Well I was lazy and just checked FT and DX, Thankyou Chloe
Edit after I checked link;
Damn, anywhere cheaper 
I’m using this 365nm drop-in. 3-18v in a Solarforce L2P host and 2 extension tubes with 6x3v CR123A Lithium Primary batteries it gives the best UV output I’ve had yet.
I’ve tried Solarforce and other Kaidomain UV drop-ins, I’ve got 5 or 6 from various sources but none of them perform like this one.
It’s not bright, that is to say your eyes don’t see the spectrum as well down in the 365nm regions of the spectrum, the UV markings on U.K. currency leap out at you like none of the other drop-ins.
It’s not cheap at $15.81 and I already had the Solarforce parts and the batteries but it does perform.
Possible to arrange a GB from manafont for the TANK007 TK-566 365nm 3W with extension tube ?
If I can get one to my door for $25aud with extension tube, I’d be up for two straight up.
OK 8steve88, now I’m interested in that 3-18V UV drop-in from Kaidomain.
Can you describe the amount of visible blue light compared with your others?
How well would you say it works with 1 x 18650?
Thanks!
I’ve just swapped it into some of my single 18650 lights, the 18v set-up is the only multi cell light that I run.
With 1x18650-
The drop-in has an orange peel reflector so it spreads the beam a bit so at 3 feet I can just about see the visible light on my hand. The UV will light up anything that fluoresces at about 6 feet but glow in the dark stuff needs to be at 2-3feet or closer to charge up. this is in a room at night with just a low wattage fluorescent bulb and a laptop screen.
It is dull enough to see the pattern on the emitter easily. I’m aware of the dangers of UV and wouldn’t look directly into the LED if it was at all bright enough to do me damage. The 18650’s I have are Nitecore 3100mAh and are fresh off the charger (about 20 mins use) and will light a wall 4 foot away too bright to comfortably focus on with a 800lumen drop-in.
The 18v (6x3v WF Lithium primarys) set-up puts a visible circle on a wall 6 feet away and a bright spot on my hand 3 feet away, I can look into the reflector, over the lip, from the side but I wouldn’t want to look directly into the LED at close range.
The effect on GITD painted objects.
I have painted the end of the handle of my Hultafors Heavy Duty knife, green handle brown sheath don’t lend themselves to being found at night if dropped etc. So the end of the handle is now painted with GITD paint that is creamy-white until charged up with a bright or UV light. The bright white light reflects back until it puts coloured spots in your vision then the end of the handle glows red. The 18v set up makes the GITD paint glow red with none of the white reflection, straight away red glow. The single 18650 has the same effect, just not as bright and not as strong a glow.
The higher the voltage that you feed it the better it performs.
At the moment Solarforce Sales HK have an L2 body plus 2 extension tubes for $18.99 + $2 shipping
I’ve just ordered 12x3v Nitecore 123A’s for under $20 from FastTech .
The 365nm 3-18v UV drop in from Kaidomain is $15.81 so in all a complete set-up for about $58.
Tank007 do a range of 365nm lights from $40-$80 I already had the Solarforce parts so I took that route.
There are other UV drop ins that I’ve had but the Kaidomain 3-18v is the best so far, I’m sure there are better but I haven’t found them yet.
EDIT……The 365nm drop in also picked up detail in the U.K. banknotes that the other brighter ones didn’t.
I didn't see that one, I just ordered the HAIII one for $25.50
http://www.solarforceflashlight-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=FB&s=7&id=288
I guess the HAIII is worth it, though. I ordered that UV drop-in too on 8/30, status is still "packing".
The L2P is a what I’ve used as well, I have enough Solarforce parts to make about 9 lights, over 20 drop ins (not all Solarforce) but only 5 Nitecore 3100mAh 18650s, I have a few Xenon drop ins 3, 6, and 9v so I also had the 3v Lithium 123As.
The extension tubes aren’t HAlll anodized though.
I’ve got a pair of Trustfire flames on the way from Manafont so that’ll give me a few more options.
That's annoying.
Those Trustfire Flames are cheaper at Fasttech.
