Is it worth it to get a high-UVB reptile bulb when I already have strong fluorescent blacklights?

[Fandyus]

I'm not arguing, I just don't know much, sorry.

[colinbm]

I'm not arguing, I just don't know much, sorry.

 

I didn't say you are annoying.

I just don't get arguing about safety, there is nothing to argue about, just do it.

I & others have written on here about safety.

[Fandyus]

 

 

I didn't say you are annoying.

I just don't get arguing about safety, there is nothing to argue about, just do it.

I & others have written on here about safety.

I literally want to do it but I don't have any good sources of safety gear that I know of.

Plus does this mean that I can't look at a fluorescent bulb even with protection? I use them screwed into a normal lamp and the glass tubes are exposed, meaning that the light is somewhere in my field of vision most of the time just like a normal bulb would be.

Plus to ask again, is clear polycarbonate enough? I thought protection had to be yellowed at least.

[Andy Perrin]

My fluorescent bulbs (the ordinary ones) put out very little UV compared to sunlight. I would not worry about them. If you meant UV fluorescent bulbs, you should not be looking at them directly while lit.

 

Which safety equipment you should get depends on the light source.

 

For UVA sources, get the orange UVEX goggles which cadmium has linked many times.

For UVB and UVC sources, that’s when you need the polycarbonate visor and hood (and long sleeves and gloves).

 

Plus to ask again, is clear polycarbonate enough? I thought protection had to be yellowed at least.

Pretty sure you are correct about UVA. Clear polycarbonate will NOT stop UVA I don’t think. Keep in mind that visible violet light is also bad long term. If you are looking at the UVA light source you need orange UVEX goggles.

https://www.cureuv.c...-uvex-ultraspec

[colinbm]

Clear polycarbonate will NOT stop UVA I don’t think.

 

Make sure....

 

 

https://www.yy-99.xyz/ProductDetail.aspx?iid=4295252&pr=33.99

[Andy Perrin]

Colin, I don't trust that when it comes to my eyes. I would trust that graph if I was making a filter or something, but I would MUCH prefer to buy safety equipment that is designed as such. You can't tell the quality of the blocking in UVA.

 

That clear plastic thing you linked up to is for SHORTWAVE UV. It says so! (And before you point out the "blue haze interference," they probably mean fluorescence.) I would also mention that I was the one who found that darn thing in the first place, and posted it to the thread on UVC precautions because that's what it's good for.

 

 

And obviously it provides zero projection against visible violet light, which is also dangerous at high intensity especially.

[colinbm]

I'm out of here...bye

[ulf]

Ulf, how does that function make sense given the recent findings that Jonathan mentioned about the 222nm light being safe if the rest is filtered?

I have no idea, because I do not know about any of the research sources used for either Jonathan's statement or the exposure levels in the standard.

However, a good approach is better safe than sorry, when handling potentially dangerous things.

 

A safety standard is very often quite well founded, based on well defined scientific reasoning.

I think there must also be some margins in the standards to at least absorb some production margins and measurement errors, even if good engineering practice also dictate that you must have some margins during certification.

[Cadmium]

I would not use anything that I cant test.

Unless you are going to use UVB or UVC then I would just get the Amber Uvex UV glasses and stick with the UVA range.

https://www.fullsource.com/uvex-s0290x/

[Fandyus]

I would not use anything that I cant test.

Unless you are going to use UVB or UVC then I would just get the Amber Uvex UV glasses and stick with the UVA range.

https://www.fullsour...om/uvex-s0290x/

Thanks a lot for the link, I might order the amber and orange ones, here's to hoping I find a supplier that delivers here.

This is what I'm using right now, it's completely black in UV but I'm obviously not sure.

[Andy Perrin]

Fandyus, black on the UV camera is a necessary condition but not sufficient because you don’t know how good the blocking is. If you get a direct hit from an intense light source, you will care about the blocking. A better test would be to adjust your camera for a typical sunlight exposure and then shine your torch through the glasses from the rear (not in sunlight, indoors). A photograph showing that all the light is blocked would at least tell you that the remaining UV is lower than sunshine. Then you would know the torch is safe with those glasses.

[Fandyus]

Fandyus, black on the UV camera is a necessary condition but not sufficient because you don’t know how good the blocking is. If you get a direct hit from an intense light source, you will care about the blocking. A better test would be to adjust your camera for a typical sunlight exposure and then shine your torch through the glasses from the rear (not in sunlight, indoors). A photograph showing that all the light is blocked would at least tell you that the remaining UV is lower than sunshine. Then you would know the torch is safe with those glasses.

Sounds complicated. I was thinking I would just order deep orange goggles from a local work tools store.

