Lighting again

[Kaizen]

I’m sure many people have posted about this, so please excuse my rehashing old news. Today, I was in the greenhouse doing my daily wipe-down of the uv bulbs, and my wife asked me why i care so much about how clean the lights are. I answered that water scale (calcium/lime), dust, and other residue significantly affects uv penetration. She asked me whether my Cham friends do this (obviously skeptical) and I didn’t know. Knowing a little about lighting, it was second nature to add a quick bulb wipe to my daily routine, but I guess I thought everyone did this. Even if you assume, for instance, that your mister doesn’t spray your bulb (guaranteed you’re wrong), bulbs accumulate scum, dust and other airborne particles quickly.

Am I alone here? What do other people do to ensure proper work uv penetration?

 

[cham_urchin]

makes perfect sense....adding it to the list

 

[Beman]

So I don't do anything. I do weekly checks of the bulb with a solarmeter 6.5 to make sure my levels are correct. I have not seen much of a change in the last 6 months with my levels. Now that you mention it though I may add in dusting the inside of my fixture to my monthly deep cleaning.

 

[alphakenc]

No u are not along...I clean them bulbs with a piece cloth n a vinegar mix water in the bucket.

 

[Kaizen]

I too show no appreciable change in uv output over a month, but uva easily penetrates glass, and uvb does not. Any solar meter that tracks uvb output in the 290-400nm range won’t register a drop in just uvb. That’s why I’m always so grain-of-salty with uv meters. Anyways, thanks for replying. My season just started (I have a landscaping company), and I don’t have as much time to chat with my fellow chammers.

 

[jamest0o0]

Never crossed my mind! Good idea