How UV Effects Lights Work
Posted on: 18th October 2022
Ultraviolet lights (also known as Blacklights) are fixtures that emit very little visible light. So, what’s the point if you can’t see it? Well, certain materials can absorb these UV rays and re-emit it, making the light visible and the material appear to glow. These materials are known as phosphors and can be found everywhere. Examples include; paints, fabrics, plastics and even your teeth and fingernails.
This glowing effect is great for entertainment applications like clubs, exhibitions and themed bars, especially when paired with atmospherics and fluorescent or phosphorous materials. But how do these unique fixtures work anyway?
The Tech
With visible light, we can only see a spectrum from red through to orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. Above this violet light is something called ultraviolet light (UV), we are not able to see this. This kind of light is produced by a variety of things from tanning beds, the sun and you guessed it, UV fixtures. When specific objects are hit with these rays, they create a glowing effect.
So, if these blacklights emit the same rays as the sun, aren’t they dangerous? In short, no. UV fixtures filter out the damaging rays and so only emit UVA rays, this type of UV ray does not cause harm unlike UVB and UVC. UV light only emits a very low amount of ultraviolet radiation, in fact you receive a higher amount just from being outside so there is nothing to worry about.
Just like other kinds of lights; UV technology has drastically improved, especially with the change from discharge light to LED. This took away long warm up times and added new features such as strobe effects. Now you can find UV lights in all kinds of form factors from moving heads and PARs to battens and Effects lights.
How can you use it?
As mentioned before, UV fixtures makes specific things glow. These materials are called phosphors and they come in two types. Fluorescents emit the energy immediately and stop when the light is off; these are things likes special paints, white clothing, tonic, special tattoos and even teeth and fingernails. The other kind of phosphor is called Phosphorescents; these absorb and emit the energy so they’re able to keep glowing even after the light is turned off; you’ll find these in things like fire escape signage and safety tape.
So, UV lights make things glow, what’s the point? Well, these kinds of lights are perfect for creating unique themes. Whether you’re going for a Sci-fi theme or designing a spooky event for Halloween, there are so many ways you can incorporate UV into your installs. With the addition of special types of paint, you can create day/night scenes in a bar, hide clues and information in escape rooms or even give museum exhibits a unique look under UV.
However, UV is not just about the looks; it also serves a crucial purpose in safety. As fire safety signs and tape are phosphorescent, they are able to glow even with the light turned off; this is essential if the power goes out and people need to find an exit or find the nearest fire extinguisher.
So, these are just a few examples of how you can incorporate UV into your projects. Want more information on the uses of UV? Why not call our team on 01525 850085 to discuss how you can get the most out of these unique fixtures.
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