The sun gives off the most harmful UVC rays, but they are not strong enough to penetrate the earth’s atmosphere (luckily for us). Shorter wavelength radiation, however, is less able to penetrate human skin. The shorter the wavelength, the more energetic the radiation, and the more harmful it can be. UV radiation falls into three categories depending on its wavelength: UVA, UVB and UVC. You will often see product descriptions on Lightbulbs Direct reference the ‘nm’ range of the lamp because it directly affects what type of light bulb it is. It is often referred to as ultraviolet ‘light,’ but UV is a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light and longer than X-rays.Īll electromagnetic waves are measured in metres, but some wavelengths (like UV) are so small that they’re measured in nanometres (nm). With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know to buy UV light bulbs in confidence. Once you’re aware of the different types of UV lamp and what they should be used for, picking one will be a lot easier.
A blacklight blue (BLB) light bulb won’t help you kill flies, just as a germicidal UV tube won’t help you detect forged bank notes.
When buying Ultraviolet (UV) light bulbs, it’s important to know which type of light bulb is the right one for your needs.Īt Lightbulbs Direct, we sell three different types of UV light bulb, and (here’s the important bit) one type is not suitable for all uses. Do you know your blacklight UVA from your germicidal UVC?