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Home /  Support Center /  Knowledge Base /  UV-A LED strip lights

Blacklights for Pickleball Court


I would like to use blacklights on a pickleball court for a fun, night game. The court is about half the size of a tennis court. I have read that 365nm lights work best for fluorescent. Do you have a product that will cover the court? Will I need more than one? How much do I need in terms of total luminous/wattage?

Our 365 nm UV flood lights sound like a great starting point for your pickleball lighting installation!

​It's a bit difficult to know how many lamps would be sufficient to cover the entire court, but we would roughly estimate that one lamp is sufficient for approximately 100 square feet.

We would suggest perhaps purchasing one lamp to test to see if you achieve sufficient coverage and whether the 365 nm wavelength is an effective option to properly illuminate the area, and building up from there based on those results. We do offer a 30 day free returns policy, so if the first lamp doesn't work out, we'll gladly assist with a return and refund.

Compatible power supply and timer for realUV LED Strip Light


I'm looking to buy the realUV LED Strip 365mm, 3.2 ft. I wanted to get a compact power supply and also a timer, which will then connect to the light strip. Could you tell me if your product will work with the following power supply and timer?

Chanzon 12V 1.5A UL Listed 18W AC DC Switching Power Supply Adapter

Litever Timer 12VDC-24VDC, 1 Channel, Maximum 3A. Time Switch Relay. Dimmer Function

Based on our review of the output of the compact power supply, it appears that it would be able to power no more than the 1 meter (3.2 ft) reel of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, which require 4.5 watts and 400 milliamps per foot. 

​If greater segments of the LED Strip Lights are needed than the 1 meter (3.2 ft) reel, we would recommend locating a higher capacity power supply. The dimmer appears to be compatible as well, though please note that we have not performed compatibility testing with these items.

Can I control (10) reels of UV LED strips with one light switch?


I am needing close to 10 of the 365nm UV light strips. I want to be able to control them all by light switches, preferably by one. Can you tell me what I need to make this work so I can have my electrician put this together?

Based on the details provided, we would recommend purchasing one dedicated power supply, such as the 12V TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply, per full 16.4 ft reel of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

​For the single switch to control all 10 reels, we would recommend ensuring that the dimmer is capable of providing the total power requirements (720W, 60A for the full 10 reels). If not, we would alternatively recommend dividing the LED Strip Lights across a few dimmers. 

​We have attached a few LayoutMap links below which illustrate the most common installations of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, as well as provide links to each of the most common connectors and accessories. As can be noted in the second diagram, multiple power supplies can be connected to a single wall dimmer. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 3001-1C

UV LED Strip for Curing Fishing Lure Painting


I am a custom fishing lure painter and use Alumilite UV clear coat. I've been using Solacure UV fluorescent bulbs for the past 3 years and want to convert them over to your 365nm LED strips. I'm building a 4ft long octagon-shaped light box for curing my work. I want to mount 4ft LED strips on the three angled side panels. How difficult will it be to wire up all 6 strip segments? What power supply do you recommend? 

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend the 12V FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip for an impermanent installation, or alternatively the 12V TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply for LED Strip for a permanent installation that might also benefit from using a wall dimmer. 

​Generally speaking, we like to recommend using one dedicated power supply per full reel of LED Strip Lights. As such, we would likely recommend integrating an additional power supply and dividing your installation across those power supplies in the event that more than one full reel is needed for your curing station. 

In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have shared two LayoutMap diagrams below which illustrate the most common installation types and provide links to the recommended accessories and connectors. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

LED Dimmer for realUV™ LED Flood Light


What do I need for remote control dimming on the realUV™ LED Flood Light

Unfortunately, the realUV™ LED Flood Lights are not compatible with dimmers, and we do sincerely apologize for any impact that this might have on your purchase or installation planning process. 

For installations where dimming is preferred, we would generally recommend the realUV™ LED Strip Lights as an alternative since they can be paired with the in-line FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer for adjustment of the ultraviolet output. 

Short Wavelength Light for Fluorescent Rocks


I need to purchase a short wavelength light for fluorescent rocks. Wanting to make sure the proper LED strip and to know if other accessories/connectors are required. (I am aware that 12V DC power supply is required.)

Based on the details provided, we would indeed recommend the referenced 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights for your installation, which are able to produce the greatest fluorescent effect upon targets. 

​In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have attached a few LayoutMap diagrams below which illustrate the most common installations of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights. These pages also include links to the most commonly used connectors and accessories. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

​As a further note, please be aware that the polycarbonate materials used on the diffusion panels of our Aluminum Channels will naturally block the transmission of ultraviolet light. This is also true for the polycarbonate covers used on most diffusers. As such, we would likely recommend using an alternate bandpass filter or omitting the diffusion covers entirely. 

Do you have a UV LED kit?


I need a whole UV LED kit. I want to plug in a 110 VAC power supply (assuming the transformer is down to 24 volts). Then, have a 396 and 365 UV LED strip light that is 12 inches long. 

While we do not have kits for our realUV LED products, we would be happy to provide you with a set of recommended products and connectors. As a starting point, it might be helpful to know that we have several LayoutMap diagrams on our website which illustrate the most common installation types. We have shared a few diagrams below, for your reference. 

For installations that would benefit from the greatest amount of fluorescent effect, we would typically recommend the 365nm option of our realUV™ LED Strip Lights. This product can be powered by using a 12V power supply, such as the FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

As our 12V realUV™ LED Strip Lights are designed to be voltage specific, we would not recommend connecting a 24V power source to them as this will cause hardware damage that will void the product warranties.

​As an alternative, you may be interested in the 12V TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply for LED Strip, which is compatible with 100 - 277 V AC input, and can be used with both the 365nm and 395nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

Safe UV-A LED Lights for Black Lighting


I am manufacturing parts that get adhesive applied to them. This adhesive has a UV additive that highlights when exposed to black light. I am looking for a light that is safe to use that someone can use to inspect for the presence of the adhesive on the parts. Light has to be bright enough to highlight but still safe. The person will be able to hold part close to the black light.

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend either the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light or the 5W 365nm realUV™ LED Flashlight with BLACKOUT™ Filter Technology for your installation. 

That being said, it is difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly. As such, we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight. As such, there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come near the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues.Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

Black Lighting for Music Studio and Bedroom


I am trying to outfit both my music studio as well as my bedroom with black lighting. I know that there is a difference between 365nm and 385nm and higher but my understanding is the true black light effect is around 365 and something with a little more of the hazy glow is 385 and above.

Studio is 20x20 and I have some sweet fluorescent street art that I believe will really pop but I don't want it to be completely dark in there so I believe I would want something a little bit above 365 NM for the studio and bedroom with the 365nm lighting. The bedroom is about 25 by 25.

I believe I want strip lighting to replace what I currently have on the studio floorboard tops but I'm open to suggestions if a single flood light for example might accomplish what I need.

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend the 395nm option of our realUV™ products. While the 365nm option will provide a greater fluorescent effect against targets, the 395nm option will provide a more visible output. 

If you would like to exclusively illuminate the artwork on the wall, we might recommend the 395nm realUV™ LED Flood Light, as it is easy to install and direct toward an illumination target. Unlike the LED Strip Lights, this product does not require additional power supplies, though it also cannot be paired with wall dimmers. 

As the realUV™ products are not intended as primary illumination, it is slightly difficult to recommend an order quantity for the spaces referenced. As an alternative, we might recommend purchasing one 16.4 ft reel of the 395nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights, as well as one unit of the 395nm realUV™, LED Flood Light to test the output against your expectations. 

What is the expected usable life of a UV-C LED strip light?


I would like to know the life expectancy in hours of the UV-C 7026.270 strip light.

As the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product is a relatively new addition to our catalog, we do not yet have reliable lifetime data. That being said, our preliminary data shows stable UV-C output for at least 2000 hours, though further testing is needed to determine what we can expect on an L70 basis. 

Are the realUV LEDs available in 2-meter uncut strip?


Are the UV LEDs available as a 2-meter uncut strip? Does a cut strip include a fitted connecter (for a 12v power supply)? I see that the 5-meter reel does, but this is not specified for the meter-length strips.

We can confirm that we do not have any uncut 2-meter length reels of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights available, and we do sincerely apologize for any impact this may have on your purchase planning. 

As a further note, the realUV™ LED Strip Lights does not ship with additional connectors, though we typically recommend using the LED Strip to Wire Solderless Connector Cable (PN 3070) or the LED Strip to Strip Solderless Connector Cable (PN 7031) for joining cut segments. 

365nm vs 395nm: Which is recommended for room black lights?


I'm looking at putting blacklights up in my room for a couple of blacklight posters. I want the most powerful glow, I can get off them without overpowering everything with a bright purple light, so have been leaning towards 365nm. Also, does that mean only the parts in fluorescent paints really light up? My room is about ~10x~15-20ft, would the 365nm strip lights or floodlight be better for illuminating the room completely? 

Also for a separate occasion, if I had a black light party would you recommend the 365nm or 385nm? I'm really so torn between both options of 365nm and 385nm because the purple glows cool but think the more subtle glow is better for less eye strain as blue light gets annoying after a bit sadly, but figured I could use my hue light on purple or really any color if I wanted the extra effect of 385nm right? 

We generally recommend the 365nm option for any installations where the maximum fluorescent effect is desired as the output is further from the visible wavelength. As such, the 365nm option will not have the same visible output as the 395nm option, since the latter is closer to the visible spectrum starting at 400nm. 

If you have a specific target that you would like to illuminate, we would recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light. If you would prefer a more diffused fluorescent effect, we would alternatively recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

About how much distance could a 16.4ft 365nm LED strip light cover they seem super expensive so was wondering if I could place it somewhere evenly in a ~10ftx~15-20ft room. Trying to ideally get it to hit all the walls as I want to hang up posters that are UV reactive. Would the 395 be better for posters you think as well? 

We have attached a link to the realUV™ LED Strip Lights UV Irradiance Pattern below, which charts the ultraviolet output the further a target is from the source. 

If you would like to try both options, please feel free to take advantage of our 30-day return policy. So long as the LED Strip Lights are from a domestic order and have not been cut or altered, including the adhesive backing being removed, we will gladly provide a prepaid return label. 

As a further note, it might be helpful to know that polycarbonate material naturally blocks the transmission of ultraviolet light. As such, any diffusion panels used on the products, such as those found on our aluminum channels, will block the ultraviolet light and limit the effect upon targets. 

365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights - UV Irradiance Pattern

Which of the 365nm and 395nm will get UV color paint & taps to pop?


I've done my basement staircase in all black light stuff. Tapestries on the top side wall, uv black light paint on the stairs I bought uv black light tape & did designs on the outlets & a few stairs. I bought a 48" blacklight from Spencer that bulb is at the top of the stairs & makes the Tapestries & tape & paint all the colors pop. I bought 3 small 24" black lights tubes & those aren't getting any of the colors to really pop or stand out. I've been reading up on led black light strips & they seem to be better than the tubes. My question is which will get my uv color paint & taps to pop to really stand out the 365nm lights or the 395nm lights? I really want to get my paints & tapes/Tapestries to pop the colors to stand out.

Our realUV LED strip lights sound like a great option for your blacklight installation!

​Generally, our 365 nm LED strip lights outperform the 395 nm versions for fluorescence applications. It's hard to say with certainty as different fluorescent materials will respond to different wavelengths, but the 365 nm almost always produces a stronger glow effect and will likely be a better option for you. Additionally, the 395 nm version emits a bit of a purple hue, which may be a distraction from the intended visual effects.

We do offer a free 30-day free returns policy, so I would strongly recommend taking advantage of that to test the two wavelength options before deciding on one of them!

How bright are the LEDs supposed to be and is the strip supposed to get hot?


I recently purchased 7026.70 UV-C LEDs on order 223321. I have questions: how bright are these LEDs supposed to be and is the strip supposed to get hot?

The UV-C radiation is not visible to the naked eye, and therefore your observations appear to be consistent with a properly functioning product. Generally, LED strip lights will get quite warm during use - typically we see a temperature rise of 54°F (30°C) over ambient temperatures.

​As per our product page disclaimers, please be sure to use appropriate eye and skin shielding to prevent harm and injury from the use of UV-C lights.

Do you have a full spectrum that mimics sunlight?


I am looking for a light that mimics sunlight including UV. Do you have those, with UVA and UVB?

While we offer the 99 CRI ABSOLUTE SERIES™ LED Flexible Strip, we don't currently have any products available which can provide both UV-A and UV-B alongside the visible spectrum. We do sincerely apologize for any impact this may have on your purchase planning. 

What is the beam angle of realUV LED strip lights?


What's the beam angle of the LEDs on the realUV LED strip lights? I'm thinking about how I will have to position the lights.

We can confirm that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights have a beam angle of 120°. 

UV LED Lights for Butterfly Exhibit


We have a tropical butterfly garden at our institution and we try our best to mimic their natural habitat. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the building design and current lighting system and our weather, we lack the proper UV levels that the butterflies are used to. Butterflies use UV light to find flowers, so if we don’t have any they are not able to find the flowers which is what we are observing. We are interested in adding some UV light to the exhibit to help the butterflies find the flowers. I am interested specifically interested in the 365 nm band for the butterflies.

Do you have any products that you think may work to add some UV light to the exhibit?

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Lights, which do not require any accessories for installation and operate using a DC power cable. That said, the output of this product can not be dimmed or adjusted as the below product is capable. 

If you would prefer to dim or adjust the output of the ultraviolet light source, we would alternatively recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights, which can be paired with either wall dimmers or in-line dimmers such as the FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer. These products also require a 12V power supply which is sold separately. 

Both product pages feature UV Irradiance Patterns, which we hope are helpful for charting the microwaves per square centimeter output that your installation would receive (μW/cm2) using either of the aforementioned products. 

Does the 12V power supply included in the UV LED strips?


I was wondering if the 12v power supply needs to be ordered separately or if it is included in the purchase of the lights.

We can confirm that the 12V power supplies are sold separately from the realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

We generally recommend the FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip for non-permanent installations that might be moved or adjusted in the future. 

​For installations where the LED Strip Lights are to be powered using line voltage and wall dimmers, we would instead recommend the TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply for LED Strip. ​

What is the life span of the UVC-LED lights?


I am trying to get more information regarding the UV-C LED strips (270nm) you have on your products but the webpage seems to be broken (for many different products). I am working on a UV curing project and would like to know more information regarding this particular LEDs lifespan, potential large orders, and also potential availability as panels. 

While we are unaware of any system-wide outages, if you could let us know which pages have broken links, that would be helpful for our web team to further review.

​In the meantime, we have linked to the UV-C products we currently have available (LED strip light), along with the relevant specifications, photometric and exposure dosage patterns:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/cleanuv-uv-c-led-strip-light

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7026.pdf

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7025.270.pdf

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/BP_7026.pdf

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/BP_7026_EXPOSURE.pdf

We do not yet have longevity data on the UV-C devices, but as a rough estimate, we are hoping for 10k hours @ L70.

UV LED Strip for Bedroom Lighting


I plan to have 8 feet of 365nm UV strip in each of the 4 corners of the 12 x 11-foot room. Could you advise me on what to order? 

As a primary step, it might be helpful to know that our realUV™ LED Strip Lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 ft. Connections that are greater than 16.4 ft will result in a voltage drop and reduced output. As such, we typically recommend utilizing one dedicated power supply per full reel of realUV LED Strip Lights. 

It would appear that your installation would require two full reels, as well as two dedicated power supplies. If you would like to use wall dimmers, we would likely recommend the 12V TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply. 

In the hopes that it is useful for your installation planning, we have shared a LayoutMap diagram from our website below. This diagram features links to the connectors and power supplies that are most often recommended for installations similar to the one described. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

That being said, please note that the realUV LED Strip Lights outputs light in the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight. As such, while there are fewer concerns than with other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, we have some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come near the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues. Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

Do you think that I would be better off ordering 2 flood lights instead?

Generally speaking, while the realUV LED Flood Lights offer a more simple installation that requires fewer connections and power supplies, they are comparatively limited in their ability to be used with wall dimmers. 

​So long as your installation does not require fine-tuning of output or connection to wall dimmers or in-wall power supplies, you may find more benefit in using the realUV LED Flood Lights over the realUV LED Strip Lights. 

Can I get a blackout filter for the 365 nm UV LED strip light?


Is it possible to get a blackout filter for the UV 365 nm light strips (16 feet), so I don't see all the dots on top of the cabinet I plan on putting your UV strip in?

While we, unfortunately, do not sell the blackout filters separately, you may be interested in the third-party Omega Optical Shortpass Filters, which appear to be designed to block the transmission of non-UV output. 

As a second option, it appears that B&H Photo also has a wide selection of lighting and diffusion gels available in their catalog. 

What connector should be needed to connect the realUV LED strip to a power source over a longer distance?


I want to install a 365nm strip into a curio cabinet to display my uranium glass. I need a connector on only one end of the light strip. In addition, the attached cable that measures 5.9 inches isn't long enough to reach an existing hole in the cabinet I would prefer to use that would attach then to the 12v power supply. What do you suggest?

If the power cable on the end of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights is not long enough to connect to the power source, we would likely recommend using a combination of the Female DC Barrel Jack Plug Adapters and 16 AWG Wire for connection to the 12V power supply.

As an alternative, you may prefer to manually remove the barrel jack adapter from the realUV™ LED Strip Lights and solder the 16 AWG Wire directly between the product and LED Strip Lights. That said, please note that this option may make future adjustments more difficult. 

Is it possible to remove one of the barrel jack adapters from the strip? Can I cut it off, leaving just one adapter on the opposite end, and not harm the strip?

As can be noted within the realUV™ LED Strip Lights product specification sheet, the product has designated cut points every 0.984 inches (.25 mm). 

So long as the product is divided cleanly as these cuttable sections, the segments can be re-connected to power using soldering or products such as our LED Strip to Strip Connectors. In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have attached a LayoutMap from our website below. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

UV Lighting for Illuminating Fishing Line and Rods


Im looking for a 12-volt system that I can install on a kayak for illuminating the fishing line and rods. Only one fishing rod PER SIDE, so looking for a light for each side. Do you offer a product that would work for this application and if so, what system and components would you recommend? 

As our realUV™ LED Strip Lights are not IP rated for protection against the elements, they unfortunately may not be the ideal product for your onboard kayak installation. We do sincerely apologize for any impact this may have on your purchasing process. 

As an alternative, you may also be interested in the handheld realUV™ LED Flashlight with BLACKOUT™ Filter Technology, which features the same 365nm output as our realUV™ LED Strip Lights and realUV™ LED Flood Lights. 

UV-A LED Lights for Cure Ink


I want to know which of your UV-LED can I use for cure ink like the Nazdar 2300 series for screen print UV-LED Curing: 2300 Ink Series cures when exposed to a Phoseon FireLine 4+ watt, 385-405 nm lamp at a distance of .15 to.25 inches (4 to 6 mm). Lamps of similar performance are expected to provide the necessary output to effectively cure the ink.

We were able to locate the datasheet for the ink and also able to locate the reference to the Phoseon product. It does appear that Nazdar used an empirical approach of testing and verifying that the Phoseon product works for curing, but unfortunately, this does not provide us with much information on the actual UV curing parameters needed.

​We were able to locate this document, but we're having some trouble understanding and translating these values into curing requirements from an irradiance or dosage perspective. (Values should be in units per area, such as mJ/cm², not just mJ).

​​In the meantime, it does appear that the 395 nm wavelength is what is being recommended for their product. As such, we would recommend either our 395 nm UV LED strip lights or 395 nm UV floodlights, both of which have linked below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light

UV Cabinet Light for Drying and Adding Color to Violins


We are changing the lights in the UV cabinet we use for drying and adding color to violins. It is a small cabinet 700mm High x 500m wide x 500mm deep. The real UV LED strips, I can cut to size, I will then need adapters, 7095, and the LED jump strips. I am unsure say if I have 4 x 600mm strips in the cabinet. What I would need with the PN 3091 PSU? Can I daisy chain off this PSU? I am in the UK so want to be sure I get all I need in one order. 

We can confirm that multiple connected segments of LED Strip Light products can be connected to a single FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip using accessories such as the LED Strip to Strip Solderless Connectors. 

​So long as the hardware-defined maximum combined length is less than 5 meters, no voltage drop or reduced output should be encountered. 

In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have provided a LayoutMap link below for an installation that utilizes multiple connected segments of realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

In our use, we would have 4 individual strips in a small cabinet. We can use the strip-to-strip connectors, 3071, to do this. But do you have any longer than 6”?

Though we do not have longer LED Strip to Strip products available, two alternatives come to mind that might be helpful alternatives. 

Primarily, the LED Strip to Wire Connectors could be connected together using wire nuts or soldering to create expanses that are 11.8 inches in total. 

If the ideal wire expanses between the LED Strip Lights are to be greater than 11.8 inches, you may alternatively be interested in soldering or connecting the aforementioned LED Strip to Wire Connectors to our 16 AWG wiring. 

That being said, please note that long lengths of wiring within installations can cause voltage drops and reduced lumen output per subsequent foot of connected LED Strip Light products. 

In the hopes that it proves to be helpful for your installation planning process, we have attached a link to our Voltage Drop Calculator below. 

Voltage Drop Calculator

Can the UV LED strips be powered with a car battery?


Can the 365/395 nm UV LED strips be powered with a car battery (cigarette lighter), or will the 13.6 volts of the battery blow out the 12-volt rated LEDs? 

As our LED Strip Light products are designed for specific voltages, they will, unfortunately, become damaged when connected to and operating with a power supply with a higher voltage. Doing so would also void the product warranty, and we do sincerely apologize for any impact this may have on your purchase planning. 

Do you have any information on the longevity of the UV-C lights?


I purchased a strip of UVC lights and have it installed in a system to simulate UV in outer space. Do you have any information on the longevity of the UVC lights? 2000 hrs seem typical on other systems. Thanks for including such extensive specifications on your website.

As the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product is a relatively new addition to our catalog, we do not yet have reliable lifetime data. That being said, our preliminary data shows stable UV-C output for at least 2000 hours, though further testing is needed to determine what we can expect on an L70 basis. 

365nm UV LED Strip Light with 5V Supply Voltage


Do you sell a 365nm LED strip light that operates off of a 5V power supply?

As our realUV™ LED Strip Lights products have a minimum threshold for voltage, they will not begin to emit visible light unless a minimum of 7.5V is reached. 

As such, it does not appear that a 5V power supply would be sufficient for powering the items, and we do sincerely apologize for any impact this may have on your purchase planning. We have attached a link to a blog post on the topic below, in the hopes that it proves to be useful for your planning process. 

Can You Operate a 12V LED Strip at Less Than 12V?

As an alternative, you may also be interested in the realUV™ LED Flashlight with BLACKOUT™ Filter Technology, which operates on battery power and outputs the same 365nm ultraviolet energy as our realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

Do you sell 254nm UV-C LED Lights?


Do you sell UVC LEDs? Ideally, 254nm. I would like 2" strips and also 12" strips. 24V. Ideally damp rated.

While we can confirm that we sell the 12V 270nm cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip in 3.2 ft (1 meter) reels, this product is unfortunately not IP-rated for protection against the elements, such as moisture or condensation. 

As such, any contact that this product has with the elements may cause electrical hazards and will void the product warranty. We do sincerely apologize for any impact this may have on your purchase planning. 

UV-A Light to Replicate Sun Bleaching and Polymerization Effects


Linseed oil for artists' oils is often left outside for bleaching and pre-polymerization effects. I'm curious if a UV-A lamp would do the same in a clear container inside. A "curing lamp" for linseed paint is sold by a company whose "Light output is filtered to minimize hazards from short and medium wave UV and bright visible light." It's called a UV400 curing lamp. I'm assuming it's a wide spectrum UV lamp with a filter to block B and C and allow A. Correct? 

I'm trying to find a way to replicate the sun bleaching and polymerization effects in a container, either glass or clear plastic, with quantities of 5–50 gallons. Shot in the dark reaching out, but perhaps you have some recommendations for UV-appropriate bulbs. 

As our expertise is primarily limited to our own catalog, we unfortunately do not have any information regarding the ultraviolet filtering methods used by the third-party manufacturer. We do sincerely apologize for any impact this may have on your installation planning. 

That being said, based on the details provided, you may also be interested in our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights and 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Lights. We find that the 365nm option provides the greatest fluorescent effect against targets compared to the 395nm option. As can be noted within the photometric reports, our products emit a narrow band of ultraviolet output without requiring filtering. 

As a final note, it might be helpful to know that our LED Strip Light products are not IP rated for protection against the elements, such as contact with moisture or condensation. As such, any contact will cause electrical hazards and void the product warranty. 

UV LED Light for Fluorescent of Different Minerals


My girlfriend has tried all kinds of I guess black light market crap. Her cardio display has azurite, amethyst, serpentine, and many other fluorescent minerals (rocks). Which light up huge when a UV flashlight is held up to them. I've read your entire website and learned a huge amount of knowledge. 

While we are not well-versed in the relative fluorescent effects of different minerals, it does appear that our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights would be a great option for the cabinet described. As the 365nm option is further from the 400nm visible wavelength point than the 395nm option, it will be able to produce a greater ultraviolet effect upon fluorescent targets. 

For your installation planning, it might be helpful to know that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 ft (5 meters). As such, when lengths greater than this are paired to a power supply they will encounter voltage drop and reduced output. 

As each foot requires 5.5 watts of power, we usually recommend utilizing one dedicated power supply per 16.4 ft (5 meters) reel of product. If the lights are to be paired with an in-wall dimmer or smart home dimming system, we would recommend the 12V TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply for LED Strip. Multiple units of this power supply can be connected to a single wall dimmer, as is noted within the below LayoutMap. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 3001-1C

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 3002_3E

UV Lights for Curing UV Resin


I want to build a lightbox to cure UV resin and I’m not sure which to get. The box I have now is 405nm and that’s barely strong enough to cure the UV resin. I’m not sure if I would need 395 or 365 for that purpose.

