You can build a better 365nm light cheaper than you can buy them from that list. About $15 for the host and the driver under $5. The LED is the pricey part of it. I have the LED Engin LZ1-10UV00-0000 (20mm star) in my Convoy M2 driven at 1 amp.
Put arctic silver under the star, screw in two screws to hold it down. Solder the two wires from the driver to the star, screw the driver retaining ring in place, drop the reflector, lens and o’ring in then screw the bezel in. Then you put a 18650 battery in there and away you go.
Just do some reading around here and you’ll get an idea real quick on how it’s done. If you can’t solder, find a friend who can solder those two wires for you.
i had been using a couple different low power UV flashlights lights to cure NOA and have found that it takes all night to get a partial cure. I made a light using the LZ1 emitter linked above and it cures in seconds. Much better.
Can anyone else comment on the quality of the Convoy S2 UV for curing Norland etc? I was thinking of building something but that is cheaper and easier to just buy.
I have done some testing on a chinese 3535-size 365nm led (from intl-outdoor.com) and while it does not have the output of the Ledengin LZ1, it seems to get to about 40% of the LZ1 output, with a spectrum maximum of 370nm which is pretty ok. If the LZ1 cures stuff in seconds, this emitter will probably do fine as well. This is assuming that the Convoy uses a similar led...
On a side note, you are all luring Christian into flashlight modding, but I remember when I started doing that nothing came for granted, it was quite an extended learning curve. I think that if he has a practical and present need for this flashlight it is a way better idea to just buy a complete light.On the other hand, if you do have the time, it might be the start of a nice hobby :-)
And I think we forgot to tell him one of the most important things. To get a pair of UV blocking glasses.
Sure we get some visible light with out LZ1s but it’s what you can’t see that will hurt you. I can aim my light at the palm of my hand and my skin starts feeling the heat when there is very little visible light. If we could see in the 365nm spectrum, I think the LZ1 would be almost as bright as a Cree XM-L2 on medium power.
Sounds like you are trying to cure with the adhesive sandwiched between 2 pieces of glass. I don't have the time to look it up right now, but doesn't typical glass filter/attenuate some of the UV spectrum?
Yes that is correct and some uv rays will be stopped by the glass, but if the light is strong enough uv light will penetrate the glass. The thickness of the glass is 3 mm and clear!