UVC Disinfecting Torch

ZombieCake

ZombieCake

Well-known member
Whilst idling time away looking at the Fenix website I noticed that they have introduced a torch with a built in UVC disinfecting beam.  Looks quite interesting.  UVC is quite entertaining, and so it's good that they've built in some safety features.
I've seen UV water sterilisation 'pens' that you swirl around a cup of water to kill off the nasties, but not a torch for general sterilisation.
I think it might take a while to disinfect some of the more shall we say 'farmyard' associated caves though...

https://www.myfenix.co.uk/product/fenix-ld32-uvc-1714
 
pwhole

pwhole

Well-known member
It's interesting, but I'm struggling to think of a use for it, at a 2cm operating distance - if you can't use it on your skin it's not much good as a 'dry' handwash, and a glass of water would take some time to clear, and then only bacteria and viruses, so mud etc. would still be there if it was emergency drinking water you were after. Good it has a safety cap though!
 
royfellows

royfellows

Well-known member
I see a  use for UV torches in the possible ability to read the part numbers on Chinese driver board components which for 'some reason' they sanded off.
:LOL:
 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
If have a tripod you can take nice pictures of white calcite formations glowing under UV light. I tried this after acquiring a Scurion with a UV light on it and the results were impressive.
 
pwhole

pwhole

Well-known member
But what about the innocent bacteria, slaughtered in their millions, simply for a photograph? Don't use one in a SSSI! :)
 
Roger W

Roger W

Well-known member
Serious question - does the sterilisation feature have any practical use?  Or is it just a marketing ploy? I gather it will sterilise a small area (how large?) with the torch held a mere 2 cm away for half a minute.  I suppose you could use it to sterilise the on/off button on another torch if you're worried about the hygiene?
 
Cantclimbtom

Cantclimbtom

Well-known member
mrodoc said:
If have a tripod you can take nice pictures of white calcite formations glowing under UV light. I tried this after acquiring a Scurion with a UV light on it and the results were impressive.
Click to expand...
Agree, I would have liked a UV light to take a look at milky way passage (unmentionable mine trip) I didn't know anyone who could lend me one, but if I return I think that'd be worth trying as there was a lot of "milk" that way.

Usually you see them cheapish on eBay etc for stated purpose of locating cat urine. Personally I'd rather not see/know about animal urine, they say ignorance is bliss and from experience I can say they're right
 
PeteHall

PeteHall

Moderator
mrodoc said:
If have a tripod you can take nice pictures of white calcite formations glowing under UV light. I tried this after acquiring a Scurion with a UV light on it and the results were impressive.
Click to expand...

UV light also does some incredible things if you're in a fluorspar  mine  :)
 
mrodoc

mrodoc

Well-known member
A useful tip when caving in hot climates with a UV light. Scorpions fluoresce under UV light so don't touch funny looking helictites! I learnt this from a caving mineralologist who reports prospectors using UV lights being stung by scorpions they thought was mineral rather than animal.
 
Duncan Price

Duncan Price

Active member
Pitlamp said:
Never mind all that; are they any good for processing detectors with OBA on?
Click to expand...

The old style forged bank note checker worked well for that.  IIRC tampons were/are the detector of choice for the financially challenged as they pick up the OBA and don't contain any to start with.  If you don't have a UV light of your own then hand your detectors over the bar of any pub as they've probably got one.

The days of paying by contactless card and the new plastic banknotes may have made the chances of finding a UV lamp in a pub more difficult.
 
pwhole

pwhole

Well-known member
I'd love to hear the conversation as Pitlamp explains to pub landlord why he needs some wet tampons urgently checking under the counter  ;)
 
wellyjen

wellyjen

Well-known member
pwhole said:
But what about the innocent bacteria, slaughtered in their millions, simply for a photograph? Don't use one in a SSSI! :)
Click to expand...
First to die will be the very old bacteria, the sick bacteria and the baby bacteria in their cribs. Then the middle aged bacteria and the bacteria children, till only a few of the hardiest, fittest, meanest bacteria are left. They are now plotting their revenge on the UV torch owner.  :eek:
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
pwhole said:
I'd love to hear the conversation as Pitlamp explains to pub landlord why he needs some wet tampons urgently checking under the counter  ;)
Click to expand...

No need; a large bag of BPC cotton wool makes loads of detectors a lot more cheaply. Stick the cotton wool in perforated polythene bags fitted with snoopy loops to attach to rocks. At the risk of drifting too far off topic (sorry mods - and OP!) this picture shows how they're made (together with clear negative & positive results, for comparison).
 

Attachments

  • Detectors_-ve&+ve.JPG
    Detectors_-ve&+ve.JPG
    2.3 MB · Views: 99
P

professor warthog

New member
The use of tampons rather than cotton wool for detectors was because they were free samples posted through every door in the Leeds 6 postcode area at the time. Keith never asked what we were doing or why.....
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Yes, there was a lot of good cave science done at the University of Clapham (a.k.a. the New Inn) when Keith & Barbara ran it.
 
Cantclimbtom

Cantclimbtom

Well-known member
Speaking to my Uncle last week, the bulk of his caving was late 1950s to late '60s he mentioned the New Inn. Think it's been connected to caving for a long long time
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Yes - up until the 1950s all the bones & artefacts fround from the Yorkshire Ramblers Club's Foxholes dig (pre-first world war) were on display there.

I've asked this before on here - but these still haven't been tracked down for re-assessment by modern archaeologists. So if anyone does know their whereabouts, it'd be good to have the information.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top