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Post by joniverson on Jul 9, 2020 9:31:33 GMT -8
Everytime I think my bulb might not be working, I get surprised with visitations. Last night was a nice surprise with some welcome visitors: female promethea, a rather large ichneumon, and another insect I haven't ID'd yet. However, I'm still wondering about checking UV. No, don't have the funds to shell out hundreds for a UV meter. I see them all over the place at just about every price, so maybe one of the cheaper ones can do the intended job? I also see credit card sized UV checkers used in the reptile community that seem to have good standing. Then there is an actual homemade device that shows bulb spectra that uses a diffraction grating and a webcam. I really like this option, but it would be difficult to actually quantify UV output unless a known control bulb had been used for calibration at the start. Since I've been running UVC also in sealed rooms to decontaminate anything I buy, I would want the same meter to be able to check those bulbs too.
Your thoughts would be welcome and thanks in advance.
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Post by nomihoudai on Jul 9, 2020 11:40:41 GMT -8
I'm a physicist by training and it wouldn't come to my mind to check the performance of an UV bulb.
Just set it up in a different habitat when you are not excited by the things that come to the light.
My best collecting nights out happened by either joining an experienced collector to a prime habitat or hiking up a mountain away from human interference.
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Post by Paul K on Jul 9, 2020 16:21:07 GMT -8
I'm a physicist by training and it wouldn't come to my mind to check the performance of an UV bulb. Just set it up in a different habitat when you are not excited by the things that come to the light. My best collecting nights out happened by either joining an experienced collector to a prime habitat or hiking up a mountain away from human interference. I agree, it must not to be faulty lightbulb, but location. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2020 17:50:53 GMT -8
IMHO, running my 250w 6700k, 400w 7200k, and my 400w 10,000k bulbs 25x a summer for 4-6 hours per session does not greatly shorten the life/effectiveness of the bulbs for a few collecting seasons since they’re rated at over 10,000 hours life. Location, temp, wind, moon, and humidity are my key factors in lighting as much as I do. The foggier and mistier it is the better. And remember.....one night w a set of lights might be outstanding and the next night w the same lights might be zilch. It’s kinda like fishing. In my quest to catch muskies, I might go several nights wo a hit and then pow.....a night w four or five big fish grace my boat. Btw....I’m almost exclusively a night musky fisherman. Before I head out in my favorite northern WI lake, I’ll sugar some trees with my Slop, go fishing til 1-2 am, then go and harvest the Catocalas I’m after. Then, of course, I sleep in til noon the next day. Sometimes the bears or coons feast on the slop and I have to back off. Oops....sorry, I regressed a bit. Imo, your lights should be pretty good.....just put in your time and you’ll score.
Lastly......this June I went to a great mountain top spot and the night seemed off to a slow start. Then the mist and fog moved in and things went nuts. Got tons of goodies including six C. marmoratas and even a T. odorata which was the second one caught in a single week. Btw......I almost never use a single bulb, but several to cover as much of the far end of the UV spectrum as possible. I may even be adding a 20,000k bulb to the mix down the road. I focus on presenting MH and MV light in the higher Kelvin temp ranges......works for me.
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Post by joniverson on Jul 9, 2020 22:28:41 GMT -8
billgarthe, are the different temp bulbs you are running all mercury vapor or others as well?
I am considering building the DIY spectrometer if for no other reason than to monitor my UVC bulbs that I am using to sterilize groceries and such. I have read that they weaken/ change spectrum over time. I had also read that the MV bulbs used for mothing do the same which is why I was considering the device. If I can obtain some known control bulbs I could use those for calibration. I already have the materials here needed to build the device and it wouldn't cost anything... I think I will give it a go next week.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2020 6:16:43 GMT -8
My MV is 6700k. I also use MH for the other two (7200k and 10,000k).
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Post by kevinkk on Jul 10, 2020 20:54:51 GMT -8
I'm a physicist by training and it wouldn't come to my mind to check the performance of an UV bulb. Just set it up in a different habitat when you are not excited by the things that come to the light. My best collecting nights out happened by either joining an experienced collector to a prime habitat or hiking up a mountain away from human interference. Away from people,I want to attract insects, not weirdos. Being approached after dark is unnerving. Somewhere without other lights is best. Then it's luck and location, luck is a lot of it especially if you are going somewhere overnight, which is what I normally do. Prime time one year isn't necessarily prime time the next.Bring a book, or the bluray player. Being able to check the output of your lights sounds interesting, I'll have to be satisfied simply changing bulbs once in a while. |
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Post by nomihoudai on Jul 11, 2020 5:15:47 GMT -8
Away from people,I want to attract insects, not weirdos. Being approached after dark is unnerving. Somewhere without other lights is best. Then it's luck and location, luck is a lot of it especially if you are going somewhere overnight, which is what I normally do. Prime time one year isn't necessarily prime time the next.Bring a book, or the bluray player. Being able to check the output of your lights sounds interesting, I'll have to be satisfied simply changing bulbs once in a while. It can be more unsettling for the others. In Europe we often like to use "light towers". It's a circular 6' tower made of white mosquito net that rests on top of a metal pole. The whole thing is combined with UV light tubes and it glows bright blue. When you have a few of these and headlamps the whole scene looks like aliens walking around their UFO. The best thing I've had happening was on Gran Canaria in the Canary islands. We were located in a hill behind a road turn. Several cars slowed down when driving past to see what is going on, but one of them did a full break and drove back from where they came from. |
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jul 19, 2020 9:58:24 GMT -8
I own several UV Light Meterd. The best time to check your UV lights out put is at the dark of the moon and a dry (low humidity) nigjt.
I only use Light Traps. I like sleeping all night.I set out the Light Trap on a dry night. The bulb in the Light Trap is a 15Watt 368NM QBL. I walk 50 yards (+ or - 5 feet) away from the Light Trap. Aim the sensor of the meter at the Light bulb. Push the check light button. The meter will read 150nm's to 210nm'.
That is a very good reading.
When there is a full moon, the moon will over power the Light Bulb. Using the light meter in a community with lots of lights of all types, the meter will give you false readings.
Dark of the moon is the best time.
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Post by joniverson on Jul 20, 2020 13:18:05 GMT -8
Thanks for the info on the meter. Any specific model recommendations as there are a zillion out there?
I've still been considering the DIY spectroscope I mentioned before, but just haven't had the time to pursue this. For now, just running the light as normal. If bugs begin swarming more around my light than any others around me, I still take an educated guess that everything is working correctly.
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