For your ultraviolet curing installation, we might primarily advise checking to see if the chemical process benefits from a specific peak absorption wavelength. Based on our understanding, some curing methods benefit from utilizing a precise ultraviolet wavelength. 

Generally speaking, as the 365nm version is further from the 400nm visible wavelength cutoff point, it will produce a greater fluorescent effect upon targets than the 395nm option. 

Due to a combination of this as well as the fact that the 395nm option is fairly close to the current 405nm solution currently being used, we would recommend utilizing the 365nm option. 

What is the material the LED strips are attached to?


I was looking at your flexible UV LED strips. I was interested to see if you offered any that have a wavelength of 193-254 Canonical or 308 - 354 UV-A. I'm also interested in what the material is that the strips are attached to.

Unfortunately, we are unable to produce any UV LED products outside the currently offered wavelength range of 365 / 395 nm and 270 nm. We will definitely let our team know of your interest in a deep UV-C as well as a UV-B wavelength product and do hope that we can direct our R&D efforts in this area in the future.

​The LED strips are made of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and include 3M VHB adhesive that is pre-applied and can therefore be mounted onto virtually all surfaces.

Do you have a LED bulb for perfect replication of blackbody radiation?


Can you create an LED bulb that perfectly mimics a 6000K blackbody spectrum, from 300nm to 1100 nm?

While this may be theoretically possible, this would not be practical due to the need to include many individual wavelength diodes to ensure coverage across the entire range of wavelengths specified. Phosphors provide wide bandwidth but are generally available in the visible wavelength range only, so the UV and IR regions would need to be supplemented with a large number of different wavelength diodes, which would not be practical in an LED bulb footprint.

Can you create a bulb with zero flicker, that perfectly mimics the solar blackbody spectrum, unfiltered by the atmosphere, in the visible range?

My definition of visible range: "The range of colors visible to even the most sensitive of human eyes."

Our ABSOLUTE SERIES LED products are the closest fit to the request. They are not available in a light bulb shape but can be made flicker-free with the appropriate power supplies and dimming configuration.

​Some people may have visual sensitivity beyond the generally accepted 380-780 nm range, however, and this would require supplemental wavelength energy to truly match (see my response above).

Can you create a bulb with zero flicker, that emits every wavelength in the visible range with equal intensity?

My definition of visible range: "The range of colors visible to even the most sensitive of human eyes."

Please see the 5000 K photometric report at the link below, which shows the spectral power distribution.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7001.50.pdf

The theoretical "Illuminant E" fits the description provided, but it is not feasible with current LED technology due to the limitations described in the response to question 1 above.

UV LED Light for Rally Car Lighting


I build and race rally cars where we often have night stages where the codriver needs to read notes during the race. I thought blacklight would be a good way to illuminate the notes while not flooding the cockpit with light that would distract the driver. A little advice on our specific needs would be much appreciated and we'd love to use your lights in both our car as well as our customers cars. 

As a starting point, it might be helpful to know that the 365nm and 395nm versions of our ultraviolet products offer different benefits. 

Where the 395nm is closer to the 400nm visible spectrum cutoff point, it will offer a moderate amount of visible purple illumination. Contrastingly, as the 365nm option is further from the visible spectrum it will offer a greater fluorescent effect upon targets that react to ultraviolet light. 

Can I cut down the 365nm realUV LED Strip Light?


Can I cut down the 365nm light strip from 3 feet to 2 feet?

I can confirm that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights can be segmented at the designated cut points, as illustrated within the product specification sheet. 

UV LED lights for Finding Dog and Cat Urine on the Floor


Can you tell me which of your UV LED lights would be the best for finding Dog or cat urine on Floor. No carpet in home. 

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Flashlight with BLACKOUT™ Filter Technology. 

As alternative options, you may be interested in the realUV™ LED Flood Lights and realUV™ LED Strip Lights products.

The LED Strip Lights would require an additional power supply for operation, such as our FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip or in-wall TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply, and can also be paired with in-line or in-wall dimmers. 

I do like the price of the Strip much more than the very first option you gave me, however, the power supply is more expensive than the strip. Is that power supply the only option to power the strip? If so, I understand and will order it, but just wondering if it takes batteries?

Although we do not have any batteries that we could recommend at this time, there may be third-party plug-in power supplies available elsewhere that would be compatible with the realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have attached a link to the product specification report which lists the power requirements. So long as the power supply (or battery) is able to afford 4.5 watts per foot of 12V power at 400 mA per foot, the products should be compatible. 

Do you have a grow light with high radiance in the UV spectrum?


I bought the Photonblast grow light for a research experiment but realized after experimenting that the light does not go into the UV spectrum. I need a similar light (in terms of being a grow light of the same size) that has high radiance in the UV spectrum (340-400 nm). Do you have any products that would work?

While we do not have any ultraviolet products in the T8 form factor, we might alternatively recommend our line of realUV™ products. 

This product line contains our realUV™ LED Strip Lights, as well as the newly launched realUV™ LED Flex Panel. Each item is available in both 395nm and 365nm versions, ​as well. 

​Beyond this line of products, we, unfortunately, do not have any items which can provide both visible light and significant ultraviolet output. We apologize!

UV-A LED Light Filters


I bought three LED UV 365nm strip lights to use on my fluorescent mineral display not realizing that they are not filtered. Do you offer a DWB2 filter for these or any other comparable filter?

While we regrettably do not have any ultraviolet filters available in our catalog, we believe that there are several options from B&H Photo and Omega Filters available which specialize in ultraviolet transmission. 

Do you have optimal spacing and distance from the strips to the material that is being exposed?


We have just bought your 365nm light strip. We would like to cover an area with even exposure. Do you have specifications on the spacing of the strips and the distance from the strips to the material that is being exposed? 

For uniform illumination, we generally recommend that the LED Strip Lights are installed no further apart than the distance between them and the illumination target. 

As such, if your illumination target is one foot from the lattice of realUV™ LED Strip Lights, we would recommend that each strip of realUV™ LED Strip Lights is spaced no further apart than one foot. 

It might also be helpful to reference the UV Irradiance Pattern document if you have a specific mw/cm2 target to be reached in your installation. ​

365nm UV Lights to Illuminate Yooper Lite Rocks


If you are aware of yooper lite rocks that react to the 365nm uv wavelength light. I wonder if something like the strip lighting could be used to illuminate them in a display case. 

We are happy to confirm that many of our customers have chosen to utilize our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights for the illumination of mineral displays for fluorescent effect. While this product is also available in the 395nm version, the 365nm version can produce a greater fluorescent effect as it is further from the visible spectrum. 

These LED Strip Lights are designed to be easily segmented into ideal lengths, can be installed within our aluminum channels, and paired with either DC-Power or in-wall power with wall dimmer control. Often, these lights are installed on the tops of each shelf for uniform illumination of the items arranged below.

In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, I have attached some LayoutMaps below which illustrate the different installation types:

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

Why the tree branch lit up when exposed to UV light?


I had an old tree branch that was on the table, a party UV light was on, and the cuts of the branch lit up like a day-glow poster only white. Why is that?

Many materials such as minerals, marine life, and terrestrial life are naturally fluorescent. These naturally fluorescent products will respond to ultraviolet light differently than non-fluorescent items would​.

For example, some of our customers utilize our realUV™ LED Flashlight with BLACKOUT™ Filter Technology for nighttime scorpion photography or yooper-light stone hunting, which are both naturally fluorescent. 

Do you have a larger blackout filter for the UV LED Floodlight?


Do you sell or would it be possible to get a big enough sheet of the Blackout Filter to cover the UV Floodlight I ordered? I would be totally fine paying for it if you have any available. 

Although we do not have larger BLACKOUT filters available for purchase, you might alternatively be interested in the ultraviolet short-pass filters from Omega Filters. 

While we have not tested these products internally, they appear to exclusively allow for transmission below 383nm, which we hope is helpful as an option for your installation planning. 

Can the strips be bent in a corner or would they have to be cut and joined?


I want to make a UV varnish curing cabinet for violins. Would one strip for the sides (34mm wide) and two strips for the wider back and front (220mm wide) give adequate exposure? Can the strips be bent in a corner or would they have to be cut and joined?

Our UV LED strip lights sound like a great fit for the UV curing application. That being said, it is a bit difficult for us to provide any assurances regarding UV irradiance as different materials will differ significantly in their exposure needs.

We are aware that UV curing is a function of both UV irradiance and exposure time. As such, if long exposure times are not a concern, even a lower power UV LED strip installation could be sufficient; conversely if shorter exposure times are needed, a higher power density UV LED strip installation (e.g. multiple rows) may be desired.

If possible, we would recommend taking an empirical approach and testing a small patch of UV varnish with various UV LED strip distances and densities to determine what works best for your needs.

The LED strips will bend vertically (i.e. up/down) but not laterally (left/right) so for turning corners, we would recommend cutting the LED strips and rejoining them using our solderless connector accessories.

An article has been published on the use of UV for curing wood and varnish in which your LED strips were one of the sources used, and worked as well as bulbs (which generate enough heat to require 15 cm distance and cabinet ventilation) if at a distance of 10 cm. 

What it didn't cover was the radiation pattern or effective angle per strip that would establish how many would be needed to cover a 220mm surface. The test was done with one strip and a standard 32mm rib width. The cabinet I will use will be around 32-36"X12"X 6". The bend I was positing was from the long side to the top and bottom. Exposure will be for whatever time is needed, frequently a couple of days.

Our LED strip lights emit at a 120 degree angle. The math works out quite nicely such that the coverage surface width is approximately equal to the distance between the LED strip and the irradiance surface.

For example, if the LED strips are placed 220 mm away from the irradiance surface, it would cover an approximately 220 mm wide area.

Since this is more than double the 10 cm distance used for testing by the article authors, you may see much longer cure times. One alternative would be to maintain the same 10 cm distance, but utilize two LED strip rows to ensure adequate coverage of the full 220 mm width.

UV-A LED and White LED Strip Light for Matted Poster


I’m planning on doing 3 (to start) posters matted and framed up inside what is called shadow boxes. I would like to have both UV-A LED as well as a white as close to the color of the sun as possible. 

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend utilizing a combination of the 365nm 12V realUV™ LED Strip Lights and the 6500K 12V FilmGrade™ WHITE LED Strip Lights. As both of these products are of a matching voltage, a shared 12V power supply can be used to power these items, such as our 12V FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip. 

In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have attached a LayoutMap below for an installation that utilizes a single power supply and connected segments of LED Strip Light products. If the longer reels are to be segmented, we would recommend connecting the strips by using the connector accessories featured within the LayoutMap for interlinked power. 

As you plan your installation, please note that the 12V LED Strip Lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 ft. This means that connected lengths of any combination of 12V LED Strip Lights beyond 16.4 feet will encounter voltage drop and diminished output. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 3002_3E

What is the gaussian spectral range for 395 UV-A LED Light?


I require a UV-A LED of between 380-400nm at roughly 9w of power, do you have this? 

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend the 395nm version of our realUV™ LED Strip Lights, which costs $35.00 for a one-meter reel. This product would require a separate 12V power supply of matching voltage and would have a total power requirement of 14.4W at 4.5W per foot.

You may also be interested in our 395nm realUV™ LED Flood Light, which has a per-unit cost of $65.00. One 395nm unit of the floodlight has a 20W power requirement and contains a built-in power supply. As such, this item would not require any additional hardware for operation. 

Say that I requested an LED with a wave of 390nm. That will be the peak wavelength correct? What is the gaussian spectral range for it? 

While we do not have any data that describes the spectral distribution using Gaussian terms, the following specifications may be helpful:

Our peak wavelength specification range is +/- 5 nm. In other words, our 395 nm LED would be guaranteed to have an actual peak wavelength between 390 and 400 nm.The full-width half-max (FWHM) spec is approximately 12 nm wide

Additional photometric data can be found on our test report, which can be located at the URL below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7010.395.pdf

Is it possible to dim the realUV LED Strip Light?


LED Strip to Strip PN3071 - Is it possible to dim this LED Strip? Is it possible to operate two 12V strips in a series connection on 24V?

As our LED Strip Lights are designed to be voltage specific, we do not recommend utilizing 12V products with a 24V power supply as electrical hazards may arise which will void the product warranty. That being said, We can confirm that the LED Strip Lights when connected to a matching voltage power supply and dimmer can have adjustable output. 

The dimming of UV-LEDs is possible (PN7021)?

We are happy to confirm that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights can be dimmed using several different products, such as the FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer and in-wall dimmers which are connected to the 12V TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply. 

UV LED Strip Lights for Cyanotype and Van Dyke Brown Printing


I am considering purchasing the realUV™ LED Strip Lights for cyanotype and Van Dyke brown printing but am unsure of which wavelength would be better. Can you help guide me with this?

Though we are not experts in photochemical reaction installations such as cyanotypes, we are aware that some cyanotypes require a specific nanometer output for optimal curing effects. 

As the 365nm version of our realUV products is further from the visible spectrum, it is able to provide a greater quantity of ultraviolet output for the targets. As such, we would likely recommend the 365nm option over the 395nm option unless your resources specifically recommend 395nm.

As a final note, we have the realUV™ LED Flex Panel in response to customer requests for cyanotype and curing installations, which we hope is a good option for you. This panel is easy to install, can be daisy-chained, and provides the same quality of output as the individual LED Strip Lights. 

395 nm UV LED recommendation for 54” x 84” surface area


I have some questions regarding UV LED and what products would be best suited to accommodate some specific parameters.

I would like to know what your recommendation would be to cover a 54” x 84” surface area with 395nm LED UV light with around 17-18 mW/cm2 light intensity. Is that something you could help with?

Based on my review of the UV Irradiance Pattern for the 395nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights, it appears that targets as far as 8 feet away from the light source would receive 16-18μW/cm2. This document lists 365nm, though the measured output is identical across both 365nm and 395nm. 

This product can also be paired with a dimmer such as our FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer or a 12V TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply, if more granular control of the output is required. 

While we offer both the realUV™ LED Strip Lights and realUV™ LED Flood Light, we would likely recommend the former for evenly dispersed illumination across the entire work surface.​

It might also be useful to know that polycarbonate materials often found in diffusion panels of light strip channels will naturally filter ultraviolet output. As such, we would not recommend using those products if the ultraviolet output is desired unless the diffusion panel is removed. 

UV LED Light Option for Reactive Collectibles


I have an 8-wide by 6-foot tall shelving unit full of “black light” reactive collectibles, and I want to illuminate every possible inch of this with the “brightest” UV Light so that all of my collectibles have the strongest glow possible. Could you recommend the proper type of lighting fixture? I’m torn between a wall washer and a flood light.

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light, as the focused output may allow for a superior effect upon the targets than the downward-cast and dispersed wall washing method, depending on the orientation.

For visualizing the difference in output between the realUV™ LED Flood Light and the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, we have attached links to each product’s UV Irradiance Patterns below. 

By reviewing these documents, you will note both the comparative scope of the output as well as the gradual reduction of microwatts per square centimeter. Hopefully, this helps visualize the effect that each would have on your collectibles.

realUV™ LED Flood Light - UV Irradiance Pattern 

realUV™ LED Strip Lights - UV Irradiance Pattern 

When considering the 395nm and 365nm options it might be helpful to know that the 365nm option can provide a greater fluorescent effect on targets, as the output is further from the visible spectrum than the 395nm option.

How far away would you suggest mounting the light? As well as from what direction?

Based on our review of the LED Floor Light UV Irradiance Pattern, we would suspect that the light would function best at 2-3 feet from the target to avoid reduced output that further distances may result in.

To wash the shelf contents evenly, we would recommend installing the food light in front of and angled towards the shelf. This could be accomplished by installing the light on the ceiling using the metal mounting bracket. 

​If you would prefer evenly-distributed light using in-shelf lighting, then you may want to consider the realUV™ LED Strip Lights and aluminum channels as an option for installing lighting within your shelf. We have attached a LayoutMap below for an installation that utilizes connected segments of the ultraviolet LED Strip Light products, if that is helpful for visualizing the installation. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C - realUV LED Strip Lights

365nm UV LED Strip for Fluorescent Mineral Display


Do these emit enough light at 18 distance to rocks to make them glow sufficiently bright? My area is 18 x18" to illuminate against a black background. Could cut the 1-meter strip in half for 2 rows. I don't see this application for them mentioned in your customer feedback. Any info? Thanks. I already have UV-A LED flashlights with blocking filters.

We have attached a link to the UV Irradiance Pattern for the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights, which we hope helps chart the optimal distance between your light source and target. Based on my review of the document, it appears that an object which is 18” from the light source would receive roughly 82 μW/cm2. 

As a further note, we are happy to confirm that the LED Strip Lights can be installed in a parallel pattern to provide doubled output. An example of this configuration can be found in the below LayoutMaps, which also contains links to the recommended connectors and power supplies. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

UV LED Strip Purchase Guidance


Please help me purchase LED strips at 365 nm. I do not understand exactly what I need to purchase with the strips or how to make them work.

It might be helpful to know that these 12V 365nm realUV LED Strip Lights need a separate 12V power source and can make use of extra connector accessories if many segments need to be linked.Below are some layout map links that I've linked in the hopes that they'll be useful for your installation planning. Each link includes a description, an illustration of the arrangement, and links to each of the featured elements.LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4A from LayoutMapsTMLED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B from LayoutMapsTMLED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C from LayoutMapsTM

UV lighting to Illuminate the Target


I am developing a product that needs to illuminate the target. The target must glow in the dark. Can you help?

For installations where the optimal fluorescent effect is desired, we usually recommend the 365nm version of our realUV™ ultraviolet products. We have attached a link to a blog post regarding the topic below, which we hope is helpful for your installation planning. 

What is the Difference Between 365 nm and 395 nm UV LED Lights?

I have a couple of questions.

-What is the distance of the radiation of the 365 nm strip of light?

-We want to paint a narrow strip in the vertical direction and illuminate a fluorescent paint. Can we mask the signal as we would visibly light to produce a vertical column of UV irradiation?

-I assume not of this will work in sunlight conditions correct? How about overcast weather? Rain?

We have attached a link to the product’s UV Irradiance Chart below, which we hope is helpful for your installation planning. 

realUV™ LED Strip Lights - UV Irradiance Pattern

We unfortunately do not have any materials available which could be used to limit the transmission of product output, though it might be helpful to know that the 365nm version of the product will only produce a very minute amount of visible light. 

If you would alternatively like to physically block some portion of the ultraviolet light, we can confirm that most polycarbonate and other materials will naturally block ultraviolet output. 

As a final note, the fluorescence effect may be difficult or impossible to perceive due to the lack of contrast between it and the natural sunlight.

UV LED Lights for Diazo and Photopolymer Photographic Emulsions


I wish to use these lights in an exposure system for diazo and photopolymer photographic emulsions. These emulsions are most responsive to UV wavelengths. We usually use metal halide lamps which are fairly high in shorter wavelengths but I think your UV lamps may be more effective. Given that these units will be used by novice fairly unskilled workers, will your UV lamps be safe for them to operate?

Generally speaking, it’s a bit difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly. As such, we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns about their use for your exposure system.

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come in close proximity to the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues.Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

BlackLights for Research and Oil Paintings


Wonder what are good black lights - to use to study and research oil paintings? And where to purchase one? 

We can confirm that we sell many ultraviolet products that could be a match for your oil painting research. 

While most of our ultraviolet products are available in two versions, (395nm and 365nm), we find that the 365nm versions are able to produce the greatest fluorescent effect upon targets. This is due to the fact that the output falls almost entirely outside of the visible spectrum. 

For your installation, we might recommend either the 365nm realUV™ LED Flashlight with BLACKOUT™ Filter Technology, or the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light. 

While the realUV flashlight can be valuable for quick ultraviolet output or spot-checking, the realUV floodlights can be securely installed using the mounting bracket and powered via DC power. 

Maximum run length of realUV LED strip lights


How many of the real uVLED Strip Lights (16ft) segments can I connect?

We can confirm that the maximum combined length of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights is 16.4 ft (5 meters). Any combined lengths greater than this will encounter diminished output and voltage drop. 

For installations where multiple reels are required, we usually recommend connecting multiple power supplies to a single dimmer for control, as can be noted within the below LayoutMap. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 3001-1C

Power Supply for UV LED Strip Lights


I am interested in the 365 nm real UV strip lights, but I want to be able to use them where plug-in power will not be available. Can they be powered by a portable rechargeable battery pack? If so, could you recommend one that would power the 16 ft strip for 5-6 hours (or the specs I would need to search for)? 

We are happy to confirm that our LED Strip Lights are designed for DC input, and can be connected to batteries for power. 

While we do not have any specific battery models to recommend, it might be helpful to know that one 16.4 ft reel of the 12V realUV™ LED Strip Lights requires 73.8 watts (at 4.5 watts per foot) and 6 amps at 12V DC (400mA at 12VDC per foot). 

So long as the selected power supply is able to meet those needs, it should function properly. 

realUV LED Strip Extrusions


We are specifying your realUV LED strip for a project we are designing for Universal Studios and we would like to pick someone's brains about extrusions. Specifically about any experience with covers for them that do not inhibit the UV output and/or get degraded by the UV. 

In our experience, we have found that the majority of polycarbonate materials used in extrusions and channels block the ultraviolet wavelength of output provided by our realUV™ LED Strip Lights. Our own aluminum channels utilize a polycarbonate diffusion cover, as do many other third-party options that we have found. 

That being said, quartz glass, such as is used on the LED chips found on our 270nm cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Lights, allows all kinds of ultraviolet lights to pass through uninterrupted. While we have not been able to locate full channels or extrusions that exclusively use quartz glass for customer recommendations, we do hope that these details are helpful for your project planning. 

365nm UV LED Light for Curio Cabinet


I’m lighting a curio cabinet that is 6’ tall 28” wide and 12” deep for a uranium glass collection. Would I be better suited to use two one-meter strips of your LED product or your 20w flood light down firing into the case?

Given the dimensions of the curio cabinet, we might recommend installing several strips of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights within (or underneath) the individual shelves, to provide uniform distribution of ultraviolet output. 

While the realUV™ LED Flood Light could also be a good option, the output might be reduced when transmitting through each shelf and each item upon the shelves, which may result in providing only minimal fluorescent effect to the items on the lowest shelf. 

While both products are available in 365nm and 395nm, we typically recommend the 365nm option for the greatest fluorescent effect upon targeted subjects. 

We have also attached a LayoutMap below for installations using segmented realUV™ LED Strip Lights connected to a single power supply, which we do hope proves to be helpful. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

LED Strip Connector for realUV LED Strip Light


We have purchased a 1 m reel of the 7026.270 Clean UV LED Strips. We need 2-pin connectors for the 10 mm strips. Do you sell them?

While we can confirm that we do not have 2-pin connectors available in our catalog, you might alternatively be interested in our other connection accessories for your installation, such as the LED Strip to Strip Solderless Gapless Connector or Daisy-Chain DC Connector for UV LED Strips. 

Can the 1-meter reel of 7026.270 be cut up into smaller sections? If so do both ends of the LED strip need to be powered by 12 VDC or just one end of the strip?

We can confirm that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights are designed with designated cut-points every .984” (25 mm), as can be noted within the product specification sheet. When divided at the cut-point locations, individual connector accessories or soldering can be used to connect the solder pads to power. 

In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have attached a LayoutMap link below which illustrates an installation utilizing a segmented LED Strip Light using connector accessories and a single power source. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

Can I buy a filter or shield for the 365 nm realUV LED light?


I'm using this light I bought from you to show off my glow-in-the-dark artwork at live art shows, and I want to make sure little children or nobody gets hurt from the radiation or from the light in any way. I thought there was a "filter" of some sort on the light itself. but is there a way I can make this light safer so it doesn't hurt anyone's eyes or skin at these shows? The last thing I want to do is have anyone be hurt at my art show.

Generally speaking, it’s a bit difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly, so we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation than is found in natural daylight so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come near the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues. This can be accomplished by having the lights installed out of reach, and aimed directly at the target while blocking exposure from the sides of the light.  Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

As an additional note, we can confirm that while the realUV™ LED Flood Lights uses a clear polycarbonate lens, this lens is not designed to block the transmission of ultraviolet output. You may be able to locate a filter from B&H Photo, though please note that any ultraviolet-blocking filters will likely affect the fluorescent effect upon the subjects.

Could I get the UV LED Strips segmented for a Pool Table?


I'm interested in buying your True UV LED Strips for a pool table and was wondering if there was a way I could get the strips segmented out for each side of the table so the balls going into the pocket wouldn't damage the strips.

It might be helpful to know that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights are designed with designated cut points every 0.984 inches (25 mm) for installations requiring various segment lengths. 

These cut-points include solder pads, which can be connected to power (or other segments) using soldering or LED Strip Connectors. 

Regarding protection against damage, we would likely recommend installing the lights within products such as our Aluminum Channel for LED Flex Strip. While these channels are only available in 3.3 ft (1 meter) lengths, we have heard that other customers have divided these channels using handsaws for precise measurements. 

Is there a way that you could cut them to my measurements and install connectors between them? would make things a lot more convenient for me seeing as I have no soldering gun or experience soldering.

As we are unable to ship custom-cut orders, we would likely recommend using the solderless LED Strip to Strip and Gapless Connecters as an alternative option. 

These products were designed to easily clasp upon the LED Strip Light segment's contact points for connection to power sources, and would not require any soldering. 

Can I use your solderless connectors to connect as many UV LED Strips as I want? That being said, other than a 12V power supply (planning on using the strip connectors around all 6 pockets and the strip-to-strip to connect the 3.2-meter strips), should this theoretically do the trick and illuminate my UV reactive pool balls?

It might be helpful to know that the LED Strip Lights have a hardware-defined maximum combined length of 16.4 ft. When continuous runs exceed that length, voltage drop and diminished output will be experienced. To overcome this, we usually recommend one dedicated power supply per full reel of LED Strip Lights. 

As a further note, each LED Connector will cause a minute drop in the voltage being provided to each subsequently connected LED Strip Light length. As such, you may find that using an excess of connectors within a 16.4 length will result in slightly reduced output. 

