UV LEDs?

[heavygrounds]

I've been wanting to add LEDs to my PC for a while, and since I have a white case, with white fans, I thought that UV would look great.

 

However, I have my questions about UV:

 

• Are they reliable? (will the light fade overtime?)
• Are they damaging to computer components in anyway?
• What are the disadvantages of UV LED lighting?

 

As far as which one to get, I've been looking on getting the Phobya LED Strip.

 

Thank you in advance.

[W-L]

I've been wanting to add LEDs to my PC for a while, and since I have a white case, with white fans, I thought that UV would look great.

 

However, I have my questions about UV:

 

• Are they reliable? (will the light fade overtime?)
• Are they damaging to computer components in anyway?
• What are the disadvantages of UV LED lighting?

 

As far as which one to get, I've been looking on getting the Phobya LED Strip.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

UV LED's are just as reliable as any other LED as long as you run them at 12V or the specified voltage there shouldn't be any problem, as for safety concern and damaging components there shouldn't be any worry since UV LED's for affordable prices are never "true" UV LED's they emit some ambient light and have a wavelength on the very low end or close to the UV spectrum hence not have any damaging effects. Even though they are not "true" UV LED's I wouldn't be wise to use them for desk lighting or since it may produce eye strain since it is still within a small margin or close to the UV spectrum.

 

As for disadvantages, the LED's have a limited viewing angle, usually 120 degrees, so placement of them may require some trial and error to get nice even lighting compared to cathodes which emit light at 360 degrees and just bounce light off all surfaces giving what most people define as a more "ambient glow."

[heavygrounds]

UV LED's are just as reliable as any other LED as long as you run them at 12V or the specified voltage there shouldn't be any problem, as for safety concern and damaging components there shouldn't be any worry since UV LED's for affordable prices are never "true" UV LED's they emit some ambient light and have a wavelength on the very low end or close to the UV spectrum hence not have any damaging effects. Even though they are not "true" UV LED's I wouldn't be wise to use them for desk lighting or since it may produce eye strain since it is still within a small margin or close to the UV spectrum.

 

As for disadvantages, the LED's have a limited viewing angle, usually 120 degrees, so placement of them may require some trial and error to get nice even lighting compared to cathodes which emit light at 360 degrees and just bounce light off all surfaces giving what most people define as a more "ambient glow."

 

Thank you, this helps a ton

You're awesome

[VulsaviiK]

If you're using it to light up UV Reactive cables or tubing, i.e. shit around the motherboard area, somewhere around the 5 1/4 inch bays I found it fairly easy to hide it, but still get a decent amount of "glow" from the cabling. I'd show you a photo, unfortunately, my case is in a million bits right now and I didn't put the led strip into the temporary donor case

[Afterburner]

I've been wanting to add LEDs to my PC for a while, and since I have a white case, with white fans, I thought that UV would look great.

 

However, I have my questions about UV:

 

• Are they reliable? (will the light fade overtime?)
• Are they damaging to computer components in anyway?
• What are the disadvantages of UV LED lighting?

 

As far as which one to get, I've been looking on getting the Phobya LED Strip.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Like W-L said, LEDs are pretty directional, so if you just want UV lights, not LEDs specifically , then I would suggest buying cold cathodes. I've just bought the 30cm Revoltec UV twinset two weeks ago, and they are awesome!

[heavygrounds]

Like W-L said, LEDs are pretty directional, so if you just want UV lights, not LEDs specifically , then I would suggest buying cold cathodes. I've just bought the 30cm Revoltec UV twinset two weeks ago, and they are awesome!

 

If you're using it to light up UV Reactive cables or tubing, i.e. shit around the motherboard area, somewhere around the 5 1/4 inch bays I found it fairly easy to hide it, but still get a decent amount of "glow" from the cabling. I'd show you a photo, unfortunately, my case is in a million bits right now and I didn't put the led strip into the temporary donor case

 

Thank you