Black light instead of RGB?

[ChuckMaurice]

Got the idea from a recent LTT video, but had anyone ever built a black light/UV lit case? I bet UV LED strips exists, but does it looks cool especially in the context of a sober, monochrome design?

[The Sloth]

5 minutes ago, jldjul said:

Got the idea from a recent LTT video, but had anyone ever built a black light/UV lit case? I bet UV LED strips exists, but does it looks cool especially in the context of a sober, monochrome design?

 

a friend from my university did a diy project like that it was cool i believe he still uses it. 

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, jldjul said:

Got the idea from a recent LTT video, but had anyone ever built a black light/UV lit case? I bet UV LED strips exists, but does it looks cool especially in the context of a sober, monochrome design?

They've been around for a long time, many used UV colored fluid in the watercooling loops so with UV CCFL or LED's it would give off that glow effect. There are RGB UV version also that Cable Mod have been coming out with.

https://cablemod.com/cablemod-widebeam-hybrid-led/

[needlessly_weekday]

The UV light is probably going to give the user cancer/eye problems after a while - it's not good. If the purple effect is desired, just use an RGB lit case and apply a light purple profile.

 

Please tell me if I'm wrong!

[ChuckMaurice]

11 minutes ago, spacemen13579 said:

The UV light is probably going to give the user cancer/eye problems after a while - it's not good. If the purple effect is desired, just use an RGB lit case and apply a light purple profile.

 

Please tell me if I'm wrong!

I'm no biologist, but I think that consumer UV light, especially in LED strips, wouldn't include any harmful wavelenght (maybe near 260-280nm), but I'd have to check. I mean, I didn't read any report of people having eye/skin problems from going into a nightclub or some place using black light.

[Jamtoad]

yes a lot of people who have a loop use UV reactive coolant and UV led strip to make the coolant glow and they look super good

[Jamtoad]

1 hour ago, spacemen13579 said:

The UV light is probably going to give the user cancer/eye problems after a while - it's not good. If the purple effect is desired, just use an RGB lit case and apply a light purple profile.

 

Please tell me if I'm wrong!

well uv makes stuff glow. so not just for a purple look

[Doramius]

LED black lights work nicely, but you'll notice they are more intense on the purple light and fluorescing materials tend not to be as bright, although they do pop out in color. LEDs also tend to be more directional and have a narrow wavelength emission (intesity, not color wavelength), so if the LEDs are pointed directly at an item, it can glow pretty well.  Most of the time, you'll notice very bright purple LEDs, rather than glowing material.

 

CCFL does have an interesting function that when the gas is heated up, the light photons take most of the energy in a more broad wavelength.  Being that there is a tube, the light is reflected in several angles to spread that broad light intensity with a lot less visual light from the bulb itself.  The energy is much more active on reflective material, so the intensity of glow is much higher.  

 

LEDs can run directly off your power supply and generally don't need much more regulation to run.  Life of the LEDs are pretty long and they tend not to die in intensity over very long periods of use.  CCFL requires a ballast connecting to electrodes at either end.  There is a gas, and over time the materials in the ballast can wear down, and the gas in the tube also wears out and goes dim after time.  this can be over several years for the gas, but the ballast may only last 2-4 years and require replacing.  

 

Overall, if you're looking for intensity of the glow al fluorescing materials in your case, go CCFL.  If you're looking for durability, less maintenance, and don't mind more intense purple glow from the LEDs than glowing material, then LEDs are your choice.

[R4mboStyle]

On 1/6/2017 at 7:56 PM, ChuckMaurice said:

Got the idea from a recent LTT video, but had anyone ever built a black light/UV lit case? I bet UV LED strips exists, but does it looks cool especially in the context of a sober, monochrome design?

Blue light has the same effect as a black light would have though the black light would make the colors pop just a little more. I have RGB led smart bulbs throughout my house i found out when you turn them blue anything thats a high vis or neon ish color will be bright like its under a black light