your face, choose goggles that form a seal around the eyes. UVEX makes several of these and they are easily available on eBay. Some models have the seal around the lens made with soft plastic that fluoresces under UV, which gives you a visual indication of the presence of ambient UV. UVEX also makes a lot of different models of goggles without a seal around the eyes, which are not sufficient UV protection for the eyes.

 

If you want to stay safer, use a full face mask. I regularly use this one even when using only electronic flash: search on eBay for item n. 261435675147. I slightly modified it by attaching a Velcro strip around the face sheld, and add a cloth that completely covers my head and shoulders when I work with continuous and/or nastier UV sources. The lamp you plan to use may very well classify in this category. Wearing long sleeves and gloves is also a good idea.

 

Now the problem may be your neighbours seeing someone wearing full protection garb doing strange things in your backyard. With the current Ebola scare, it may be best to inform them in advance of what you are doing. ;)

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The lamp draws a current of about 1 Ampere.

 

One is ot allowed to link one extension cord into another here. For safety reasons. Increasing cable length also increases cable resistance and trip time of fuse/circuit breaker. The 115V supply increases the effect.

 

I have a computer UPS. That is colins solution built into one housing. One should not buy the smallest and cheapest one to get good operating times.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterruptible_power_supply

 

I put this device into my car, togehter with 2 x 12V/50Ah Gel-Batteries. So a 50m extension-cable is enough for me.

 

I have a 900ft(300m) cable too. But that is not a simple cable because it has intelligent monitoring and protection cicuits. And we have 230VAC here...

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Enrico: can you use ordinary glasses inside that big UV-helmet of yours? If not I'll continue to use my wrap-around UVEX goggles.
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Thanks for all the answers and advice. That is just what I needed. I have a face shield and those wrap around goggles already in my shop. I use them most when I am grinding metal and some carpentry. I know where I got them so I will find out for sure they are poly.

Yeah--helmet, gloves, weird light and ballast skulking around at night occasionally uttering an ooooh while while seeing my picture plants light up. I see your point Enrico. ;)

 

Something else: Can I double the power of my UV light by using a standard household mirror? Or because the silver stuff is behind the glass it may not work?

 

-Damon

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enricosavazzi

Enrico: can you use ordinary glasses inside that big UV-helmet of yours? If not I'll continue to use my wrap-around UVEX goggles.

Yes, I do wear glasses under the visor, there is plenty of space.

 

The only problem I noticed is that, if the air is cold, condensation from my breath can form inside the visor. The visor goes all the way down to under my chin. I chose this model because the visor is convex in two dimensions. Ordinary face masks are convex only sideways, flat in the vertical direction. This gives a poorer protection to the bottom of the face.

 

When I add the cloth hood all around the head, there is not much ventilation inside, so it gets stuffy after a few minutes.

 

Edit: It might be possible to add a small electric fan at the top to blow air in.

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enricosavazzi

[...]

Something else: Can I double the power of my UV light by using a standard household mirror? Or because the silver stuff is behind the glass it may not work?

I am not sure I understand, but if you are looking for a UV reflecting panel to fill up shadows, a thin aluminium sheet or even a kitchen aluminium foil (not plastic-coated, not waxed) will work best. Perhaps it might be worth trying the aluminized side of a mylar "emergency blanket", but I have not tried it and don't know if it will work. Mylar has a sharp transmission cutoff roughly in the 350-370 nm zone, so using the opposite side is not desirable.

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Also, can I just wear clear common polycarbonate lenses when using this? (the Blak Ray is longwave (365nm) I keep coming across UV protection glasses on Amazon etc. but don't know if they are "special", marketing B.S. or just poly. What is best? What do you use?

 

I do not trust generic eye protection. UVEX is what I use and recommend to my clients. I am not claiming other brands are unacceptable but I have seen safety glasses that transmitted a lot more UV than reccomended. The UVEX OTG or "over-the-glasses" models will accommodate moderately sized corrective glasses. I prefer the UVEX Ultra-Spec OTG in Amber for general UV protection and switch to the SCT-Orange for added blue light protection when working with more powerful lamps. There is a link to a UVEX Lens Technology brochure in our UV Sticky #1 just scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.

