As a microbiology graduate student, I can personally attest to the effectiveness of UV lights. Our Superpickle bio safety cabinet has one and we use it all the time to keep it sterile and sometimes for some of our dishes and tools prior to playing with our BSL-2 microbes. However, if used incorrectly, you can easily kill off the weaker microbes while allowing the more resilient ones to mutate and make unwanted results. Love your channel, watch it all the time!
I worked at a company that made biological products in the B2B space. The retards in the RG department left their product under the hood and someone thought they could turn the UV on with the product inside, which has DNA. Well not anymore. What does this have in common with my cat waking me up last night? A single point of failure. Imagine any action, no matter how ridiculous, will happen once. My cat learned how to operate a door knob. An employee went and nuked hundreds of finished products. Don't not do drugs kids.
I've seen tons of videos about it by bigger and more professional channels yet this is by far the best in giving the informations and results needed.. props man!
I modified an old microwave oven by removing the magnetron, transformer and fan and installing a UV bulb. This gave me an enclosed turntable with timer for sanitizing masks or other small items. Thought this might be handy for some of your experiments. I did this back in March when masks were hard to get.
Hey, you seem to know what you're doing. Can you please tell me if UVC lamps can burn objects at close distance? For example, i want to use the germicidal lamp in my bedroom but i don't know how far the objects must be. The bed made from fabric, the monitor screen from the computer, the mirror on the closet.. Will the UVC cause any problems for those objects?
that's a really good idea, well done. i never would have thought of it but it makes sense you can still use the control board even with the transformer unplugged because it mainly uses temperature sensors to shut down in case something goes wrong, so it's not really sensing what the load is, per se
My sister worked for an apartment management company. They liked to send her on move out inspections, since she has a rapid onset severe hay fever reaction to cannabis, and so they always knew someone had been smoking it (which was against their rental agreement, since it is still against federal law) if she came out with swollen, red, watery eyes and an itchy, runny nose, especially since she doesn't react like that to anything else. They would then need to run an ozone generator in the apartment before the next tenant could move in, and charged their previous tenant the associated fees for the clean up. My sister never had any further allergic reactions after they treated the space with ozone.
Sounds like an awful apartment management company, otherwise known as slumlords. You cannot make a decision if someone at somepoint smoked herb in the apartment based on sending someone with allergies in like a canary. That would never hold up in court and your company was probably taking advantage of less fortunate citizens who couldnt fight back.
@@savagesarethebest7251 That's actually a false notion. Sometimes people are just allergic to things and will react, sometimes severely, to their very first exposure. That's why doctors want people to be so careful when introducing new foods to infants.
Also, my mother is severely allergic to it and has the same reaction. I am also allergic to it, though not as severely. It does give me massive sinus headaches, but my hay fever is way worse with wild grasses than with marijuana.
@@familywilliams4058no that’s a complete lie. You have to be exposed to the allergen first for it to be an allergy. There are other autoimmune diseases and syndromes that are different, but an “allergy” scientifically must be IgE coordinated and requires sensitization to the allergen. You are correct that someone may seemingly feel like they had an allergic reaction out of nowhere, as the first exposure didn’t cause allergy. It’s insanely rare for someone to have allergies to something without pretty heavy exposure such as in this case smoking cannabis almost certainly happened, especially because the original comment clearly stated she doesn’t have an allergy to anything else like that which excludes any chance that it could have been an allergy to something else that happens to cause a reaction to other stuff (such as food pollen allergy syndrome). That’s possible to be sensitized to say oak tree and then become allergic to raw vegetables and fruits without ever touching them. But they very clearly stated she ONLY gets it to cannabis, which means she must have consumed it or got it into her blood stream or inhaled it. For someone personally, anaphylaxis or severe allergies can become extremely severe very fast, sometimes the first exposure after sensitization will kill you. Sometimes your mouth just tingles a bit for a couple years then one day your lungs shut down and you start dying very quickly. Trust me, it’s not ever worth risking even if it’s just hay fever or whatever. Because all it takes is you to swallow enough or inhale enough and boom you are dead. Each reaction, unless controlled and minimal, is a step towards being more sensitive and getting the deadly reaction. Her manager is a fucking idiot and so is she. That’s basically abuse, and he should go to jail for forcing her to risk that. Unless she was getting paid a lot over 100k a year for a very specific job that outlines the duties and has an action control plan, then she is a fucking idiot. I’m not sure why the original comment posted that like she was super cool, and especially made it seem like marijuana was bad. His sister literally smoked Marijuana or consumed it before to get her allergy, and she got used and is lucky to be alive. Sometimes things like that are cool but that’s just fucking lame and she’s a loser for that. If she was getting paid for it to do some special governmental or military need, or some sort of science/health benefit like detecting presence of allergens in food, then it would be a different story.
