Using UV light to sanitize WC'in loops?

I remember reading somewhere or another on the forums that people were considering using UV LED's (or CC's) to keep their loops from getting a case of the little nasties. Did anything come of it, or did the idea never get tested?

no, that wont work. there are different kinds of UV rays with different intensities, the kind that are used to kill microbes and stuff are dangerous and not the kind you see in CCFLs or LEDs

also they won't prevent corrosion and most things that are anti-corrosion kill bacteria anyways so its useless really.

Lol Lol Lol

omg ur joking right??? if anything, it would promot bacterial growth

StickySmoke said:

omg ur joking right??? if anything, it would promot bacterial growth

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uh, UV light (the strong type) is used in comercial applications as a sterilization technique.

Theres UVa and UVb. The light emitted from CC's is UVa, not powerful like the skin damaging UVb.

...If I'm not mistaken...

citronym said:

Theres UVa and UVb. The light emitted from CC's is UVa, not powerful like the skin damaging UVb.

...If I'm not mistaken...

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im pretty sure there's a UVc too, im not sure which is which, but i know the sun gives off all of them while CC's only give off the harmless kind.

What about hooking up somehting along these lines to do the trick?

It looks restrictive and there is a possibility for it to add heat to your loop.

SewerBeing said:

also they won't prevent corrosion and most things that are anti-corrosion kill bacteria anyways so its useless really.

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I've heard of some things escaping the wrath of anti-freeze.

And that device would certenly cause a little bit of restriction, and would be mostly pointless for watercooling. You'd be better off just buying the light tube and having it straped next to the tubing and optically sealed from the world (if you can see light from inside your case, UV light will kill any and EVER cell, Including those of your eyes.)

Oh and... http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=357143 *whistles innocently*

There are UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVA is commonly used for light effect and rarely cause any long term health problem. UVC is what sterlizes but it can also burn your eyes like arc welding tool. I have a 12" UVC bulb used for EPROM erasing, the bulb looks clear and if you have safety glasses it produce something like light blue-purple glow.

For water cooling, using UV light is not practical as it'd be too hard to build a rig that is also safe and shields completely from any passing eyes. Just stick with chemical that prevents corrision and kills orgisim. True some can escape chemical poison but if you do check the reservior or tube and flush/replace regularly you shouldn't have anything to worry.

I have a little info to add here. I use a device that is an inline UV sterilizing cylinder. This device is used in the aquarium world. Its sole purpos is to purfy the water of micro alge and anything living at that scale. Basicly its 2cylinders . The first one is clear with a spiral slide that makes about 4 turns around it. The second is the black cover to protect you or I from harm. The idea is the water passes threw then gets spun around this light cause 3 times the normal exposure then the water shoots out the otherside. Its most effective with microbubbles are in the water. Im talking about the smalloned that stay suspended. The get caught in the mix of the UV and water. Bam there is a change . I forgot the chemestry behind it but it has to do with ether air or water gaining an extra molocule durring all this. This makes insta death for small critters . After the air /water ,and death pump out of the tube. Vwala purged water.