 

Added:

A simple test to see if your existing workshop face shield and goggles offer any UV protection would be to simply take a UV photo of the lamp or in bright sunlight through them. If they do not appear fully opaque then you need something better.

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I wouldn't worry too much about adding at least a twenty foot high-amperage capable outdoor extension cord. UVP, the lamp's manufacturer, sells the lamp with an optional 20' cord and 20' extension. Just don't use a light indoor extension ;) it isn't called zip cord for nothing.

 

Here are the UVP suggested protective accessories - http://uvp.com/eyewear.html

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Euopean standard extension cords for commercial use are 75ft and 150ft ...

 

http://de.wikipedia....ki/Spule_(Rolle)#mediaviewer/File:Cable_reels.JPG

 

We have cross-sections of 1 (AWG20)1,5(AWG18) 2,5(AWG16) square millimeters. The cables are rated 10A (1) or 16A (1,5).

Cables for domestic use normally only have 0,75 square millimeters (about AWG22) and at 10A they get really warm.

 

But even AWG22 works with low currents up to 4 Amperes.

 

This is legal here and it works. One only has to take care to put the cable completely from the roll at high currents. Commercial cables have thermoswitches to avoid overheating.

 

So your lantern has 1A...

 

In US???

 

EDIT:

 

I searched Wikipedia and found:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extension_cord

 

See special chapter of US.

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The wrap around goggles I have do say polycarbonate on the package. I got them from Harbor Freight which is known for sometimes awesome stuff but most of the time not so awesome just cheap. I will take your advice John and just test them to see.

Enrico, if you add a fan to the top of your head I ask that you please post a picture. ;)

 

Sometimes my questions make sense in my head then don't when typed out. I was wondering if a mirror would reflect UV if UV was hitting it or would the glass not let it go through/come back out. I was only thinking that because earlier this summer when taking Gazania pics in UV I used my front car windshield sun cover and reflected enough light to increase my shutter speed a little. A mirror is more powerful in reflecting. The answer is not world ending just curious about the reflective possibilities of a mirror. I will try it and see.

 

With this light--So the woods glass is blocking most everything that is visible. So when I look at the lit up Blak Ray I am just seeing the effect of dark/purplish glass because I can't actually see UV right?

Baffe--thanks--my cord is heavier gauge than 16 so I am ok I think. Anyway, I will find out in about 1/2 hour when I try it.

 

Reed--no indoor flimsy cord--got it.:)

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Thanks! Makes sense.

 

What size inverter would you suggest if I want to connect this light to a 12V battery and walk around? I was thinking a 100 watts would be enough.

 

-Damon

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I agree with colin. But one should ensure that before buying the inverter. Is it possible to test it?

 

Unfortunately the inverter has to deliver not only the power (active power) of the lamp but also the reactive power of the ballast unit. And the reactive power in the moment of ignition is usually more than during operation.

 

For example my 600W inverter (Mustek PowerMust 1000USB) is suitable for the 125W blacklight lamp. I think it will not be able to ignit a 400w unit. But I never tested that. Possibly "modding" the circuits of the lamp (capacitor) might lower reactive power. I didn't test that either.

 

About "carrying around": My standard batteries are 12V 50Ah gel. One battery has about 50lbs (25kg).

 

The 600W UPS-inverter unit has 2 internal batteries of 12V 7.5Ah each. Enough for operating the blacklight lamp for about 15 minutes if I don't switch off and on too often. It is about 26lbs (13kg).

 

I prefer to leave both (UPS and ext. Batt) inside car or trailer. Maybe one could get an easier inverter but mine is really rugged and reliable.

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Thanks guys.

Yeah it will be heavy. I am going to try it anyway just so I see how hard it is. I sure hope it would last longer than 15 minutes though! I have a huge sphagnum bog on my property but it is beyond reach of even a long cord. Trying something new is always fun.

Thanks again for the quick responses.