Hey Riley, how are you? I hope you are good. do you understand why it is obtained a result of 17min for the 2.5ft distance germ sample? I mean, that result is obtained in function of the 5min/8inch experiment, right? I am a little confused and could use a little help to interpret those results.
10 months ago I started with UVC. Now I use 100 to 300 watts in a room. The lamps prices are dirt cheap now. It is so much better to disinfect with a few hundred watts, the process is more thorough.
Cool video. Couple things: The shadows cast from the rack from which your CFL was suspended almost certainly threw off your readings. Ozone vs. UVC isn't a black and white comparison, it depends on factors such as the UVC source and the output of the ozone generator.
UV-C lamps which are intense enough are 1) efficiently in killing germs by molecular breakdown/inactivation PLUS 2) will also have all germs on either surfaces otherwise chemically oxidised - means destructed their cell membranes - in a room after some time. Ozone is an aggressive gas of course. Because these lamps create also amounts of Ozone when lit in atmosphere. That is what you can smell if such a lightbulb is on.
Thank you very much for the video! An incredible job is done by you. Unfortunately, there are very few such videos on RU-vid. Good luck with your further projects.
The standard time is 5-15 minutes and then ventilate the room because Ozone is dangerous. So we need to figure out the distance that is required to get sterilization between 5minutes and 15 minutes.
I think only safe UVC light for skin eyes and no ozone is FAR UVC light Very expensive . When tested uvc light in a bedroom closed door with remote plug in on timer for 1 hour . I aired room out a few hours because smelled strong ozone smell . I was using 2 F30T8 UVC Fluorescent tubes in a shop light fixture to kill dust mites . Don’t know if it worked but just a experiment . The UVC light will burn skin similar to sunburn in a few seconds with large light as I was using .
That UVC light also generates ozone! Others generate even more, others none. It depends on the spectrum nm. I have that same light and it has a small spike in 185nm that generates enough ozone that I need to ventilate the area after use because of the strong smell. So it's a double action in comparison to just ozone, especially if you have a big bulb with high wattage.
The light in the video does not generate any Ozone. It makes absolutely no smell. The link in the description is for one that generates ozone because the one that I used is no longer available.
@@Dr_Lucozade It depends on airflow. If there is enough of it, it dissipates in a couple of minutes. If you only open a window, even if there is high airflow outside, it will take a while until you stop sensing it. If your option is only a window then use a fan and make sure you use it with thermodynamics in mind: If the temperature in the room is higher than outside, then the hot air of the room will go toward outside only through the upper-half part of the window (the lower half is where the cold air will get into the room), so place the fan to blow out of the windows through the upper side. And vise-versa if the temperature of the room is lower than out. This way the replacement of the atmosphere of your room will happen way faster.
Thanks so much for your channel. It’s very helpful. Can you create a comparison between normal ozone machines and UVC ozone machines? Enerzen markets UVC ozone machines as the ones that can actually kill bacteria, while their 0-555/0-777 line doesn’t kill bacteria because it doesn’t have that UVC bulb. It would be interesting getting a comparison between these
I grow mushrooms at home, and use a rather strong UVC light to shine on the plates right after pouring, so they can solidify without the lid on. This way I stop condensation forming on the lids. :)
The contaminations you collected could be coming from the air since you're not working in a sterile area. Therefore, how long it took you to collect the spores could be the bigger factor for how much contamination you got than how effective the sterilization was.
No. I ran controls multiple times leaving Petrie dishes in open air for the same time that I collected bacteria and transferred directly to the other petri dishes. I never once had any growth on a petri dish unless it was touched with some thing. This is shown In the other videos in the series.
My concern with UVC sterilising plant tissue cultures I want to grow in polypropylene tubs is that UVC can “usually” only penetrate the top surface of whatever media it hits, it can’t pass through Plastic or glass and it struggles to pass through almost anything including water and medias etc so I wonder if a UVC bulb would be more effective if it was submerged in the medium while it was being mixed somehow so the media passes close by the light as it mixes and hits the light more often, the same principal used in aquarium UVC filters to kill bacteria and algae blooms 🤔
Love your channel as it is so unique compared to all of the other RU-vid growing channels. Here's to a better 2021 which, hopefully, won't be a SUPERPICKLE like 2020.
