Best UV case lighting?

[SiCkHiTrEg]

My current build is using 4x cold cathodes,  but feel like there must be better UV lighting stuff out there.  I have been searching, but have not really found alot of info and asked a few people what they used in their cases with no responses.  Heres how it looks.  Any opinions are appreciated.  Heard cold cathodes will just die after a year.  And I am sure there must be better UV lighting options out there since these aren't really hitting all my tubing?

[KeyboardCowboy]

On 8/17/2019 at 10:49 PM, SiCkHiTrEg said:

My current build is using 4x cold cathodes,  but feel like there must be better UV lighting stuff out there.  I have been searching, but have not really found alot of info and asked a few people what they used in their cases with no responses.  Heres how it looks.  Any opinions are appreciated.  Heard cold cathodes will just die after a year.  And I am sure there must be better UV lighting options out there since these aren't really hitting all my tubing?

 

I have cold cathodes too. Mine have been going steady for years, yours should last more than a year.

 

As far as an upgrade, I think the tubes are cool, if you want a change try the uv led strips, they are probably brighter. Now due to physics and what not, the leds are technically 'near ultraviolet', but thats pretty gosh darn close.

 

Give ebay a try if you can't find them from a reliable distributor.

ebay ad

 

Edit: For 5.99 you can get a pack of 5mm leds, uv. If you had some cheap led case fans, you might be able to swap out the leds.

100 5m leds uv

 

Edit: these look hackable, maybe don't get 'those' but something like that. It would brighten up the front and back of the case.

80mm 4 led clear fan

 

Do mind the damaging effects of uv light, its not good for the eyes.

[SiCkHiTrEg]

14 hours ago, KeyboardCowboy said:

I have cold cathodes too. Mine have been going steady for years, yours should last more than a year.

 

As far as an upgrade, I think the tubes are cool, if you want a change try the uv led strips, they are probably brighter. Now due to physics and what not, the leds are technically 'near ultraviolet', but thats pretty gosh darn close.

 

Give ebay a try if you can't find them from a reliable distributor.

ebay ad

 

Edit: For 5.99 you can get a pack of 5mm leds, uv. If you had some cheap led case fans, you might be able to swap out the leds.

100 5m leds uv

 

Edit: these look hackable, maybe don't get 'those' but something like that. It would brighten up the front and back of the case.

80mm 4 led clear fan

 

Do mind the damaging effects of uv light, its not good for the eyes.

Ya I know UV is not good when in high dosages, but that small amount should not be an issue.  What I am not sure of is how it effects pc parts?  It isn’t harmful to the parts is it?

[W-L]

2 hours ago, SiCkHiTrEg said:

Ya I know UV is not good when in high dosages, but that small amount should not be an issue.  What I am not sure of is how it effects pc parts?  It isn’t harmful to the parts is it?

It won’t be strong enough to damage anything, for CCFL’s you do get a more even glow than say LED’s. Only thing is the inverters do degrade so if you can getting a spare that would be a good idea. 

[SiCkHiTrEg]

3 hours ago, W-L said:

It won’t be strong enough to damage anything, for CCFL’s you do get a more even glow than say LED’s. Only thing is the inverters do degrade so if you can getting a spare that would be a good idea. 

Ahh ok.  I actually do have 2 spares because at first I had blue cathodes in there and then realized I wanted uv for the liquid.  I also just went out yesterday and got new Velcro to use because the stuff it came with is apparently garbage and wasn't holding the light on the top.

[SiCkHiTrEg]

Also keyboard cowboy can you post your case lighting with the cathodes so I can see it?

[A. Cole]

Interestingly Cablemods offer a RGB + UV LED strip which has dedicated UV only LED's and additional RGB LED's
Don't know how they stack up against or with cathodes

[SiCkHiTrEg]

4 hours ago, A. Cole said:

Interestingly Cablemods offer a RGB + UV LED strip which has dedicated UV only LED's and additional RGB LED's
Don't know how they stack up against or with cathodes

Im like stuck on swapping my cathodes out or not lol.  Strips seem better, but I dunno.  Plus don't need to try and hide the boxes.  Do they have different lengths?

[KeyboardCowboy]

18 hours ago, SiCkHiTrEg said:

Also keyboard cowboy can you post your case lighting with the cathodes so I can see it?

Sure, I guess *waves goodbye to anonymity*

 

My pc's noting special, but here it is.

Spoiler

Edit

Spoiler

 

[A. Cole]

14 hours ago, SiCkHiTrEg said:

Im like stuck on swapping my cathodes out or not lol.  Strips seem better, but I dunno.  Plus don't need to try and hide the boxes.  Do they have different lengths?

I think cablemod offer 30cm and 60cm strips, other manufacturers might have a similar design with the dual specific LED strip (like how pci-e vertical mount brackets started with cablemods and are now with phanteks and other vendors)
Cablemods also offer UV only strips (probably cheaper)
Corsair is still working on there new lighting technology and might develop a UV variant (though that could be months away)

[SiCkHiTrEg]

I ordered some of darkside uv led strips to try out.  They looked pretty promising.