 

-D

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If it isn't too far a wheelbarrow or a handcart could be the solution. An old car battery, the lamp and inverter as load... Transport and expedition can start.

 

As your lamp has half the power consumption of mine perhaps one of the bigger UPS could be a good solution. I could give you mine for a weekend but a handcart might not be appropriate for transport then.

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Do I think too big? Possibly...

 

Using a switch-type converter cold work also, reducing weight for inverter to a few lbs only. Opposite the big and heavy copper-iron-pigs.

 

The use 9 pieces of heay-duty D-cell/Mono/LR20 batteries in series leads to a simple, absolutely maintainance-free but powerful batterie. One can solder the end-caps of the batteries to wires as they are usually made from tinned steel.

 

The whole power supply will fit into a briefcase! But I am not able to tell you if it will work...

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Hi Damon

For your Blak-Ray lamp, the battery & inverter arrangement is suitable if you are working around a central point that the battery & inverter can be left at, again with a suitable extension cord of 10 or so metres.

If you want to go exploring through difficult terrain, like woods or swamps, may I suggest a UV flashlight. The UV flashlight won't give you the range & spread of the Blak-Ray lamp, but it is much more portable & cost efficient, & is still a strong UV source of UV at 365nm. Can I suggest the MTE UV 301 flashlight....... http://www.mte-led.com/show_imgnews.asp?id=448&title=

A spare battery will be easier to carry with you ;)

Col

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For others who may wish to move some distance with a UVP Blak-Ray, the Blak-Ray B100SP which has the ballast built-in seems a better approach. The 100SP weighs 3.1 lbs, vs the B100A and others at 12.5 lbs.

[usual disclaimer applies.]

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The wheel barrow gig is right up my alley but this is a white cedar swamp so will likely only get me so far...but a practical idea! Thanks for the offer baffe but I suspect shipping cost from Germany to NJ may be an issue. ;) I like the way you are thinking though!

 

Col--practical ideas as well.--That MTE flashlight--am I reading that right that it produces .658 watts? The Blak Ray I think produces 100 Watts. Although that is what the lamp produces so I am not positive that is the output. What I do know is that I can practically shine this thing into the trees 15 ft away and see stuff. I find that astonishing. Of course I am not taking pictures of stuff 15 ft. away--so yeah I suppose it is a power statement there. Right up against a mushroom--maybe the flashlight is good. I do like the look of it. Does anyone have this light? Does it also shine some visible light as my cheaper one does? I have a UV flashlight that was purported to be UV at 365 and it appears to be UV but once I added my Baader U to the front of it it became really dim? :lol:

 

Reed--Been contemplating that sucker. What I am just wondering about is that it is about half a powerful. My current Blak Ray 100 AP--The High Intensity series model B-100AP and B-100AP/R are 100 watt 365nm longwave portable lamps that produce an intensity of 21,700 µW/cm2 at 2 inches from the object or 8,900 µW/cm2 at 10 inches to target.

--The one you are referring to The B-100SP is a self-ballasted 160 watt 365nm longwave portable lamp that produces an intensity of some 11,600 µW/cm2 when 2 inches from the object, or 5,000 µW/cm2 at 10 inches to target. Source of info: http://www.company7....highintens.htm

 

Of course I should ask--how much do I really need--seems I am becoming UV greedy! I want more! Like some kind of drug.

 

 

I thought of one other possibly which I will try tomorrow--a small 800 watt portable generator. But I am becoming increasingly aware that a thing with glowing eyes (the UV Goggles I have glow fluorescent bright blue) and stomping around in the swamp would certainly alarm me if I saw it from a distance. :lol:

 

Brown pic is visible light

Canon SX50 no filters

iso 80 f8 2.5s

Automatic white balance

 

Glowing pic is UV induced fluorescence by Blak Ray 100 AP light

Canon SX50 no filters

iso 80 f4.5 4s

Automatic white balance

post-51-0-70956500-1414813897.jpg

post-51-0-50511300-1414813907.jpg

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Magic mushrooms from the Pineys! Very cool.

 

Have you ever done any spore prints? I wonder if the spores fluoresce?

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