Beyond the two recommended power supplies and the single-color connectors, it appears that the items in your cart should theoretically illuminate the pool table playfield. In the hopes that it is useful, we have attached two LayoutMap links below. The first is for a segmented realUV installation, and the latter is for an installation where two reels and power supplies are connected to a single wall dimmer. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 3001-1C

LED Lighting for Exposure Emulsion T-shirt Printing


I would like to make an exposure unit to expose emulsion for t-shirt printing. I need some help - emulsion exposes at 400 nm and a 300W LED chip gives the shortest exposure time. I am not familiar with the LED strips I know some exposure units use them. 

Our 365 nm UV LED strip lights have been a popular option for screen printing applications. I've included the product link below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/realuv/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254

To replicate the 300 watts of LED power, we would recommend installing at least 65 feet of LED strip lights. This is based on our LED strip lights having a 4.5 watts per foot rating.

​In our experience, unless this is a very large surface, you would not need such a high quantity of LED strip lights, especially if the LED strip lights are mounted close to the exposure surface.

Most photopolymer emulsions expose best at 380-400 nm. A 300-watt LED chip in the 385-405 nm range will expose in 10 seconds which is most desirable. Someone on a t-shirt forum posted using a 100-watt chip and exposure was 20-30 seconds 200-watt chip was 8-12 seconds. His recommendation was the 300-watt chip. I am assuming that was using a chip in the 385-405 nm wavelength.

The specifics of emulsion curing are beyond the scope of our product development, so we, unfortunately, do not have any data or estimates on curing times. That being said, we do frequently receive customer inquiries regarding the use of screen printing, so we do hope that some additional product literature and testing can be published for this application soon.

We do believe that one or two units of our realUV flex panel might be sufficient, and we would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy.

Do you have UV-B lights in the 300-375nm range?


I need UVB lights in the 300-375nm range. Got anything like that? 

The closest product match we have is a 365 nm UV lamp. Please see below for a direct link to our flood light and let us know if you have any questions!

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light?variant=15914245521510

LED Strip Lights for PickerBall, lines, and nets.


We are making lighted PICKLEBALLS and need glow strips to light up the lines & nets. Can you help us? Also, we need small U. V. flashlights with 21 or more LEDs to light up our newly lit golf balls. 

​We currently offer LED strip lights, flood lights, and a flashlight that all feature 365 nm UV wavelength output. We've included product links below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/realuv/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254 https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flashlight-with-blackout-filter-technology

Depending on which of these form factors and lamp types will be practical for your installation location (please also advise if waterproofing is necessary) our product options would also correspondingly need to be adjusted.

How long does the strips stay lit? 

The LED strip lights have a 3-year warranty and an expected lifetime of 54k hours.

Will the adhesive be strong enough to adhere to the court? 

The LED strips utilize 3M VHB industrial-grade adhesive so there should not be any issues with reliability over time. (This is the same material used to mount glass panels in skyscrapers!)

Do keep in mind that the LED strips are not waterproof - I am assuming that these courts are strictly indoors.

Do you have a shorter connector for the realUV LED strip light?


I have UV LED lighting strips already from you and need to add to more strips. Can I get these with a shorter connector end? They make it where there is too big of a gap for the lights. The connecting ends are like 6 " can I get them with like 2" ends? 

We completely understand the need for a shorter connector cable, but unfortunately, all of our realUV LED strip lights have the cables pre-assembled, and we have no way to offer a custom length on this. We sincerely apologize!

One workaround we would recommend is to allow the cable to do a few loops so that the effective distance can be shortened.

UV LED Replacement Bulb for Screen Printing Machine


I have a screen printing machine that I need to get a replacement bulb for. The original is JP120V1KW it also has FCM on the label. Would you guys be able to reproduce the light bulb with the real UV LED technology? I bought the LED strips from you in the past and they are amazing at curing my screens. They cut my time almost in 1/3 of what it was. It takes at most a minute and this machine is closer to 3-5 exposure time. 

We did a bit of searching and was able to identify the model number as a 1000 watt halogen lamp in a T4 form factor. Unfortunately, we don't have the ability to produce anything in this shape, but we would certainly recommend looking into several of our UV light options.

Our first recommendation is our 20-watt UV flood lamp in 365 nm, which should provide light output in a similar manner as the fixture currently used for the T4 lamp. We've included the link below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light?variant=15914245521510

Another option would be our newly launched realUV LED flex panel, which works similarly to the LED strip lights you purchased, but in a multi-row array. Below is the product link:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flex-panel

Both product options are offered in 365 nm wavelengths, which effectively and efficiently target the wavelengths needed for photochemical processes such as screen printing.

What kind of lens and spread do your UV LEDs have?


I'm looking to replace our photopolymer platemaker's UV fluorescent bulbs, with the UV LEDs that you sell. However, I'm curious, what kind of lens/spread do those UV LEDs have? I'm trying to determine how many meters I'll need to purchase as well as the power supply. The area we need to expose with UV is 24 x 30 inches. 

Our realUV LED strip lights sound like a great fit for the application. We have had numerous customers utilize our UV LEDs for similar photochemical applications.

The beam spread of our LEDs is approximately 120 degrees. Generally speaking, this is an optimal beam angle as it is quite directional but still provides wide coverage.

In case it is of interest, we have also linked to our realUV LED flex panel below, which may also work well for your needs:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flex-panel

UV BlackLights Glow Put School Project


I enjoyed reading your things to consider before buying UV Blacklights. My son is working on a Glow Put school project. My experience has only been with fluorescent tubes (GE and SaberLux). His project involves a 60x80 foot room with 14" ceilings. How does the throw affect radiation values when applying the 1wt UV per 100 sq ft rule? Just trying to help him educate his "team" on what it is really going to take to make this successful. 

Our realUV LED strip lights sound like a great alternative to UV fluorescent lamps for your son's project!

Our general recommendation to provide 1 watt of UV radiation for every 100 square feet assumes that the UV is relatively diffused and distributed across the entire space. As such, it does not account for the directional nature of the LED strips should they be used to illuminate a specific area.

Below is an irradiance pattern document showing the irradiance values at particular angles and distances relative to the LED strip light. For general fluorescence, we recommend aiming for a minimum of 10 µW/cm² for sufficient "glow" effects.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7021.pdf

realUV LED strips for the Photographic Exposure Unit


I'm considering using your realUV LED strips to build a UV light panel for a photographic exposure unit. If I connect 2 - 5 meter strips together in "series" using one FilmGrade DC power supply, will there be enough current for consistent light intensity from the lights from the beginning to the end of the strips (or will the last LED be dimmer than the first LED)? Would it be better to wire them in "parallel" and/or use an additional power supply? How many strips can you connect together before the voltage drop results in the dimming of the LEDs farthest from the power supply? Also, how stable is the realUV LED's light intensity over its lifetime (ie, does it dim or change color output over time)? 

For installations using multiple reels of product, it might be helpful to know that the LED Strip Lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 ft (5 meters). Connections that are greater than this will encounter increasingly diminished output. 

Further, as each reel requires 73.8 watts, and as our power supplies have a maximum output of up to 120 watts, we usually recommend using one dedicated power supply per reel. 

We have attached a report for the realUV™ LED Strip Lights below, which charts the average power output degradation of approximately 4.0% over 2000 hours. 

365 nm realUVTM LED Longevity Test Data

realUV LED Strip for UV Ring Light


I am a UVIVF flora macro photographer and looking for a 365nm LED UV ring light. I bought a UV flood light from Waveform Lighting before and I really need something more portable, such as a UV ring light in front of my macro lens as a "focus light". What I really need is a UV ring light that I can place in front of the lens. Do you sell any UV halo ring lights? All the UV halo ring lights in the market are 395nm purple light. Is there any chance you would make a 365nm UV halo ring light? Another question: is it possible to bend the realUV LED strip lights to a ring so I could use it as a UV ring light? 

Unfortunately, we can confirm that we do not sell the 365nm ultraviolet lights in a ring format. 

While you might be able to bend the LED Strip Light for use as a ring, please be advised that the product has a certain tolerance for bending (0.8 inches). 

Forcing the product to bend beyond that tolerance point will likely result in damage to the circuitry connection between the LED chips and the board, resulting in non-functioning LEDs along the length.

Do your 365nm UV-A products offer true ultraviolet output?


Is it a true 365 nm? No blue light showing. Might order one to see if it will work for our manufacturing company. If so, will be ordering many. 

We can confirm that our 365nm ultraviolet products offer true ultraviolet output without utilizing purple-colored LEDs as other products often do. 

As can be noted within the product photometric report, the output for these products is beyond the 400nm visible spectrum, which results in an extremely minute quantity of visible light. 

If you would like to try out these products for direct comparison, please feel free to take advantage of our 30-day return policy. 

So long as the LED Strip Lights have not been cut or altered, such as having the adhesive backing removed, we would be able to accept them as a return. 

I will be using them to light up the bottoms of swimming pools. I had considered flood lights. What do you suggest? I have tried strips before and did not work. Not enough output.

We can confirm that the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light has a UV energy output of 8W, whereas our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights have a UV output of 0.7 watts per foot. 

As the LED Strip Lights are not IP rated for protection against water, we do not encourage use in installations where they may become exposed to moisture or water, as this will cause electrical hazards and void the product warranty. 

Further, it might be helpful to know that third-party waterproof channels are typically made from polycarbonate materials that are known to fully block the transmission of ultraviolet light. 

As such, we would likely recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light, as it is IP 65 rated for wet location use. Finally, please note that this IP rating does not mean that the product is suitable for submersion in water. 

What is the minimum bend radius of the UV LED strip lights?


I'd like to know what the minimum bend radius is on the UV strip lights. I am in the process of designing a photochemical reactor and would very much like to use UV strips vs the traditional mercury lamp, but the bend radius determines how many configuration options I have for optimizing the design. Also, if there is a difference in the bend radius depending on whether the strip is bent with the LEDs facing inwards vs. outwards, that would be helpful to know as well. 

The minimum bend radius is 0.8 inches, though this refers only to installations where the LED strip is bent outwards. 

As far as the tolerance for bending inwards, we, unfortunately, do not have an immediate answer available. 

As such, we might recommend testing a small length of product for finding the acceptable tolerance in your installation before any large-scale or permanent installation efforts. 

Shortwave LED Strip Lights


Do you have shortwave UV strip lights rated for outdoor use?

While we do not have any ultraviolet LED strip lights that are compatible with outdoor installations, you might alternatively be interested in our IP65-rated realUV™ LED Flood Light. 

I am concerned with the floodlight. I think that kind of light is not good to have pointed where people can look into it. This is going to light up a low wall about 18” high made from Franklinite. My concern is it could damage people’s eyesight being uplit instead of Downlit.

Generally speaking, it’s a bit difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly, so we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight, so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come close to the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues.

Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

UV LED Strip for Cure Booth Build


I would like to build a UV cure booth. I'd like to hit 575 mw/cm2 from 1 foot from lights. Your LED strip lights say the irradiance values increase linearly (theoretically). Does that mean that two strips would double the listed output of one? Also, how much heat do these lights produce? 

We can confirm that when two realUV LED Strip Lights are installed, the μW/cm2 falling upon the target will theoretically be doubled, though there will be some small differences depending on the spacing of the LED Strip Lights. 

We have attached a link to an article from our website regarding the heat that can be expected from the LED Strip Lights. In short, we have measured a typical temperature rise of 54°F (30°C) over ambient temperatures during operation. 

How Hot Do LED Strips Get? Is It Normal?

Do you have a black light for an industrial setting inspection table?


I am struggling to find retail or whole sellers who can help me with black/UV lights. I am looking for a black light for an industrial setting for an inspection table. Do you ship to Australia or can you recommend someone in Australia who could help? Or do you have a product that could help? 

You might be interested in our realUV™ LED Strip Lights and realUV™ LED Flood Lights, which are available in both 365nm and 395nm. 

UV LED Strip for Outdoor Lighting


I'm trying to find an LED strip like your realUV but I need them to be outdoor rated. Do you have a recommendation for that, or know of someone who may? 

Unfortunately, our LED Strip Lights are not IP rated for exposure to the elements such as outdoor installations, and I do apologize for any impact this might have on your purchase planning. 

As an alternative, you might be interested in our IP65-rated realUV™ LED Flood Light, which is available in the same 365nm and 395nm options as our realUV LED Strip Lights. 

Does your UV-A LED Light UL listed?


We are furniture making interior decoration and shop fitting company. I write to you cause we are looking for our client UV-A LED profile UL listed.

We can confirm that we offer the realUV™ LED Strip Lights and realUV™ LED Flood Lights, which are available in 365nm and 395nm options. 

That being said, we can also confirm that these products are not currently UL Listed. 

365 nm vs 395 nm UV LED Strip for Halloween Decorations Blacklight


I would like to buy a blacklight for my Halloween decorations. I have read the article on your site and I am still having a hard time choosing which to get. I know the 395nm has more visible purple/blue light and I am wondering if getting the 365nm is worth it. I can get 4 of the 395nm for less than 2 of the 365nm. I have an open-concept kitchen/Living room and want the whole area lit up in UV. Would it be better to get 2 of the 365nm or 4 of the 395nm? I would like to use them outside too when not in use for the party. 

As each floodlight is able to cover a 10x10 ft area, you may find that utilizing several units of the 395nm option to be a more cost-effective solution. 

The being said, we can confirm that the 365nm option will offer the superior fluorescent effect between the two, as the output is further from the 400nm visible spectrum. 

Is there a dimmer and filter that would work with the realUV LED Flood Light?


Is there a dimmer that would work with the realUV LED Flood Light? Is there any kind of filter that would cut down the amount of bright visible light emitted by 365nm LEDs? Something like woods glass? These LEDs don’t really visibly illuminate an area, but the LED itself does really stand out. I’d like to disguise it a bit more. 

We can confirm that the realUV Flood Light is not intended to be used with dimmers. As such, performance issues will likely be encountered when utilized with a dimmer product.

​As an alternative, we can confirm that our realUV LED Strip lights are compatible with dimmers, such as the FilmGrade™ Flicker-Free LED Dimmer, or the TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply for LED Strip paired with an in-wall dimmer. 

Though we are not familiar with woods glass, it does appear to be a good option for eliminating the transmission of output above the 400nm visible spectrum. 

​Bandpass filters might also be a good match, and you may also be able to locate transmission-limiting gels available from B&H Photo. 

What is the heat output of UV-C LED strips during operation?


We’re looking forward to getting in the UV-C light strip and had a couple of questions. Do you have any data on the heat output of the operation? Is there any issue with operating it at partial vacuum? We evacuate a globe for underwater use to reduce moisture issue for our camera.

Our UV-C LED strips do get a bit warm during operation. We have measured a typical temperature rise of 54°F (30°C) over ambient temperatures, but actual temperature rise may vary depending on other environmental and thermal factors.

While we have not tested the product in any vacuum or partial vacuum environments, we do not believe that such environments would be harmful to the operation of the product.

What is the wattage of the strip?

The power draw for the 3.2 ft segment is 14.4 watts.

realUV LED strip for Keypad


I'm planning to use the realUV to illuminate a keypad during the night though the reflection of white bits. Can you please tell me which one would be the best approach for this? I've read your comparison although I'm still a bit unsure.

For optimal fluorescent effect upon the keypad, we would recommend the 365nm option of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

Does the polycarbonate diffuser attenuate the 365 nm light?


Does the diffuser attenuate the 365 nm light? Do you market or are you aware of a white light filter compatible with the aluminum channel? I am planning a display of fluorescent minerals. I am impressed with your willingness to educate.

While we are aware that the polycarbonate material on the diffusion covers is known to block the transmission of ultraviolet output, we unfortunately do not have an alternate diffusion cover at this time. We do apologize for any impact this might have on your purchasing process. For ultraviolet product usage, we generally recommend removing the cover from the aluminum channels. 

There do appear to be several ultraviolet bandpass filters available elsewhere online which block visible wavelengths while preserving ultraviolet transmission, though they appear to be primarily for camera lenses (such as from Edmund Optics and others). 

Would I be able to operate the realUV 365nm and 395nm strips individually and simultaneously?


I am interested in a 3.2 ft strip of each of the two wavelengths and would like to be able to have them separate individually and simultaneously (both straps on at the same time, but also the ability to have them operate independently). What equipment/setup would be needed? 

Based on the details provided, we might recommend an installation that utilizes our DMX Dimmer and Decoder as a hub for both LED Strip Lights. 

The DMX Dimmer and Decoder is a product that can be used to precisely control the output of each connected channel, as well as multiple LED Strip Lights. In the hopes that it proves to be helpful, we have attached a link to the product user manual below. 

Specification Sheet and User Manual

I am interested in setting up two short straps of the LED UV. One strip at 365nm and the other at 395nm. These would be attached to the wall just above a table where I'd like to observe/study banknotes with fluorescent properties. As long as the lights would be powerful enough to shed their special type of light about 2-3 ft or so, then that is all I'd need. 

I just would not know how to install it. Would it come with instructions? Or is it simply another unit that needs to be plugged in and the leads from the two strips would have to be plugged in? Is there a way to call and discuss using it? 

Based on the details provided, we can confirm that the LED Strip Lights can be daisy-chained together using the Daisy-Chain DC Connector for UV LED Strips product. 

This would allow for a low-cost installation utilizing the minimum quantity of power supplies and connectors for the two 3.2 ft (1 meter) lengths of the 365nm and 395nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

So, with 2 strips and the device(s) needed to make the daisy chain work, what would the cost be? Also, would I need any advanced knowledge/skills to install the units? Would installation instructions/guidance be provided?

My main purpose is to have these lights installed to observe and take pictures of banknotes (US and world banknotes) that fluoresce...would these lights (365nm/395nm) do the trick?

Generally speaking, the fluorescent effect upon a target will be strongest with the 365nm version. We have attached an informative link from our website regarding the topic below. 

We have also attached links to two LayoutMaps below, which illustrate the configuration using the realUV LED Strip Lights. These links contain installation descriptions and links to each product featured within. 

What is the Difference Between 365 nm and 395 nm UV LED Lights?

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4D

What is the main function of the dimmer? For example, if I connect the dimmer between the power supply and the strip, will I be able to increase/decrease the intensity of a single strip? Control whether multiple strips are either on or off.

Based on the fact that 365nm will generally give better effects for my uses and therefore, rendering the 395nm not as necessary, what would be the cost for the 365nm strip and power supply?

Also, how long does the strip last and are individual cells on the strip replaceable...or dies the whole strip need to eventually need to be replaced?

We can confirm that the dimmer uses a dial to adjust the output (between 0-100%) of the connected LED Strip Light product. 

We can also confirm that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights have a three-year warranty period. If the lights encounter malfunctions during that time, please let us know and we would be happy to help. 

Aside from controlling the intensity of things emitted, what is/are the functions that the Dimmer offers? For example, does it offer the option of adding another strip and allowing to "toggle" between the different light sources and controlling the light intensity of each light strip? My understanding is that without the Dimmer, the light strip and the power unit would just allow one strip to be used and it will be either on or off with additional controls/flexibility especially.

We can confirm that the dimmer only controls the intensity of light output from 0-100%, and is not able to directly target (or “toggle”) the output of individual light strip segments that are connected to it. 

realUV LED Lights for Curing Polymers


We manufacture magnesium dies and part of the process is exposing the plate which has a light-sensitive polymer coating currently we use a Thorium Iron Doped bulb. The optimum spectral wave is 386nm to cure the coating. We have experimented with UV LED light. On both tests, the UV LED was very close to 386nm.

The first test was a cluster very tight together and the size of the LED was 3228 if I recall. The closer the light the better it would cure. In the second test, the size was 3228 however they are spaced ½” apart. What we noticed was the exposure didn’t change much when closer to the plate. So I’m not sure if the LED lights need to be closer together or if we need different UV LED lights.

What I noticed on your website you refer to your strips as real UV LEDs. Are there different levels of strength of UV available in UV LED lights? If so what do you have to offer and what makes the difference?

Though we do not sell 386nm ultraviolet products, we have attached a link to an informational article below regarding the differences between the 365nm and 395nm ultraviolet products in our catalog, which we do hope proves to be helpful for your installation planning. 

To summarize, the further the output is from the 400nm visible spectrum, the greater the ultraviolet effect is upon the target. As such, our customers most frequently purchase the 365nm option for curing processes to take advantage of the greater effect. 

As a further note, you might be interested in our 365nm Ultraviolet Flex Panel for curing and other installations. Below is the product link.

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flex-panel

We have also attached a link to the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights ultraviolet irradiance pattern below, which charts the microwatts output per square centimeter (μW/cm2).

What is the Difference Between 365 nm and 395 nm UV LED Lights?

UV Irradiance Pattern

What is the difference between 395nm and 365nm realUV LED Light?


I need a trustworthy ultraviolet light for an art project (exposing cyanotypes on paper) I was wondering if the realUV flood light would work for my needs. I noticed there are two options: one is 395nm and the other is 365. What is the difference?

We have attached an informative blog post below regarding the topic, which we hope proves to be useful for your purchase and installation planning. 

In short, as the output of the 365nm version is well beyond the 400nm visible spectrum of light, the fluorescent effect will be greater than the 395nm version. 

What is the Difference Between 365 nm and 395 nm UV LED Lights?

Can I hook up (3) realUV LED Strip Lights in a cabinet?


I want to hook up (3) 1m realUV LED strip lights in a cabinet. What parts do I need to order to complete this task? All would be powered by the same driver.

We have attached two LayoutMaps below which illustrate installations utilizing connected segments of the realUV LED Strip Lights. 

These LayoutMaps contain the recommended connections accessories, as well as a description of the installation. That said, your installation might also benefit from the 16 AWG wiring if the segments are not close enough to be connected via the LED Strip to Strip accessories. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

If you prefer to utilize in-wall power with a TRIAC Dimmable Power Supply, we would recommend purchasing the Female DC Barrel Jack Plug Adapter to connect the pre-attached barrel jack of the LED Strip Light to the wiring of the supply. 

Do you sell the bulb and blackout filter from the 365nm flashlight without the housing or battery?


Do you sell the bulb and blackout filter from the 365nm flashlight without the housing or battery? This is perfect for the application but I need to combine it with electronics in a different housing. 

Unfortunately, we do not sell individual flashlight components at this time, and we do apologize for any impact this might have on your application planning. 

As an alternative, you might be interested in our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights, and you may be able to locate a blackout filter substitute from Lee Filters. 

Do you know what the electrical draw on the individual led’s on the strip is? I’m thinking if it’s low enough I can wire it directly to a battery as opposed to a plug. If that’s possible then that could definitely work. 

Based on our rough estimates utilizing the product specification sheet, we believe that each individual LED on the 365nm realUV product would require ~16 mA of power. 

I contacted Lee about the filters and they said that was out of their ballpark. Any other ideas on where to look for a filter similar to the blackout?

Based on our review, it appears that B&H Photo has a broad catalog of color correction gels and filters available. 

While we also recommend Edmund Optics, it appears that they have comparatively fewer gel filter options and specialize in camera filters for color correction and specific transmission purposes. 

Lighting Gels & Diffusion

Color and Absorptive Filters

Do you have LED strips that include UV-A and UV-C in 405 nm and 255 nm?


I see you have LED strips that include UVA and UVC. I would like to know if you have 405nm and 255nm (254nm) LED strips can buy. 

Unfortunately, we do not currently have 405nm or 255nm products at this time, and we do apologize for any impact this may have on your purchase planning. The closest match in our catalog would be the aforementioned 395nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights and the 270nm cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Lights. 

If I would like to have two LED strip lights displayed at the same time. Can I have one power supply to operate two Led strip lights? or do I need to buy other gear from your company to access it (for example a dimmer?)

We are happy to confirm that multiple LED strip lights can be combined with a single power supply, so long as the connected products do not exceed the available output of the supply.

For example, our FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip offers up to 120 watts of output. As the LED strip lights require 5.5 watts per foot, one 16.4 ft reel would require 90.2 watts. As such, we would not recommend connecting more than a reel to the power supply. Additionally, the LED strip lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 ft. 

We have attached a link below to an article that illustrates the process of connecting LED strip lights in parallel.

Connecting LED Strips in “Series” vs “Parallel”

Is the UV-A light from your LED strips invisible to the naked eye?


I am looking at purchasing your UVA LED Strips. Based on my understanding of UVA light, it should be invisible to the human eye, but we see it coming from the bulb due to a coating that is put on the bulb. Is the light coming from your strips invisible to the naked eye, or do you have a coating that makes it glow purple? I only want the lights for my boat to make my fluorescent fishing line glow. I don't want a purple glow coming from my boat that may scare the fish.

As our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights emit light beyond the visible light spectrum, we can confirm that only a very faint amount of illumination is emitted from the product during operation. 

We can also confirm that we do not coat these products with any type of glass or material that would increase the purple visible output. 

Do you guys make a waterproof UV light? I would like to use the light in my boat.

Unfortunately, our LED strip light products are not waterproof, and I do apologize for any impact this might have on your purchase planning. 

While some of our customers have been able to locate insulated waterproof channels to install these lights on their boats, it might be helpful to know that polycarbonate materials often used in channel products are known to block the ultraviolet output, which would likely negate any benefit for your installation.

That being said, you might also be interested in our realUV™ LED Flood Light, which is IP65 rated for wet location use if a compatible power outlet was available aboard your vessel. 

LED Black Lights for Shadow Box Picture Display


I'm looking to insert an LED black light source into an 11x14 shadow box (around the edges) to display a picture. The 3 concerns I have are heat build-up inside the frame, a clean and neat electrical connection to a power source, and the intensity of the fluorescent display. What would you recommend?

Based on the details provided, we would recommend the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights, as this version of the product can produce the greatest fluorescent effect while emitting the lowest amount of visible light. 

Generally speaking, we can confirm that the LED Strip Lights do not emit a large amount of heat while operating. We have attached a blog post from our website below on the topic, in case it proves to be helpful. 

How Hot Do LED Strips Get? Is It Normal?

For power, we would recommend the 12V FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip. As the LED Strip Light and power supply both use barrel jack adapters, we would not assume that the installation would require additional wiring for power.