They were an impulse buy, I bought some AR coated lenses and started looking what else they had.
I’m spending a lot of time at FastTech recently and it looks like continuing, thanks for the link.
I’ve asked Manafont about the possibility of a forum group buy.
Would there be interest ?
So far, I only run UV with 1 x 18650. It is convenient for clearing scorpions when the kids visit. Of course, everyone wears UV protective safety glasses.
I have the Solarforce “Luxeon” UV drop-in, and several “generic Taiwan” UV drop-ins, including this acclaimed Manafont.
For me, the Solarforce works well. The others do not.
I’m guessing my Solarforce spectral output is centered around 390nm, with some visible purple light. My meter measures 0.50A. The purple/blue light is visible at all distances through about 20 feet or so. Whatever the UV component, it causes fluorescence through 40 feet - tennis balls, bits of polyester, shoelaces, scorpions, etc. I would like to have better.
I’m guessing my Manafont spectral output is centered well above 400nm, mostly just visible purple light. My meter measures 0.25A. The immense purple/blue light is predominate at all distances through about 30 feet or so. It is maybe half as good as the Solarforce at causing fluorescence. For example, scorpions glow just dimly, and must be much closer. I do not want to buy anymore UV ‘junk’.
If your 3-18V Kaidomain UV works better than the Solarforce (greater fluorescence at greater distance), then then I want one just like it!
Thanks
The output of the Kaidomain 3-18v UV looks very dim compared to the Solarforce and a couple of others that I have, it has an orange-peel reflector so doesn’t throw all that well but close up it reveals the patterns on banknotes that are usually hidden. Another example is GITD paint and powder, I’ve painted the end of the handle of Hultafors Heavy Duty knife GITD red, in normal light the colour is a creamy white, when hit with the beam from the Solarforce drop-in it shows a pale pink/violet then glows red when the light beam is removed. With a white light the paint is bright cream until the light is removed then it glows red. With the 3-18v drop-in the paint glows bright red straight away and continues to glow when the beam is removed. There is definitely more visible light from the Solarforce. There is a visible beam that isn’t there with the 3-18v drop-in both will show white objects and things that fluoresce at a similar distance it’s just that the Kaidomain has 365nm output and less visible light.
What type of lens is best for UV? Glass, acrylic? AR coated or not?
What do you think of it? Is it really 375nm, or higher?
Hard to tell for sure, but it is a shorter wavelength than the 390 nm… and probably shorter than the 380 nm
I use these from Kaidomain, $3.03 each well protected with plastic peei-off film covering both sides of the lens. If you are careful you can place the lens without even touching the edges, drops right in to Solarforce L2 series heads.
With them in place you can hardly see that there is a lens at all and they seem to improve output but that’s only by eye, I have no measuring equipment other than my eyes. 8)
Thanks, I added it to my wishlist. FWIW, I just tried mine with four 18500's, seems brighter than with the four 16340's I had in it.
The 123 primaries that I am running with @18v are about done, but I have more, they lasted better than I thought they would, cheap WF cells.
I’ve just got 4 Samsung 18650’s that arrived within 0.01v of each other and I’ve got a spare L2T and 3 extension tubes so I think I’ll put together a 4x18650 version like yours, thanks for the tip.
Two extension tubes with a L2P body fit perfect. I'd have to look up the L2T, don't have one. I'd guess four 18500's would provide higher voltage than six CR123A's over much of a side by side run, if you're going to run the 123's to death.
Edit: L2T looks to be the same.
Seems similar to me! The MF one I’ve got emit mostly visible light, barely does anything that is UV. It’s not even that good in highlighting money security. The cheapie $1 invisible pen/UV light combo I got from FT actually does better job.
It’s closer to royal blue than anything UV.
Does absolutely nothing in highlighting biological trace, which is the primary reason I bought it. Sometimes we get rats coming in/out of the house, need to see rat’s waste so it can be cleaned.
So, despite what others have reported, my MF UV drop-in is totally useless to me. I share your sentiment, I don’t want any more UV junk, just one that works.