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These two lights are available from Advancedmart.com.
They look identical, but one has 12 white LEDs in the
head and the other has 12 Ultraviolet LEDs built in.
They are both aluminum, have side clickie switches,
a lockout talicap, and produce good output.
WARNING :
Ultraviolet (UV) LEDs can cause harm to the eyes. Do
not shine UV light into the eyes directly or through
reflective surfaces. THIS IS NOT A TOY. Do not let children
use UV lights. Use only in a very responsible manner
and with appropriate caution. Protective UV blocking
eye gear is strongly recommended when using any UV light.
The body of the light is made of anodized aluminum.
The body and head have ribs machined into the sides
for grip. The tailcap has fine grooves for the same
purpose, and also has a hole for the attached lanyard.
The body wall is not excessively thick, but it isn't
thin, either. The finish is a matte black. At the very
front of the light is a polished silver ring which contains
the recessed LEDs. Both the head and tailcap are removable.
At the front of the light you will see the polished
silver disk where the LEDs reside in recessed holes.
By recessing the LEDs into the front of the unit, the
flashlight produces a more concentrated beam while at
the same time the LEDs are protected from impacts.
Output is in the form of a slightly bluish tinted white
spot of light for the white LED unit. The UV unit produces
a wide spot of visible violet light and invisible UV
light. The spot is fairly wide and tapers off around
the edges. Very far out from the main beam is a separate
ring of light produced by the holes that the LEDs sit
in.
Beam at one meter at target center; White LEDs, UV LEDs
So, what would you use a UV light for? Well, there
are several things that fluoresce (glow) in UV light
which you normally can't see under regular light. An
AMEX card (Visa and MC, too!) has distinctive UV patterns
on the front of the card to prevent counterfeiting.
Scorpions glow under UV light, and some nightclubs use
UV ink to stamp the hands of patrons so as to avoid
leaving a big visible ink stain on the back of the hand.
 
American Express card (account info concealed) and scorpion
under UV light
(I
don't know where the scorpion picture came from - all
credit goes to the taker of the photo)
Runtime Plot (White LED model): Pretty good. The DC-DC
regulator provides semi-regulated output, keeping the
light going strong for about 2 hours. This is followed
by a rapid drop-off and a long tail of dim output.
Runtime
completed with Energizer batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
On the side is the metal clickie button. This is considered
a "reverse clickie". Press until it clicks
for constant on. Once it is on, pressing gently allows
you to blink the light. Press again until it clicks
for off. It does not appear that the switch is sealed
against the entry of the environment (it's not waterproof).
The switch does provide auditory and tactile feedback
when activated.
The tailcap serves as a lockout mechanism.
Loosen the tailcap to disable the switch.
The light is sealed from the environment at the head
and tail by O-rings. The switch is not sealed. Keep
it dry if at all possible. If water gets inside just
disassemble as much as possible without tools and let
it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: It's a bit larger than a common 2-cell
aluminum light due to the addition of the switch below
the head. The switch is very easy to find and use.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Two AA alkaline cells power the light. As a result
there is a boost circuit built in to power the LEDs.
To change the batteries simply remove the tailcap, drop
out the old batteries, place in new ones and reassemble.
Nothing to it.
Accessories: A nylon wrist lanyard is included and
attached. A nice gray and black nylon belt sheath with
a velcro closure is included.
What I Liked: Impact resistant,
Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight
What I Didn't Like: Not water resistant
Other Things I Noticed: Nothing.
Conclusions: These lights appear
to be good quality with good output and good runtime.
I had no problems with the lights at all, and I would
recommend the white LED model for normal tasks. The
UV model produces a good amount of UV light and allows
for dramatic fluorescence of UV reactive products.
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