The best and cheapest way I know of is to use the 40 or 80 watt bug zapper
bulbs. These are the "U" shaped UV fluorscent tubes used in electronic bug
zappers, those gizmos you see in butcher shops that have a purplish light
and a screen grid around the bulb to electrocute critters as they try to
get to the light. They are about 8 inches to 12 inches long, the 40 watts
are shorter. Here in the states the can be found in big discount hardware
stores usually in the garden section as replacement bulbs. They sell for
about $10.00 to $15.00 a piece, I have also seen them at Walmart if you have
a strong enough stomach to be seen there. They are folded with 4 pins at the
end. They run off standard 40 or 80 watt ballasts. Follow the diagram on the
top of the ballast. The diagram is for a straight tube, all you do is think
of your "U" tubes as folded straight and the four pins as two pair, one pair
for each end. It's easy and logical once you see it.
I made a 24 inch square box that is 8 inches deep and used coathanger wire
to suspend the bulbs horizontally in the box. I drilled holes in the top for
the wire. Also drill holes in the top for the ballasts wires. You will need
to solder the wires to the pins so you will need a good soldering iron. Use
some shrink wrap (available at any electronics store) to insulate the wires
at the pins. Next put a UL sticker on it. (joke) If you use 4 80 watt
bulbs, you will have 80 watts of UV per sq foot, with the 40's, 40 watts
per sq foot. This is a pretty decent output and actually you could cram
more than 4 into the 24 sq inches. I get at least half the print times with
this unit as I get with a 7 bulb 40 watt blb system in which the bulbs are
1/4 inch apart.
Dick Sullivan
Bostick & Sullivan
1541 Center Dr.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
87505