hello everyone i have finally managed to setup my watercooling loop but i cant seem to get the loop to glow. I am using the following dye in the loop i have used a lot of the dye in the loop more than hlf the bottle https://www.cclonline.com/product/2...t/XSPC-EC6-ReColour-Dye-30ml-UV-Navy/WAT0438/ i have got this strip and it barely makes a difference when the strip is on next to the tubes https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07ZYW93V9/ did i get the wrong dye or is the uv light no good i was thinking of getting cold cathode tubes but before i spend anymore money i thougt i will ask the experts thank you in advanced
I would say the issue is most likely the LED strip. I'm guessing that it is just purple light with no UV in.
UV blue is not very UV reactive. UV dark blue even more so. There was an attempt at UV black ages ago too. It wasn't very good at glowing either.
You could test the the UV LEDs with other UV sensitive materials. White fabric is always a classic, tonic water with quinine... er I struggling to think of other potential test objects. From the link you provided the UV LED string you purchased has an operational wavelength of 395–405 nm, which is the lower limit of UV and Upper limit of visible light. UVA is 315–400 nm), which is the range that black lights typical operate in. I am assuming that the LED is producing light over that entire range, rather than this being the range that it will generate light within. As such it will produce some UV but also some visible light that might be washing out the UV glow. Poking around 395–400 nm and 395–405 nm appear to be the most common ranges. I only found a couple items going as high as 365 nm. I excluded the UV sanitisers as they are UVC you you don't want to be using it to illuminate with. This all assumes that the product information is legit. Speaking of testing have you tested the dye out side of the loop. The tubing might be absorbing enough UV as to nullify the effect. UV Black just sounds like a joke. Let make this material glow black, but in light black is the absence of light... so its glowing with the absence of light‽
Cat pee fluoresces under UV. Though that's only useful if you have a cat. And can't locate that stubborn odour...
Most LEDs have an output curve and usually 70-90% will be in the target wavelengths, although this does depend on the LED. Speaking of glowing black things, black lightsabres...
Tonic water glows like crazy under a black light. Anyone who has been to a night club with black lights and ordered a dink would see this. As mentioned up thread, it's the quinine in the tonic water. I wonder just as a though experiment if that would work as a fluid if you let it go completely flat for a few days before filling up your rig.
I believe there is other things in tonic water that would not play nicely with the internals of your loop.
If you're feeling brave you could buy some pure quinine from e.g. a lab provider and chuck it in the loop! Could get pricey if it is somehow reactive with any of your components, though