We have also attached two LayoutMaps below, which contain configuration layouts, descriptions, and links to the products and optional accessories. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4A

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

How far does your flood light illumination reach?


I would like to purchase a UV light with the longest distance capabilities. Ultimately, I need to illuminate 100 meters in length. Can you recommend a product or several products? How far does your flood light reach?

We have provided links to the UV irradiance patterns for both our realUV™ LED Flood Lights, as well as the realUV™ LED Strip Lights below, which we hope prove to be useful for your installation planning. 

These documents chart the microwatts per square centimeter ultraviolet output based on the distance between light and target. Generally speaking, LED floodlights can illuminate a target that is roughly 10x10 square feet. 

realUV™ LED Flood Lights UV Irradiance Pattern

realUV™ LED Strip Lights UV Irradiance Pattern

Do your UV-C LED lights sufficient to treat a tank full of water?


I have reviewed some of your website and knowledge base responses which seems to suggest that we could use some of your products to treat 1500-gallon plastic water tanks that store drinking water. This is generally very pure water and this is just an additional safety measure to stop unexpected bacteria or living pathogens from developing in already purified water. My question is if your lamps are sufficient to treat a tank full of water using one of your UV Dash C flood lights. Alternatively, we could put your UV strips inside PVC pipe as the water passes through but we are unsure if that is sufficient exposure time. One concern we have is whether the UV will cause degradation of the plastic water tanks or pipes. This would be for several tanks so we are interested in giving it good thought before we purchase. 

While we can confirm that ultraviolet light is known to affect plastic materials, we have not performed internal testing to measure the effects of exposure over time. 

Additionally, while we offer a floodlight product with UV-A output, this product is currently not available with UV-C output, and I do apologize for any impact this might have on your purchasing process. 

Further, please note that our UV-C LED strip lights are not IP rated for exposure to moisture or the elements, as any contact they have with water may cause a hazard and void the warranty. 

We have found that ultraviolet wavelengths are blocked by the polycarbonate material often found in insulated channels, though quartz glass is known to be able to allow for ultraviolet transmission. 

If an insulated quartz glass channel was able to be procured, it might prove to be the best option for the installation. 

UVA Particle Inspection Lighting Options


I am wondering if your realUV LED strip lights would be suitable for particle detection in a cleanroom environment. We currently use an Opti=Lux 365 handheld flashlight in a darkened environment, but I saw your product and wondered if it could provide a wider swath of light and detect more particles.

Our 365 nm UV LED strip lights would certainly be the correct wavelength option, assuming that the 365 nm flashlight is doing a good job of inducing fluorescence in the particles. It would certainly have a wider beam angle (120 degrees), which would also meet your needs for covering a larger area.

My main concern, however, is that the wider beam angle, compared to the narrow beam angle of the 365 nm flashlight, would result in lower fluorescence and thus lower visibility of the particles. It's a bit difficult to know what the minimum fluorescence levels are, as each application differs, but the most technically accurate way of comparison would be to use irradiance values.

We publish the irradiance values for our realUV LED strip lights at the link below, which shows that we are emitting only 228 µW/cm² at 12 inches away.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7021.pdf

Our flashlight (not sure about the strength of the opti-lux product you currently use) has a 12" irradiance value of 29.5 µW/cm², or 29,500 µW/cm² which as you can see is two orders of magnitude higher in irradiance. It could very well be that the lower irradiance, even two orders of magnitude lower, is sufficient for particle detection, but we would need more data and input from your end as far as the final application is concerned.

​If you would like to take an empirical approach, we would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the LED strips are not going to work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. All we ask is for you to keep the LED strips in their original condition, meaning that the adhesive liner must not be removed, and that the LED strips must not be cut into any shorter sections or otherwise altered.

Can I use the aluminum channel for the realUV LED light strips?


I recently purchased some 365 nm UV LED lights to be used with your corner aluminum channel. The plastic covering seems to filter out all the UV light. I have to remove the plastic cover to get any UV light. Are you aware of this? Do you have a plastic cover for the corner channels that will filter out the visible light but pass the UV light?

We can confirm that the polycarbonate plastic material used in the diffusor cover will prevent the transmission of ultraviolet output.

Unfortunately, we do not have alternative diffusor covers available at this time. We apologize!

LED lighting for Rocks and Mineral Display


I have a display cabinet (about 6 feet tall by 4 feet wide) with 7 glass shelves (38" x 13") that I display rocks and minerals. I would like to add LED light strips. What would you recommend?

For mineral fluorescence, we usually recommend our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. 

In the event that you would like each of the seven four-foot shelves to be lit evenly, we would recommend two divided 16.4 ft reels powered by two power supplies, mounted within the aluminum channels for uniform light diffusion.

We have attached a layout guide below, illustrating an installation that utilizes a segmented reel of LED strip products powered by a DC-Plug power supply. This page also contains links to each recommended product and optional connecter. 

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

I am not planning on fluorescent display. Just general lighting. I understand that something in the natural light range is best. And I am interested in evenly lit shelves. Currently I have 3 lights at the top but the light diminishes below the first 2 or 3 shelves.

If you would like to let us know what color temperature lights are currently being used in your display, we would be happy to provide a few product recommendations to match the output. 

Based on our review in the interim, it appears that gem displays may benefit from different color temperatures depending on the color of the stones, though the daylight color temperatures of 5000K and 6500K appear to be popular options. 

As such, we might recommend the 6500K FilmGrade™ WHITE LED Strip Lights or the 5000K CENTRIC DAYLIGHT™ LED Strip Lights for Commercial & Retail for your display.

As you mentioned that the current light output diminishes beyond the second or third shelf, we would recommend installing a strip of LED lights above each shelf, or alternatively above every second shelf, for an evenly illuminated display. 

real UV LED Strip for Interior Car Glow


Some black lights don't make white glow and some make them glow a lot. I am currently redoing the interior of my car white, and I want to install black lights to make the interior of the car glow (a lot, not a little). Will you're black lights do that? How many would you suggest that I need? I also saw that if we don't like them that we can return them as long as we haven't cut them. How long do I have to return them? 

For installations where the optimal fluorescent effect is desired, we would recommend using the 365nm version of our realUV™ LED Strip Lights. We have attached a blog post below regarding the differences between the available options, in the hope that it proves to be useful. 

Generally speaking, while the 395nm version will emit more visible purple hues from the LEDs due to being closer to the visible 400nm visible wavelength of light, the 365nm will emit very little visible light but will produce the most pronounced fluorescent effect as it is further from the visible wavelength.

What is the Difference Between 365 nm and 395 nm UV LED Lights? 

In regards to returns, so long as the LED strip lights have not been cut or altered, simply reach out to us within thirty days of delivery and we will gladly provide a prepaid return label so that the items can be returned for a refund. 

As you can tell from the irradiance pattern document below, the fluorescent effect diminishes the further the subject is from the lights. As such, the ideal quantity of light strips for your vehicle installation might vary depending on the size of the vehicle as well as the distance between the lights and the targeted subject. 

realUV™ LED Strip Lights Irradiance Pattern

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of the ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight, so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges. That said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following: 

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come in close proximity to the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues.

As Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye, it can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

Do you require a heat sink for the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light?


Is a heat sink required for the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light?

Generally speaking, we would not expect cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product installations to require a heat sink. 

Additionally, it might be helpful to know that these products are designed to withstand normal operating temperatures of up to 185°F (85°C) without incurring performance detriments or reduced longevity. 

If they prove to be helpful for your installation planning, we have attached links to two informative articles regarding the heat considerations for LED strip light products below. 

How Hot Do LED Strips Get? Is It Normal?

Things to know about flexible LED strip substrates

Recommended adapters to power the realUV strip using the computer PSU?


I just bought a realUV LED strip. Ideally, I would like to power it from the PSU. Could tell me what parts should I get and what would I need to make this conversion? 

Based on our review, there appear to be several SATA and Molex adapters that could be used for powering the LED strip lights using the computer power supply. 

So long as the power supply or motherboard can afford 4.5 watts of 12V power per foot of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, the computer should be able to fully power the LED strip lights. 

In our review, we found what appear to be two compatible SATA and Molex adapters that could be used for powering the LED strip lights. 

CRJ 4-Pin Male Peripheral Molex Power Adapter Cable

DS Male SATA Connector Plug Power Adapter Cable

How many feet of realUV LED strip would I need to cover a 15x12 room?


I plan on buying some UV light strips. How many feet would I need to cover a 15x12 room? Would it hurt to put them inside a LED strip channel?

As the 365nm and 395nm versions of the realUV™ LED Strip Light product output irradiance that is below the visible wavelength barrier at 400nm, and therefore mostly invisible to the naked eye, we would not recommend them for installations in which they are intended to be used as a primary illumination for visibility.

As such, it is difficult for us to estimate the quantity of realUV™ LED Strip Lights that might be beneficial for the 15x12’ installation area. 

I'm not sure what I can say about the area. All 4 walls are painted white. I was thinking of running (2) 16 strips. One on the very top of each 15-foot-long wall. My goal is that the entire 12x15 foot area reacts to the blacklight and creates a glowing effect.

Based on the details provided, it appears that our realUV ultraviolet products could be a great match for adding fluorescent illumination to the room. 

We would specifically recommend the 365nm version, as it can offer a more visible fluorescent effect than the 395nm version. For your calculations, the below irradiance chart might prove to be useful. Within this chart, you will find illustrations displaying the pattern of irradiance emitted by the strip lights, measured by ‘microwatts per square centimeter’.

UV Irradiance Pattern

For your installation, we would also likely recommend placing the LED strip lights within the flat aluminum channels, as that will easily allow for the fluorescent illumination to 'wall-wash' directly down upon the wall surface. It might also be helpful to know that these lights can be powered using in-wall 12V power supplies and in-wall dimmers for more permanent installations. 

LED Strip Light for Self Contained Electronic Air Cleaner


We would like to add LED germicidal lights to our self-contained electronic air cleaner.

Based on the details provided, we would likely recommend utilizing our cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light for your installation. 

Though we have not performed internal tests regarding the pairing of this product with an air cleaner, we have provided a few informative pages regarding the product below, which we hope prove to be helpful for your installation planning. 

An Introduction to UV-C LED Lighting for Germicidal, Sterilization, and Disinfection Applications

How to Determine UV-C Irradiance Requirements for Disinfection Applications

What is your recommendation of the length to use in our application?

The length to be utilized (16” vs 24”) will likely be determined by the ideal amount of UV-C output required for each fan installation. For reference, it might be helpful to know that the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light has a UV output of 130-140 mW per 39.4” (1 meter) reel. 

For more information regarding the measured output of the UV-C product, please reference the product page for technical details. 

Can I join two 16-ft LED strip lights together?


I have a bar wall that is 27' in length, I'm interested in your realUV™ LED Strip Lights for a menu wall. Can I join two 16' strips together, or do I need 2 power converters? Is there another product that would be better? Wall is 8' High. 

Though you might be able to find a higher output power supply than those that we offer, it might be helpful to know that the 12V realUV™ LED Strip Lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 ft. 

​When attaching additional lengths beyond the maximum, one will typically encounter lower LED light output and voltage drop. As such, we would recommend utilizing one dedicated power supply per full reel (16-ft) of the product.

365nm realUV™ LED for Photography Studio Black Lights


I'm disappointed that it seems the old F40 black light bulbs seem to be dead. No more cheap fun black light bulbs. I was going to build an array of four to six f40s for a black light body painting shoot. I know LED is different but as you guys are the 365 nm experts. Would you recommend the flood light style or strip style LEDs for this application? Do you think one LED flood will compare? Wattage seems kind a low compared to 240 watts of florescent.

Based on my review of the details provided, it appears that either the strip lights or flood light products could be a great match for your installation, depending on the preferred configuration. That said, the floodlights would likely be easier to install and adjust than the strip lights. 

​As such, our primary recommendation would be to compare the UV output of the previously used F40 light sources against that of our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights and 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light products.

Though the wattage may be significantly less, there is a chance that the measured ultraviolet output of our products is greater than the previously used items F40 lights. To help with the product comparison, we have attached links to the irradiance patterns of both products below for your reference.

365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights Irradiance Pattern

365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light Irradiance Pattern 

UV-C LED Strip Light for Horticultural Applications


We are looking for ways to deliver timed UV-C to plants in the early stages of development. The test we are looking to move forward with provides large coverage areas that would utilize existing irrigation booms equipped preferably with 12/24 VDC solutions. Distance from the bottom of the boom to crops is normally 500-700mm. 

Though does appear that our UV-C LED Strip Light products could be a great match, please note that these products are not IP-rated for protection against moisture or the elements. As such, any contact that these products have with water could cause an electrical hazard and will void the product warranty. 

If they prove to be helpful for your installation planning, we have also provided the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light irradiance pattern and exposure dosage documents below. 

Irradiance Pattern

Exposure Dosage (Fluence) Pattern

Additionally, we can confirm that we offer volume discounts, which are determined by quantity per order, per product. If you have a specific quantity of the UV-C product in mind, please let us know we will check to see if your order qualifies. 

Do you know whether the 395 or 365 nm lights will produce better fluorescence for scorpion hunting?


I'm going to visit Arizona and want to do some scorpion hunting for fun. Do you know whether the 395 or 365 nm lights will produce better fluorescence? 

We are happy to confirm that the output of the 365nm versions of our ultraviolet lights will be able to create a more visible fluorescent effect upon the illuminated subjects. 

In case it proves to be helpful for your purchase planning, we have also shared an informative article regarding the technical differences between the 365nm and 395nm product versions below. 

What is the Difference Between 365 nm and 395 nm UV LED Lights?

Do you have an IP-rated 365 nm UV LED Strip Light?


I need an IP rated 365 nm UV rope for use in a pool. I would like to discuss this if you offer it.

As our LED strip light products are not IP rated for protection against water or the elements, we unfortunately may not have the ideal product available at this time. We apologize!

As an alternative, you may also be interested in the realUV™ LED Flood Light product, which is rated IP65 for wet location use. 

What is the best wavelength for the UV strip to build a light box?


I am a college student and our next project is to build a UV light box to expose photoresist dry film on copper and then etch the copper, my question is: What is the best wavelength for the UV strip, the lightbox is 12 x 9 inches and I was planning on using around 30 watts of strip.

We unfortunately don't have any extensive data on photoresist materials and their wavelength sensitivities, but it does appear that 365 nm is a popular option for many of our customers who require UV-A for photochemical processes.

​We've provided a link to the 365 nm UV LED strip light below. At a power consumption of 4.5 watts per foot, you should be able to achieve the 30 watt power target using approximately 6-7 feet of the LED strip light.

https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/realuv/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254

For additional connectivity and wiring information, you may also find the diagrams below helpful:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4A?px=-2539&py=-2673&pw=2078&ph=2346&s=0.1

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2539&py=-2673&pw=2078&ph=2346&s=0.1

What is the thermal resistance of UV-C LEDs?


I have a UV-C air cleaning product that I'm exploring switching my source of UVCs to another company due to the LED board overheating. Your product caught my eye. What is the thermal resistance of the LEDs? The specs say you can cut the LEDs every 0.7 inches. So if I wanted to make two strips out of the 1-meter long roll, would I need to do any additional wiring or could I use the connector on either side to do the wiring? In this case, would each strip still be 12V but at half the power consumption? 

We do not specify thermal resistance values for our UV-C LED strip lights and instead rely on case temperature specifications for thermal management, as defined as a maximum circuit board surface temperature of 85°C (185°F).

​You are correct that the LED strip lights can be cut in 0.7-inch intervals. The 1-meter reel includes a DC connector on both ends, so the 1-meter reel can be cut in half and you would have two fully functioning strips of 0.5 meters each.

​The power consumption for each 0.5-meter section would be 7.2 watts, which as you correctly mention is half of the full 1-meter reel (14.4 watts).

Back to the thermal resistance. Do your other customers need to use heat sinks to run the LEDs? I plan to test these out in my air purifier so there will be air rushing by them on the LED side, I'm just wondering if the VHB is on the back and they need a heat sink, I'd imagine VHB acts more like an insulator. I'm asking as I've had heat issues with other manufacturers, I wouldn't want these to get anywhere near 85 degrees C if I could help it. 

​You are absolutely right that the 3M adhesive is not a great thermal conductor and impedes thermal transfer. That being said, the LED strip lights are not driven to their maximum ratings and would not require any special thermal management to keep them below 85 C. Our anecdotal observations suggest that the LED strips have a temperature rise over ambient of approximately 30 C without any heatsinking.

​For the 40 uW/cm^2 power density value @ 6 in. I was trying to match this up with the irradiance graph you had. Is each block vertically in this graph 1 inch away from a single LED at the top middle? 

Yes, that is correct, each square represents 1 inch. You can also reference the semi-circle radius rings as a distance marker reference.

Building a UV-A Light Box for the Alternative Photographic Process


I am constructing a UV light box. Most of these units, commercial or DIY, traditionally use tubes, such as F20T12/BL. For several reasons, I want to use the 365nm UV strips to build this one. I have a pdf file showing the array and dimensions that I will be using if you would like further info. Should the strips be connected in "series"? I am concerned the solderless connectors might add too much bulk or hold the strip "up" at each end thereby affecting the adhesion strip. I am qualified to solder if you feel that is a good option. 

Our 365 nm UV LED strip lights sound like a great option for your UV light box project!

First of all, to connect, both "series" and "parallel" can be used to connect the LED strip lights. The primary advantage of connecting them in parallel would be to avoid voltage drop, which may be an issue if you intend to use more than 10 ft of LED strip lights. One way around the voltage drop issue while keeping the "series" configuration is to power the LED strip array from both ends of the LED strip run. Below is an article that goes into a bit more depth and you may find helpful:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/home-residential/connecting-led-strips-in-series-vs-parallel

Next, if you are comfortable with soldering, we would definitely recommend soldering your own wires. This will not only save you some money on the connectors but will also allow you to keep the LED strips flush against the installation surface without bulging upwards (as you correctly mention) and maintain a more reliable wire connection. We do not have any solder requirements or specifications, but going off standard recommendations for LED components, we would recommend keeping soldering times below 10 seconds at 260 °C.

365nm UV LED strip for Curing a UV-activated Resin


I would like to know if your 365nm UV light strip would be recommended for curing a UV-activated resin that requires exactly 365nm to cure. Also, can any 12v source be used to power, and no LED driver required? 

Though we have not performed any internal tests regarding the use of our ultraviolet products for curing processes, several of our customers have let us know that the 365nm version has been quite useful for curing processes in the past. 

We have attached a link to the product’s irradiance pattern and photometric report below, which we hope proves to be useful in your configuration planning for determining how many segments of 365nm product your curing process might require. 

Further, we are happy to confirm that additional drivers are usually not required in order to utilize a 12V power supply with our strip light products. So long as the voltage delivered is consistent and does not exceed 12V, the LED strip light should function well without issue. 

365nm realUV™ LED Strip Light Irradiance Pattern

365nm realUV™ LED Strip Light Photometric Report

UV LED Strip for Back-lighting Under the Canvas


I am interested in your company's UV LED light strip and think I need two of the 3ft ones (to start) and am wondering if these would work as backlighting under the canvas of a 3x6 ft painting with a frame depth of 1.5 inches. Do you think that would be enough space to give the effect of having the painting glow from within? 

Based on our review of the details provided, it might be helpful for your planning purposes to note that we have not performed any back-lighting or transmission testing for the realUV™ LED Strip Lights as of yet. In considering the installation, the primary consideration that comes to my mind would be that the ultraviolet effect may not be able to transmit through the canvas as well as any potential paints that have been applied upon the surface to be externally visible. 

That being said, you may find interest in the below irradiance pattern document for the product. For a 3x6” frame, the canvas should theoretically be able to receive a moderate-to-high amount of ultraviolet irradiance for the illumination effect. By reviewing the below pattern document, you will see that the effect is reduced the further the subject is from the light origin. 

realUV™ LED Strip Lights Irradiance Pattern

Do you have a UV LED black light to decorate a costume with fluorescent paint?


I’m thinking about making a costume for Halloween that I can light up with LED black light strips and decorate the costume with fluorescent paint. The party is on the pool deck of a cruise ship at night, so the lighting is semi-dark. Do you have any black light products that would work?

Based on the details provided, one installation option that comes to mind would be applying lengths of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights to the costume which would be powered by a stand-alone compatible 12V battery. That said, we do have some recommended considerations and safety advice for your costume installation below. 

First and foremost - never look directly into the UV output. UV light is invisible and does not induce the same natural reaction to squint or look away to avoid the output in the same way we would if we were to look directly into bright white lights or the sun. Just because it doesn’t appear bright, doesn’t mean that it’s not emitting lots of UV light. Second, be sure to keep the UV light output away from children or anyone who is not aware that the product emits UV light.

To further protect yourself or the individuals utilizing the product, you may want to purchase UV-blocking safety goggles or sunglasses, which will help reduce the amount of UV light from hitting your eyes. When using the UV light, you can also try to avoid shining the light directly onto bare skin and wear long-sleeved clothing. And, as a practical matter, keep the UV product turned on only as long as necessary.

​Further, you may also want to ensure that the power capacity of the battery to utilize is high enough to provide the preferred output. For more information on the power draw, we recommend reviewing the below product specification sheet. 

Product Specification Sheet

Finally, please note that our LED strip lights are not IP-rated for protection against water, liquid, or condensation. Any contact these products have with moisture may create an unsafe electrical hazard and will void the product warranty. 

realUV LED Strips for Wheels and Automobiles Underbody Lighting


I have customers wanting us to install “Real UV” lighting in the wheel well and underbody of their automobiles as they have had a significant amount of the wheels and underbody powder coated with fluorescent powder coating. Will your real UV LED strips perform under these conditions provided the installation is rock solid? For example, the installation would ensure the strips will neither come loose nor come off the structure to which they are attached.

As our LED strip light products are not IP-rated against condensation or liquids, please note that any water damage will void the product warranty, and could cause an electrical hazard. 

As such, these products may not be the best option for your installation unless a suitable channel enclosure is utilized for the installation which would protect the LED strip lights from damage as well as seal them against contact with moisture. ​

Though we currently do not know of any third-party channel manufacturers that could be utilized, we have heard that other customers utilizing these products aboard sailboats have been able to locate insulated channels fairly easily. 

cleanUV LED Strip Disinfecting Lights


I have a patent pending invention, and I need help with lights for installation that will kill bacteria SARS covid etc. And the nanometers needed. 

We are happy to confirm that we sell the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light, which has a 270-nanometer output of UVC radiation. I have provided links to the photometric report, irradiance pattern, and exposure dosage pattern for the product below, in the event that they prove to be useful for your purchase and installation planning.

Photometric Report

Irradiance Pattern

Exposure Dosage Pattern

Do you have a Waterproof UV-A LED Lights for Water Tank Placement?


I want to put a UV light or lights in my 15-gallon freshwater holding tank to kill bacteria. Do you have any waterproof lights? Would these be able to be mounted to the top of the tank - either with adhesive or screws?

Unfortunately, our LED strip lights are not IP-rated against contact with moisture or condensation. As such, any contact with liquid may cause an electrical hazard and void the product warranty.

However, we have heard from other customers that waterproof plastic channels are useful for installations that are near aquarium tanks, which may prove to be useful for your purposes. 

That said, it might be helpful to know that many channel coverings may filter out the UV-C wavelength, thereby negating any benefit. Due to this fact, we do recommend investigating specific UV-C coverings that would allow for ultraviolet wavelength transmission.

Further, we are not aware of how easy these products are to mount and there may be differences between the third-party options available.

Do you have an LED strip light that emits no wavelength visible to humans?


Is it possible to get an LED strip light that emits no wavelength visible to humans (strictly near UV, say 375 nm)? We have your 365 nm and it appears to emit some light above 400 nm that is visible to humans.

At the moment, we currently do not have any other specific ultraviolet nanometer wavelength options beyond 395nm and 365nm. We apologize!

That said, there may be filters available from third-party providers such as Lee Filters that could potentially block the transmission of the small amount of visible wavelengths. 

Is there an outdoor-rated UV LED strip light?

Though our LED strip lights are not IP-rated against contact with the elements, such as moisture or condensation, we heard from those installing the lights on boats that waterproof channels appear to be available from some third-party manufacturers that insulate them against rain. 

​Unfortunately, we are not aware of the exact manufacturers or products used. That said, please keep in mind that any contact with liquid may cause an electrical hazard and will void the product warranty.

Alternatively, you may also be interested in our realUV™ LED Flood Light, which is IP-65 rated, and is therefore suitable for outdoor installations where it may come into contact with rain or other natural elements.

Why your recommended Avian Lights do not include at least UV-A wavelengths?


Great info on your website. To make use of any calcium my birds ingest, they need Vitamin D, which I assumed they were getting from full spectrum Ott lights. With the shift to LEDs, I'm wondering why your recommended avian lights do not include at least UVA wavelengths. Do avian zoos purchase some type of combo of lights so that the UV spectrum is included? 

We can confirm that our single-color LED products do not offer ultraviolet output, though we do also sell the realUV™ LED Strip Lights. In installations such as reptile and avian habitats where the UV-A and UV-B are beneficial for the animals, some of our customers prefer to utilize a supplemental bulb that can offer them ultraviolet output.

Unfortunately, we are not aware of the exact product make or model that these customers use to supply those wavelengths.

Can the 365nm UV LED Strips be used in a growing tent?


Can the 365nm UV strips be used in a growing tent or do your T8 LED bulbs have UV in the full spectrum? 

We can confirm that our UV strips are usable in horticulture installations, though please be advised that the LED strip lights are not IP rated.

As such, any installation utilizing them would necessitate a waterproof channel to protect the product against moisture or electricity, as any contact could cause an electrical hazard and void the warranty. That being said, you may alternatively be interested in the realUV™ LED Flood Light, as it is IP65 rated and available with 365nm output.

Unfortunately, our T8 LED tube light products currently do not offer UV output. We apologize!

Do you have a Rigid UV LED Light Bar?


I would like pricing to purchase a “Rigid UV LED Light Bar”. Can you provide additional information as well; sizes, waves, etc.? I have purchased (4) realUV LED Flood lights and installed them this morning. I am attempting to establish a company standard for black lights by using your UV lights. However, I need to confirm which light you can provide that is best/adequate for our needs.