Great video! I’m wondering what is the best way to disinfect furniture with fabric like a bed. I was thinking a steam cleaner but am concerned about damaging the wood behind the fabric.
several comments on this video: it is not known if this is actually UVc or farUVc or even what the actual dosing is being delivered as no measurements were given from the light source. I am not sure if it was the video aperations or something, but the bulb was making light on the video which UVC of any wavelength is completely invisible to human vision. The samples used to treatment with the hands patted on the sample plates should have been shown with violet light so the contamination would be visible as bacteria and mico-biologics autoflouresce and can redibly be seen to give a clear indication of presence or not... Who knows if any contaminance moved from hand to plate in other words.. I say this because of the pattern of hand patting clearly followed the growth areas swabbed in the video so none of the testing is in any way validated. It is incredibly important to know which UVc waveform was used as well as the actual dosing. Even if it was plain UVc (234mm), dosing from a 30watt bulb (what it seems you were using), would be 10 minutes minimum for the distance you were using it. FarUVc (222mm) is even weaker in dosing. Another interesting fact in UVc use is that the distance is not that important since the wavelength of true UVc is so linear, given the distance is less than around 30'. This also makes the issue with the shadow so important, yet insane in that you cannot see the shadow since the wavelength of UVc is invisible to perceive. This is why I question if you were actually delivering any UVc of any wavelength due to the lamp actually shining visibly in the video.. In real life, the bulbs for UV make no visible light (was this a video apearition of your camera or was it shining light that you saw?). I am not sure you know enough about light wavelengths from the comments through you video.. I know this probably sounds like a complete teardown of the video, but one really needs to know how light (UVc light in this particular instance) works so incorrect information is not handed out as truth. The final issue (not even related to the subject of light) is the final frames recommend soaking masks in alcohol to sterilize masks... Alcohol is not a sterilizant, but in fact a cleanser to break down protiens.. Hydrogen peroxide is the correct choice for things like masks or anything for that matter.. H2O2 is an actual sterilizant that is non-toxic to people.Bacteria live in alcohol (reason why beer and wine is fermented as an example). Ozone which is an ionized oxygen molecule has to be contained as it will literally fall apart in an open environment so its efficacy is somewhat limited unless massive amounts are literally poured into the environment.. this is why real ozone sterilizers are sealed boxes for small items.. the benefit is that the ozone can flow into all areas in its container so shadows are irrelevent. I will not start on Ozone generation as this is another process often scammed and criticized by climate alarmists since in the 1970s scare over a hole in the ozone layer of atmosphere (hoax) as this is a completely different form of ozone and can be found being emited from any laser printer (interesting side note). Sorry if this seems derogatory, but tuthful info is needed for testing like this was supposed to be The items which should have been used: ================================= UVc light meter (Wavelength of dosing) Radiance meter to measure light delivery (Magnitude) Violet light (Blacklight) to observe surface infactants. Negative air source through air filter to remove cross-contamination
Thats a low pressure mercury lamp. Basically a CFL without the fluorescent powder and made of quartz glass. I have a few of those and I can smell ozone so they are legit. LP mercury lamps arent LEDs so they are inefficient, having several emiting spectral lines Check the mercury's emision line spectrum: 184.5nm (/), 253.7nm (/), 365nm, 404.7nm (+), 435.8nm, 546.1nm (+), 578nm. (+) = strong spectral lines giving that greenish-blue color. (/) = only present at very low pressures.
This is all interesting BUT not being a student of microbiology how does this all work out with different power levels of lights? You're using a 6 watt light so what happens with a 38 watt light - a 55 watt light - a 100 watt light?
Just bought an exceptionally well-maintained, used RV. Want to sterilize the tap, drinking water coming from fresh water tank. I believe your experiment confirms that running the water directly through a UVC light source is bogus, agreed? Suggestions? What about ozone? Trying to avoid using a typical filter
IF you want flowing sterilized water then a UVC filter is the way to go. If you just want to sterilize the system to clean it, then just use strait bleach and pump it through. Then flush it a few times. Typically you add a small amount of bleach to your water tank in an RV anyway. I don't know the ratio off-hand.
