oooh, that's wierd! UV LED...why?

[RAPPLEBY2000]

I bought some Bic style lighters from Poundland some months ago, they all had blue LED lights on the end of them...
Which means when you want to light a cigarette in the dark, assuming you're in some dark place, the light is the wrong end of the lighter pointing away from the cigarette...oh dear

funny thing though, I'd not used the lights but used one recently i think a bulb had gone in my out building and suddenly noticed how bright some things appeared in the light, "Day-glow" things seemed very bright, brighter than they should be in blue light.

Well I tried it on some UV reactive beads....guess what they lit up...so I have lighters with UV LEDs. which is cool...but.
but why are they UV?

 

[JonathanD]

Great for finding scorpions.

 

[Nagual]

Great for finding scorpions.

I've been in scorpions, while smaller than chieftains, I wouldn't think that a UV LED will help much if you can't see em..

 

[Retired Member southey]

Or for these new fangled dance halls mabey! whoop whoop!

 

[John Fenna]

For those CSI types?

 

[Ray Britton]

The UV LED could be used for checking bank notes. A portable note checker, which would always be with you.................That is one suggestion, but not an informed one lol

Edited to add. Do genuine fag packets have any UV sensitive markings?

 

[Melonfish]

did the lighters have a picture of a marijuana leaf on it? that could be your answer right there, other substances glow under UV.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

Or for these new fangled dance halls mabey! whoop whoop!

there called "Disco The Ques" i believe old chap,...something of a rarity in these parts,...

we'll have none of that nonsense around here i tell you,..wot wot

 

[ex-member Raikey]

The UV LED could be used for checking bank notes.
?

You mean like the little "hamster sun beds" on the bar in pubs??

 

[gregorach]

Two possibilities spring to mind:

1. The LED is producing UV which is converted to visible light be a phosphor (this is how "white" LEDs work).
2. The light produced by the LED is of a wavelength which is close enough to UV to excite whatever florescent dyes have been used.

 

[Nagual]

Why has someone always got to spoil a thread with a sensible answer?

 

[gregorach]

So sorry.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Maybe its to check that your shoe's are actually on your feet...
as you light a woodbine on the way out the door to the pub!

Hmmm, clever stuff

TBL.

 

[phaserrifle]

seeing as they are from poundland, I would imagine the manufacturers got hold of whatever coulor LED's they could that would produce enough light, for as little money as possible.
you'll probably find the LEDs where supposed to be white but didn't turn out right, so the manufacturers got rid of them for peanuts.
any other effects these LEDs have is likely just a bonus.

or they intended it, in which case I would say checking bank notes is going to be the most likely intention.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Whatever the reason it's a handy combination.

 

[launditch1]

Might have to get one..I use a uv light at home for identifying pre 1960 army patches and old paper items like books ect..

Ha!Just remembered clubs with uv lights and all the girls with very strange looking make-up!!

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

lol I like the answers!

one other use I just thought of, don't they use a UV or "Black light" to check rooms for stains? perhaps you could check for stains before or after meeting someone.....oh dear that sounds bad...

 

[ex-member Raikey]

Maybe its to check that your shoe's are actually on your feet...
as you light a woodbine on the way out the door to the pub!

Hmmm, clever stuff

TBL.

yep,...cos i aaaalways take me shoes off when i get to the pub?!!

hahahahahaha duuude!

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Portable tanning bulb?
or is that the wrong UV?

 

[resnikov]

Mobile Vampire detector / repellent ?