We're sorry to report that we unfortunately no longer carry the Rigid UV LED Light Bar product, and we do apologize for any impact this might have on your installation plans.

However, the realUV™ LED Strip Lights are able to be mounted within a housing such as the Aluminum Channel for LED Flex Strip product, which may be of interest as an alternative.

In the event that it is, I have provided an interactive layout diagram below, as well as the photometric reports and specification sheet for the 365nm and 395nm ultraviolet LED strip light products below for your review.

Specification Sheet: https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7021.pdf

365 nm Photometric Report: https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7010.365.pdf

395 nm Photometric Report: https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7010.395.pdf

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2252&py=-2231.5&pw=1504&ph=1463&s=0.1

UV LED Strip for Redesigning a Photographic Lightbox


I'm working on a project for a customer to redesign a photographic lightbox they have to use UV strip lighting, and I've got a few questions since we have never worked with strip lighting before. Is there any way to have a sort of thru-hole connection for the ends of the strips to have the connecting wires hidden behind the plate the strips are mounted to? Do you offer any 90° connectors that might be able to fulfill the same function by having the connector stick up through a plate? 

Though we currently do not have any LED connectors that are designed with a 90-degree angle or are designed for a through-hole connection, you may be able to find a third-party LED strip accessory available elsewhere. So long as the solder pads line up neatly with the connecter pads, the connectors should be compatible with our LED strip light products.

In the interim, you may also be able to utilize our LED Strip to Strip product for threading the wiring behind the mounting surface, though the plastic coupling may not be small enough to pass through the ideal opening.

In case they prove to be useful, we have attached a diagram of the LED strip-to-strip product, as well as an interactive realUV configuration layout diagram below. The layout chart provides a description of the layout, as well as links to each of the recommended accessories and power supplies.

PN3071 Diagram

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

Do your LED Strips produce UV-A and UV-B?


I am designing a product and your UV strips are exactly what I am looking for. Do your LED strips produce UVA and UV-B? I see they can be used in an aquarium so I’m hoping they do produce both.

Unfortunately, our realUV™ LED Strip Lights currently do not emit UV-B output. Further, our LED strip lights are not IP-rated for protection against moisture or condensation. As such, we might not recommend these products for aquarium installations, as contact with water will create an electrical hazard and void the product warranty.

That being said, you may be able to locate third-party insulated channels that can be used with these products, in order to safely insulate them against water.

UV Lighting in creating a transition scene from daylight to nighttime


I am creating a transition scene from daylight to nighttime for a museum. I am using luminescent paint for the nighttime scene (the wall is 21'L x 11'H and the wall will roll into the ceiling another 4 feet. Please specify the product I should use and the cost.

If you were able to utilize track lighting, we might recommend three units of the 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Lights, as each is able to illuminate an area that is roughly 10x10 ft. The 365nm output is able to offer a better fluorescent effect than the 395nm, and the lights are easy to install thanks to the included mounting bracket.

That said, please note that these products were not designed to be compatible with controlled lighting systems. As such, it may be difficult to remotely schedule or control the output based on the transition timing.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to utilize wall washing, or canvas-oriented LED strip lights, you may also be interested in the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. These lights can be configured in a number of ways, and are compatible with third-party dimmers and controllers. Generally speaking, we recommend one dedicated power supply per full reel.

In case it proves to be helpful, we have attached an installation diagram link below.

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C

Upon review of the 365nm LED strip light irradiance pattern, you will notice that there is an increasing drop in irradiance density the further the subject is from the light source. As such, you may find that the interior of the canvas requires special light adjustment, or potentially a supplemental and directional UV light source, in order to adequately illuminate the night scene in the installation.

So the flood lights are not dimmable at all? only ON/OFF? Do you have IES files for both products? Do you have recommended foot-candles on surface to produce best results?

We can confirm that the UV floodlight products do not contain in-line controls, and can only be turned on and off through wall power. That said, one customer left a review on the product page informing us that they overcame this by using a third-party remote control.

Further, we currently do not have IES files for the product. We apologize!

As ultraviolet irradiance is measured by µW/cm² rather than the lux of visible spectrum light products, it is difficult to know what the optimal output would be for your installation. That said, the product page includes several irradiance charts. Below is a blog post from our website which reviews the measurement and calculation of UV-A irradiance.

Understanding UV-A Irradiance, and Requirements for Various Applications: https://www.waveformlighting.com/tech/understanding-uv-irradiance-and-requirements-for-various-applications

Can I connect the UV LED Strip to my PC Molex Connector?


I'm interested in the UV strip lights. I see it's 12v- can I connect this to my pc Molex connector? The round connector I see in the pics doesn't look compatible. 

Though the realUV™ LED Strip Lights are not specifically designed for use with Molex connectors, there appear to be several compatible third-party connectors available online.

So long as the power supply can afford 4.5 watts of 12V power per foot of connected realUV™ LED Strip Lights, the computer should be able to fully power the product.

If not for computers, what are these used for?

The realUV™ LED Strip Lights have many applications, including use with fluorescent photography installations, as well as curing processes (such as cyanotypes), and more. Several customers have also let us know that these have been installed within their own computer cases for the fluorescent effect.

I read that it can be cut. Can you reuse the cut end? or is that discarded?

The LED strip lights can be cut to length using a pair of scissors. Cut sections can be reconnected using various connectors, such as PN 3070 and PN 3071. For additional details, we would recommend referencing our LayoutMaps diagrams, which can be found below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4A?px=-2410.5&py=-2654.5&pw=1821&ph=2309&s=0.1

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2410.5&py=-2654.5&pw=1821&ph=2309&s=0.1

In your case, if you are looking to use your PC's built-in 12-volt power source, you would not need the 12-volt power supply pictured in our diagrams, and connect the Molex 12-volt output directly to the LED strip ends.

cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light for Ice Machine Application Setting


I was inquiring about the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light. I was wondering if it was possible to adapt this for use in an ice machine application setting. With waterproofing and all the compliances that would go along with being near food-based items. 

We can confirm that we have not tested this product in any ice machine or refrigeration systems. Further, it might be helpful to know that the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light is not IP rated against moisture or condensation. As such, any contact with moisture may create an electrical hazard, and void the product warranty.

Though we might alternatively recommend an insulated enclosure for the installation, please note that most enclosures made of plastic (or other materials) will block the UV-C energy output of the product, thereby removing the benefit of the effect.

Further, the cleanUV product has not received any certification of compliance regarding its use with food products.

As such, we might not recommend the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product for your ice machine application unless there were known methods of solving the above considerations.

UV LED Strip for Exposure Box to Make Cyanotype Prints


I am making a UV exposure box to make cyanotype prints. It requires 350-400nm of UV light output. The box is 2 feet long. I would like to know what I need to buy from you to make 4 or 5, 20-inch strips. Please let me know if I can use a power supply from an unused hard drive or if I need to buy a power supply specific to your LED strips. Please let me know how many connectors I would need to put this all together. 

Based on the details provided, we would recommend purchasing 5 or 6 units of the 16.4 ft (5 meters) reels of the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights, depending on the total quantity of strip lights required.

As each 12V DC power supply is capable of powering one full reel, we would recommend utilizing one power supply per 16.4 ft of realUV LED strip lights in your installation. Further, please note that the LED strip lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 feet. Unfortunately, it would be difficult for us to know whether the hard drive power supply mentioned would be compatible, without knowing more about the output.

We have provided two layout diagrams below, which provide more information regarding the connectors, accessories, and power supplies to use for each installation type. The first version utilizes the built-in daisy chain adapters, while the second diagram utilizes strip-to-strip connecters between each segment.

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4B?px=-2244&py=-2231.5&pw=1488&ph=1463&s=0.1

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2252&py=-2231.5&pw=1504&ph=1463&s=0.125

I need the info on the width of this, about the 2 types of UV- LED offered and which connectors to order please.

We can confirm that in order to have 80-100 inches of product in order to create 4 or 5 20-inch lengths, or alternatively 6 or 8 2-foot lengths, a single 16.4 ft (196.8 inches) reel should be able to provide more than enough product. As such, this installation would likely only require a single power supply.

Regarding the product dimensions, we can also confirm that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights have a diameter of 10mm. The full dimensions can be found within the 'mechanical specifications' section of the product specification sheet.

In order to connect the realUV™ LED Strip Lights to a power supply, you can either utilize the preinstalled barrel-jack adapter on the product or utilize a barrel-jack adapter and LED Strip to Wire product. Further, to connect the individual segments of the LED strip lights, you can utilize the LED strip to strip.

We have attached a link to a blog post from our website below, which illustrates the differences between the 395nm and the 365nm output. That being said, based on the details provided we would recommend the 365nm version for your installation.

What is the Difference Between 365 nm and 395 nm UV LED Lights?: https://www.waveformlighting.com/tech/what-is-the-difference-between-365-nm-and-395-nm-uv-led-lights

For more information regarding the installation options, the previously provided 'Layout Diagrams' include configuration descriptions, as well as product links for each of the required and optional accessories that are used for connecting the strip light segments and power supplies.

UV LED Strip Light for Heavily Reactive Painting


I'm trying to put together a concept for a frame. I want to attempt to light a heavily reactive painting (to UV light) with the frame it will reside in. I was thinking of lining the j-side edge of the frame with LED strip lighting (black light and color changing/with remote?, but I’m unsure if the light will be strong enough. The paintings are roughly 15x20 inches, and some are double size- while a few are smaller. I was considering making a test frame- but if I remember with other LED strip lights- there’s a whole mess of wires and converters of power, it’s like a circus. Is there a really compact way to do what I want? 

By referencing the irradiance pattern for the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, I can confirm that the product should effectively illuminate the contents of a 15x20 inch frame. I have pasted the link for the irradiance pattern sheet below, for your review. 

​As you can tell, the further the subject is from the light strips, the UV irradiance becomes gradually dispersed and less condensed, rendering the ultraviolet effect increasingly less effective.

Irradiance Pattern: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2793/2316/products/7021-beam-0_512x512@2x.jpg?v=1564027896

For installation, we might recommend using the realUV™ LED Strip Lights embedded within the frame, as suggested. As our DC power supplies are roughly the size of a laptop power brick, you will likely be able to locate matching power supplies with a smaller footprint for in-frame installation.

In case it proves to be helpful for your construction plans, I have provided a layout diagram below which illustrates the various connectors and accessories required for use of the product. These third-party power supplies may also be able to offer remote control, which our power supplies do not.

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2244&py=-2231.5&pw=1488&ph=1463&s=0.1

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4B?px=-2244&py=-2231.5&pw=1488&ph=1463&s=0.1

In the world of the “layouts”, was the difference only that there were two sections in one, and four sections in a other using a separate connector to daisy chain the two sections?

Ihe effectiveness dissipation map(in calling it), if the lights are embedded in my frame, and the painting. Wing lit up is directly in front of the leds in the frame, won’t that mean the painting will be fully illuminated, and the viewer can see this from any distance that their natural vision permits?

Is there an LED infrared light? and have you personally had any experience with forcing the human eye to see things that might not normally be visibly seen?

We can confirm that the primary difference being illustrated in the layouts provided is the connection style being used between the individual LED strip light segments. 

​For example, for installations where larger reels are segmented, the individual segments would not include the pre-attached barrel jack power plug and would thereby benefit from using the LED strip-to-strip connectors.

Based on the dimensions provided, we believe that the irradiance pattern of the UV LED sir lights would allow for sufficient effect. That said, we might recommend testing a few installation angles and options prior to installation in order to ensure that the ideal effect is being provided.

We can also confirm that the Infrared 850 nm IR LED Strip Light is currently available. That said, please note that we have not performed any tests of the item within a gallery or display setting.

If this test works out, will I need to put a warning label with my frames to anyone who would purchase or even just be viewing at length? 

Though the product emits far less ultraviolet light than can be found in natural daylight, there is still a potential of risk and harm with the UV-A products.

There are some safety tips that we recommend. For starters, we advise against looking directly at the UV product, as UV light is invisible and does not induce the same natural reaction to squint or look away in the same way we would if we were to look directly into a white flashlight. 

​Just because it doesn’t appear bright, doesn’t mean that it’s not emitting lots of UV light. Further, be sure to keep the UV lights away from children or anyone who is not aware that the product emits UV light.

Given the low but present risk, you may find benefit in adding a disclaimer to your installation.

If I can find a slimmer option of the power supply, I’d always like to try that. Is something like this unusable for the lighting system I described? (is it not powerful enough, or “maintaining consistently stream of energy”?

24V Power Adapter for DC Power Supply Adapter 

Based on our review of the amazon product link, it appears that the power supply is only able to output 1 amp, and appears to be designed for products that draw anywhere from 0.2A-1A.

Compared to the FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip within your order which is able to output 120 W power output at 10 amps for the 12V version, it unfortunately does not appear that the Amazon product would be able to provide sufficient output for the LED strip lights in your order.

We do apologize for any inconvenience this might cause to your installation planning. In case it proves to be helpful, I have attached the product specification sheets for the items in your order, which list the power requirements within.

realUV™ LED Strip Lights Specification Sheet

Infrared 850 nm IR LED Strip Light Specification Sheet

I wonder if there is a way to safely make the lights more intense. 

As the infrared and 365nm ultraviolet products in your order emit output beyond the visible wavelength, the limited visibility of the output tracks with our expectation. 

Based on my review of the power supply within your order, we can confirm that it should be able to provide more than enough power for the three LED strip light segments. If an increased fluorescent effect is desired we might recommend replacing the 395nm with another 365nm LED strip light segment, as the 365nm product is able to offer a greater fluorescent effect than the 395nm version.

Can I use SATA power for realUV LED Strip Light


I was interested in the realUV LED strips to use in my computer case. I wanted to know how you would recommend powering the strips. Ideally, I would like to be able to use SATA power or be able to connect it to an RGB header on my motherboard. Any thoughts on if your strips can do this?

So long as the power supply or motherboard can afford the required 4.5 watts of 12V power per foot of the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, the computer should be able to fully power the lights when paired with a compatible third-party adapter.

Based on the review, there appear to be several SATA and Molex adapters that could be used for powering the LED strip lights using the computer power supply, which we have provided links for below.

​https://www.amazon.com/4-Pin-Molex-Connector-5-5mm-2-1mm/dp/B01F5KL9T0

Power Supply Requirement for third party UV LED Strip


I have two reels of 5-meter 12v UV LEDs that need 14 watts per meter. I have the Waveform FilmGrade Dimmer and a Waveform 12v Filmgrade power supply. Do I need two of your 12v power supplies (meaning I'd split the two 5m reels into two separate portions, each with their power supplies) to get proper consistent output from all 10 meters of lights, or could I get a single 24v Filmgrade Power supply, or some other setup, as I do want to be able to use the dimmer? 

Based on the details provided, we would recommend utilizing two 12V power supplies to power the two reels of the UV LED product.

As the LED strip lights draw 4.5 watts of power per foot for a total of 72 watts per reel, the 120W power output of the FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip would not be able to support two full reels. Further, please note that the LED strip lights have a maximum combined length of 16.4 feet (5 meters). As such, we would recommend powering each reel independently. 

As the LED strip lights are designed with specific voltage in mind, we do not recommend using a 24V power supply with the 12V products, as it could cause product failures and void the product warranty.

Can you produce 5mw/cm2 over 240mm² area to be cured at less than 400nm wavelength?


Can you produce 5mw/cm2 over 240mm by 240mm area with a 2cm gap to the product to be cured at less than 400 nm wavelength? Are these UV strips used to cure materials or coatings? Can they operate for 10 hours at a time in a hot (100°C) environment?

First of all, our LED strip lights are not rated for hot environments, with a maximum recommended ambient temperature of 50°C. As such, if the 100°C ambient temperature is a firm requirement, our products will unlikely to be a good fit.

As far as irradiance is concerned, our UV LED strips produce approximately 0.23 mW/cm² from a distance of 12 inches. (This is our closest measured value). If the distance is reduced to 2 cm (< 1 inch), the irradiance will increase significantly and will likely meet your irradiance needs.

Our LED strips have a peak wavelength of 365 nm, which should work well for your curing application.

realUV LED Strip for Movie Theater Room


I wanted to put something like this in my movie theater room at the top of the walls along the ceiling. 365nm would look better I think than 395nm but unsure if I should have any safety concerns regarding me or my family. or would it be fine since we wouldn't be looking directly into the light just indirectly?

Generally speaking, it’s a bit difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly, so we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come close to the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues.Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

realUV LED Strip vs Floodlight for Small Display Cabinet


Looking to light a small display cabinet with 365 nm. Would you recommend the LED strips as a better way. How is the floodlight mostly used?

For installations such as displays, many of our customers prefer to utilize the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights product due to the low profile within the displays and flexible installation options.

Alternatively, some customers prefer to utilize the floodlight for directed spotlight illumination. Often, the floodlight is installed on ceilings for artwork ultraviolet illumination using the pre-installed bracket. Other customers prefer to floodlight for outdoor installations, as the product is IP rated for protection against the elements.

UV Blacklight LED Replacement for Fluorescent Bulbs


I’m looking for the closest UV-LED option to potentially replace a fluorescent blacklight bulb that we use for artificial weathering of materials like plastics, sealants, adhesives, and the like. We currently use a F72 T12 / BL HO 350 fluorescent bulb. 

I have not been able to find a 350 nm UV LED, but I have found 365 nm which may work. The LED option would not have to be 72” long like our current bulbs. Other form factors would work.

Though we currently do not have ultraviolet products available in the T8 or T12 form factors, we do offer the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights product which might be of interest for your installation. 

Further, we have recently spoken to other customers who have applied the above product within pre-existing T8 and T12 fixtures to reduce the need for new fixtures or hardware. 

The cabinet I would use these in runs at 140 F. Would that pose any issues for the LEDs?

The power vs. run time chart is a good one as we would run these 24/7. Do you have any data beyond 2000 hours? Do you have any ideas on how long they would last in a 24/7 application?

We can confirm that our LED products and components can withstand temperatures of 185 degrees Fahrenheit (64 C).

As such, we expect that the products would be able to safely operate within the 150-degree environment mentioned.

Though, we have the performance test results listed within the 365 nm realUVTM LED Longevity Test Data document, we currently do not have any data above 2000 hours. We apologize!

UV-C LED Strip in 3/4 length and 2mm thick


I am looking for a UV-C Strip light 4 3/4 length 2mm thick 1/8 inch width which can be connected with battery and wire. 

We currently only have one UV-C product available in our catalog at the moment, that being the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product.

However, it might be helpful to know that the mechanical specifications do not exactly match the dimensions mentioned. As such, there is a chance that this product would not fit the preferred installation due to measurement differences. 

Can the UV-C LED strip be cut to fit various applications?


Can the UV-C LED strip be cut to fit various applications? Looking to integrate it into a product we are developing.

We're happy to confirm that the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product can be divided by cutting at the marks that are defined within the product specification sheet, which I have attached below.

cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light Product Specification Sheet: https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7026.pdf

What is the expected life of these LEDs? Not just the warranty, but the overall hours until we should have the customer replace them?

As this is a new product that was fast-tracked into production, we, unfortunately, do not have any reliable lifetime data yet.

However, our preliminary data shows stable UV-C output for at least 2000 hours, and further testing is currently underway to determine what we can expect on an L70 basis.

Are the realUV LED Strip Light SDM 2835?


We can confirm that the realUV™ LED Strip Light products are SMD 2835.

How many LEDs are in 5m of the 365nm LED strip?


How many LEDs per meter? Curious about how many LEDs are in 5 meters of the 365nm LED strip? 

We can confirm that a 16.4 ft (5 meters) reel of the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights contains 600 LEDs, which are spaced 8.3 mm apart. As such, each meter should have 120 individual LEDs.

UV LED Lighting for Mineral Display


We are adding a florescent mineral display in our gift shop. We wanted to know what LED lights would work best for this type of application. We plan on mounting the lights under each shelf. 

We do not have any drop-in replacement lamps for display cases, but we have seen many of our customers successfully implement UV LED strip lights for mineral display cases. I've linked to the product below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/realuv/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254

Can we block all visible light in the 365nm UV LED Light?


Can we block all visible light in the UV LED 365? Also, do you sell a UV pass filter as a thin film?

Though I can confirm that the 365nm products will emit a very slight amount of UV, some customers have utilized UV bandpass filters to limit the visible output of these products. Though we currently do not sell any similar UV bandpass items at this time, some options should be available from other third-party manufacturers.

realUV™ LED Lights and Accessories for Imaging Application


realUV™ LED Strip Lights - 395 nm / 3.2 ft (1 m) realUV™ LED Strip Lights Wavelength: 395 nm Length: 3.2 ft (1) I need to use this for imaging. Can you recommend what parts I need to buy to install this?

I have provided a few links from our website below, which contain configuration diagrams for the realUV™ LED Strip Lights. Each of the diagrams below contains written instructions, as well as links to each of the accessories used within the installation.

Waveform Lighting LayoutMaps™

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4D

UV LED to Lighten Color-Anodized Aluminum Pieces


I'm planning to make an enclosed UV light exposure box for white "yellowed" sneaker soles and to lighten color-anodized aluminum pieces. Are your UV LED lights capable of handling these tasks? If so, which UV wavelength would be best to use: 365nm or 395nm? 

Unfortunately we do not have any data or testing on the applications you mention. Based on a basic understanding of polymer and plastic science, exposure to UV radiation will generally cause the material to degrade and yellow further, rather than return to the original white color.

​If you have any further technical information on the materials you are interested in working with, I would be more than happy to take a look and offer my suggestions.

365 nm is generally considered to be a "truer" ultraviolet wavelength, so this would be the best option if you are after a UV lighting solution that best represents your needs for UV-A.

I had forgot to mention that, for whitening sneaker soles, a product is used that when the sole is coated and then exposed to UV light for a long period of time, the old yellow sole is restored to white. I have used this product called "Sole Bright" with good results.

I got great results using sunlight, but the exposure sessions are long, especially when there are cloudy days and I would have to wait for the sun to return.

Others have used enclosed UV light boxes to speed up exposure time without depending on sunny weather. Only issue is that they dont provide specific info on what UV light source they use. 

Unfortunately, I was not able to glean any further insights as far as wavelength sensitivities are concerned. Sunlight includes a very wide spectrum of ultraviolet wavelengths, so it's hard to know which of those wavelengths are the ones doing the "heavy lifting" in terms of the restoration process as all I see on the product page are instructions for sun exposure.

​As mentioned prior, 365 nm is a "truer" UV wavelength so if I had to guess, that would be the most effective wavelength choice between that and 395 nm, but without seeing technical documentation regarding wavelengths from the Sole Bright manufacturer, I don't know that I'll be able to provide any additional assurances.

I would perhaps recommend reaching out to Angelus to see if the 365 nm wavelength is a match for their product and go from there.

Do your UV lights have energy to reach the bottom of the swimming pools to charge glow products?


We are a manufacturer that produces glow artistic products. We service commercial builders and pool builders. I plan to possibly use your 395 or 365nm floods or strip LEDs to charge them up throughout the night hours. They will be on a timer that will turn them on and off at different intervals. My question is, do you think your UV lights have enough energy to reach down about 6 feet to the bottom of swimming pools to charge our glow products? Please see attach drawing that has attached for you to better understand the process. 

Based on the diagram provided, we would likely recommend our IP65-rated 365nm realUV™ LED Flood Light product, as our realUV™ LED Strip Lights are unfortunately not suitable for installations where they might come in contact with water or condensation.

Though the realUV Flood Light is designed to output ultraviolet output for an area that is roughly 10x10 feet, we have not performed internal tests regarding how water depth can affect or scatter the UV output.

As such, it is difficult to say whether or not the ultraviolet wavelengths could successfully reach the glow oxides. In this instance, we might recommend trying them out and taking advantage of our 30-day return policy. If the products don’t work out, simply reach out and we will gladly provide you with a prepaid return label.

Recommended Installation for UV Reactive Tapestry


I have a room that is roughly 130 square feet. There are 3 walls and where the 4th wall normally would be is just a transfer into my kitchen. I have a UV reactive tapestry on all sides of the room besides obviously the entrance to the kitchen where there is no wall. What setup would you recommend to effectively light all of my tapestries with good UV light? Also, would you suggest 356nm over 396nm in this situation? 

For an installation that would benefit from the most UV effect, we would recommend the 365nm version of our ultraviolet products.

Though the realUV™ LED Flood Light product is easy to install, it can take up more room than the alternative, which may not be ideal for all installations. Generally speaking, one 365nm floodlight should illuminate an area that is roughly 10x10 ft with 8.0W of UV output.

Alternatively, the realUV™ LED Strip Lights can be installed in many different ways, though it will require a dedicated power supply. Based on my estimates, I believe that one full 16.4 ft reel should be more than enough for the dimensions, as it outputs .75W of UV output per foot.

I have attached a few links below for our realUV LED Strip Light LayoutMaps, which provide detailed installation instructions, as well as links to the recommended accessories.

Waveform Lighting LayoutMaps™: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4A

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4D

If I used the flood light would I have to place the light in the center of the room on the ceiling? or could I put it on a wall facing the room to illuminate my art in a 10x10 room

We're happy to confirm that the floodlight should be easily installable in either method, thanks in part to the adjustable bracket.

It might also be helpful to know that the irradiance pattern will have the most concentrated output directly in front of the light. As such, you may decide to position the light such that the most important artwork is best illuminated.

Do you carry UV-B LED Strip Lights?


I’ve been browsing your webpage and I noticed you sell UV-A and UV-C light strips. I was just wondering if you also carry UV-B light strips. I’m working on a project for my reptiles this summer and I’m currently working on gathering materials. 

Though we currently do not have any UV-B products available at this time, we have heard from several customers recently who have been interested in UV-B lights for reptile exhibits.

365 nm UV LED Light for UV Cure Doming Materials


I am trying to build a curing box for UV cure doming materials. It requires 365 NM for curing. I would like to run a couple of strips parallel to each other in the box, possibly even 4 strips. What do I need to order as far as components to make it all happen? Connectors, power supplies, etc. Looking at the 3.2 ft lengths.

