1 watt 365nm UV Flashlight Safe To Use Without Goggles?

Ok Guys

I bought myself the 1 watt 365nm LED flashlight from Amazon (The one that is in the ultrafire host ) to quick charge the glow stones I made. I cannot get any product details on safety. Since it is not a laser and does not have a colminated beam I would assume it would be safe as long as I don't stare into it directly.

Please let me know if this is correct or if I need UV goggles. :thinking:

I believe that you are safe as long as you don't sit and look into the beam for any period of time, reflections should not bother you unless maybe they
are off of white paper and close up and you are staring at them for long periods of time, but I am not a doctor and I don't have a degree in 365nm :crackup:

Aside from the normal blue-light-hazard (macular degeneration from prolonged exposure to <~520nm) you have no additional hazards. So don't stare into it for hours. If you are concerned go to a hardware store and buy standard plastic safety goggles that are clear and say something like "100% UV protection" for $5. That will stop about 99.9% of the <400nm light.

I'm curious if this torch really is 365nm or not, got a link?

Sigurthr said:

Aside from the normal blue-light-hazard (macular degeneration from prolonged exposure to <~520nm) you have no additional hazards. So don't stare into it for hours. If you are concerned go to a hardware store and buy standard plastic safety goggles that are clear and say something like "100% UV protection" for $5. That will stop about 99.9% of the <400nm light.

I'm curious if this torch really is 365nm or not, got a link?

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I bought it from a company called Tactical Gear, it appears that it is 365nm as it instantly charges the glow stones I have in less than 1 second. I just had to have it once I saw the ltrafire host :drool: Below is the link and a description.

Amazon.com: 1-Watt 365nm Ultra Violet UV LED Flashlight for forensic work: Home Improvement


Product Description
- Equiped with 365nm 1w Ultraviolet UV LED bulb - Approx. 240 mins of running time per set of batteries with significant dimming after about 1hr - Push On/Off end button - Powered by 2 x CR123A battery (not included) - Tube diameter: 25mm - Head diameter: 30mm - Length: 130mm - Weight: 87g Activation of fluorescent inks/dyes Find urine, semen, and saliva stains. Scan during crime scene investigations for foreign materials Pet urine in carpets. Counterfeit money, credit card and ID detection. Examining artwork and glasswork for hidden repairs Small UV source will fit inside and behind objects Very sharp and crisp detail on fluorescent materials, very little visible light output. correct UV dye color rendering Warning UV LEDs can cause harm to your eyes. Do not shine the light in your eyes directly or through reflective surfaces. Do not let children use these lights. Use of UV protective google recommended.

Listing has a spectrographic chart of the output, looks good (if a bit wide in the spectral purity, but that's not a major issue)!

Sigurthr said:

Listing has a spectrographic chart of the output, looks good (if a bit wide in the spectral purity, but that's not a major issue)!

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Wow really I missed the spectrograph completely, I will have to go back and look. All I know is that I needed 365 and would not be able to insta charge the flourescants I have without 365.

I read the horror stories about people buying falsly listed as black light 395nm and it took them forever to charge glow minerals.

Yes, that is why I have not invested in a 365nm LED light yet; I don't have a uv-pass diffraction grating or spectrometer, so I wouldn't be able to objectively check it for spectral accuracy and purity. Though if it was far off like 395-410 I'd be able to tell visually, just not if it is 385nm or lower.

You could always just build your own from LEDs. It'd be like equipping any torch with a custom emitter. I found that with the 10W LED 365nm I got it needed a Wood's Glass filter in front of it to block some of the visible light the LED produced in addition to the UV. I used a Rosco dichroic Wood's Glass, the 2" version of which was only about $9. That could fit nicely as the glass in a torch.

It's too bad they don't make real Wood's glass any more. I've seen the specs on the Rosco Pemracolor dichroic filter #3660 Double Coated UV Pass and it doesn't look too good. Real Wood's glass, on the other hand, is a genuine 365nm bandpass filter. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood's_glass) Of course it has issues, which is why they stopped making it.

I hope some Chinese company will come along and start making it again. Issues or not, there would definitely be a demand for it.

I have a 3-Watt 365nm flashlight which works off of 2 Li-Ion batteries, and I have used it for quite some time without glasses. The general rule, Don't be stupid, and don't shine the light directly into your eyes or someone else eyes. Any prolong exposure of 365nm UV to your eyes will cause damage, but the reflected light off objects that are fluorescent under a UV light are safe for short exposure periods. Keep in mind that the fluorescent light is no longer at the 365nm wavelength, it will change based on the material that absorbs the UV light and converts it to a more visible light which is higher in wavelength. The science of fluorescent compounds and reactions is quite in-depth, a much later topic if one desires!

Don't forget the blue light hazard. Damage is photochemical and cumulative. Play safe and you should have no issues...

Leodahsan said:

Don't forget the blue light hazard. Damage is photochemical and cumulative. Play safe and you should have no issues...

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Noted. Will not go outside ever again and will use only candlelight. Thanks for saving my eyes!

cgchaser said:

I just had to have it once I saw the ltrafire host :drool: Below is the link and a description.

Amazon.com: 1-Watt 365nm Ultra Violet UV LED Flashlight for forensic work: Home Improvement

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You overpaid, my friend.

http://kaidomain.com/product/details.S009842

Just keep it away from your eyes and your beer.
"With a threshold of around 4 parts-per-trillion in beer, 3-MBT is among the most potent flavor compounds that can be found in beer; as such, it does not take much to ruin your beer. If you drink your beer from a pint glass on a sunny patio you may notice this flavor by the time you reach the bottom of the glass – that’s how quick this problem can arise."

You've waved that in front of me enough times now, Cyparagon, that I've finally taken the bait.

Does it work with both an 18650 or two 16340s like the listing said? I'll need to grab another 18650 if the dual cells are no go.

Ohh seems you are right, oh well at least I know where to pay $15.00 if I ever need another one.

Sigurthr said:

Does it work with both an 18650 or two 16340s like the listing said? I'll need to grab another 18650 if the dual cells are no go.

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That is an error in the listing. It will work at 4V, but it will be dimmer. If I remember correctly, it needs at least 4.5V or something like that to be in regulation; It is a buck driver. I've used 2x16340s with no problem.