[Andy Perrin]

Do you mean random deep orange goggles or ones designed for UV protection? If the latter, it’s probably ok, but any old random orange goggles won’t necessarily be good for UV protection. Why don’t you buy the damn UVEX ones? And why are we still discussing this?

[Cadmium]

As far as orange goggles go, you don't need them, and the orange ones that Uvex makes have a small leak in the 360/380 UV range, makes no sense, but is testable, so I recommend the amber version, they block UVA better.

[dabateman]

I agree with Cadmium. My Uvex glasses, purchased from Amazon, leak at 380nm. So even glasses specifically designed for UV protection can have an issue. Don't buy random glasses, you will not know the safety level. So I have both the orange and amber glasses from Uvex.

[Andrea B.]

Fandyus -- Go to unimed.cz and enter "ochranné bryle" into the search box. You will see 4 examples of UVEX protective goggles which you can order. This company is located in Prague (Praha). Tel: +420 241 930 253.

 

There are probably other scientific/medical supply companies in Česká republika which also offer UVEX goggles, but this was the one I found first so it became the example.

 

 

 

((My keyboard lacks the cability to properly spell "bryle" with the diacritical mark over the y.))

[Cadmium]

https://www.unimed.c...ann%C3%A9+bryle

Unfortunately, none of those are the amber Uvex glasses for UV.

I don't know where to get them other than the US website I posted, but I would think there is some place.

Maybe contact Uvex, and ask them where they sell them in other countries.

[ulf]

The main problem buying things from US websites, if they at all accept to sell for export, is often the shipping/handling fee they charge.

While you Americans are spoiled with free domestic shipping and no extra fees, importing things from the US is very often expensive here.

Often there is also VAT and customs handling fees to be paid, on top of the shipping costs.

 

When quite young like Fandyus, and I assume with limited funds, that might make some purchases impossible.

He is asking many questions here because he wants to protect his eyes in a commendable way.

 

I do not have any Uvex goggles at all myself. If I had a spare pair I would have gifted him that pair, without any hesitation.

 

Maybe some members, with more resources on the forum, would like to sponsor our youngest member as I have done.

Take inspiration from Pay It Forward!

[colinbm]

The Uvex goggles won't protect his face. & he said he wants to be able to look at the light.

He has said he has bought before from an industrial supply business, they should stock exactly what he wants & I hope he has parents too, it is not out job the be his guardian is it ?

[Andy Perrin]

For UVA facial protection, just wear sunblock if necessary. Or cover up. But I don’t think small UVA exposure is a big deal. We go out in the sun all the time.

 

Ulf, are there European sources for UV goggles with ratings by the EU? I don’t know anything about VATs and EU testing and so on. The important thing is not the brand but certification.

[colinbm]

For facial protection, just wear sunblock if necessary. Or cover up. But I don’t think small UVA exposure is a big deal. We go out in the sun all the time.

 

Ulf, are there European sources for UV goggles with ratings by the EU? I don’t know anything about VATs and EU testing and so on. The important thing is not the brand but certification.

 

He wants to use UVB, which is what this post is about.

I think you are being careless in your relaxed safety standards.

Stefano has shown us he is keen to 'look' at UVB with no protection, Fandyus, seems to be a youngster too & keen to explore.

We are not his guardians & we need to be careful with our advice & assume the worst & hope for the best.

Years ago in the 1970s we were introduced to small, light & powerful Halogen desk lamps.

After a few years as they became popular, young people after long hours of study were getting saw eyes & sun burns on their faces & ears, this was because these lamps were quartz halogen & the amount of UVA is small, but the exposure was powerful & long. I people were getting skin cancers the lamps were given a warning & not made of UVA transmitting glass any more.

We just can't be too careful with our advice in case we can't be there & watching how the dangers of UV are being used.

Please don't trivialise my advice any more.

[Stefano]

Well, if I ever used a UVB lamp, I would protect myself. I too have limits, although yes, I do dumb stuff sometimes.

 

A single UVB LED emitting 10-20 mW of UV at a a reasonable distance would just give me some vitamin D, and by spending an hour outside I would probably receive a much higher dose. But a lamp outputting possibly 100 times more UVB is a different story. I would surely wear goggles and use sunscreen or some other protection.

 

I did briefly look at UV sources to see how they look like, but I do that very few times. If I have to directly look at a Convoy while on, I wear polycarbonate goggles (also UV in the eye isn't pleasing, it feels like having dust on your lens because your lens fluoresces and you can't see clearly).

 

As long as it's UVA or low power, it's quite OK to be a bit flexible. UVB and UVC are much more dangerous.

[Andy Perrin]

(never mind, I think it’s best for me to leave this topic now)