The easiest set-up would involve using our 3.2 ft UV LED strip light reels, and daisy-chaining them. Below is a layout diagram along with a parts list showing how this can be accomplished:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4B

Parts list:

​https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/power-supplies-and-dimmers/products/filmgrade-12v-24v-power-supply-for-led-strip-10-ampshttps://store.waveformlighting.com/products/pn-7096-daisy-chain-dc-connector-for-realuv-led-strip?variant=29424437624934

​The maximum daisy-chain length is five reels of 3.2 ft each.

IP Rating for 395nm realUV™ LED Strip


I was wondering if you could provide the IP rating for your realUV™ 395nm LED strip. 

Though our realUV™ LED Flood Light product has an IP65 rating, the majority of our products, including the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, do not have an IP rating at this time.

As such, we discourage installations where this product could come in contact with moisture or excess condensation, as it would create a safety hazard and void the product warranty.

365nm UV LED Lights for Exposing Photo Polymer for Braille Signs


I'm wondering if these will work for exposing photo polymer for braille signs. The manufacturer recommends 350 nm.

We unfortunately do not have any data on photo polymers for this specific application, but do suspect that there may be some cross-compatibility between 350 nm and 365 nm.

I would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the LED bulbs are not going to work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. 

Any Ideas to temporarily mount 32" to a metal plate?

The one idea I can think of would be to see if a small section of the photopolymer cures effectively under a single row of the UV LED strip light. This of course would not be the same as the final installation, but may be helpful in getting an approximation on cure times and proof of concept.

Do you have a way off measuring Milli Watts/Square Meter Irradiance of the lights at 2" inches away?

Please see below for our irradiance charts. 

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7021.pdf

Our closest measurement was from 12 inches, where we observed 228 µW/cm². This is equal to 0.228 mW/cm², or 2,280 W/m².

While we do not have any measurements at 2", one quick way to roughly estimate is to use the inverse square law, which states that the irradiance values increase by the square of the distance. Therefore, at 3" away (1/4 the distance), we would expect a 16-fold increase in the irradiance values.

UV-A Light Transmitting Material


I have some of your products and have decided to create custom housing for them. I will need to use some sort of plastic or glass to cover them. I need to permit both the 395 and 365nm UV to pass through keeping my losses <10%. I am having a hard time finding a plastic that can permit these frequencies to pass without great losses. I noticed your UV spotlight has a cover protecting the LED. Are you able to tell me specifically what material you are using to cover it?

While we are unable to disclose the specific materials used in our products, I do know that "quartz glass" is commonly known to have a high rate of UV transmission, and maybe a viable avenue for exploration.

UV-A LED Strips for Curing Etching Plates


I want to build a UV exposure unit to cure Tojobo Photopolymer etching plates using your 365nm realUV™LED strips. My largest plates are size A2 (16.5” x 23.735”) so I designed a grid of strips (about 12 meters) that covers that area as follows:

Strip length 500mm, Strip separation 13.75mm, Number of strips 22

Would this number of lights and arrangement work to expose photopolymer gravure plates?

We don't have any data or experience for this particular application, unfortunately, but we have had customers report success with our UV LED strip lights (particularly the 365 nm versions) for various curing applications, so I do believe that this should be a viable approach in concept.

​The biggest unknown, from my perspective, is the required UV irradiance levels for a satisfactorily fast cure time. If you have any data on the photopolymer material using as far as their recommended irradiance or dosage levels, that may help us provide some additional guidance in terms of irradiance needs.

Is the proposed strip separation a problem for even illumination of the plate at about 2-3"?

The LEDs emit UV radiation at a 120-degree angle. This generally means that the LED strips should not be spaced farther apart than the distance away from the irradiance surface. In other words, if the exposure irradiance surface is 2-3 inches away, the LED strip lights should not be spaced farther than 2-3 inches per row.

​Your proposed LED "strip separation" indicates 13.75 mm which works out to approximately half an inch, and furthermore dividing the 22 rows across 23.735 inches, we would not significantly exceed 1 inch between LED strip rows (on center), so I think we are well within the limits and should not be concerned about uneven irradiation.

Is this calculation correct?

Yes, the LED strip lights require 14.4 watts per meter, so the entire 12-meter section will need 173 watts, and the 350-watt power supply should be a great option for your needs.

Is this bus topology OK with your strips and the required power in my project? The copper power bus makes the soldering clean but I am not sure if it is safe (not sure where to get them either).

The proposed bus topology is perfectly fine from an electrical standpoint. In fact, this is probably the only feasible way for such an installation requiring a relatively high current draw, as the maximum LED strip run length is 5 meters (your proposal has a maximum run length of only 0.5 meters x 22 rows, so we are OK here since you are taking a parallel bus connection approach).

We don't have any specific recommendations, but I do know solar panel assemblies require a similarly high current carrying capacity, so that might be an area that could be worth looking into.

As far as safety is concerned, since we are using a 12-volt DC, the electric shock risk here is relatively low. The only potential concern would be high heat buildup, which may be caused by improper or loose wire connections, so we would recommend checking to make sure you do not see any unexpected behavior or hotspots during operation.

Flat Spectrum Light Source for Hyperspectral Imaging


I lead the NASA OSIRIS-REX Asteroid Sample Return Mission. We are planning for laboratory analysis of the returned samples. One goal is to perform hyperspectral imaging from 350 nm - 950 nm. We need a light source for this imaging. The preference is for a "flat" spectrum, meaning equal emission at all wavelengths, or as close as possible.

We currently do not offer any products that would be able to meet the requirements for such a wide range of wavelengths.

​For the visible wavelength range, our ABSOLUTE SERIES would be the best match, with coverage between 420-650 nm. 

Please see below for the photometric report:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7001.50.pdf

​To supplement the low and high end of the spectrum, additional wavelength LEDs would be needed, but it would be quite difficult to achieve a fully flat or complete spectrum across the 350-950 nm wavelength range.

​Below are our 365, 395, and 850 nm wavelength LED strip light options, respectively:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/realuv/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254 https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/infrared-850-nm-ir-led-strip-light

As an alternate approach, a key objective is to perform spectral imaging under conditions similar to those that we obtained of asteroid Bennu’s surface using the MapCam broadband photometer. MapCam has four color filters (b, v, w, and x). The MapCam bands are b′ (440 to 500 nm), v (520 to 580 nm), w (670 to 730 nm), and x (820 to 890 nm) as indicated in the figure below. Can you provide light sources focused on these bands?

As far as your lighting requirements are concerned, we can certainly look into providing narrow-band sources that focus on each of those bands as an alternative to a wideband source. The only one I do see a challenge with would be the "w" channel. Please see below for my recommendations:

​b′ (440 to 500 nm): SimpleColor 460 nm

v (520 to 580 nm):​ SimpleColor 525 nm

w (670 to 730 nm): closest match would be SimpleColor 630 nm

x (820 to 890 nm): Infrared 850 nm

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this proposed solution.

As an alternative, have you looked into using an incandescent light source with a set of optical filters? This would be beyond the scope of our LED offerings, but based on your requirements, may be worth looking into for the original broadband approach.

UV-C LED Strip Lights for Disinfection


We are medical equipment manufacturers. We are using UV-C lamps for disinfection. Can we replace classical lamps with your LED strips? 

Our UV-C LED strip lights feature 270 nm wavelength output, which is an effective wavelength for many germicidal applications. While we do not have any specific guidance or technical documentation on integrating the product into any existing systems, our various data, and reports may help provide additional information and guidance in this process.

For example, please see below for the irradiance pattern charts:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/BP_7026.pdf

Can I plug the UV-A LED Strip into the Vessel or Cigarette Lighter?


I am making a UV 365 charge box for my boat and would like to plug your 1 meter UV led strip either to my 12 volts directly or the cigarette lighter. How do I do that?

As the 12V battery within your vessel will likely have more than enough power to utilize the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights through a direct-wired connection with a product such as our Male DC Barrel Jack Plug Adapter, there is a chance that some cigarette lighter adapter models could have hardware-defined output limitations that are lower than 12V.

Based on my review of some products available online, there do appear to be several listings that provide low-voltage protection for the products utilizing the ports. We might recommend selecting a similar product that can ensure sufficient and stable power for the LED product.

For more technical details regarding the realUV™ LED Strip Lights, I have included a link to the product sheet below.

realUV™ LED Strip Lights Product Sheet: https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7021.pdf

realUV 365nm LED Strip Accessories and Installation Guide


I want to build an exposure box with UV-LEDs (real UV- 365nm). For that purpose, I plan to install the three LED strips side by side so that I have a broader strip with a width of 30 mm. Is this possible or are there any issues with heat transport, etc.? The equipment I plan to order is the following: 7021.65.5M, PN 3091, PN 3070 (3x), and PN 3071. Do I need the extra PN 3070 or is all I need for installation of the LED Strip and the Power Supply?

We completely understand the proposed installation of using three gapless rows of the UV LED strip lights. We do not anticipate any heat or thermal issues and this should be a good way to boost the UV output from a small area.

For a single 5 meter run, the power supply and LED strip reel is all that is needed. To cut the LED strip and re-join them, you will want to use PN 3071 as shown in the diagram below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C

Also, we do not think you will need PN 3070 if your proposed layout is similar to the one shown above.

Does your LED Strip Light mark for CE and RoHS compliance?


We are looking for a white light and UV light source to include in our product. Our product needs to be CE marked and the components RoHS compliant. The electronic components must be UL 94V-2 or VW-1 compliant as well. Does your LED strip light meet these requirements? 

Our LED strip lights are marked for CE and RoHS compliance. The LED strips are also UL listed to UL 2108, Low Voltage Lighting Systems, which inherently requires and tests for requirements such as the flammability standards referenced.

I’m not familiar with UL 2108 and checking the UL website that standard references UL-94. The standard we need to comply with is IEC-61010 which has a flammability requirement of UL 94V-2 or better for connectors and insulating material components mounted on and UL 2556 VW-1 for wire. Can you find out if the flammability rating for the LED Flex Strips meets these standards?

​Unfortunately we do not have this information on hand, and the only assurances we can provide with certainty would be adherence to the UL 2108 standard.

UV-A LED Strips to Expose Photopolymer Plates


I am looking for UV LED strips that allow me to expose Photopolymer plates that are sensitive to 365nm wavelengths. My application calls for about 15-20 meters. The LED Pitch should be higher than 60 and preferably 120-130. Is there a specific model I should be looking at? Do you have standard and high-output versions? 

We are happy to confirm that the LED density per meter of our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights product is 8.3 mm. It might also be helpful to know that this product has a 120-degree emission angle.

For more information on the products, you might find value in the product specification sheet and photometric reports, which I have linked below.

Specification Sheet: https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7021.pdf

365nm Photometric Report: https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7010.365.pdf

How flexible the realUV™ LED Strip Lights 395 nm are?


I was wondering how flexible the realUV™ LED Strip Lights 395 nm / 3.2 ft (1 m) are? Can I bend then past 30° to affix them to the inside of some tighter fabric? I don't want to try and bend it more than the circumference of the spool but I would essentially like to bend it much tighter if that is possible, without damaging the product. 

The specification we have on hand is that the minimum bend radius for our LED strip products is 0.8 inches. This specification tells us how "sharp" the turns can be without damaging the components, as opposed to the total angle turned. (This would be analogous to driving a winding road - sharp turns, rather than extended turns, tend to be more hazardous).

​As such, making a 30 degree turn should be no problem as long as the turn is not too sharp at the corner (as defined by the minimum bend radius of 0.8 inches).

Do realUV™ LED Lights have rainbow lights too?


This might be a silly question but I’m a little confused. Are these lights just black lights or do they have rainbow lights too?

We can confirm that our realUV™ LED Strip Lights are specifically designed to output ultraviolet light wavelengths, whereas other 'ultraviolet' products have been known to simply pair red and blue LEDs to create a purple-colored light output.

If you were hoping to include an RGB LED strip light product in your installation, we might recommend the FilmGrade™ FiveSpect 5-in-1 LED Strip Lights. This product can be combined with third-party controllers or our 'FilmGrade™ DMX LED Dimmer & Decoder with 5 Channel Output' product for color configuration.

For more information regarding our LED strip lights and the realUV™ products, we have provided links to two helpful blog posts from our website below.

LED Strip Lights: Everything you need to know before you buy

https://www.waveformlighting.com/led-strip-lights

realUV™ LED Lights

https://www.waveformlighting.com/real-uv-led-lights

UV-A LED Strips for Tanning Wood and Curing Oil Varnish


I'm interested in these UV LEDs for tanning wood and curing oil varnish. They're listed as 12V units. My question is could I get higher intensity output by using your 24v power supply, or would that blow out the lights? 

As our LED products are designed at the circuit level with a specific voltage in mind, we do not recommend utilizing a 24V power supply with a 12V LED strip light product. In general, connections that lead to an over-voltage can permanently damage the LED strip lights and void the product warranty.

UV-A LED Strip Lights for Curing


Interested in UV LED for curing, 350 nm. I need 2 or 4 strips about 1 ft long. What products do I need, LED Power supply?

Based on the details provided, it appears that the closest product match would be the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. These products are available in 3.2 ft (1 meter) increments and can be powered using a power supply such as our 12V FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip products.

If you would prefer to connect multiple lengths using the pre-installed power plugs, you might be interested in our Daisy-Chain DC Connector for UV LED Strips product. Please note that these LED strip lights can support a maximum connected length of 16.4 ft (5 meters).

We have also attached two layout diagrams below, which illustrate some of the most common product installation configurations:

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4B?px=-2201&py=-2213.5&pw=1402&ph=1427&s=0.1

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2201&py=-2213.5&pw=1402&ph=1427&s=0.1

LED Lights that Simulates Sunlight and UV Output


I'm an avid salmon fisherman. I tie a lot of flies and painting lures for salmon. I'm looking for a light that best simulates sunlight but also has UV down to about 350nm. Do you have a light that would work? 

While we can confirm that many of our products (such as the ABSOLUTE SERIES™ LED Flexible Strip) offer light output which closely simulates direct sunlight, these products generally do not offer UV output as well. 

As such, we, unfortunately, might not have the ideal lighting product available at the moment.

I was looking for a simple bulb. I have a light box I built where I can put different colored filters to simulate different watercolors. However, currently, it just uses a standard bulb. About UV, is there a single 350-400 nm light you guys sell?

If your light box is designed to utilize an E26 base lightbulb, we unfortunately might not have the ideal ultraviolet product form factor available at the moment. However, depending on the dimensions and design of the lightbox, you might also be able to utilize our 365 nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. This product is designed to output UV-A light which is centered within the referenced range.

realUV LED Lights for Activating Antimicrobial Glass


I have come across the realUV product range while researching producers of LED lighting. I am looking for solutions for activating the coating when natural daylight UV is unavailable. The realUV series appears to be a good fit, emitting strongly in the 360 nm range. 

Our 365 nm UV LED products sound like a great fit for the application!

​We do have several form factors, such as our 20-watt flood light, as well as the LED strip lights, which could work for your needs.

Can the LED light be directionally controlled?

The LEDs have an inherent 120-degree beam angle; as such, they can be somewhat "directed" toward a target but their orientation cannot be dynamically controlled.

What is the smallest form factor that can be used?

The smallest form factor would be our LED strip lights. I've included the product datasheet below for your reference, with a dimensional diagram included.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7021.pdf

Have the products been safety certified for use when people are present?

The products have not been safety certified. We would recommend taking additional precautions if the lights will be used extensively and/or near people. UV-blocking glasses may also be a beneficial addition for safety purposes.

Do you have known values for UV irradiance at a set distances from the light (i.e. value of mW / cm2 at 50 cm, 1 m, 2m, etc)

Please see below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7021.pdf

What we would like to do is find LED solutions for the concept described in the attached PDF. Can the LEDs be housed/contained, such that the light is directed onto the face of the glass, and not towards customers or employees on either side?

Unfortunately, I do not believe the geometry would allow for irradiating the surface of the material effectively without having the lamps shining perpendicularly from one side or the other. The only thing I can think of would be to implement an edge-lit solution with the UV LED strip lights, but we do not have any data or experience for this type of application and we would need to have the testing and validation performed on your end.

Another thought I have is that if the barrier itself contains UV-blocking properties (as do most residential and commercial windows), I would imagine that the LED lamps could be directed at the barrier without the harmful UV rays passing through, thereby preventing any harm to people on the other side.

Output Wattage of UV-C LED Strip


What are the output led watts for this product? I am looking for a led strip for a new product.

We can confirm that the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product has a UV output of 130-140 mW per reel.

For more information regarding this product, I have attached a link to the product specification sheet below.

Specification Sheet: https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7026.pdf

Do you have UV-C LED Strips in 254-270 nanometers?


I collaborate with an Irish company that deals with the construction of sterilization boxes with UV-C, I ask you if you also have UV-C LED strips in your catalog the 254 nanometers and 270 nanometers with relative certification. 

We can confirm that we sell the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product, which emits 270nm UVC radiation. However, the product wavelength of 270-275nm does not include the 254nm specified in your email. For more product details, including a specification sheet and photometric reports, please visit the product page.

UV-A LED Light for Curing Glue-On Metal to Glass


Which UV light is best for curing glue-on metal to glass? Should I use 365nm or 395 nm? 

While we do not have any specific data on cure rates including the glue-on product, our 365 nm wavelength is generally better suited for curing applications and should be a good option for you.

The product I am using is CRL UV adhesive, UV KLEBSTOFF, high viscosity. I am attaching metal jewels to glass containers and need to know if this is the correct UV light before I order additional lamps?

We did a quick search online but was unable to locate any specific UV requirements for the UV Klebstoff product. However, we do believe that our UV-A lamps are in the general range of wavelengths required for most curing applications and should work sufficiently for your needs.

We would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the UV LED will not work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. 

Do you make UV-B lights that are 300-400 nm?


Do you guys happen to make UV-B lights that are 300-400 nm?

We do make several lights that are at the 365 nm wavelength, which falls within the wavelength range you specified below (300-400 nm). Please note, however, that these lamps are typically considered "UV-A" and not "UV-B".

​Please see below for one of our most popular UV-A lamps:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light

UV LEDs for Wildfire Painted Artwork


What would you recommend for an LED UV strip with an av 110v power plug-in or battery-powered supply? For a painting with UV and acrylic artwork to go around the canvas perimeter. To switch from natural light to UV light.

Based on the details provided, we might recommend our 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights. As most fluorescents are strongest within the 320-380nm range, we believe that this product would allow for the most effectiveness in your photography.

As this product utilizes 4.5 watts per foot, an entire 16.4 ft (5 meters) reel should only utilize 73.8 watts in total. As such, the 110-watt power supply should be more than sufficient.

UV-C LED Lighting for a Package Disinfection Application


I’m looking for UVC light strips for an application which is a box that holds packages. The box is 22"x14"x15" and the smallest package will be 5”x5”x2”. The box has a lid at the top. Assumed exposure time can be 10 min. I’d like to know the following:

-Do you have any recommendations regarding the amount and layout of LE D strips recommended for this application? I’m only looking for a rough estimate. We will do our own validation for this.

-Do you have the irradiance pattern on your website in excel so we could manipulate it for our specific application?

-I want to confirm you do not require a LED regulator board (i.e. the LED strips can be directly connected to a regulated power supply)

-Is any heatsinking of the LED strips required?

Based on the dimensions of the box, it appears that the farthest distance from the box side surface to the disinfection surface will be 10 inches (5"x5"x2" box placed in the center of the box, 22 inches wide).

As such, I would imagine that the 10-inch distance would be a good starting point for referencing the exposure dosage values, which are shown below (unfortunately only available in PDF format):

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/BP_7026_EXPOSURE.pdf

The exposure dosage at 10 inches and 5 minutes of exposure time show 61.5 J/m². Extrapolating to 10 minutes would provide 123 J/m². While different pathogens have different levels of susceptibility, we believe that this would be a good starting point in terms of being "in the ballpark" for sufficient exposure.

​Our ability to provide extensive support in the design and layout is somewhat limited, but I would imagine that having the UV-C LED strip lights on each side of the box (5 total?) would be necessary as some "shadowing" could otherwise occur.

The LED strip lights are constant voltage 12-volt DC devices that do not require any special controllers. Even a simple 12-volt DC battery would be sufficient to operate it.

No heatsinking is required.

UV-A LED Strip for Cannabis Grow Light


I have a question about the realUV LED strip. Is this spectrum going to need a pair of glasses with a UV block? Are they going to affect my eyes if not protected? It's for a cannabis grow, and so I'm curious as to photons as well. Basically, can I build a UV board with these that's equivalent to say the high buck 380-nanometer diodes like spider farmer, mars hydro even gave? 

Our UV LED strip lights can certainly be used for a DIY grow light build and sounds like a great option for you!

​Unfortunately, we do not have PPFD values available, but below is our UV irradiance pattern chart:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7021.pdf

​We would recommend using eye protection whenever possible with any kind of UV or high intensity lighting systems.

Should I secure them to a aluminum plate to dissipate heat? It said no but where's the hear loss in the power box or the LED? 

​You may find our layout maps helpful for providing you with some conceptual guidance and ideas for your installation:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2219&py=-2490&pw=1438&ph=1980&s=0.1

The UV LED strips do not require any aluminum plates for heatsinking as the heat is designed to dissipate through the heavy-duty (4 oz) copper circuit board.

UV-A LED Strip Light to Glow a Painting Studio


I have approx. 10×10 room with a 2×4 panel drop ceiling - black acoustic) I would like to have independent white and fixtures or another way to control white and UV independently. I plan on filming in there so need lots of white light preferably on a dimmer. The blacklight/UV would be useful to have both 365nm and possibly another wavelength (this is one major question) I'm using strontium aluminate pigments but maybe it might help to have another wavelength in there as well. The wall switch can be changed, in fact, everything is open with bonus points if I can control them via remote control. 

The closest alternative option would be to incorporate our LED strip lights, which are offered both in 365 nm UV-A as well as in various color temperatures in white. This would require some rewiring and modification of the fixtures as well as familiarity with low-voltage wiring systems.

Based on what you are looking for, the Lutron Caseta remote control system to control our LED strip lights may be a great option for you. (See article here: https://www.waveformlighting.com/home-residential/dimming-led-strip-lights-and-led-bulbs-using-smart-lighting-systems)

I just need advice what to put on the switch or if there's a primary fixture for the dimmable bright white lights with the ability to daisy chain for power only to the UV. If 10,000 lumen is overkill that's beyond overkill (I plan to keep it dimmed, but would like option of brightness for the microscope) I can be flexible.

We do not have any fixtures that would meet your needs, so everything would need to be a custom build / installation on your end.

​Our LED strip lights can be a viable option and can be connected to a wall dimmer as shown in the layout chart shown in the link below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/3001_1C

​​I've input your room dimensions in our lumen estimation calculator (https://www.waveformlighting.com/lumen-calculator) and the 10,000 lumens would provide you with roughly 100 footcandles across the space. This is certainly on the high side but may be preferred or even needed, depending on how much light you are looking for your film and photography needs.

Each 1 ft section of the white LED strip lights emits approximately 450 lumens, so you would be looking for approximately 22 ft of LED strip lights to achieve 10,000 lumens.

UV-A LED Light for Aging


I'm interested in an LED strip which can be used for accelerated life testing, preferably something that is close to the UVA-340 florescent lamps. 

While we do not have any specific guidance or test data, our UV-A LED strip lights could certainly be considered for ultraviolet exposure in simulating accelerated aging under certain lighting conditions.

Our 365 nm and 395 nm LED strip lights may be a good starting point for providing UV-A radiation output. I've provided the product link below.

https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/realuv/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254

Do you have a UV-C LED Strip Lights in 250-260 nm range?


Do you happen to have any products that are in the 250-260nm range that use LED’s? This is for a project prototype awaiting patent approval.

Unfortunately the only product we have near that wavelength range would be our UV-C LED strip lights which are centered at 275 nm.

​Please see the product link below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/cleanuv-uv-c-led-strip-light

Outdoor UV LED Blacklight Sign Lighting


I'm working on lighting up a music venue sign with blacklight LED strips. The strips will be under a metal awning. Do you have a UV blacklight, weatherproof, LED strip?

Although our UV LED strip lights would be a great fit for a backlight sign, they are unfortunately not waterproof so even for use under an awning, they would not be a good option for outdoor use.

​Our UV flood lights, however, are IP65 rated and can be used outdoors. I'm wondering if this might be a viable alternative product that you may want to consider.

​We've included the product link below for your reference:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light

Can UV-C LED Strip Light be daisy-chained?


I see that you only offer this product in lengths of 3.2 ft. I suppose that is sufficient for most applications (i.e. air ducts). I am trying to do a similar space but the length I am interested in is roughly 50 to 60 feet. What are the engineering challenges when implementing this product at such lengths? This would be something I would be interested in pursuing long-term at large volumes. 

​The UV-C LED strip light can be daisy-chained using the PN 7096 daisy-chain connector up to 5 reels at a time. As such, you should be able to span distances up to 16.4 ft for each installation unit.

​Unfortunately, due to power supply and circuitry constraints, we would not be able to support longer distances. Therefore, a longer run of 50-60 feet would require multiple installation units (perhaps 3-4 separate runs).

UV-A LED Strip Lights for (Gum Bichromate) Photo Printing Processes


I am trying to construct a UV exposure unit for historic photo printing processes (gum Bichromate). I think the best wavelength is 365 nm because it is firmly in the UV window. Do you have any experience with this application for UV LED? I think I will need a 5 m reel to adequately cover a 20x24” surface. The distance to the image from the lights would be about 6”. Would you be able to suggest the maximum gap between strips that provide even illumination? Could you recommend a power supply that I could order at the same time that is sufficient for the 5 m of the LED? 

Our UV LED strip lights sound like a great option for your installation. While we do not have any data or specific recommendations for the gum bichromate process, we agree that the 365 nm wavelength should be a good fit based on what is generally known about its sensitivity to UV wavelengths.

The 5-meter length (approximately 16 ft) should be sufficient for the installation surface. Based on a 24" width, you could, for example, install eight sections of 2 ft each. 

