Re: Very inexpensive spiral compact fluorescent blacklights

[Peter Mikalajunas <tintype51@yahoo.com>]

Jordan,

 

Glad you tested these out.  I have been thinking about trying them.  You can find them on web if you do a google search for "Globe 37610".  There is some one selling them on eBay, but at a very high premium. 

 

Pete

Jordan Wosnick <jwosnick@fastmail.fm> wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> I thought the list would be interested in hearing about a recent find I 
> made. At my local Canadian Tire I happened to chance upon spiral compact 
> fluorescent BLBs for C$6 each (about US$5). (Canadian Tire is a large 
> chain store, kind of like the US chain Ace Hardware.) The brand name of 
> these bulbs is Noma, and the bulbs are called "Ultra Mini Spiral Black 
> Light Bulb". They are rated at 13 W, and come in blister packs.
>
> Noma is a
>  manufacturer of cheap "specialty lighting" -- they're known 
> for porch and garden lights, etc. They used to advertise on TV here. I 
> don't remember seeing Noma products when I lived in the States, but I 
> didn't look for them.
>
> I tested a bulb to make sure it was a "true" black-light, and it is. It 
> causes fluorescence in the usual materials (white clothes, paper with 
> OBAs in it, etc.) and exposes Van Dykes just as well as the much more 
> expensive Feit Electric 13W BLB I've been using so far (which I had to 
> order from the USA at great expense!) I'll be using six of the Noma 
> bulbs to build my UV light source.
>
> For anyone who's contemplating building a UV light source, this is 
> something to keep an eye out for.
>
> Cheers
>
> Jordan