There are also 185 nm UVD lamps that produce ozone as a by-product, dunno if it's better than only using UVC light / ozone? Also I think UV/ozone would cause plastics/fabrics to deteriorate faster?
I have a 60W UVc light. When I have it turned on for one hour in the room, it creates an sulfur like odor. Is that odor an indication of the presence of ozone. I know the UVc can kills viruses. But does the Ozone also kill viruses. Should I keep my windows closed so that the ozone can kill the viruses effectively?
The ozone also kills viruses. But ozone is not a sulphur smell. When uvc reacts with materials or skin it can create those kinds of odors. That’s one way to know it’s working.
I noticed during the segment of the tests that involve using the rack to suspend the bulb, there was some shadows cast by the rungs underneath the bulb. I wonder if that had any effect. Anyway, excellent video!
UVA and UVB for growing. UVC will kill vegetation. Mars hydro sp3000 has UVA and IR lighting. Pretty awesome light with full spectrum for large dense flower.
@@johnnypoe3965 Bro the last thing you should be stingy & cheap with when you grow is the light. Your grow stands and falls with the light, trust me you won’t get proper results with a cheap Noname China light from alibaba. If you don’t want to buy to expensive led lights buy some from mars hydro, but don’t waste your money on alibaba lights, trust me if you do so u will regret it
What are your thoughts on those inline uvc water sterilizers that attach to RO water purifiers? The exposure time sounds too short to work as advertised.
Uh oh How would you use it incorrectly? We are thinking of getting UVLizer lamps for in our home. Also, I hear ozone makes clothes smell funny, so what about carpets and couches, etc? How do then get the smell out. Why does it smell?
it only takes a short time. depends on distance though. I guess if it were 10ft away then 24 hours would likely be enough. with this size light anyway.
Such a very well made video with proper testing and detailed information. Do you think those UVC lamps with ozone are good, and do they produce enough ozone to be effective? The UVC lamp i have is 65w and i use it for 30-60 minutes, it takes many hours for the ozone smell to disappear even with an open window. Is this a good indication there's enough ozone to sanitize every nook and cranny? And also, does the ozone really damage electronics and wires? Sometimes i turn on the AC unit while there's ozone to sanitize the AC as well, hopefully that's alright.
I read in the comment section of another video that the most efficient lighting for an indoor Superpickle grow is to use gu10 style bulbs with a 40 degree beam angle. They said the focal lens helps big time. This sound plausible to you?
@@GrowingAnswers just to be clear we're talking about a diy array of several bulbs. The numbers he threw out were 50,000 lux over a 3x4 area at 100w. The bulbs have posts that stick straight out the back that look easy to solder to. I don't even know how those numbers compare to the marshydro lights I'm just starting to research this stuff.
Great demonstration, thank you. I picked up a few UV mercury lamps over 20 years ago. They were part of a homemade EPROM erasing device. Each lamp came with a ballast and a quartz tube cover. I'm not sure what band mine are radiating in but it looks greenish blue like yours. The only difference is mine produce noticeable ozone with only a few seconds of operation. You are saying your lamps don't produce the ozone smell?
@@GrowingAnswers but but... UV-C will always cause ozone.. it breaks down and is rearranging molecules and some of them turns to O3 aka ozone Edit: apparently you can tune the wavelength so that no ozone is being produced
lots of problems in this test. your light stand casted a shadow on the test panel. any shadows the uvc isn't reaching that area thus why there is a shadow and anything living in that shadow will survive. you are also opening the agar in open air and not in a flow hood or SAB so they can be contaminated just by airborne microbes
UVC light, more the better. I started with a 6 watt, then a 22 watt, then running dual lamps. Next is 3 or 4 lamps. Ozone is produced really fast. A 15 or 30 minute exposure goes by really fast. I hope to run 4 lamps or 88 watts on a tripod.
Just use a UVC light that has no filter. It's going to produce a lot of ozone as a byproduct. Best of both worlds with the ozone being produced everywhere the light gets to as a bonus.
Germicidal UVC lamps like the one used in this video will damage organic material. It works by breaking down the DNA of the organism so I wouldn't use it on anything living, plants included.
1st of all, Superpickle. Thanks for making these vids. Would you like some of my powdery mildew to test efficacy of ozone and UVC? lol I'm trying UVC to help keep it in check.