To ensure even coverage, we generally recommend spacing the LED strips no farther apart than the distance away from the irradiance surface. In other words, for your installation, the LED strip sections should be placed no farther than 6 inches apart.

​Our 12-volt power supply has sufficient power capacity to operate a 5-meter reel of UV LED strip lights.

Finally, I've included a link to a layout diagram for a similar configuration, which may be helpful:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C

I plan on cutting and soldering the sections together with the wire. Is there any specific wire that you would recommend for this application and the current? Over the 5m is there much of a voltage drop and corresponding drop in UV power across the length of an LED?

The primary thing to look out for when soldering the sections together is to use wire with the sufficient thickness (gauge). Our 16 AWG wire, for example, would be a great option for connecting the LED strip sections together. Please see below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/16-awg-wire

​In terms of voltage drop, we do not see any significant decrease in UV across the 5-meter run, as long as the connections between the LED strip sections are made securely and with wires of sufficient wire gauge. 

If consistent UV intensity is a significant concern, however, we may recommend powering the LED strip running from both ends, thereby effectively reducing the max run length to 2.5 meters each.

UV-A LED Lighting for Avian Application


I own a parrot sanctuary, and we currently use 12-volt LED full-spectrum lighting for our parrot's living cages. We would like to add UVA lighting for the general health and well-being of our flock (birds actually see well into the UV spectrum, in addition to the health benefits from UVA exposure to avian species) and your 365/395nm UV LED strips look like a fantastic option for this purpose. Can you tell me if you have provided lighting products for others for this purpose? 

We, unfortunately, do not have any data or previous use cases for our UV-A products in avian applications, but this could definitely be a viable option to supplement the UV-A wavelength needs for birds.

In order to replicate the full solar spectrum, including the UV-A wavelength band, the use of our UV-A LED strip lights may indeed be an effective approach.

We've included the product link below :

https://store.waveformlighting.com/collections/realuv/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights

Technical Specs and Test reports of cleanUV UV-C LED Strip Light


Please share the Tech Specs and Test reports if any. 

Please see below for the requested product information:

Product technical specifications can be found at this link: https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7026.pdfProduct test report can be found at this link: https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/TR_7025.270.pdf

UV LED Light for Cyanotype Printing Application


I have read several of your helpful articles but still have no idea which would be the best light for working with cyanotypes. (Cyanotypes are a type of cameraless photography where you contact print images and expose them either under the Sun or a UV light) I assume people have purchased these lights for this purpose before. Can you let me know if both NM types work or if one is superior for this particular use? 

While we have not done any internal tests or gathered any data to verify, we have indeed have numerous customers reach out regarding this application.

​We believe that the 365 nm wavelength works best for cyanotype printing applications. The 365 nm UV LED flood light is certainly a popular option. Please see below for the product link:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light?variant=15914245521510

We would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the LED bulbs are not going to work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. 

UV Lights for Invisible UV Activated Paints


I am looking for the UV light that will activate invisible paints made by wildfire. Modern masters. What would you recommend for that and do you have a diagram of the angle for the lights? I am trying to calculate how to hide it in millwork. 

While we do not have any exact data or measurements for the Wildfire fluorescent paint products, our 365 nm UV LED lights will likely be a great fit for your needs.

I've included a link to our 365 nm UV LED flood lights, which I believe will be a nice option:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light

I've also included the irradiance pattern below, which can provide additional information on coverage at various mounting heights:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7022.pdf

Do you have any LEDs that produce light at 293nm?


Do you have any LEDs that produce light at 293nm? Looking to supplement vitamin D per this article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-11362-2

Unfortunately, we do not sell LED products that produce light at the 293nm wavelength at this time. We apologize!

How safe is UV-A LED Light?


I am considering realUV™ LED Strip Lights in a custom bookshelf to make some vaseline glass fluoresce. I read on your site that 365nm is better than 395 for this application. How safe is UVA? I thought about putting the fluorescent items and LEDs behind the glass (which I know *passes* UVA) and applying a UV-blocking film to the glass which would pass the visible fluorescence. Is this kind of protection necessary? Is there a distance from the LEDs where the amount of UVA hitting a person would be negligible?

Our UV-A LED strips sound like a great fit for your vaseline glass fluorescence project!

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

​That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come close to the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues.Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV "brightness" and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

UV exposure is usually not an issue as long as a reasonable distance is kept between the UV source and human skin and/or eyes, and as such, we do not anticipate any significant safety risks arising from the proposed installation. We recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.​

UV-C LED Strip Lights for Water Purification


Can the ultraviolet LED strip be used to treat water? I have a use case for a 300-gallon tank on a circulation pump, and I am looking for inexpensive ways to treat the water. Are your strips waterproof? Or would they need to be isolated in an outer clear tube with the water running through an inner clear tube? 

Our UV-C LED strips are designed for sterilization applications, but unfortunately we do not have any data or application support for liquid disinfection at this time.

​Furthermore, the UV-C LED strip lights are not waterproof and would need to be enclosed in a waterproof casing that simultaneously protects the components from moisture and water exposure, while allowing for the 275 nm UV-C radiation to pass through unobstructed.

Do you have a full-spectrum UV-A LED Lights in 300 to 400 nm wavelength?


Do you have an LED light that emits the full 300 to 400 nm range? If not, what wavelength options do you offer?

Unfortunately, we do not have any "full spectrum" UV-A options.

​We do offer a 365 nm and 395 nm option, but these are narrow-band products that have a full-width half-max (FWHM) of approximately 15-20 nm only, and therefore would not cover the entirety of the wavelength range.

Do you have glasses/goggles/camera/etc., that would allow me to see the 365 and 395 nm light?

The 365 nm wavelength is completely invisible so there is no way to make this visible even with goggles or other equipment. 395 nm, on the other hand, does have a purple tint and can be observed with the naked eye.

Daisy-chaining realUV LED Strip Lights


Daisy chaining seven 16.4 ft lengths of your UV LEDs. Rather than using 7 power supplies, can you recommend a 600W power supply/driver I could use to power 115ft of this product? What other items would I need to daisy chain that length of 7021.95? 

While the realUV™ LED Strip Lights can be daisy-chained together, please note that this product has a maximum run length of 16.4 ft (5 meters).

As such, we do not recommend arranging this product into a combined run of 115 ft with a single power source, as this may introduce safety hazards.

Further, we, unfortunately, do not have any recommendations for power supplies that would be capable of powering seven reels of this product. We apologize! ​

Can I plug the realUV LED Strip Lights into a ceiling fan fixture?


If I replace a ceiling fan, can I plug the wires into the old ceiling fan wires and have it work off the light switch? 

Thank you for reaching out! Unfortunately our UV LED strip lights are not designed to be mounted into a ceiling fixture and would therefore not be an appropriate installation location.

As an alternative, we would perhaps recommend using our UV flood light, which can be plugged into a switched outlet. Please see below for the product link and let us know if you have any further questions.

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light

365 nm UV Lighting for Imaging Failure/Cracks


I'm looking to know if you might have any 365 nm UV lighting that could be of assistance for the detection of cracks/failures when imaging (using a Canon camera set for UV conditions). 

We, unfortunately, do not have any test data or literature for the application you mention, but we do expect that our UV LED products are well suited for installations that require the use of UV to visually inspect and fluorescence effects. In particular, we would recommend our 365 nm version over the 395 nm version, as this provides additional visual contrast of fluorescence effects without as much visible, purple light.

We would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the LED lamps are not going to work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. 

UV LED Strip Lights for SLA 3D Print Curing


I am considering the use of your UV LED strips in the fabrication of one or more UV curing stations for SLA 3D resin prints. The print objects will be roughly 2-3 inches from the sides of the container during curing. I am looking to duplicate or get as close as practically possible to, the effect of leaving the prints exposed to direct sunlight. What would be the recommended length of your UV LED strip lights for this application? Will I need to consider ventilation to dissipate heat?

Our UV LED strips sound like a nice option for your UV curing needs. Unfortunately, while we completely understand the reason and nature of your question, it'll likely be quite difficult for us to provide you with a satisfactory answer as far as "how much" UV LED intensity would be needed.

The primary difficulty in making this determination is that natural sunlight produces a wide range of ultraviolet radiation, anywhere from 300 nm to 400 nm. It is a combination of these various wavelength energies that are likely producing the chemical reactions needed during the curing process, but without additional information from the resin material manufacturer, we can't be certain as to whether the curing happens most optimally at 320 nm, 340 nm, 360 nm or 380 nm, for example.

Our UV LED strip lights, on the other hand, are narrow-band UV wavelength devices. Our 365 nm LED products, for example, emit energy only in the 355 - 375 nm wavelength range. This typically is a wavelength range that happens to be within the range for many curing processes, but the extent to which this happens efficiently or optimally would ultimately depend on the specific resin material.

As a very rough estimate, we do believe that one or two rows of the LED strip lights, if placed 2-3 inches away from the curing surface, should be a good starting point for testing purposes. No special thermal management for the LED strips would be needed as long as they are used at standard room temperature.

To that end, we would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the LED strips are not going to work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. All we ask is for you to keep the LED strips in their original condition, meaning that the adhesive liner must not be removed, and that the LED strips must not be cut into any shorter sections or otherwise altered.

According to the vendor for my printer and resins, they use a 385-405 nm UV wavelength, with the shorter end of that range being the more effective. How might this change your recommendation (if at all)? Also, when you say one or two rows of the strip lights, you mean the 1m length or 5m?

Based on this graphic published on Wikipedia showing irradiance levels of sunlight, we should be able to extrapolate approximately a 1.0 W/m² /nm irradiance level across the 385-405 nm wavelength range.

​If we do a basic integration across this wavelength range, we can estimate that the irradiance levels provided across that 20 nm wavelength range is approximately 20 W/m² .

​Based on our measurements of the LED strip light, the irradiance levels at 12 inches is approximately 228 µW/cm², which converts to approximately 2.28 ​W/m². 

​You mention that you will be using the LED strip lights from approximately 2-3 inches away. Extrapolating by using the inverse square law twice, we would estimate an irradiance level of approximately 36.5 W/m² at this distance, which will be sufficient to match the irradiance levels of natural sunlight, as suggested by the references above.

​Please keep in mind that these values are extrapolated using a combination of empirical and theoretical values, and actual results may vary. It seems, however, that we would be "in the ballpark" in terms of the required irradiance levels to match natural daylight, and we do hope this might be helpful as a first step.

Our suggestion of using one or two rows did not take into account the reel size, as the length of the reel would only affect the irradiance surface coverage laterally and not the irradiance of a single point. In other words, extending a 1 meter reel by another 4 meters would not alone increase the irradiance levels of a point near the beginning of that reel.

You are basically saying that a single one of your 1 m strips at 2-3 inches from the object (wrapped round the sides of the circular can pointed inward) should be able to roughly match the effect of sunlight for UV 385-405 nm range , yes?

I note that the measurement chart you linked to is based on the 365nm strip. Can I assume that the 395 nm strips (which fall within the correct exposure range for my resin prints) will behave in a roughly similar fashion?

The answer to both of your questions is yes, and as mentioned prior, we would recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the LED strips are not going to work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. All we ask is for you to keep the LED strips in their original condition, meaning that the adhesive liner must not be removed, and that the LED strips must not be cut into any shorter sections or otherwise altered. 

After your recommendation, I purchased a couple of 1 m strips of UV LED lighting to trial with 3D print curing. I also purchased a pack of PN 7096 daisy-chain connectors; unfortunately these are quite bulky and interfere a bit with what I am trying to setup. Do the PN 3072 LED strip to strip connectors work with your UV LEDs? These would be a much better solution in terms of space in my curing can. 

The first alternative would be to solder your own wires directly, thereby avoiding the thick cables and connector pieces altogether. Please do let me know if you would be open to this approach and I can provide additional guidance on the steps needed.

The second option would be to use PN 3071 to join the two sections together. This cable is thinner and should cause fewer issues for your installation. PN 3072 is also compatible, but does not include the cable so you would be constrained to joining two LED strip sections end-to-end (no turns allowed).

Both products in the second option are packaged in packs of 10. Unfortunately we are unable to split these into smaller packs and we do apologize for the inconvenience.

Will exposure to 365nm LED UV Strip Lights cause any skin damage?


I would like to get some of your 365nm UV LED strips. Will exposure to the 365nm light cause any skin damage? 

Generally speaking, it's a bit difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly, so we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.

​Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example. 

​That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following: 

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come near the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues.Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV "brightness" and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

UV-C LED Strip Light for Fluorescent Mineral Display


I want to install UV shortwave lighting for my fluorescent mineral display. The minerals are on two shelves, each about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide. I believe the UV-C LED strip light will work. I am planning to buy the Filmgrade DC power supply. Is that the right power supply for what I want to do? How do I hook up the two strips (each 1/2 segment of the original)? Is there a way to do this without having to buy two power supplies? 

I am happy to confirm that the 12V FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip is indeed compatible with the realUV™ LED Strip Lights.

Please feel free to utilize our return policy, if the realUV™ LED Strip Lights wind up not working well for your mineral display. For your testing purposes, please note that we are unable to accept returns for LED strip light products that have been cut or altered, including the removal of the adhesive liner.

Regarding installing multiple strips, there are a few configurations that might work for your installation. I have provided layout links below which illustrate these configurations further. To utilize two strip segments powered by one power supply, you may benefit from using the LED Strip-to-Strip product.

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4B?px=-2278.5&py=-2245.5&pw=1557&ph=1491&s=0.1

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2278.5&py=-2245.5&pw=1557&ph=1491&s=0.1

Do I have to unroll the entire LED strip to test it? I would like to test it using just half the length, then test using just 15 inches and finally test it using just 8 inches. 

Can I daisy chain two pieces (one will not have a DC connector) for my display and then use the third piece (with the second DC connector) somewhere else?

We're happy to confirm that the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light item can be removed from the reel, as well as tested without altering the product.

To daisy-chain the individual UV-C barrel jack lengths together, we sell a product called the Daisy-Chain DC Connector for UV LED Strips, which might prove to be useful.

Further, to connect the individual cut segments, we might recommend the LED Strip to Strip product.

For powering the product, we recommend a 12V DC power supply, such as our FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip product.

Do you offer full-spectrum LED lights that contain UV-A?


I was wondering whether you sell any full spectrum lights that also contain UVA.

Unfortunately, we do not currently sell UV-A products that also offer full spectrum output at this time. We apologize!

365 nm LED Strip Light with Comparable Specs as Digikey 160-2184DKR


I am looking for LEDs with the same specifications as these LEDs from Digikey 160-2184DKR. I need to get these in a strip version. 

Based on our review of the product referenced, it appears that the most similar product that we offer is the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights.

Product link: https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254

However, please note that there may be considerable differences between the two items, as we are only able to offer expertise for our products. 

Do you offer 365nm UV LED Strip Light?


Do you sell or can you sell any of these I can use for a pc case? Currently, you only offer them with DC plugs. I’m looking to hook these up to my pc 1600-watt power supply. Molex connection.

Unfortunately we do not offer the 365 nm UV LED strip lights with a Molex-compatible connector, however, you may be able to locate third-party plug adapters such as the one below to operate the LED strip from your computer's power supply unit.

https://www.amazon.com/4-Pin-Molex-Connector-5-5mm-2-1mm/dp/B01F5KL9T0

realUV LED Strip Lights for Aquatic Turtles


Would the UV LED strip be good for my aquatic turtle? The tank I have came with LED lighting to look nice however turtles require UVB lighting for their shell. The tank is closed so a regular lamp won't work. I'm hoping I could stick your product on the inside cover and provide her w the required UVB light she needs. 

The first step in checking for compatibility would be ensuring that the inner cover area of the tank is waterproof. This is because our LED strip lights are not designed to come into contact with water or moisture, and are not IP rated. The presence of moisture or water on the products could cause an unsafe electrical hazard and would void the product warranty.​As such, generally speaking, we discourage the use of LED strip light products within installations where they may come into contact with water.​However, if the inner cover of the tank is indeed waterproof, and could offer protection against outside moisture, then the RealUV™ LED Strip Lights product could be a great option for your aquatic turtles!

UV Light Box for Cyanotype


I am not that familiar with LEDs and hope that you could check the following for me before I place the order - I want to build a UV lightbox for Cyanotype and similar processes, so the LED strip would be cut and arranged in a grid-type pattern on a flat surface. I believe the following is all I need:

We've reviewed the cart contents, and have confirmed that the items you currently have selected should be sufficient to install in a grid layout.

Below is a layout map showing an example installation and the parts list, which lines up exactly with the configuration you have in mind.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2093&py=-2098.5&pw=1186&ph=1197&s=0.1

Short Wave UV LED Strip Light for Fluorescent Minerals Display


I would like to set up a display of my fluorescent minerals. Most of them fluoresce under short-wave UV which I believe is 250, not 365. In looking over your website I saw nothing at that wavelength. Did I miss it? I would really like the LED strip for my display. Given how many mineral collectors there are I would hope there is a strong market for such a product.

We currently offer the following UV wavelengths:

​395 nm:https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights

365 nm: https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254

​275 nm: https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/cleanuv-uv-c-led-strip-light

The 275 nm wavelength option, while typically used for sterilization applications, may fit your needs well.

LED Black Light for Vehicle Electrical System


I'm looking for a black light strip or bulbs that can be used in a car. I have a beautiful forefoot tube with black light chips but it's made for the house and my stereo installer can't make it work. So I'm wondering if yours can be used in a vehicle's electrical system. 

While we don't have any official installation or use support for our UV LED strip lights in vehicles, our LED strip lights operate on 12 volts DC and should integrate quite seamlessly into a 12-volt electrical system.

​We've included the product link below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights?variant=12339996721254

What is the irradiance of UV-A fluorescent bulbs versus distance?


I enjoyed reading through your webpage "Understanding UV-A Irradiance, and Requirements for Various Applications."I'm trying to figure out the (approximate) irradiance values at different distances. I've been given two values for a 365nm fluorescent bulb fixture: 1,700 uW/cm2 @ 5 inches and 800 uW/cm2 @ 12 inches. I've tried applying the Inverse Square Law but this isn't working for me. 

We would expect that the inverse square law would indeed apply for a fluorescent lamp as well, but there may of course be some variations depending on the lamp length or other factors.

I would recommend reaching out to the manufacturer of the lamp for additional details, or purchase a UV meter to empirically determine irradiance values.

Do you offer smaller quantities of UV-C LED Strip Lights?


We are looking to find UVC LEDs that are compatible with our current product and were wondering if you sell smaller quantities of your UVC LEDs. 

We currently offer UV-C LEDs in an LED strip light format. Unfortunately, we do not offer the product in any other form factors at this time. Please see the product link below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/cleanuv-uv-c-led-strip-light

What is the Fahrenheit temperature of the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light?


What is the Fahrenheit temperature of the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light? How hot does it get? Is it suitable for HVAC duct installation?

The temperature rise of the LED strip light and LED case is typically 40-80 degrees Fahrenheit over ambient. Generally, temperatures enter equilibrium within 30 minutes of operation.

The product has not been tested for suitability or efficacy in HVAC systems. We would recommend reviewing the installation location to ensure that it is not subject to moisture as the LED strip lights are not moisture or waterproof.

Can a 3-foot UVC strip be cut into 3 pieces? In other words, can a section from The middle be cut out, connection soldered, and still illuminate on its own without the end pieces? I see there are cut lines on the strip. Just wanted to make sure all cut strips would illuminate, as well as the end pieces when cut. 

Yes, each of the LED strip sections will remain functional even after they are cut into shorter sections. As long as each section is powered with 12 volts, they can function independently.

Does your realUV LED Floodlight properly expose a standard size silkscreen?


Could you tell me if your 20W 395nm UV-led flood light will properly expose a standard size 20"x24" silkscreen? If so, could you tell me what brand of emulsion is for solvent-based or plastisol-type inks? I can't find any info on your site that says it will work or won't work. Are the 395nm UV-led strips effective in the same application? Approximately how far apart should the strips be and approximately how far away from the screen?

Unfortunately, we do not have any test or reference data for silkscreen exposure applications. Several customers who have used our products have reported success using the 365 nm wavelength variant of our LED strip lights. The exact requirements are likely to depend on the emulsion product and variations among manufacturers and formulations. If you have any additional information on peak wavelength sensitivities or irradiance requirements, we may be able to provide some additional guidance here.

​For your reference, below is an example of a customer who successfully used the 365 nm UV LED strips to produce a similar solution:

We do apologize that we do not have any readily available literature or data on silkscreen UV applications. As we enter the new year we do hope to be able to provide additional information for this specific application as we have seen quite a bit of interest in this area.

In the meantime, we would perhaps recommend testing and taking advantage of our free returns policy. If for whatever reason you find that the LED strips are not going to work for your project, we would be more than happy to pay for return shipping and offer a full refund. All we ask is for you to keep the LED strips in their original condition, meaning that the adhesive liner must not be removed and that the LED strips must not be cut into any shorter sections or otherwise altered.

realUV LED Strip Lights for Cabinet with Uranium Glass


I have 5 shelves that are 3' by 2' with uranium glass that I want to 'glow'. Planning on purchasing a 5m 365nm realUV LED strip and cutting it into 5 pieces. Question: based on your Watt estimator, 3' of LED strip is a lot of coverage for 6 sq ft of the shelf. Will I want a dimmer? Side note: I wish you had longer connector wires. Shelves are 1.5' ft apart. I can kludge together with extra connectors/wire/wire-nuts, but will not be a real clean look. 

While we have not done any tests in-house, we do believe that our realUV LED strip lights will work very well for uranium glass, and have had several customers report success with similar projects.

You are correct that our UV LED strip lights do offer quite a bit of output per foot, so you may not need as much power to achieve the fluorescence effects you are after. In general, however, having too much UV intensity is not necessarily a bad thing, as the fluorescence effects will tend to hit a "ceiling" once a certain UV intensity level is reached.

That being said, we do offer an inline dimmer that could very well be used for your installation should you prefer to have control over the UV intensity. The connection diagram can be found at the link below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4D

Finally, we sincerely appreciate your feedback on the solderless connector cable length. I'll definitey have our team consider a longer cable product for future product development.

In the meantime, our PN 7098 cable product will likely be your best workaround. For a cleaner installation, if you are comfortable, directly soldering the wires onto the copper pads may also be an option for you.

When you say ‘solder onto the copper pad’, are you suggesting that I could remove the wire from PN 3070 and solder in the new, longer length of wire? I’m very comfortable with soldering and that would be a great option! 

The LED strip lights, once they are cut, will have solder pads exposed and accessible. The photo below shows the copper semi-circles right along the cut-line:

​From there, the PN 7098 wires can be tinned, and then directly soldered onto the copper semi-circles. This assembly will essentially replace and negate the need for PN 3070 / 3071 altogether.

Can you produce a UV-C LED Strip product in a lower-density configuration?


I am curious if you can produce the strip in a low-density version as compared to your standard product.

Unfortunately, we do not offer the UV-C LED strip product in a lower-density configuration. If you can let us know what you would be looking to achieve by lowering the density of the emitters, we'd be glad to see if can suggest an alternate solution.

I am designing sanitizing equipment and have tested your UVC emitters to see how well they work. In addition, I am trying to lower the cost as the LEDs are the most expensive item in the Bill of materials. I was looking at your other LED strips and saw they came in a low-density configuration. I would ideally like to have a spacing of the UVC emitters about 3” apart. Is it possible to get what I’m looking for to test? 

Unfortunately, our LED strip production runs are typically done on the order of thousands of feet, so unless this is a high-volume application, a custom LED strip layout is unlikely to be feasible.

The LED strip lights can be cut in single-LED increments, so if you do have the ability to cut and rejoin them in longer intervals, that could be another workaround solution. We offer solderless connectors as well, which may help in reducing assembly labor costs and time. Please see below:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/led-strip-to-connector-solderless-connector-for-single-color-led-strip-10-pack

Air Disinfection Efficacy of UVC LED Light


I would like to know, if I installed a UVC light in my furnace return air chamber, how effective could it be?

Unfortunately we do not have any data on air disinfection efficacy for our products at this time. Our data is currently limited to surface disinfection, and additional information can be found below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/uv-c-led/how-to-determine-uv-c-irradiance-requirements-for-disinfection-applications

Under-Counter Mountable Bright UV LED Light for Currency


We need an under-counter mountable UV Light that is bright enough to check for counterfeit currency. Do you make the such thing? 

We do not have any products that are exclusively designed for under-cabinet installations, but our UV LED strip lights should work very well for your needs. The LED strip lights come with 3M double sided adhesive pre-applied, and can be mounted to the underside of cabinets and should be a great solution for you. For counterfeit currency detection, we believe that the 365 nm wavelength will work best for maximum fluorescence and color contrast.

​Please see below for the product link and let us know your thoughts!

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/real-uv-led-strip-lights

365 nm vs 395 nm UV LED Strip Lights


Our business is platinum photographic printing. I have 10 meters of 395nm strip. I am building an exposure unit with those. I believe the sensitive area for a pt. print is around 300 to 400 nm and glass is about 300 nm cut off. The glass is needed. Is there an advantage to using 365 nm UV strips? How much, if any, can voltage boost output -- considering air cooling? is there an advantage to using UV floods? 

We don't have any official support for exposure unit installations, but other customers have reported much success using our UV LED strip lights for screen printing applications.

​We believe that the 365 nm may be a more effective wavelength given that this wavelength level is a "deeper" UV-A wavelength that may be a closer overlap with the sensitivity range of various emulsion materials. We do not believe that the 300 nm cut-off glass will be an issue.

​The products are rated at 12 volts only, and over-drive is not supported and will likely lead to premature failure, even with sufficient cooling.

​The UV floods can also be an option, though achieving uniformity may be a bit more challenging. For example, please see our irradiance charts for the UV flood light below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7022.pdf

UVC LED Strip Light Technical and Specification Details


Please provide a technical details of the UVC LED light strip. Also, a comparison study of UVC LED Vs UVC Tubes, if made available would be very helpful.

Please see below for the product specification sheet for our UV-C LED strip lights and let us know if you have any further questions.

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/CS_7026.pdf

​Unfortunately we do not have any comparison studies at this time. Sorry!

We would need a timer switch attached to the subject light. We just install the light in the cabinet, plug and play. The exposure range will be 1 to 100 minutes. Is this something that you could help us with?

If the proto type is successful, there will be scope for multiple units, as we have plans to provide UVC disinfection units enterprise wide.

Unfortunately, we do not provide any direct solutions for a timer feature. If you're looking for something simple and plug + play, you may want to consider something as basic as a wall-plug timer such as the one linked to below:

https://www.amazon.com/Techbee-Countdown-Programmalbe-Electrical-Appliances/dp/B086DN9QT3

UV floodlights or LEDS for Fluorescent Wood Pieces?


I've got a 12-foot-tall cedar log standing in my garage. I've inlaid several pieces of very fluorescent wood into it. I don't know which would highlight this the best, the LEDs or the floodlights. 

Our realUV LED lights sound like a great option to bring out the fluorescence effects from your fluorescent wood pieces. We would generally recommend the 365 nm option, as this version would produce less visible light but stronger fluorescence effects, which would produce a nice level of contrast for your installation.

​Please see below for the product link:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light?variant=15914245521510

Do you have a 24-volt DC solution for the cleanUV UV-C LED Strip Light?


We have only 24V DC available in place, where we are planning to use this UV-C light. Do you have a 24V DC solution for this UV-C strip light? 

Unfortunately, we do not have any 24-volt DC configurations of our UV-C LED strip light products. If you do not have any other viable option, you may want to consider the following approach, which is not officially supported but may be workable, depending on your needs:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/pcb-designs/using-a-12v-led-strip-in-a-24v-system

Also, I have to ask for your help with UVC-dose calculations. You have very good specifications and data sheets, but this is a new thing for me. With this led strip, what is UVC-dose in a 50cm distance within 20 minutes? Do you have some program or formula to share, on how I could easily calculate UVC dose for shorter LED strips?

For the UV-C product, the exposure dosage charts can be found below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/BP_7026_EXPOSURE.pdf

The nearest data we have is 30 cm at 15 minutes, for which the exposure dosage is 171 J/m2. For additional calculations, you may find our exposure dosage calculator below helpful:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/uv-c-led/uv-unit-calculator

Fixture Style UV LED Lighting


I have a customer looking for the following: 1st Light UV-A Nanometers: between 315-400nm Fixture Style: Can hang overhead Coverage: A minimum of 3x2 feet for testing purposes 2nd Light UV-B Nanometers: between 280-315nm Fixture Style: Can hang overhead Coverage: A minimum of 3x2 feet for testing purposes 3rd Light UV-C Nanometers: 250nm and below (the lower the better) Fixture Style: Can hang overhead Coverage: A minimum of 3x2 feet for testing purposes.

We are happy to offer the realUV™ LED Strip Light product in both 395nm, as well as 365nm. Each version of this item is available in reels of 3.2 ft (1 meter), and 16.4 ft (5 meter). We also offer the cleanUV™ UV-C LED Strip Light product, which emits 270 nanometer UVC radiation. This product is sold in a 3.2 ft (1 meter) reel.

Further, you may want to consider our realUV flood light available in 365nm and 395nm - a fixture-style that can hang overhead.

Unfortunately, it does not appear that we offer products which meet the '280-315nm' and '250nm and below' requirements requested.

UV LED Strips Lights for Screen Printing


I am looking to build an exposure unit for screen printing. I am looking for strips of UV LED lights. I am not sure of the specs of the lights I need, but do you guys have any idea? Also, would I need a controller or anything from you guys for them?

We, unfortunately, don't have any official documentation or support for building a screen printing exposure unit, but we would be glad to offer suggestions and recommendations to the best of our ability.

We certainly have had customers successfully utilize our LED strip lights for screen printing applications. For example, here is a photo provided by one of our customers. Other product reviews on the product page may serve as an effective starting point or inspiration.

​It's a bit difficult to know "how much" UV is needed, as this can depend on a variety of factors such as the distance from the screen printing surface as well as the type of emulsion being used. If the emulsion material manufacturer has any discrete data on irradiance (typically expressed in mW/cm2) we may be able to provide additional guidance here.

While we do not have any test data on hand, we believe that 365 nm would be the superior choice given that it is a strong UV-A wavelength that should provide far more energy than 395 nm for curing and other photochemical processes. For further information, please reference our article comparing 365 nm to 395 nm.

The only essential components needed for the installation would be the LED strip reel itself, as well as a 12-volt power supply. The power supply can plug directly into the LED strip reel, and no controllers or any other equipment would be needed.

​If you were looking to build an array of LED strip lights, you may want to use our PN 3071 solderless connectors to join the cut LED strip sections. Our layout diagram along with product links can be found below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C

realUV LED Strips for Printing Box


For my printing box, I need UV led strips realUV™ LED Strip Lights (5meter) and 365nm. I need to cut them and connect 10 pieces together. Also, do you have a powerboat that will work for Belgium? So if possible can you send me all of the information I need for ordering this? 

We have listed some product recommendations for your project below, which we hope will be helpful. However, if you would like to provide us with a sketch or layout of the printing box, we would be more than happy to provide you with a more precise product recommendation list.

We are also happy to confirm that the 12V FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip product is compatible with the 220-240V Belgium standard, though you may require an additional wall socket adapter.

In order to connect the ten LED strip light segments together, we recommend using the LED Strip to Strip Solderless Connector for Single Color LED Strip product (PN3071). Please note that the realUV™ LED Strip Lights product has a maximum combined run length of 16.4 ft (5 meters).

In the event that your configuration requires the connection to more than one power supply, you may also find value in the LED Strip to Wire Solderless Connector for Single Color LED Strip (PN3070) product, which can be used in addition to the Male DC Barrel Jack Plug Adapter (PN7095) and 16 AWG Wire for LED Strip Lights (PN7098) products in order to connect the cut segments to additional power supplies.

For more information regarding the various connection methods, please reference the below links which provide further illustration:

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4C: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-2260.5&py=-2245.5&pw=1521&ph=1491&s=0.1

LayoutMaps™ - LED Strip Light Layout 7021_4B: https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4B?px=-2260.5&py=-2245.5&pw=1521&ph=1491&s=0.1

So if I order 5 meter realUV 365nm led strip I need another power supply. Is it possible to order the 24v power supply and connect both led strips to one power supply or must each led strip have its own power supply.

While we can confirm that each 16.4 ft (5 meter) reel of the RealUV™ LED Strip Lights would require a dedicated power supply, the 24V power supply is not unfortunately compatible with this strip light product, as it is only designed for 12V.

As such, we might recommend utilizing an additional 12V FilmGrade™ DC Power Supply for LED Strip product with your additional reel of the 365nm realUV™ LED Strip Lights.

UV LED Strip Lights for Swimming Pool Installation


We need bright LED UV 365 nm wavelength strips to place on edge of pools just above the waterline close to the water edge (not in water) to illuminate the bottom of pools during the nighttime.

We plan to enclose a strip of LEDs in some form of enclosure (clear plastic or clear rubber tubing) to protect them from water splashing on LEDs.

We do offer a 365 nm UV LED strip in a 2835 LED form factor which should work well for your needs from a photometric perspective. The LED strips themselves, however, are not waterproof and therefore do not have the IP rating you are looking for.​If you are able to encase the LED strips in your own waterproofing material, we could definitely see our product being a great fit for your needs.​The one thing we would advise you to confirm is to ensure that the waterproofing material does not inadvertently absorb the UV output, as this is a commonly seen issue with plastics and epoxies.

By using 365nm for short exposure, am I going to create a lot of blind customers? I plan on installing a timer to light up LEDs for about 5 to 10 minutes every ½ hour and then shut off just long enough to recharge our glow in the dark products. In your opinion, is this a problem for health reasons? What is your recommendation for these installations on LEDs? 

Generally speaking, it's a bit difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly, so we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.

​Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come in close proximity to the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues. Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV "brightness" and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

UV exposure is usually not an issue as long as a reasonable distance is kept between the UV source and human skin and/or eyes. I am concerned, however, about the location of the UV light installation, as I could see young children curiously looking into the light source from a very short distance, potentially leading to some issues there.

realUV LED Lights and Bird Anti-Collision Glass


Last year I built a new modern design house for myself and my wife which has many 10 ft tall by 5 ft wide windows. Bird collisions are now a problem and I do care about our feathered friends. I am trying to find bird anti-collision applications that have a vetted high degree of efficiency but yet are relatively unnoticeable. I have applied clear UV liquid in 2 x 4 patterns on the exterior of the glass, however I am still witnessing bird strikes and the UV liquid washes off in a few spots of rain and must be re-applied. So please, a few questions; 

Do you know of a realUV LED application as a shadow caster on large insulated residential windows specifically for bird anti-collision? The “UV shadow caster” illustration has the 385 NM UV LEDs in a canted (45-degree?) wood trim at the interior window glass frame. 

Do you think that a realUV Flood Light might work if it was aimed from the exterior on a large window? If the realUV 365 nm flood is invisible to the human eye, it might possibly be an economical solution. 

I read your cautionary note on exposure of the human eye to UV light. So in the end, realUV light might work to invisibly illuminate window glass so that birds will avoid it, but at what cost to the vision health of the human occupants?

We have checked on our end, but this is the first time we have worked with any customers on a solution for bird collisions using our UV LED products. As such, our support will likely be limited to product-related technical information as well as practical guidance, but we would nonetheless be more than happy to assist to the best of our ability.

It looks like our realUV LED strip lights would be a great option that would replicate the 385 nm UV LED strip lights used in the shadow caster installation. We do believe that the 365 nm wavelength option would perform just as well, if not better than, the the 385 nm wavelength. (For further reference, please see our article comparing 365 nm to 395 nm).

We must admit that we're still not clear on the mechanism of the UV shadow caster. Specifically, what is the "shadow" being cast and how does the UV interact with the glazing to create such shadows? What is the glazing material and what is the desired effect in terms of making it visible (or visible exclusively to birds) under the UV?

Most birds have twice the UV vision perception of the human eye. The concept is that flooding the surface of the glass with UV light will appear to birds as a virtual, near solid barrier. 

I have been in touch with an eye doctor regarding her opinion about being substantially exposed to UVA light in the 365 NM and 405 NM spectrum on a daily basis. The doctor’s opinion is that UVA exposure is not harmless.  

Regarding the “UV caster” with the above said, I am now inclined to explore utilizing the UVA 365 NM flood lights aimed at the window glass in combination with UV filtering applied window film to block the UV light from entering the interior.

While we can't speak to the efficacy of the specific UV caster product, we do now understand that taking advantage of the differences between birds and humans in terms of their wavelength sensitivities, there may be an opportunity to develop a solution that benefits birds without creating a significant hindrance to humans.

As far as UV safety is concerned, it’s a bit difficult for us to provide assurances and guarantees regarding the safe use of ultraviolet LED products, as each installation and application can vary significantly, so we recommend consulting a UV safety expert if you have any further concerns.

Both the 365 nm and 395 nm wavelengths fall under the UV-A wavelength range, which is a weaker form of ultraviolet radiation that is found in natural daylight so there are fewer concerns than other ultraviolet products that fall under the UV-B or UV-C wavelength ranges, for example.

That being said, below are some general safety guidelines that we would recommend following:

The ultraviolet emitters have a very high intensity when used at a very short distance, but less so at longer distances. Therefore, ensuring that people or animals do not come in close proximity to the UV source can help reduce the risk of any eye safety issues. Ultraviolet energy is mostly invisible to the naked eye. It can be difficult for the vision system to recognize a high level of UV “brightness” and produce a natural response to squint or look away, in the way that natural white light would.

UV-A realUV LED Blacklights for Body Paint Application


I am a professional artist that works in multiple medians. I recently started looking into UV body paint and will use Krylon day glow UV body paint. Will your black lights work for this right now? 

We're happy to confirm that our UV-A realUV™ LED products, such as the realUV™ LED Strip Lights and realUV™ LED Flood Light products, work well with fluorescent paints.

If it proves to be useful, here is a link to a blog post from our website, which explains the ultraviolet blacklight products in further detail: https://www.waveformlighting.com/tech/top-4-things-to-consider-before-buying-uv-blacklights

356 nm UV LED Strip Lights for Cyanotypes Application


I am trying to make a UV lightbox for making cyanotypes. I want to make a box that will print up to 16x20, Will 9 strips at 20" long spaced to fit the 16" wide box be enough to print cyanotype? That would be using your largest roll. 

Our UV LED strip lights sound like a great fit for the cyanotype application. Unfortunately, however, our experience and data on cyanotype exposure are limited, and we would not be able to provide any definitive answers about whether or not a certain amount of UV exposure would be sufficient for your needs. If you do have any data on UV exposure values (typically measured in mW/m2, for example) we would be more than happy to assist in calculating this for you.

On the other hand, if you have any previous experience with fluorescent UV bulbs, that may be a good starting point for estimation purposes. Our UV LED strip lights emit approximately the same amount of UV as a fluorescent bulb on a per-foot basis. Therefore, if we calculate out the 9 rows of 20 inches, that works out to approximately 15 feet, which would be around the same amount of UV output as four 4-foot lamps.

We see that you've settled on the 365 nm wavelength, which is most likely the most effective wavelength so that certainly sounds like a good choice.

Will the UVC wavelength go through a clear or diffused PC cover?


I have an application for some UVC lights in a linear track light. Will the UVC wavelength go through a clear or diffused PC cover?

Based on our understanding of polycarbonate materials and their performance with UV-C wavelengths, we would not recommend their use with our UV-C LED strip lights due to their tendency to absorb these wavelengths.

What do you recommend?

The only material we are currently aware of that would work well is quartz glass.

cleanUV UV-C LED Flex Strips for Aquaculture Applications


Interested to hear about the applications of the UVC LED strips. We are an aquaculture research unit - both marine and freshwater with multiple UV sterilizers in every room for in and outgoing water. Do you have any installations in similar water treatment - aquaculture or potable water sterilization?

While we would love to provide additional assistance, unfortunately, we do not have any data or additional metrics on water sterilization at this time.

Our data is unfortunately limited to surface sterilization applications, for which additional literature can be found here:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/datasheets/BP_7026_EXPOSURE.pdf

Reducing the Visible Light Output of realUV LED Light


I was hoping the 365nm realUV product would be somewhat invisible to the human eye considering the extra expense. It casts less visible light than some other products I've purchased in the past, but it is still bright enough to cast shadows in a dark room. Can I dim the LEDs somehow or is there a product with less spread into the visible spectrum?

Unfortunately, we currently do not have a way of reducing the visible light output as this is a part of the small residual amount of visible wavelength energy that "leaks" beyond the threshold of UV wavelengths.​A LED strip dimmer may significantly help reduce the amount of overall brightness. While this will certainly help reduce the amount of visible light, this will also unfortunately reduce the amount of UV output as well. If, however, you are seeing that you can accept a lower amount of UV energy, this may indeed be a great workaround solution for your situation.

385 nm UV light for Curing Finishes


I am looking for an inexpensive way to cure some finishes. The finish I am using says natural sunlight or UV light at 385 nm. What would be your recommendation?

We, unfortunately, do not have any products that emit at exactly 385 nm, but we do have two options at 365 nm and 395 nm. I do strongly suspect that at least one, if not both, wavelength options would work for your needs.

Our UV flood light might be a great option for you: https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light

​We do offer a 30-day free returns policy, so we would recommend testing out both wavelengths to see if they are sufficient for your needs. If not, we'd be glad to pay for return shipping and provide a full refund.

Black Light LED Strips for Industrial Applications


Looking for a fixture manufacturing that is making linear LED black lights for industrial applications

We don't have any "linear" fixtures, but a close alternative product may be our UV flood lights. Below is a link to our realUV LED flood light, available in 365 nm and 395 nm. Please let us know what questions you have and we'd be glad to assist further!

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/realuv-led-flood-light

Do you have a UVC LED 12v or 24v or 110v DC 60-watt strip?


We currently offer a 12 volt LED strip light that operates at 14.4 watts per reel.

​Multiple reels can be linked together to reach the 60 watt level as needed. Please see below for the product link:

https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/cleanuv-uv-c-led-strip-light

clean UV LED for Air Disinfection Application


I would like to install a UV-C light system in my home HVAC. Can you give me guidance on how to do this with the Clean UV LED product? How can I know if the dose is enough to disinfect the air, relative to the size of the duct and the airflow CFM? 

Unfortunately our UV-C products are not designed for air disinfection applications​, and all of our data and product specifications are based on surface decontamination. 

For further information on how this can be calculated, please reference our articles below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/uv-c-led/how-to-determine-uv-c-irradiance-requirements-for-disinfection-applications

cleanUV™ Ultraviolet LED for Food Container Interior Sterilization


Your info on cleanUV™ Ultraviolet LED Technology mentions that "Additional form factors are in development and will be released soon." I am interested in a form factor that could be used to sterilize the interior of food containers.

We are indeed working on a few MCPCB form factors that are 6 x 6 inches as well as 2 x 12 inches. We do not have an ETA at this point, but do hope to have this available in the near future.

Unfortunately, we don't have any application-specific advice or recommendations that may apply to the food container sterilization application.

realUV LED Flood Light Safety Risks


Can you tell me if there are any safety risks with working around the UV flood lights? Other than looking directly into them that is. Can prolonged exposure to the light result in any damage? If so, what is the safe time frame? 

Each application will entail different levels of safety risk and we recommend performing some rigorous analysis prior to any installations.

We are aware of the following guidelines published by the ACGIH which you may find helpful:

For the UV-A or near ultraviolet spectral region (315 to 400 nm), exposure to the eye should not exceed 1 milliwatt per square centimeter (1.0 mW/cm2) for periods greater than 1000 seconds (approximately 16 minutes).

For direct comparison of these exposure limits to our flood light UV irradiance values, you will want to reference our UV irradiance charts below:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/photometrics/BP_7022.pdf

Technical Specifications for cleanUV UV-C LED Strip Light Product Line


I am interested in purchasing your cleanUV LED product line. First, I am curious where do you obtain your UV-C LEDs from, or do you make them in-house? In my experience, UV-C LEDs still have large heating, efficiency, and life issues. I would like to have a bit more technical information before I purchase these strips.

1) What is the lifetime of the UV-C LEDs?

We are still testing to extrapolate out an estimated lifetime, but do have enough initial test data to confidently back our 3-year warranty.

2) How efficient are the UV-C LEDs? I know that the external quantum efficiency of even the most cutting edge UV-C LEDs is still <20%.

The overall efficiency of our LED strip light is approximately 1%. (Radiometric output divided by wall plug electrical power).

3) How hot do the UV-C LEDs get during operation? Is there a dependence of heating on time of operation?

Temperature rise of the LED strip light and LED case is typically 20-40 degrees Celsius over ambient. Generally, temperatures enter equilibrium within 30 minutes of operation.

4) Is there a way that you package the UV-C LEDs in order to mitigate the detrimental impacts of questions 2 and 3?

The LEDs are not packaged in a specific way that particularly addresses any thermal concerns.

What do I need to connect the 365nm UV LED 16 ft strip to a spare battery in the trunk of the sidecar?


I want to mount these in the sidecar of the motorcycle. What do I need to connect this to a spare battery in the trunk of the sidecar? Can my alternator power it? I do have a 12V receptacle. The strips are DC powered, so I don’t see why I would hook it up to your AC transformer.

It is correct that the LED strips operate on DC 12 volts, so if you have an existing 12-volt battery source, such as an automobile battery, you can go ahead and skip the AC power adapter altogether.

Our LED strips come with DC barrel jacks mounted on each end. We may be incorrect, but we assume you have a 12-volt receptacle that is the size of a traditional cigarette lighter. While we don't sell any adapters, a third-party adapter such as the one below may work to connect the LED strips:

https://www.amazon.com/JacobsParts-Cigarette-Lighter-Adapter-Electronics/dp/B012UV3QI4?th=1

If you do intend to connect an entire 16.4 ft length, be aware that the high power draw may be an issue for battery capacity as well as the wires and components used in any third-party products.

Can you give me an idea of the amperage needed to power the whole 16 feet?

The LED strips draw approximately 0.4 amps per foot. So, for an 8 ft section, that would be approximately 3.2 amps.

Ultraviolet B lights for Rabbit Shed Lighting


It was recommended to me to get Ultraviolet B lights for our rabbit shed to help with their vitamin D. Would it have the same effect to use the ultraviolet A strips you have?

Unfortunately our UV-A LED products emit strictly UV-A wavelengths, so they would not have any benefit for applications that require UV-B wavelengths. We would perhaps recommend seeking fluorescent UV lamps as an alternative product, as they emit a wide range of UV wavelengths, including both UV-A and UV-B.

Difference in R12 values of NorthLux 5000 bulbs and the Absolute Series 5000 strip


I was interested in purchasing a high CRI solution for a studio and noticed that there is a really big difference in R12 values between the NorthLux 5000 bulbs and the Absolute Series 5000 strip. Why is there such a big difference and what wavelength does R12 correspond to?

Depending on the underlying technology used, the R12 value can vary quite significantly.

​The R12 value corresponds to wavelengths centered at approximately 460 nm. The reason our 95 CRI products (such as our NorthLux lamps) have a lower R12 value is that they utilize a blue diode as its light engine, which creates some distortion at or around the peak blue wavelength around 450-460 nm. On the other hand, our ABSOLUTE SERIES LEDs use a violet diode as its light engine, which does not create as much distortion in the blue wavelength range as it has a peak violet wavelength of approximately 420 nm.

​We generally do not find that R12 is as critical of a color metric as R9 is, but for a color-critical studio application, the added color rendering benefit may be of interest to you.

For further reference, we would recommend the following resources:

CRI/Ra test color samples (TCS), section titled "TCS 12"ABSOLUTE SERIES™ NEW SPECTRUM LED TECHNOLOGY, reference the first spectral diagram next to section titled "What's Different With ABSOLUTE™?"

Are there any issues with UV light from using the violet Diode?

Based on a strict definition of "UV" being wavelengths less than 400 nm, our ABSOLUTE SERIES LEDs do not contain any UV.​From a purely technical perspective, however, the violet wavelengths do contain a higher amount of energy, and may present a slightly higher risk. Depending on how sensitive the artwork pieces and materials are, you may want to keep that in mind.

How do I daisy-chain the realUV™ 365 nm LED strip light?


I'm looking to purchase the realUV™ 365 nm LED strip. What exactly do I need in order to cut the strips and daisy chain them?

As you mention, our realUV™ 365 nm LED strip can be cut to length in 1-inch increments and is a great option for a wide variety of UV applications.

You may be interested in our PN 3071 LED strip-to-strip connector, which will allow you to reconnect any cut segments back together (i.e. daisy-chain). Please see below for a connection diagram showing an example of how this can be accomplished:​

https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4C?px=-5247.758879792562&py=-1572.6183425460667&s=0.45241870901798

Do you offer UV-B LED strip lights?


I’m working on a project for my reptiles and am looking for some UV-B LED strip lights. Do you offer any UV-B LED strip lights that emit at 280–315 nm?

We currently offer UV-A (365 / 395 nm) and UV-C (270 nm) LED strip lights, but unfortunately do not have any UV-B wavelength products.

We are continuously looking for new product opportunities and hope we can address this market in the near future!

Building a 365 nm UV curing box


I would like to build a curing box, and am thinking of using your 365 nm LED strip lights. My thought is to run four rows of the 3.2 ft reels along the inside of the box. Can you tell me what components would be needed to make this work?

The easiest set-up would involve using our 365 nm UV LED strip light reels, and daisy-chaining them using our PN 7096 connectors. All four of the LED strip sections can be powered from a single power supply unit (PN 3091). Below is a layout diagram along with a parts list showing how this can be accomplished:https://www.waveformlighting.com/layoutmaps/7021_4B Please keep in mind that the maximum daisy-chain length is five reels of 3.2 ft each, or 16.4 ft in total! 

Are your realUV™ LED strip lights waterproof?


Our realUV™ LED strip lights are not waterproof and should not be used outdoors or any location where they may potentially be exposed to water or moisture.

Some of our customers have opted to create their own waterproof sleeve / tube to house the LED strip lights. This can indeed be a viable solution, as long as the sleeve or tube material allows ultraviolet to pass through. Since many plastic and commercial-grade glass materials block UV wavelengths, we recommend a specialty solution such as quartz glass.

As an alternative, our realUV™ LED flood lights are IP65 rated and may be an effective option for a directly waterproof lighting solution.

realUV™ LED strip light grid array spacing for even exposure


I'm building my own UV LED strip light array for emulsion exposure with a panel size of 30" x 15", and am thinking of using 10 rows of your realUV™ LED strip lights in 365 nm with each row being 15 inches in length. The LED array will be approximately 3 inches from the exposure surface. How far apart can the LED strip rows be without any gaps in UV irradiance?

The LEDs emit the UV radiation at a 120 degree angle. This generally means that the LED strips should not be spaced farther apart than the distance away from the irradiance surface. In other words, if the exposure irradiance surface is 3 inches away, the LED strip lights should not be spaced farther than 3 inches per row, on center.

Based on your proposed UV LED strip array panel size, dividing the 30 inch length by a total of 10 rows will ensure that the distance between the LED strip rows will remain less than 3 inches each. Since we are within the 3 inch limit, there should not be concerned about uneven UV irradiation.

Thermal concerns with UV LED strip light exposure box?


I'm building a UV exposure box with your realUV™ LED strip lights. I plan on placing the UV LED strips in an array, with each row placed immediately next to one another. Will there be thermal concerns with this installation, causing the LED strip lights to overheat and burn out?

Our LED strip lights do warm up somewhat during operation, but they have been designed to stay within their thermal limits without the need for any special thermal management techniques commonly used for LED lamp and fixture design.

Placing the LED strip lights without any spacing will definitely add a bit more thermal concentration, but this should not cause it to exceed any thermal limits for the LED strip lights themselves. An absolute thermal limit based on LED strip circuit-board temperature is 185°F (85°C), so if there are any concerns, this would be the way to measure and determine if you are within those thermal limits.






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